C1 CHAPTER1

Grrrrrrrrr! Grrrrrrrrrr! Grrrrrrrrr!

At five in the morning, Devon Beaumont was nestled in his bed, snoring deeply, when the jarring sound of his alarm clock shattered the peace. He was livid; his slumber had been blissful, and he resented its abrupt end. In a fluster, he reached for the clock, fumbling to switch it off—and finally, he did.

Phew!

He squeezed his eyes shut, attempting to drift back into dreamland, but to no avail. With a sigh, Devon sat up, gently rubbing his eyes with his right hand. The cool weather tempted him to linger in bed and savor a day of relaxation, but that wasn't in the cards. He had a flight to catch to California, a long-overdue visit to his parents awaited him. Despite the mountain of work back in Houston, family called him home.

Devon adored his parents, but his bustling life in Houston, topped with his role as head engineer at AFAX Automobiles, left little room for visits. His brilliance and diligence were invaluable to the company, and his devotion to his job meant working every spare moment, weekends and holidays included. His rare breaks were spent gaming in his room until sleep claimed him.

Now you understand his struggle to make time for home visits.

Yet, today was different. Devon was determined to reunite with his family, and nothing would stand in his way.

Yawning, he rolled out of bed and stretched, then headed to his mini gym for his usual workout routine. He pounded the treadmill for twenty minutes, followed by a calming yoga session to quell his flight anxiety—a long-standing issue.

After a refreshing shower and getting dressed, Devon was out the door in no time, his luggage in tow. It contained only the essentials: a few outfits, his beloved video game console, and some personal items—he preferred to travel light. Tucked in his carry-on were his laptop and several files to work on during his stay with his parents.

Don't judge him too harshly; his job was his passion.

"Good morning, Mr. Beaumont," Hal, his chauffeur, greeted him as he loaded the luggage into the trunk of the car.

"Good morning, Hal. I hope you slept well," Devon said as he settled into the backseat.

The drive to the airport was brief, and within twenty-five minutes, they had arrived. Devon got out of the car, and Hal retrieved his boss's box from the trunk. With a nod of gratitude, Devon began walking toward the entrance.

"Mr. Beaumont?" Hal called after him.

"Yes, Hal?" Devon replied, turning around.

"I wish you a safe and memorable journey," Hal said, offering a wave.

Devon smiled and made his way into the airport, his box trailing behind him. Glancing at his watch, he noted it was just after seven a.m. With his flight scheduled for nine, he promptly checked in his luggage at the counter. Once finished, he boarded the plane to await takeoff. Settling in, Devon became absorbed in the magazines before him, and before long, the flight was underway.

Devon was accustomed to the quiet luxury of first class, and today was no different. The tranquility was something he cherished, often finding himself as the sole first-class passenger. Today, however, he shared the cabin with six others. Deciding to make the most of the calm, Devon closed his eyes to rest.

His slumber was interrupted by the plane's persistent shuddering. Looking around, he saw the other passengers remained composed—it was just typical turbulence. Devon chuckled at his own jumpiness, but his amusement turned to concern when he observed the flight attendants reassuring everyone that all was well. Normally, this wouldn't have alarmed him, but their overzealous efforts signaled that this was no ordinary turbulence.

A sense of dread settled over him as he realized the plane was in trouble.

His fears were confirmed when a pilot emerged from the cockpit, managing a strained smile.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I regret to inform you that we're experiencing engine trouble, and we have, at most, twenty minutes before we need to make an emergency landing," the pilot announced.

A chorus of gasps filled the cabin, but Devon was stunned into silence. Could this really be happening?

"The airport has been alerted, and we've been directed to instruct you to use the fully operational parachutes located beneath your seats. Our crew will assist you with the procedure, and we assure you that there will be support on the ground to ensure your safety upon landing," the pilot continued.

"Once again, we are terribly sorry for this unfortunate incident," the pilot announced before retreating to the cockpit.

A hush fell over the cabin, a momentary calm before chaos ensued. Then, the sound of rustling parachutes filled the air. Devon grabbed his parachute and secured it with care. As the plane's doors swung open, people began leaping out, their screams trailing behind them. Clutching his hand luggage tightly—his computer and phone were nearly as precious to him as his own life—Devon prepared himself.

With a yell, he hurled himself from the aircraft, anxiously awaiting the deployment of his parachute. But it failed to open. Desperately, he tried everything he could, yet nothing worked. Plummeting toward his end, Devon's life flashed before his eyes, and he thought of his parents, dreading how they would receive the news of his tragic demise.

He hit something solid with a jarring thud, and his breath began to slip away. Strangely, a profound sense of peace washed over him, and he welcomed the encroaching white light.

At last, he found rest.