Two firsts today! I’m pleased to be the first person to publish Sophia Gonzales, a sixth grader in southern California. And, her short story below is the first fiction I’ve presented in a post. I especially love the ending to her story. I see part of Diamond-Cut Life’s mission as bringing all generations together with shared understanding. Sophia startled me with the way she did this.
I was flying my private plane one night over the beautiful Pacific Ocean. Suddenly the sky became foggy and I began to get nervous. My heart skipped a beat when I realized the plane had just lost all power. My plane was losing altitude fast!
With the radio not working, I had no way to call for help. The fog was like an endless fall to my unforgiving grave. With fear rushing through my trembling body I tried to find a way out of the aircraft. I tried to lift the top up, but it wouldn’t budge. Waves were crashing into each other as loudly as cymbals in an orchestra. Before hitting the water I managed to swing the door wide open. Without hesitation I leaped forward into the water to avoid the plane. When I hit the ocean chills ran up and down my spine and my body went numb. Underwater, I craved air and the thought of it made me swim faster. Finally I reached the surface and gasped for air to fill my almost empty lungs. I searched the horizon for land. To my surprise I saw something. From where I was it seemed impossible to reach, but I started to swim.
In the morning I realized the island was just a few hundred yards away. After a long period of time I reached it. Crawling up on the beach, exhausted from the hours of swimming, with no idea of where I was or if I was safe, I sank into a heavy sleep in the sand. When I opened my eyes I was in a hospital room. A woman with a clipboard came in and said, “Good afternoon.”
“Where am I?” I asked, wondering how I’d get home.
“You’re in Hawaii,” she replied, and then left. A few days later I was released from the hospital and on my way home. Before boarding the plane I looked out to the sunset and decided I should enjoy a few more days on the island. So I rented a house, and some hours later went to bed.
I woke up to an ear-splitting boom. I got up and looked out the window. Japanese planes were flying overhead. I ran out of the house, scared out of my mind. Then I felt pain in my chest, and fell with a thud, sinking this time into a peaceful sleep that will last eternity.
