This was a short story assignment that we have in my advanced english class. We had to write a story that was 500 words or under (IMPOSSIBLE!) that involved a plane, a clock, and an alien invasion. A few of my friends liked it and told me I should put it on here so I did. Hope you all like it! 

Tick tock. Tick tock.

The sound of my wristwatch drummed in my ears as my anxiety grew. I gripped the arms of my coach class plane seat awaiting takeoff. Flying petrified me, nearly to the point of a panic attack, but it was necessary. Driving would have taken to long and I needed to get away from here the fastest way possible. I couldn’t live this life anymore, not with everything that had happened. It was time to forget, but was I able to forgive? 

No, I wasn’t. That was why I was sitting in a dreaded plane, eyes clenched tight, trying to block out the fear slithering through my veins. 

Tick tock. Tick tock.

My watch continued to tick.

“Hello ladies and gentlemen. The Captain turned on the seatbelt sign, so if you would all fasten your seatbelts we are ready for takeoff.” A flight attendant’s voice broadcasted over the planes intercom system.  

I clipped my seatbelt and tightened it snuggly against my waist. The plane began to move forward faster and faster down the runway. I felt the nose of the plane tilt upwards towards the sky. My muscles tensed, growing tighter as bit by bit the plane left the safety of the ground and up into the air. The force of the speed pushed me back into my seat and it felt as if I would become permanently attached.

After what seemed like hours, but was most likely only minutes, the plane reached its destined altitude and leveled off for a smooth ride. The seatbelt sign blinked off as an attendant announced that we were free to get up and use the facilities if need be. I kept my seatbelt fastened tightly and had yet to fully relax my grip on the armrest; taking deep breaths through my nose and out my mouth to slowly reign in my terror. 

When I was nearly calm and had unclenched my eyes the plane suddenly shook furiously. My heart jumped into my throat beating a tattoo into my skin. The aircraft jerked again as the same attendant as before ordered all passengers to return to their seats immediately.

I began to hear screams from those who had not reach their seats and where thrown off their feet. A child several seats behind me yelled for his mother. An elderly woman ahead of me was pleading with God to help us.

The plane began to descend quickly to the ground, completely out of control. We were tossed this way and that as we spiraled back down to the earth. My eyes began to flick this way and that looking for a way out of this nightmare. In my frantic search for a way out I saw the impossible. An aircraft like object, at least fifty times the size of the plane lower itself from the sky. In that instant I knew we were going to die.

I blocked all noise but one in my last minutes.

 Tick tock. Tick tock, tick…

My watch stopped ticking.  

I was thinking that maybe one day I will write about what happens before this. What exactly she is running away from. But that won't be anytime soon.