Free Write:
It was Christmas Eve. Fog stuck to
the tarmac at Lindbergh field. All the passengers were finally situated and
comfortable. The plane started moving forward through the eerie lane, and it
was seconds before takeoff. Soon the aircraft would be leaving San Diego
and arrive at Logan Airport. In a few hours, I’d be home. I was incredibly
stressed with school; college is quite different from high school. All I wanted
was to be home with my family. The plane continued to move, until suddenly it didn't. Followed by an awakening jolt, the plane stopped. Initially, no one
thought anything of it. We all sat tediously, still expecting to be in the air
in no time. However minutes passed. First two, then ten, and eventually
fifteen. By twenty minutes, the plane was gridlock. My soon-to-be companions
were rioting, wondering why we weren't moving. However, it was Christmas Eve,
and as much as I wanted to join them, I was trapped in the holiday-spirit,
unable to yell at anyone. I sat listening to the conversations of the diverse
people surrounding me.
“Why aren’t we moving?” screeched William, who hadn't met me yet.
“This is ridiculous!” said his son Peter.
“Let me speak to the pilot! What’s going on?” I
heard Julie say from a distance.
“Please, stay seated mam, we assure you we will be
ready for takeoff soon.” The attendant replied, which we later learned was a
lie. As time passed the plane still did not move; people were frantic.
“It’s Christmas Eve! What’s taking so long?” said
Emily in the seat behind me.
I eventually decided to join in. “Yeah, can they
take any
longer?”
Reflection:
Referring to the author’s claim
about young writers in “The Plot Sickens”, my free write piece evidently deviates.
Initially, the prompt has an element of mystery. In my writing, the plane
mysteriously stops before take-off, leaving the reader curious as to what
happened. However there is no violence that includes characters being “burned
alive, dropped from the sky” or even “being blow up on their way to baggage
claim…” that the author mentioned her students included. In my prompt,
eventually the reader indirectly learns that the plane never takes off. In
fact, the main character becomes acquaintances with other passengers on the
plane that evening. Consequently, the reader never discovers why the plane
stopped, how the passengers meet, or even if the plane takes off, leaving an
element of mystery. Although the story does not include violence, it is up to
the reader to fill in the missing pieces, and decide if character’s will get
their happy ending.