by Ava Clay, age 12
I stood at the opening of the plane waving goodbye to my family. I was sad to go but excited, and ducked down and crawled to my seat, glancing at my copilot, Fred Noonan—a pretty nice guy but flirts badly.
“So are you ready to take off, princess?” Fred asked, winking.
I shot him a look and said, “Yes I am, and don’t call me princess.”
“Well then let’s go!” He said that as the plane zoomed forward and lifted into the air. I switched on the controls and steered.
An hour later, I must have fallen asleep because when I woke up there was an ocean below us.
“Morning, sleeping beauty.”
I yawned a response, and my eyes adjusted to the surroundings. I pulled out my Bible and opened to the book of Luke and read.
A while later, the plane shook. I looked up to see a giant storm, lightning and thunder booming everywhere.
“Oh my!” I let out a scream as something took out an engine. “Turn back! Turn back!” I jumped into my seat and helped turn the plane. “An engine was hit, the plane is falling, plan A2!” I kept yelling instructions, and looked at Fred, swooning. I whispered under my breath, “Not bad.” Fred turned around to say something then caught me red-handed, staring. He laughed, and I turned to look out the window, embarrassed, just before we hit the ground.
I woke up with my head throbbing. Sitting up, I saw sand, and the plane falling into the water! I leaped to my feet, dizzy, and dove into the plane grabbing so much stuff and tossing it out. I looked to see in horror Frank was still in the plane’s seat. I rushed over and unbuckled the complicated strap and struggled to pull him out of the plane. Setting him on the sand, I rushed back in to grab food. I leaped out almost slipping, and turned to see as the only way to get home fell with a big splash into the water.
I looked at what I had and grabbed a tarp, sticks, two cots, pillows and blankets, clothes, the cooler and stuff I ripped out for a radio. I put the tarp over a tree branch and held it up with sticks, making sure it was sturdy. I grabbed the cooler and set it on the inside of the tarp to keep it down. Putting up the cots and making them, I set the clothes on a chest for easy access. Stepping back to see my work, I said, “Nice.”
Fred woke up as I was cooking meat on the fire. I rushed over to help him stand up and get over to bed.
“How are you doing?” I asked as I pulled his shoes off to make him more comfortable.
He answered, “Fine, just need to get started on getting us home and build a radio.” He looked around, seeming worried. “Where’s the plane?”
I turned, “First of all, you are not doing any work till you eat and rest, and second, the plane fell in the water.”
He bolted upright. “What? The water! This is insane!” I rushed over, handing him water and getting him to sit down.
“Don’t be worried, trust in God. I got all the supplies and stuff you can use for a radio.” I got a plate of food and handed it to him. “Here, eat.”
He mumbled, “Thanks.”
After a while he fell asleep. I took a dip to get the sand off and dried my hair getting into my PJs. I pulled the blanket back on the cot and crawled in adjusting. Pulling out my Bible, I turned to Luke to get some advice and read for a long time, drifting to sleep.
I had a rude awakening from a loud noise. I sat up looking at Fred’s cot, empty. I got out of bed and got dressed quickly and went out of our mini-home to find a plane. ”What on earth, Fred?” I was so happy and nervous.
“Surprise! I built a radio early this morning and they came very fast. We can go home now.”
After eating we got all our stuff and hopped in the plane for a safe ride home.
On the ride home, I got some more reading done. Fred, a nonbeliever, asked to read, too. I was happy and held it out and scooted closer. When we landed, I gazed out the window happy to be home, and Fred said he wanted to start going to church!
Fred helped me down, and as I was about to walk off he grabbed my hand and got on one knee and said, “Amelia Earheart, ever since I met you I’ve said I’m gonna marry that girl no matter what. So will you make me the happiest man on earth and marry me?”
I started crying, “Yes, I will!” I jumped into his arms and kissed him.
A month later, the wedding came. I was so nervous about messing up or tripping, I started walking out in my white dress handmade with pearls and diamond studs. All my nerves went away as I saw Fred.
“Fred Noonan, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health through sadness and sorrow?”
“I do.”
“Amelia Earheart, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health through sadness and sorrow?”
“I do.”
The priest continued. “Does anyone object to these two?” No one moved. “Then you may kiss the bride.”
Fred lifted the veil and kissed me.
A year later a baby was born. I looked at my new son in the hospital room and said, “Welcome to Earth, Luke Noonan.”
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