I opened my eyes and realized I was in a hospital bed with an IV in my arm, with the worst headache of my life. On the wall to my right was a poster of a baby getting its temperature taken with an ear thermometer. To my left, a poster of a boy with a light green cast on his left arm. 

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“Mommy,” Katie cried.

My blonde hair, blue eyed two-year old daughter stumbled throughout the gated restrictions of our living room, trying to get her mom's attention. She was in the other room with me, packing for our trip to Hawaii.

“Did you remember to pack the camera?” I asked Jenifer.

“Of course I did. You don’t think I would miss the chance to capture the first moment of our kid’s first time to Hawaii, Jake,” she replied.

“Clay! Are you done packing?!” I called up the stairs to my son’s room. 

I waited for a reply but could  hear the video games blasting from the t.v.in his room from down stairs, so I yelled again. After no response, I shot up the stairs, my feet hitting each step like a sledgehammer on concrete. I reached the top of the stairs and opened his door. He was sitting on his bed, his blonde hair ruffled underneath the headset we bought him for Christmas last year. I tapped him on the shoulder, and he jumped in surprise, taking off the headset.

“Are you done packing?”I asked.

“Yes, Dad, I’m done packing. I don’t even see why I need to go I’m thirteen I can stay home alone, or stay at Jacobs. And I’ve already been to Hawaii.” he replied.

“This is non negotiable we are going on a family vacation and you are a member of this family!” I replied raising my voice.

  I checked his bag to see if he had everything he needed, not believing my 13 year-old son would  remember everything. I went through his bag and of course he forgot to pack underwear.

“Pack some underwear we are leaving in thirty minutes, ” I said as I was walked out slamming the door.

When I got back downstairs, the bags were by the door just waiting for me to take them to the car, and Jen was in the living room with Katie. I grabbed two out of the five bags and brought them to the car. I grabbed the other three bags and brought them out after. When I got back, I sat on the LazyBoy in the living room and picked up Katie, who was trying to climb up the side like a monkey. Jen and I talked about the plans for when we arrived in Hawaii. We decided to just relax at the hotel and get Katie’s first picture at the beach. By the time we were done, it was time to get in the car, so I yelled up to Clay to grab his bag and come down. He did so, and we walked out to the car where Jen was putting Katie in her booster seat. 

It was a thirty minute car ride to the airport. We dropped the car off at long term pay parking and went inside. I was carrying Katie, who had fallen asleep in the car. We had to wake her before going through security. We let Clay pick a candy and drink for the flight. He picked a blue Gatorade and a box of Hot Tamales. We got an apple juice and a lollipop for Katie. We waited in the terminal for about forty-five minutes, Clay watching something on his phone, Jen reading a book, and Katie and I watching the people walk by like fish swimming throughout the open ocean. When we finally were able to board, we walked down the aisles. Clay and I were  sitting in one section, and Jen and Katie in the two other seats on the other side of the plane. Clay insisted on taking the window seat, and I wasn’t too sure because I get nauseous on flights, but I decided I can power through it that one time.

“The trip today from Los Angeles to Hawaii will be around  five hours.Please fasten your seatbelts. We’ll be departing shortly,” the captain said over the intercom. 

We started moving a couple minutes later I could feel the front pick up and the back was about to pick up. When I looked out the window to my left, I saw an Alaskan Airlines coming right at our plane. It was like slow motion. I looked over at Clay, who didn’t have his seat belt on yet. Right when I went to reach my arm out, a hole open up and sucked Clay out of the plane.

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