The Ascent

Chapter 15

If anyone had told Jasmine that she would have been able to doze off on a tree while most of the people she knew had disappeared, she wouldn't have thought it possible. Yet, that was what she did, exhausted by the day's events.

In her whole life, she had never done more running around, fighting, or even thinking, and it drained her of all energy, putting her into a deep slumber. It didn't even matter that her position was rather uncomfortable, hugging a tree. She could always fall asleep anywhere, and slumbering on the tree was proof of that.

Her dreams were as hectic as real life had become. There was a lot of running, losing one's way, and being faced with beings that varied from evil humans, ghouls, and aliens to her zombified family members.

The terror was roaming freely throughout her body as she didn't have her conscious mind present to reel it in. It felt like being stuck in a dark inky pool, unable to get out. She was being pulled deeper in every time she tried to get out.

"Daddy, what's that?" A small voice shrieked, suddenly cutting through the darkness of Jasmine's nightmares.

Her eyes popped open in fear, but she couldn't immediately see what had spooked the girl. It was clear from her tone that something did scare her, but Jasmine couldn't see anything in the dim light of dawn.

"It's nothing, just an airplane," Asher said, sounding unsure even to Jasmine's sleepy mind.

"Daddy! It's falling down! Will it fall down on us?" Ariyana shrieked, curling up to her father's side, eyes fixed on the object.

Only following the child's terrified gaze did Jasmine manage to see what she was looking at, and one thing was for sure, it was not a plane. Furthermore, it did seem to be falling down. However, after looking at it for a while, Jasmine realized it was more like a fast descent. The technology was more advanced than the one they were familiar with, which was why it looked like it was crashing.

"No, no, it's very far away. It just looks like it's nearby," Asher said soothingly, stroking the little girl's hair while his son held on firmly to his other hand.

"Yes, of course, it's probably just a game the pilot is playing, trying to prove how fast he can land the plane. I don't think it's falling down at all," Jasmine said her kindly.

"Really?" Ariyana asked, her huge blue eyes fixed on Jasmine so intently that she wasn't sure she could keep up the lie.

Instead of answering, she just nodded her head too enthusiastically, something that the children she read to always found funny. A small smile also appeared on the girl's face, but she still seemed hesitant.

Jasmine knew how she felt because Jasmine was alarmed as well. The thing descending didn't look like anything that she had ever seen. She even dared think that it looked quite a lot like a UFO. However, whatever was going on, they needed to stay calm.

Unsure whether she was doing it for the benefit of the children or to calm her nerves, Jasmine suddenly straightened up and started softly singing. It was just loud enough for those she shared her tree to hear but not loud enough to be discovered.

Without consciously choosing the song, Jasmine realized she was singing You Can Fly from Peter Pan. Finding it fitting enough looking at the flying object, she continued. The children seemed confused at first, but soon, they joined in. Even Isaac, who was far too serious for a child, did so.

Her song morphed from that one to another fun Disney song. Soon, the children had forgotten all about their fear and the strange object streaking across the sky. They continued with the songs, lost in the melody, not even noticing that Jasmine was no longer singing.