Aight, time to get this thing started. I realize this is very much a wall post, but it's the opening. I wouldn't expect this much from anyone (or myself) again. If people want to backtrack to give their viewpoint of the fall, that's fine. Or you can just start where I left off. Again, you do not have to write the way I do, however you feel comfortable writing is fine so long as it's legible.
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Being jarringly awoken during a nap is such a joy kill. I opened my eyes, groggily letting the harsh lights in the transport shuttle invade my sight as my mind fought to come to terms with where I was again. Looking out the window I could see the rolling green hills of Parum's terraformed landscape passing below me as the ship flew through the atmosphere. It was spring, and plants were in full bloom. Flowers coloring the fields with pretty whites, pinks and purples even from this high up. The occasional cluster of trees dotting the fields and standing tall with their bright new green leaves.
On the other side of me was the passenger aisle, rows of seats lining it, filled with all sorts of humans, beasts and casts (not to mention the mixed smell of sweat and grease, each emanating from their respective mass of people, living or mechanical.) I was in a standard airfare cabin, white everywhere with plush grey seats and a red stripe of carpet cutting down the aisle. A window in every row, "for your viewing pleasure." Bah.
That's right, vacation, thank god my time for it was here. I was finally getting out of that butcher shop back on Moatoob, first vacation since I started working there at twenty-two. Fuckin long overdue if you ask me. Beasts love meat though, any way you cut, cured, and spiced it. It was an honest enough living. Rick the butcher, 's'what they called me, didn't fancy it much though on account of it sounding like I was a serial killer. Was great to be able to wear a black shirt and blue jeans with the knowledge I wouldn't be putting a smock over it to be covered in blood.
Like a robot, I can't help but reach up to my cap, pulling it down close to my head like every other time I'm in public. Nearly thirty-six and already balding, Christ. 'Course, I suppose I shouldn't feel too bad in comparison to the bugger sitting across the aisle from me. Creepy looking pale Newman, must be an albino, has to be with skin as pale as a ghost and the long shaggy hair. Normally I wouldn't stare, but in addition to that disturbing hue of skin was an eye-patch covering the socket facing me, so it's not like she could tell I was looking (I hope.) I have to wonder what kind of dating life someone like that leads, if at all. What type of person would love to see those kinds of features in a girl? Suppose I shouldn't talk though, I'm not winning anyone over with my age, inattention to facial hair and a beer gut.
The ship shook again, much heavier this time than the one that woke me up. A pleasing female voice rings in over the intercom, telling everyone not to worry, we're just experiencing turbulence as we enter a front. Sure enough clouds quickly cover the window, and the surface below us becomes obscured as the clouds engulf us. The cabin dims as the sun light is stolen by the clouds and only the interior artificial light remains. Time for another nap.
This time, waking up is far, far more frightening. The ship makes a quick jerk, lifting me off my seat for a few brief milliseconds to slam me back into it, waking me up. The whole ship begins rattling, shaking, people start screaming. The emergency intercom comes on, telling people to buckle if they haven't and don't panic. Breathers drop and we're instructed to put them on. I don't. Looking out the window the clouds quickly seem to fly up, and when I see the surface of the planet, realization hits me. Those clouds didn't move up, we're moving down, fast. Oh fuck, fuck fuck fuck. WHY IS THE GROUND MOVING UP SO FAST. WHY IS THE GROUND THAT STEEP? IS THAT A GOD DAMN MOUTAIN? FUCK HERE IT COMES, SHI-
The loudest noise I have ever heard goes off in my ears like ten thousand tons of dynamite detonating on my ear drum. The whole front end of the transport quickly accordions up, crushing against the earth. The wall of metal being pushed back into the shuttle comes rushing up the aisle towards me before coming to a halt a few rows up. Had I been ten seats further ahead I would have been dead in that moment. It didn't pay to be in first class that day.
Immediately following the impact I felt the back end of the transport drop itself against the ground, slamming me so hard I could feel it through my whole spine. A large grumble followed, as the shuttle started to slide backwards. FUCK, WE ARE SLIDING DOWN A GOD DAMN MOUNTAIN.
