Children of the Elements

Chapter 9-Travel is no. Just no.

Security sucked but finally I boarded the plane. It was crowded, three people on each side with an isle in between. At least I got a window seat. The ride was a little under two hours.

For the first time since Nick and Alesha were taken, I had time to sit still. It was awful. My view of the plane smeared in a blur of colors every time I thought of what happened and eventually I cried myself into a restless sleep.

When the plane touched down, I jolted awake and my ears popped from the pressure change. For one weirdly blissful second, I forgot why I was on the plane. I forgot what happened.

When I remembered it felt raw and fresh. The reality of it all hit me like a train. I physically winced.

"Thank you for your patronage and choosing to fly Alaska Airlines! The exit is now open."

Right. Got to go to some stupid national park and find a coach. Whatever the flumpty dumpty that means.

I stood up, inhaling sharply at the sudden vertigo. After several deep breaths, I exited the plane with a mob of way-to-eager tourists.

I sat at one of the benches outside of the terminal and tried to figure out how to get to the hot spring. That's when I saw it out the window, in all its ugly, bright as the fricken sun glory.

A tour bus.

I rushed toward it but quickly realized it was for people with reservations to go on it. "Shoot." I muttered. This would get messy.

I watched as some old, mean looking lady that would harass you with a purse stalk into the bathroom. She had a shiny lanyard with the tour company slogan, "YNP Tours and More!" displayed across the strap. Perfect.

Then, about as sneaky as a rhino splashing through water, I followed her into the bathroom.

She was one of those people who whistled while she peed. Ew.

I hung around by the sink, pretending to fix my hair in the mirror. She was out quickly and started washing her hands. I took that chance to make a move.

"Hi! You don't know me and this is completely random but I'm doing a poll in the airport for a school project on...how many people wear jewelry while traveling! Do you mind taking off all your jewelry so we can count it? I promise I won't steal it, I would probably get an F on my report and my mom would kill me if that happened so—"

I pretended to ramble about grades, my heart hurting when I thought of my adoptive mom, Alesha.

The lady seemed to get pretty annoyed quickly and hurriedly took out her chunky earrings. She slid off her ring and unclasped an unbelievable number of necklaces. I eyed the lanyard, which she hadn't taken off.

"Oh! Do you mind taking off that lanyard too? It counts as jewelry—even though you wouldn't normally think so."

She eyed me suspiciously. "Young lady if you even think about stealing my things, I will beat you with my purse before you can even apologize."

"No ma'am, I won't steal any jewelry, I promise." I gulped. Technically, in my book, a lanyard wasn't jewelry. Even though I told her it was.

She nodded. I pretended to count her stuff, my hand "accidentally" brushing a silver chain onto the floor. The women crouched to grab it and I took the rest off the jewelry in my fist and threw it in different places in the bathroom. One landed in a toilet with a plunk. 

All that was left was the lanyard, still clutched in my fist. The lady growled at me in a very unladylike way if I do say so myself, and made a move to grab me. I jumped back and ran out.