Only I Remember

The boarding zone buzzed with last-minute announcements, suitcase wheels, crying toddlers, and the low hum of stress that airports collected like dust.

Linda held the handle of her overstuffed carry-on with the limp grip of a woman who had worked five 12-hour shifts this week and no longer feared ****.

Maybe this vacation really will help. Maybe a beach and a nap and no hospital alarms for seven straight days…

Behind her, a pink lace bra slipped from a half-unzipped side pocket of the suitcase.

Leo(picking it up with two fingers, smirking): “Aunt Linda… making bold statements, I see.”

Mark(grinning like a gremlin): “Auntie, I didn’t know you had a spicy side.”

Linda(snatching it, mortified): “It’s LAUNDRY! Stop waving it like a battle flag!”

Emily(sipping boba with raised eyebrows): “Mom, that’s not laundry. That’s personality.”

Linda: “Put that on a T-shirt and I’ll wear it ironically.”

Ethan stood off to the side, hands shoved awkwardly into his hoodie pockets, cheeks red.

Ethan(Thinking): “Why do they always have to do this in public?”

Mark(nudging Leo): “Yo, bet Ethan doesn’t know what one of these looks like in action.”

Leo: “Bro, he barely knows what himself looks like.”

Ethan: “Real mature, guys.”

Mark: “Don’t worry, man. When we get to the beach, I’ll teach you how to talk to girls.”

Leo: “Step one: don’t be you.”

Emily shot them a glare, but they only grinned wider.

Linda didn’t even hear it — she was too busy wrestling the zipper shut again.

Linda: “Just close. Please. I need one thing in my life to go according to plan today…”

She pressed it down with one knee, then both knees, then finally collapsed forward in triumph as it latched.

Linda: “Ha! Who’s the boss? I’m the boss.”

Emily: “Mom, you’re kneeling on the airport floor.”

Linda: “I’ve knelt in worst places.”

Mark: “Hot.”

Ethan: “Don’t say that to my mother.”

Leo: “Relax, bro. She needs compliments.”

Linda tried to smile through her exhaustion.

They’re just being silly, she told herself. Boys their age always act like this.

The attendant scanned their tickets with the dead-eyed efficiency of someone who had lived too many airport Tuesdays.

They walked into the narrow cabin. Emily grabbed the window seat beside her mom. Ethan ended up behind them — stuck between Mark on one side and Leo on the other.

Leo(slinging his arm around Ethan): “Welcome to the cool row.”

Mark: “Population: not you.”

Ethan sighed.

Ethan(Thinking): “Fantastic. Trapped between these two idiots posing as Disney written bullies.”

They buckled in.

Mark immediately took Ethan’s in-flight magazine.

Ethan: “Dude, I was reading that.”

Mark: “You were flipping the pages like you were decoding nuclear codes. You weren’t reading.”

Leo: “He can’t get past a three-syllable word.”

Ethan: “…Says the guy who thought the Vatican was a town.”

Leo: “IT SHOULD BE.”

Emily peeked back over her seat with a smirk.

Emily: “Boys, can you chill? It’s my birthday, not National ‘Pick On Ethan’ Day.”

Mark: “Is there a difference?”

Ethan: “Please let this be a short flight…”

Linda placed a gentle hand on her daughter’s shoulder.

Linda: “Emily, sweetie… I still can’t believe you’re eighteen now. My baby, all grown up.”

Her eyes softened with warmth and grief all tangled together.

But she shook it off, smiling again.

Mark (loud whisper): “I swear if she cries, I’m jumping out the window.”

Leo: “Same. I can’t handle emotions.”

Ethan: “You can’t handle deodorant either.”

Mark: “Wow. Hurtful. I showered tuesday.”

Leo: “He did. I witnessed it. History was made.”

Ethan “It's saturday...”

They laughed loudly, obnoxious, drawing looks from other passengers.

Ethan sank into his seat.

Ethan: “Why did I get stuck with them? Why not Emily? Why me?”

The Plane Takes Off

The engines roared. The cabin vibrated. Emily grinned out the window; Linda squeezed her hand anxiously.

Linda: “Here we go… deep breath…”

Emily: “Relax, Mom. Planes are safer than cars.”

Linda: “She’s right. She’s right.”

Behind them—

Leo: “Ethan, trade seats.”

Ethan: “No.”

Leo:(quiet but mean): “Faggot...”

Ethan: “I said... No.”

Mark: “You’re ruining his life, bro.”

Mark (quiet but mean): “Cheer up. Maybe when we land, you’ll stop being the family disappointment.”

Ethan’s breath hitched.

He stared ahead.

It shouldn’t hurt anymore. But it still does.

Leo (snickering): “Bro, look at his face. He’s gonna cry.”

Emily halfway turned around.

Emily: “What are you guys saying to him?”

Mark: “Nothing! Just pumping him up. Encouragement. Motivation.”

Leo: “Positive affirmation.”

Ethan **** a smile.

Ethan: “It’s fine. Really.”

Emily frowned, unconvinced.

Linda missed all of it — she had already dozed off, head bobbing with exhaustion.

Pilot (intercom crackling): “Good afternoon, folks. Weather is smooth and clear. Should be an easy ride.”

Mark (stretching): “See? Nothing to worry about.”

Leo: “Smooth skies, smooth vibes.”

Ethan felt something tighten in his stomach.

A strange prickle at the back of his neck.

Ethan(Thinking): “Why do I feel like something’s wrong?”

The First Jolt

The plane dipped.

Just a little.

Barely enough for anyone else to notice.

Ethan’s eyes snapped open.

Ethan: “…did you guys feel that?”

Leo: “Feel what?”

Emily shifted uncomfortably.

Emily: “It… did feel weird.”

Linda slowly blinked awake.

Linda: “Hm? Are we landing?”

Emily: “No, Mom—something felt—”

Before she could finish—

The plane jerked.

Hard.

Passengers gasped.

Luggage rattled.

Linda grabbed Emily’s hand.

Linda: “Oh no… oh no…”

Pilot (intercom cutting in, strained): “Ladies and gentlemen— please stay seated— we’re experiencing unexpected turbulence—”

The cabin lights flickered.

Ethan’s heartbeat slammed against his ribs.

Ethan (whispering): “This isn’t right. Something’s wrong—”

Mark (laughing nervously): “Bro, chill—”

Another violent drop.

A scream.

A child crying.

A food cart slammed into the wall.

Leo (voice cracking): “Okay—OKAY—what the hell—!?”

Linda (panicking): “ETHAN—!”

Ethan reached out, grabbing her hand over the seat.

Ethan: “I’ve got you! I—”

The plane lurched downward so sharply that people lifted out of their seats.

The oxygen masks dropped.

Mark screamed.

Leo cursed.

Ethan held his mother and sister tight, trembling.

Ethan’s ears rang.

Pilot (shouting through static): “BRACE! BRACE—POSITION— NOW—”

Every passenger shouted, cried, prayed.

The cousins clutched the seats in white-knuckled terror.

The bullying evaporated instantly.

Mark (panicked sob): “WE’RE GONNA DIE—!”

Ethan couldn’t breathe.

He couldn’t think.

Emily: “Ethan—!”

Ethan: “Emily—hold on—!”

The world twisted—

Metal screamed—

The plane plummeted—

And everything turned to darkness.