Shane McCutcheon

Shane tried to muster up a smile, but it became harder and harder to fight off the sleepiness and it almost felt as if someone had drugged her. She couldn’t really pay much attention to what was going on around her anymore, and if she didn’t figure out something fast that could hold her attention, she was going to fall asleep. Falling asleep in situations like this wasn’t a good thing, she knew that much, yet it was becoming too hard to stop herself.

Then the idea popped into her head. If she tried to sit up, she would have to stay awake. She couldn’t sleep and sit at the same time, right? She decided to go for it and propped herself up on her elbows, then pushed until she was sitting up straight. Something wet was trickling down her back and she didn’t know whether it was blood or sweat.

She kept her eyes closed so she wouldn’t have to see the world spinning around her, she was already sure that was what it would feel like if she did. Her head felt like it was about to explode into a million pieces, but she had to stay up straight. She realised someone was talking close to her but she had no idea what they were saying.

Jodi Lerner

Jodi had stopped swimming, and had allowed herself to just float in the light current. Her eyes closed, she was trying to concentrate on her breathing.

In. Out. In. Out.

She had to reach the shore and soon. Her body was shutting down at a faster rate than she expected, and what had seemed like a reasonable distance just a few minutes ago seemed like an impossible goal now.

She didn’t register how the pattern of the water splashing on her changed. But she did notice the sudden sensation of a warmth object being wrapped around her waist.

Jodi’s body responded before Jodi’s mind did. With an unexpected surge of strength, she started to kick and punch at the source of the intrusion.

Phyllis Kroll

Making her way through the throngs of injured and dying passengers, Phyllis laid eyes on a woman of about her same age. She had dark hair, big brown eyes behind smart glasses, flawless skin to match those eyes, plump lips, and she was dressed well. The soon-to-be-former Mrs. Kroll thought she was the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen.