TURBULANCE

Chapter 5. Wreckage

Josh lay sprawled, motionless upon the wreckage. The air was cold, a violent sting to it. Josh's ears were violently ringing. He couldn't determine if he was dead or not. He managed to force his eyes open. All he could see was blur, but he was sure he was alone. He managed to clumsily get onto a knee. He regained his sight. He glanced around to see the wreckage. The plane had been shredded apart. And from what Josh could see, there was treeline circling the wreckage. But it was extremely far away. Josh couldn't determine the crash location. As he rose to his feet, he heard talking edging closer with each word.

"Viper. Tell me the boy is dead." A man spoke fiercely. Josh determined that Viper had an accomplice. And he was right. He just didn't know who it was. He quickly crawled through the wreckage to a bush which surprisingly hadn't burnt, due to the raging fires throughout the wreckage. He listened to the men talk.

"I honestly don't know at the moment. We must continue searching the wreckage. We need to confirm it is him." Viper exclaimed to the other man.

"Well we'll split up, you search this side and I'll search this side. If you think you have a confirmed kill or I.D, tell me instantly. Do you understand?" The other man examined with ferocity,

"You speak to me as if I am dumb, Hicks." Viper replied. Josh learned that Hicks was the other man's name.

"You are dumb, Viper."

"Whatever." Hicks veered off to the left and Viper was headed straight at Josh. He looked around the wreckage, to no avail. Then he noticed some movement from the bush. Josh had instantly froze. Viper was just staring at the bush. As he was about to examine it a loud crash came from the wreckage. Viper instantly charged at the source of the sound. Closely followed by Hicks. Josh watched from behind the bush. The pair brushed aside all the rubble between them and the sound. Hicks eventually found it. It was a middle aged man. Once Hicks realised he was useless, he ordered Viper to do something. Viper aimed his hand at the man's face. A burst of shadows engulfed the man and he was instantly killed. Josh's jaw dropped, unable to move. Viper had just killed an innocent man by pointing at him. What the hell am I up against? Josh thought. The men left the man and continued searching the wreckage for Josh, but luckily they were headed in the opposite direction. Josh waited for the right moment, he seized his opportunity, and he bolted in the opposite direction, not daring to look back. He would occasionally hide under the rubble to avoid alerting the enemy of his location. As he was running, a thought hit him like a brick wall.

Where is Stephanie? Did she survive? Josh initially feared the worst. Now he had one clear objective: find Stephanie Roux before Viper does.