Hive Island - The Awakening | Open Novella Contest 2020

Chapter 1 - The Arrival

Oliver hunched forward and gazed out of the side window of the twin-prop commuter plane. In the distance, dark clouds approached at an alarming rate, the occasional flash of lightning visible through a dark curtain of rain. Below, white splotches danced across the gray ocean as the wind whipped the waves at an ever-increasing pace. A storm was building, and the plane was flying straight towards it.

A quick glance at his wrist told him that relief was at least another half an hour out. Was that enough time for the approach and the landing? Unconsciously, his right hand reached for the pocket in front of him and fingered the thick paper bag hidden behind a magazine. He had never spilled his guts on a plane before and if he could help it, this flight would not be his first. Just in case, he told himself and positioned the bag in front of the emergency exit leaflet.

"Don't like flyin', huh?" a deep voice to his right said and chuckled. Oliver glanced over at the man in the aisle seat and smiled weakly. Ron. That's how he had introduced himself before embarking on one of the wildest hunting stories Oliver had ever heard. That is, until Oliver had pretended to nod off during take-off. There was only so much bragging about killing out the undead he could take. They had vanished years ago.

"I—"

"It's all right, son." Ron slapped Oliver's leg, a grin across his face. "Everyone's got's the jitters now and then. Did I tell you about that time when—"

"How long until we land?" Oliver said. He had no interest in listening to another wild story.

Ron looked at his watched and opened his mouth to respond when the double-dings of the fasten seatbelt light interrupted him.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. We're approaching our destination and will be landing within thirty minutes. Unfortunately, we can expect a bumpy ride the rest of the way. Please fasten your seatbelts and stow any unnecessary items. Thank you."

A stewardess walked the length of the plane moments later to enforce the Captain's command and then strapped herself in. As if on command, the plane dropped into an air pocket. Oliver gasped and squeezed the armrests of his seat with an iron grip. The streaks of rain that appeared on the window tried to attract his attention before he closed his eyes. Instead, he tried to picture a sunny beach, but the only thing he saw was the barf bag in the seat pocket in front of him.

The drone of the engines increased and decreased as the pilot adjusted power to the engines and started a shallow bank to the left. Oliver both felt and heard the whir of the flaps extending just outside his window. The landing gear extended with a dull thud and filled the cabin with wind noise. Through the window, Oliver could see his destination as a shadow against the horizon, partially hidden behind the rain. Just as quickly as it had appeared, it disappeared from view as the plane leveled out.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please prepare for landing," came the voice over the speakers. The fasten seatbelt sign dinged twice as a reminder to stay put. As if needed.

Outside the window, the whitecaps of the dark gray ocean approached faster than Oliver liked. The wind buffeted the plane left and right the closer it came to the surface. When the rocky shoreline passed underneath the plane, Oliver closed his eyes and tensed his body as the plane did one final dance with the crosswinds. The tires hit the runway at a slight angle, tossing Oliver and the other passengers left and right as the rubber gripped the wet tarmac and settled down on its wheels. They were thrown against their seatbelts as the pilot applied the brakes. The hum of the engines rose to a roar as the reverse thrust was engaged. It wasn't until the plane had slowed to taxing speeds that Oliver opened his eyes and exhaled forcefully, thankful that he had survived.