That was the last thing I remember doing...
Chomping on gum.

Ohkay not chomp,not like a horse at least.Chew?
Yeah that's the word.
Chew.
I remember the flavour of the gum,honeydew and strawberry.
Two sticks to be precise,one of each flavour in my mouth.
Then I smelt something hot and burning like rubber burning,tearing as I heard horrible screeches as if long fingernails were being drawn across a blackboard.

Then stop...

I was in a trance.As if I was swallowed into a bubble of emptiness.
Everyone around me was running,screaming,panicking.
Babies cried,women screamed,grown men were chattering in fear.
After 30 seconds but what seemed like 10 minutes I snapped out of my trance.
I then realised exactly what was going on.
We were going to crash.

It was too late.
Some stood by their chairs and said their last prayers.

Please God help us in our time of need.Rescue us from the perishing fires.God help us!

But some just sat in the seats.Motionless.
Eyes empty.They looked so brave as if to say they were ready to face death.
But they weren't.
No one is.They were just very good actors.

I was both.
After a prayer I sat down and looked out of my window.
I could see the fire.
I felt the flames.Hot and punishing...

First I felt calm yet confused.
But after a few moments the fear kicked in.
So deep.
It hurt excruciatingly.
And my sight turn bleary as my eyes turned hot and red.

They stinged with each drop of water which streamed like an endless creek.
Like the ones behing my house which I loved.The ones that when the sun hit it just right you could see the different colours.
A kaleidoscope of colours dancing in the calm trickling waters.
I always thought they reminded me of the faries in the books Papa used to buy for me.
And he'd sit me down on his lap and read them to me.

"Beautiful creatures with their wreaths of flowers in their hair,clothes out of flower petals,fairy dust and with wings the colours of the rainbow.The colours,they danced as the fairy flutter his or her wings.Beautiful...Beautiful just like you Alice,"

"But Papa I don't have any fairy dust and I'm not pretty like them faries in the books Papa,"
I pouted pointing my pudgy fingers at the oh-so-delicate creatures on the pages.I was on my father's knee,in my fairy costume a baby pink and baby blue mixture of tulle and chiffon tutu with handfuls of sparkles adorning the costume.In my curls were flowers wreaths.Beautiful daisies and strands of lavender to make a beautiful and heavenly smelling wreath.Even with my hair all over the place my father always said I looked adorable.

"Ah but yours is a special kind of fairy magic.See,love,in the picture she has dust.Yours child,yours is something special.Yours is something always with you.Forever..Able to heal any kind of pain,"

"What is it Papa tell me!"

"It's your kisses Alice.Your magic kisses.And thats special just like you Alice.Beautiful just like you...."

Just like you...

I can see them now,trickling magic.
But not then.Oh no I was far too afraid then.
I was angry and afraid and confused.
Just then a felt a soft,supple hand on mine.
A young man,my age.Seventeen.
He was my neighbour for the flight exchanging smiles and thoughtful glances.
But nothing more.
Just a stranger.
Amere stranger.
Yet I didn't want him to let go of my hand,I didn't know why.
Was it because I was scared?
Was it because I liked it?
Or was it because during those final moments I wanted to go off,calm and conceited?
He took me in his arms and sort of lulled me,stroking my blonde curls.
Normally I would have slapped a stranger or worse punched him for over touching me.
But I didn't mind when he did.
I felt calm and somewhat protected like he could save me,eventhough he couldn't I just knew he could.
My fingernails were digging into his strong arms
------to be cont.------