She stared at them through the glass door. She knew that the boy and girl inside couldn’t see her, it was just a mirror on their side. She longed to say goodbye, but knew that it would make things worse. She couldn’t bear it any longer. As she crumpled to the floor sobbing, she pressed the button. The noise alarmed them. They started to panic. With no one but each other, the boy threw his arms around the girl as they stood at the glass, trying to see what had happened. They were crying out for their parents. When someone fears the end of their life, they reach out for those closest to them, no matter what happened in the recent past.
The countdown started. She wanted to keep those two with her, but knew that it would end badly both for her and them. She slid over next to the glass door. She placed her hand on it, longing to touch them, as she might not ever see them again. As the countdown neared zero, the two inside both slumped onto the floor as well; also touching the glass, although not in the same spot. The girl inside whispered “Nicole.”
The boy’s arm tightened around her. “It will be alright, she knows what she’s doing.”
“But she’s our little sister. How can we leave her here?”
“She told us to leave; she must have a plan.”
“But she’s my little Nikki. How can she have a plan to combat this.”
“I don’t know, but she must. She has to.”
Nicole looked up, repositioned her hand to be over her older siblings hands, looked longingly at them for a moment before whispering “I love you.” Zero. The countdown finished, the engines started, the moment over. The longing to be leaving with them ripped her heart apart and she curled up on the floor again. But a minute was all she could spare for her own sorrows. There was work to be done.
