Джордан Шор - The Search

Nancy seemingly searched her pockets, and then started to cry. “I lost my keys. I can’t get into my apartment now.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that, Nancy,” Jack said in a reassuring tone.

“That’s easy for you to say. I can’t get into my apartment now,” Nancy cried out.

“I have a cell phone, but I’m afraid to turn it on. It’s better to wait until tomorrow when it’s dry. We might need it to call for help,” Andrew said.

“Yes, that’s probably wise,” Jack agreed. “Don’t worry, Nancy. They’ll come for us soon. Everything is going to be all right. Let’s move away from the shore, and see if we can find a tree where we can shelter from the rain.”

A while later, the heavy rain was replaced by a light drizzle and dripping water from the trees. The group was silent, wrapped within the dark surroundings. The wind lessened, though tree branches still scratched about, and a person could be heard moving around. Suddenly, Nancy screamed in panic.

“What’s wrong,” Jack asked her.

“Get out!” Nancy screamed distraught. “Help me!”

“Calm down, Nancy!”

“How do you know my name?”

“It’s me, Jack.”

“I don’t know any Jack.”

“Listen to me, Nancy. You’ve been in an accident. I think you’re suffering from head trauma, and that’s why you don’t remember me. But you’re safe here with me and Andrew. So try to calm down. We’re just going to sit here and wait for the rescue team to find us. Everything is going to be all right.”

“I’ve been in an accident?” Nancy sounded confused.

“Yes, the plane crashed.”

“What plane?”

“We were on a plane, remember?” Jack asked, but didn’t get a response. “We flew from Anchorage to—”

“No, we departed from Seattle and flew to Anchorage.”

“Yes, you’re right, Andrew. I got confused. We flew from Seattle, but the plane crashed into the ocean—”

“No, this isn’t the ocean, the water is fresh. In fact, I don’t think we’re anywhere near the ocean. I’ve lived in Seattle my whole life, and this doesn’t smell like the Pacific. It smells different here.”

The group sat in silence for a while, but again, the silence was interrupted, this time, by the screams of another woman in pain.

“Hello!” Jack yelled.

“Help! I think I broke my leg!”

“Stay there! I’ll come to you! Where are you?”

Andrew chuckled sarcastically.

“I’ll follow the sound of your voice! Sing a song!”

“Take a branch with you, it will help you feel the terrain.”

Jack must have taken Andrew’s advice, and the sound of a branch breaking was then followed by the sound of a person stumbling across the terrain, accompanied by a woman singing.

Several songs later, Jack said, “I’m right here. We should make a traction splint to keep the leg steady. I have a shirt we could use.”

“Actually, it’s my ankle that’s broken. I misspoke. Sorry.”

“I think we should just leave it be then.”

“Sorry you had to come all this way for nothing.”

“No, don’t be. It’s better if we pair up. I’d hate for you to be all alone.”

“So more people are gathered over there?”

“Yes, Andrew and Nancy, and I’m Jack by the way… Say, your name wouldn’t happen to be Pamela, would it?”

“No, why do you ask?”

“I heard a man yelling for Pamela earlier. Did you hear that?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. What might your name be?”

The woman coughed a few times. “My name is Julie.”

Jack suggested the two of them should get out of the rain, and they crawled a short distance to the nearest tree. Jack yelled to inform the others that he would spend the night alongside Julie.

“You should wring your clothes out—they’ll dry faster. I can help you,” Jack said.

“No, that’s all right. My jacket isn’t that wet really, and I’m afraid to take my pants off—Because of my ankle, that is,” Julie quickly added.

“Good thing you brought a jacket. I wish I’d thought of that.”

“You’re not wearing a jacket?”

“No. I just have a shirt on. I left my jacket on the plane.”

“I never take my jacket off when flying. I’m always cold,” Julie said. “You can use my sweater if you like. I think I can do with just my jacket.”

“I’m sure it wouldn’t fit me. But thank you just the same.”

“I think it’s a size medium.”

“Well, in that case, it definitely wouldn’t fit me.”

“Perhaps you can use the sweater as a blanket?”

“No, it’s too small either way. I’m a very large man. Trust me, you’ll get better use of it,” Jack said. “Say, you wouldn’t happen to have a lighter, would you?”

“No, afraid not.”

“Don’t people smoke anymore? It’s as if everyone suddenly stopped smoking.”

“I only smoke when I’m nervous,” Julie said. “So I could use a cigarette, right about now.”

“You and me both.”

“So, you smoke?”

“For the last thirty years. But my lighter is in my jacket.”

“How old are you, Jack? If you don’t mind me asking?”

“I’m forty-two.”

“Twelve is a good age to start smoking. How did you manage that? I’m smiling by the way.”

“I don’t know. Perhaps I watched too much television back in the eighties or something. You know, smoking wasn’t dangerous back then. Too bad they changed it.” Jack chuckled. “So how old are you?”

“I’m twenty-ten.”

Jack chuckled once more.

“Too bad I lost my purse on the plane, or we’d have a phone to call for help.”

“Andrew has a phone, but he said he’ll wait until tomorrow to turn it on.”

“Yeah , that’s wise. If the phone is wet inside, then the battery will destroy the circuits.” Julie sniffed. “The water came so fast, I completely forgot about the life vest.”

“I think the plane broke in half. That’s why it sank so quickly.”

“They’ll come for us, right?” Julie asked anxiously.

“There’s a transmitter on the plane. They’ll find us for sure. We just have to get through the night.”

Later, during the night, a woman screamed for help.

“That’s just Nancy,” Jack said. “I recognize her voice. She gets confused and forgets where she is. I think she’s suffering from head trauma.”

“Help me!”

Friday night

George Stanton arrived at the F.A. headquarters in San Francisco forty-five minutes after he’d gotten the call from the CEO about the plane crash. He felt as though he should have gotten there sooner and feared that he was the last of the five-member crisis team to arrive at the office.

As always, George wore a jacket and tie to work, and this time he’d gone with a beige blazer, black pants, and a black shirt. His beige, brown-striped silk tie blended perfectly with his jacket.

As he entered the designated conference room, he felt relieved to discover that he wasn’t the last member to arrive. Cayla, with a “C” and a squeaky voice, wasn’t present, and neither was the jolly fellow who resembled the Michelin man.

CEO Michael Williams stood up and greeted George as he entered the office. The CEO wore a light-gray suit and a white shirt with an open collar. His clothes brought out the dark color of his skin and created a lovely contrast. He appeared to be in his early fifties, but despite Mike’s age, George still thought Williams looked handsome.

George recognized the man on the other side of the table, and he was pretty sure the man’s role in the crisis team was to function as the emergency crisis coordinator, also known as the ECC. However, he wasn’t certain of the man’s name, but he vaguely recalled a first name something like Jeff.