[ IP ] Stranded

A thud. Silence but for the sound of blood rushing through her ears. A jolt. 
 
 A louder thud. Silence but for the sound of her scream as she could feel herself tumbling through the darkness. A stronger jolt. 
 
 With a bounce, a skip, a hop and another tumble the violent collision gave way to the brief cacophony of ice against metal. Then nothing. 
 
 No motion. 
 
 No sound. 
 
 No light. 
 
 She felt for the strap release and freed herself from the seat. Her left hand lent awareness of cold creeping through the fuselage to chase away the warmth it despised. She stood and slowly shuffled her way along what would have been her line of sight if not for the darkness that had snatched away all orientation in the strangeness that had become her world. 
 
 A sharp rap shattered the inky stillness to announce that her toe had found the hatch leading to the compartment from which the pilot had guided her to this alien situation. Groping her way she found the release and slid open the passageway. 
 
 The light streaming in from the blue sun illuminated the cabin beyond what her suddenly dark-deprived eyes could comprehend. Even as her eyes adjusted to the brightness she did not see the pilot. 
 
 She blinked. 
 
 No pilot. 
 
 She blinked again. 
 
 Still no pilot. 
 
 The flight bridge was intact with no openings through which the pilot could have escaped. The safety harness was still stowed in pre-flight position with the inspector's tag in place showing that it had passed muster but was clearly still sealed and unused. 
 
 She blinked. 
 
 There had never been a pilot. 
 
 She blinked and saw a note taped to the chair where he should have been. With a trembling hand she picked up the card and read the words slowly. 
 
 `` We win.'' 
 
 She blinked. 
 
 It was not enough to hold back the tears. 

