Panic Button

Nineteen

The plane tilted and rocked. Rain lashed the windows. The jet was through the clouds now, bearing the full brunt of the storm below them.

Jo placed her hands on the curved hull, steadying herself. She could feel the plane making ready its descent. The engines roared in concert with her rage and despair as she battled her way, uphill, along the aisle into the main cabin of the jet. Her foot snagged on something heavy and she almost tripped over. Looking down, she saw Max’s dead body, his wide terror-struck eyes fixed open, staring at her. Jo looked away. Disentangling her foot, she glanced around the cabin, frantic.

Then she found what she had been looking for — her last chance.

She lifted the crash axe and stumbled back toward the crew prep area, and the main door. The jet was lurching and rocking now, battered by turbulence.

Jo prayed to the memory of her Mother that she was not too late. Dawn had died for what Alligator perceived as Jo’s sins. If she could make a difference — any difference at all — then that would be enough for her. To know, in her final moments, that she had done the right thing and had not just stood idly by while Alligator destroyed yet more lives. In a way, she had become his protégé. He had shown her the error of her ways by punishing her for her inaction when his daughter, Lucy, had chosen to take her own life. Hefting the axe with both hands at the door seal, she could no longer be accused of inaction.

Slam.

A small crack formed between the door and the hull. Jo lifted the axe and struck at the door seal again.

Slam.

The seal had partially broken away.

“Jo,” Alligator’s voice was terse. It sounded like all the oxygen had been sucked from his body. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Taking strength from his fear, she took a moment to wipe the sweat from her brow — then hacked the axe blade into the widening crack with all her might.

Slam.

“Jo!” Alligator sounded frenzied now.

Slam. Slam!

A couple more hits, and Jo stepped back to assess her handiwork. Her heart was racing but she felt cold and calm as she watched the crack in the door seal bend outwards. The sudden loss of pressure was bending the door from its hinges.

For a moment, Alligator’s vile words came back to haunt her — I took out her pretty eyes… she cried out for you Jo, I thought she’d never stop…

Jo choked back an onslaught of tears. Her little girl really was dead. She’d meet her in a better place; Jo felt sure of that now. All of the pain and struggle of her life was rolling back like a tidal wave. Jo felt only love, for her daughter. Love, for her sister Maddie, wherever she may be. Love, for the strangers on the ground at work in their building, blissfully unaware of her presence. Unaware of what she was about to do for them. When they were reunited, Sophie would know for certain that her Mum had not died in vain. Sophie would know that she had never given up on her. And she would know that despite her flaws, Mummy had done the right thing, finally.

Jo Scott felt peaceful, serene.

She closed her eyes and pictured Sophie’s smiling face. We’ll be together soon, little Pumpkin, she thought.

Slam.

One final axe strike and the door exploded away from the aircraft. Debris began to smash and swirl madly through the cabin as it depressurised. There was an explosion of noise as grinding metal buckled and the jet engines screamed. Jo saw the black void beyond the door, and welcomed it. Freezing cold air sucked her from the doorway, and out into the raging storm, like a final breath.

It felt like freedom.