Some+reminders+from+Mrs.+Gibbons

Remember that our story takes place in early spring, at the beginning of "spring break". The early morning flight leaves John F. Kennedy airport which in is Queens, New York. It is heading south to Puerto Rico, and has to pass through the Bermuda Triangle when it crashes near an island [near enough to be rescued or to paddle to shore]. Your group should write in first person point of view [I saw this, and I saw that...]. Below are exerpts of two rough drafts from groups of students in Oxford:

I never planned to board that plane. I never planned to board any plane. I’ve never liked the idea of heights since Daddy crashed to his death. I was off to college in Puerto Rico, but the only way to get there was by plane. I was about to get on when some lady was talking to her friend, saying the pilot was new at her job. I nearly died! We were flying over the Bermuda Triangle with a new pilot?! Did I mention that I’m superstitious? Grandpa said Grandma died when her black cat attacked her! When I noticed that the lady next to me, had a …black cat… I knew I was in way over my head. Then I heard the pilot announce “Everyone please fasten your seatbelts, we are having some technical difficulties.” I couldn’t even imagine what went wrong. Then there was a loud crashing sound, and I knew we were going down, just like Daddy! It was over. I prayed to God to let me into heaven. The engine of the airplane screamed as we spiraled down to a watery grave. Boom! Another engine out. Crash! As I crawled out onto the wing, a green blur smeared the horizon. An island. Only a couple miles away. Together, we rushed a raft into the water. The raft was full in less than a few seconds. Forlorn faces stared at the plane as it sunk down into the dark waters below us. In less than an hour, we washed ashore the island. The glum faces of fellow passengers were too much to bear. I knew at that moment, I would never fly again. Streaks of tears ran down my face as I realized that I might never see my family again. My dreams? Gone. My Future? Who knows? Who cares? Not me. Not anymore.
 * Kristy **

** Jesica **
This is my first flight ever and I’m even more nervous because I have my 6 year old daughter, Jeannie, with me. We are going to see my husband’s mother in Puerto Rico. My husband, Phillip, died in a plane crash about 3 years ago. Actually it’s been 3 years and 5 weeks to the day, when he’s died. It was miserable experience and I thought I should go see my mother-in-law to see how she is doing. She also lost her husband in a mysterious plane accident. Nobody is sure where the plane is and nobody has found any trace of the bodies. I feel so bad for her because she’s lost two important people in her life and I just have to get down there to help her in her grief. My husband was young like me and he didn’t get to know our daughter very well because he was always working, trying to pay for all the bills, while I stayed at home watching Jeannie. Phillip finally got a good paying job and was traveling when the plane crashed. Also, Phillips mother, the one we are visiting, didn’t know him for part of his life. This is because, when Phillip was 5, he went to live with his rich Aunt, living in Canada, because his mom couldn’t pay for food and shelter for all of them. By the time Phillip was 12, his mom and dad had both found good, stable, jobs and they were able to support him again so they took him back. When they went to pick Phillip up in Canada, they also discovered that living in New York is a lot cheaper than living in Puerto Rico. So, with Phillips college money, they all moved to Even though he was living with his true parents, he felt like something important was missing and he soon found out it was the 7 years he hadn’t been with his parents. But, he adjusted fine and lived there until he was 16. Then he met me at this little food market down the street from his apartment that he lived in with his mom. (His dad had died a couple of months before he met me) He was picking up...