Flight FXQRF5

"When will you be back, Mum?"

"In 1 week Ellie, I'll be back before you know it."

"Promise you will bring me back something from Canada? Like a souvenir?"

"Maybe, I will be caught up in conferences all day. if I have time."

"Bye Mum, I love you."

"Love you too."

As she walked away, I waved and smiled. She turned around and waved back, before disappearing through the big metal doors to the plane on the other side.

"Come on, let's go home." Said dad, taking my hand

"Can we watch the plane leave first?" I said. Dad thought for a moment. "I don't know...I have some things to do at home-"

"Please!" I gave him the most irresistible puppy dog eyes I could.

"Oh, alright, but we are leaving straight after."

I pressed my face against the huge glass wall. I can see planes taking off, far away in the distance. I can feel subtle vibrations in the ground as the engines fire. Mum's plane is about to take off any minute now. "Do you think Mum is thinking about us? do you think she is already in her seat?"

"I'm sure she is."

The engines fire on mums plane, its starts to pick up speed and just as quickly as it started, the plane lifted, up into the air, into the clouds.

When we get home the first thing I do is go into my room and run to my calendar. I scribble on March 27, one week from now, 'Mum back from trip!' and cross off the first day. Now all I have to do is wait for her to come back.

on the first day, I wasn't allowed to call her. Dad said that he doesn't know when the plane will land, and it would be too much of a hassle, But that I could call her tomorrow. So I spent the rest of the day making little origami cranes and putting them on mums pillow.

On the second day, I woke up early so I could call mum. dad wasn't up yet so I quietly took the home phone and entered mums number.

"Hello?"

"Hi Mum! How is Canada?"

"Oh hi Ellie! it is very cold. even though it's the afternoon."

"That's funny because in Australia, it's morning."

"Different parts of the world have different times, Ellie."

"I know."

I talked with mum for half an hour until she said she said she had a meeting in a few minutes.

"Before you go, did you find anything to bring back?"

"Yes I did actually! There was a little gift shop selling anything to do with penguins, pretty weird right? But I thought you might like this small penguin teddy wearing a jacket. it's so cute!

"Wow thanks Mum! I can't wait to see it."

A few days pass, and it's getting a little lonely without Mum, she is coming back tomorrow so I thought I would make Mum's side of the bed for her. I made it all neat and tidy, rearranged the paper cranes on her pillow and added a little paper heart that made today. she will be so proud when she gets back.

I woke up and crossed the final day off my calendar. Mum is coming back today! She would already be on the plane back right now! although we had hours before we needed to go to the airport, I was so excited I could barely wait. When the time finally came to drive there and get Mum, I wanted to call her but thought against it. I knew she's on the plane so it would be better to talk to her in person when she gets off.

the drive to the airport was long so dad got out his music disk. he turned the radio on and told me to put the disk into the disk player.

"Breaking News: We just got informed that 241 people are dead fr-"

The news was cut off as the disk started to play.

"What was that Dad?"

"Don't worry Ellie, The news can be a little sad sometimes, so let's get mum first then we can listen to it with her."

about an hour later we finally arrive at the airport. I am so excited I run through the sliding doors as soon as we get out of the car.

"Come on dad! Mum is waiting!"

But as soon as I run through the doors. I realize the airport is... different. Louder. people are screaming. crying. Dad slowly walks up behind me. I see panic in his eyes.

"What is going on? Where's Mum?" I say to him, starting to get worried. He doesn't say anything. he just puts one hand over his mouth and starts to run over to the waiting area. "Dad!" I run after him, having to shove through crowds of yelling hysterical people, stepping over people laying on the floor. when I finally get to him, he has tears streaming down his face. his hand still covering his mouth. He is watching a TV along with dozens of others, somebody put it on the news.

"Breaking news: We just got informed that 241 people are dead from a tragic plane crash. So far we know that the crash site is in a dense forest, And that there are no known survivors. The Flight code was FXQRF5 flying from Canada, Toronto to Australia, Melbourne. truly a heartbreaking scene at the airports."

A collage of faces pop up on the screen.

I clasped my hands over my ears and turn away from the screen. I couldn't listen anymore. I could look anymore.

241 people are dead.

191 adults.

31 children.

11 babies.

5 flight attendants.

2 pilots.

and my Mum.

The plane never arrived at the airport. it is still in that forest. with 240 corpses.

and my Mum.

I take my hands away from my ears and open my eyes. the room is suddenly very quiet, and very bright. I feel a wave of intense nausea wash over me. I clench my stomach when suddenly, I hear a distant "Ellie?" getting louder and louder. I frantically look up and see Mum in the doorway to the metal opening, completely unharmed and unfazed. "MUM!" I scream, running towards her, wrapping my arms around her in a tight hug. "I'm so glad you are ok I thought everyone was gone!" But there was no reply. I looked up at her but there was nobody there. My arms outstretched, grasping out for nothing but air.

I slowly walked to the metal door and sat down right outside of it. I looked down the long hall that would lead to a plane entrance.

And I waited.

I waited for mum to come home from Canada.

I waited for her to bring me back the little penguin.

I waited for her to give me a hug.

I waited for her to come back.