Had the emergency seatbelts not auto-locked around my chest I would have slammed into the seat in front of me on impact and probably be dead. Again they saved me as the ship shifted down the earth, sliding to its side before starting to roll. The people who didn't get their seatbelts on tumbled around in the cabin, hitting other people and slamming against the walls, seats and windows. One man narrowly missed me, hitting the roof above (or rather, below) me during the tumble, a sickening mix of a crack and thud leaving no doubt that the man's skull was shattered to piecemeal. The rolling could have only been a few seconds, but it felt like forever.
Again, another jarring slam, this time ending with the transport stopping. I look out my window and see the slope of the ground continuing down below me, so steep it might as well be a drop. That albino Newman across the aisle is "uphill" from me, and I can see ground though her window. So we're still on a slant. I unbuckle, I'm getting the fuck out of here. It seems several other people (who were still conscious) had the same idea. Others stayed put in their seats, tight in their belts, presumably out of fear the ship would roll again. Or perhaps they were still petrified with fear and shock. Someone beats me to the emergency hatch, slamming the lever down and pushing the door open, hopping out. I follow suit, not thinking of anything but getting out, the fear of death hot on my heels and telling me to get the fuck out before something else happens.
Only a few people, myself included and a couple behind me, make it out before a loud crack can be heard, turning around I can see why. The reason the shuttle had stopped rolling was because it had slammed into a few choice trees that grew on the somewhat flatter expanse I was currently standing on. We were on a cliff, with the trees that had caught the shuttle growing out of the edge of it. The trees were mostly broken from impact, and the limbs and trunks were still snapping from the weight of the transport stressing it. I could only watch in silence as the final crack split not long after I had jumped out and turned around. There was someone else at the hatch just then, looked like just your average Joe-blow business man. Short cut brown hair, well shaven, a bit on the pudgy side and dressed in a nice cut suit. I saw the look of terror on his face as the last tree snapped and the plane began to fall again underneath his feet. Eyes wide, mouth gaping, a wild fear twisting what would otherwise be soft features. He screamed, he tried to jump out but to no avail, he was too late. He only succeeded in falling with the shuttle, just on the outside now. I think I heard him yell a woman's name.
Running up to the edge of the cliff I watched the smashed up transport fall down the steep cliff side, whilst the man had only hit the ground and stopped after rolling a bit, deader than dead. The rumble of the transport faded away as it kept rolling and sliding further and further away down the mountain. It was a long way down. I didn't watch the plane tumble the rest of the way, I couldn't. Plenty of people had stood up to get out, but only a handful of people were standing around me. Everyone else that had gotten up was undoubtedly dead, tossed around in that metal can of death as it fell. I'm sure the walls would be painted red by the time it stopped moving.
I fell to my ass, the exhaustion of fear, shock, bewilderment, the joy of still being alive and of escape hitting my body. My legs felt like jello, I couldn't stand. I closed my eyes, opened them again, hoping this was all a dream. It wasn't. Fuck. I started laughing, and then it turned into sobs, before I finally just went silent. I felt insane. This was insane. What the fuck happened. What do I do now?
I managed to calm myself, gained my composure back, telling myself sitting here wasn't going to solve anything. I turned my head, looking around. The edge of the cliff I was on was rocky, but ten feet back it became dirt. This part of the mountain was mostly just that, rock and dirt, occasionally a tree here and there, smaller than normal having grown at this kind of altitude. Grey and dark brown all over the place. Over the cliff, where the shuttle had tumbled, was a forest. It looked like we had stopped above it, trekking a few miles downhill would probably put us at the edge of it.
I looked around at the other people, and wondered what the hell I should do. A hike in the wilderness with strangers was not what I had in mind for vacation. I could only think of one thing. Laying down on my back, looking up at them, my voice harsh from yelling during the tumble and cracked with shock, I managed to choke out, "Hey. I'm Rick. Who are you guys?"
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