In the beginning

My lungs rising slowed, my breathing halted. At 2:23pm in the afternoon on the 13th of January, my heart almost stopped.

...

12th , January.

"Armen! I am so exciting for the skydive tomorrow!" My friend Verna squealed, grabbing my shoulders. Her excitement flowing through her hands and making my body shake.

I look at her autumn lit eyes, the hues of brown and a dark orange clashing and pulling against eachother as I watch them whirl. Her olive skin making her eyes sparkle.

"Verna, honey. Besty. First calm down, we still have awhile before we leave. "

She stops vibrating with joy , as seriousness washes over her and she presses her hands deeper into my shoulders, her mouth beginning to open.

"And before you can reprimand me on how I should be more excited and not such a stick in the mud . We should be finishing packing, and go to sleep so we don't miss a thing tomorrow. Cause I think we can both agree being tired while doing all the fun stuff isn't awesome. "

She nods her head, thinking before she says.

" Armen , after the skydive I am going to take you out for the biggest surprise of your lifetime!"

"What?" I chuckle.

" What is it?"

"Can't tell ya." She winks, taking her hands of my shoulders and quickly running away into her bedroom for sleep.

...

13th of January

After leaving the hotel room we were staying in Verna and I couldn't wait to go and get this skydiving business over and done with. We had already spent weeks training and the professional skydivers preparing us for our jump.

"You know what Armen? I wish I had my license so I could drive us there, instead of having to get a bus." Verna looks at me with puppy eyes as if I could suddenly give her a license she could drive with.

I stare her at her with a straight faced.

"Why you looking at me like that for? I am younger than you so I can't magically drive us there , nor can I fast forward time to when you turn seventeen so you can get your red P plates. "

"Wow , thanks, you're so helpful and motivational, with your 'this is reality deal with it speech." She stares at me , unamused.

We hold the stare for two seconds before we break out into laughter. Before we know it we arrive at Sydney Skydive.

...

"You guys all ready and pumped?!" One of the professional instructors yells over the sound of the small planes propellers and engines going. Verna, myself and six others have already been put in the bright blue jumpsuit we have been waiting and preparing for the last couple of weeks. We board the plane , and unlike most planes the seats are in rows attached to the walls of the plane, nothing but vacant space for legs and for whoever stands in the middle.

Once the plane was high enough and over the grass plain we were going to land onto , the instructors double checked everything was okay and that the person and themselves were strapped on and connected properly to the harness around the upper thighs , waist and shoulders. Each person had a professional on their back. When the pilot and one of the instructors yelled out that we have five minutes before we drop, my heart stopped, and butterflies terrorized my stomach , as I began to shake my leg.

My instructors hearty laugh boomed from behind my left ear. I looked back and he was looking at my shaking leg, then my eyes.

"It's okay , no need to be nervous. I am here , I pull the string and the parachute will come out and glide us on the ground safely, no need to freak out. " He laughs again.

I smile up at him. "I'm not freaking out , just a little anxious, that's all. The adrenaline is just getting to me. " This time I laugh myself, not because it is funny but I thought it might help calm me down.

He grins a toothy smile back, his dark tanned skin vibrant, his emerald eyes dashing behind the protective goggles. He opens his mouth to speak when the door of the plane is opened , and the an unstrapped instructor shouts.

"Drop time!"

I feel sick. Shit can I choose not to jump??

I look up at my instructor, his grin stretching form ear to ear. I guess not.

I take a deep breath, you've got this Armen. You've got this. Four people have already been dropped and two people are left with Verna and I. Verna goes first clutching the side of the plane as the instructor behind her pushes her forward, her hand falling to her sides, I hear her swear and I can't help but smile. But then I hear her scream as her and her instructor jump.

My instructors pushes me forward, I can not resist. I take small steps towards the door , until I, as well am clutching the sides of the plane as I watch the moving ground metres below me. Shit. My instructor talks sweetly.

"To jump I am afraid you need to remove your hands, come on now Armen , we need to jump or we can't get off."

I take a deep breathing, as I gulp. My hands shake as I bring them to my shoulder straps, gripping them tight.

"Breathe" He whispers. "It's going to be all right."

He jumps. The wind a strong current we are falling against as the ground gets nearer. I let out a scream , my adrenaline racing, as I begin to smile , and cheer along with my loud instructor.

"Hell yeah!" He shouts.As we laugh together.

He reaches back to pull the string, to deploy the parachute, as soon as he parachute comes out there's a problem.

I am jolted back a little but instead of falling slowly and gracefully, I am still plummeting.

My joy and excitement turns to horror. I manage to turn my head to the side and see the strings of the parachute wrapped around the instructors neck , choking him unconscious. I am frozen, no way am I able to reach behind and free the second parachute and no way am I able to slow us down.

I stare at the ever nearing ground , as I realise I am free falling. My thoughts scramble . So many things I haven't done, so many things I still wanted to do. My family flashes before my eyes , my brother, my sister, my parents. My eyes begin to water my tears escaping,only to be carried away by the wind. Not one trickling down my cheek.