Date: 9/16/2000
From: SouthernSlider

Ah. I made it. Wasn't sure I could get here today. So let's see what's going on.
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United We Slide, Divided . . . We Disappear

Chapter Eight

“Son, I hate to tell you this, but we think there’s been an accident,” came the somber voice over the telephone.

“Accident? What do you mean? What kind of accident?” Quinn yelled, shoving his fingers through his hair and plopping down on the bed.

Quinn had rushed back to the Dominion immediately and called the number written on the paper Charlie Owens had given him. The clerk began to stammer as soon as he asked for the band’s suite. Quinn felt a tingle go down his spine and knew something was wrong. After asking what had happened, there was silence for a few minutes and then another voice.

“They checked in this morning and the clerk saw them leave again, but they haven’t been seen since. We got a call from Tanner’s Commercial Flight Service saying one of their planes hadn’t return from its tour. It was one rented out by the folks you just asked about.”

Quinn swallowed hard and felt a ten-ton weight hit in the pit of his stomach.

“There was a bad storm over on the far island earlier today, and we’re thinking they may have gotten caught in it. We’re checking things out now. You good friends
with these folks?” Silence. “Mister. You still there?”

“I . . . I’m here. I’m the brother of one of the passengers. What are you saying? You think their plane went down?” His mind was so cluttered he wasn’t even sure of what he was saying to the voice on the other end.

“I’m saying we got some missing people on a missing plane. Don’t have a clue as to where it is or what happened, but we’re checking it out. If I can get your name and
number I’ll get back in touch with you when we find something.”

“That won’t be necessary. I’m on my way over there now. I’ll be taking the first flight out. Who are you? Who do I ask for when I arrive?” Quinn asked.

“I’m Sargent Randy Willis. But I don’t think it’s necessary for you to make the trip just yet, son. I . . .”

“I’m coming over there, Sgt. Willis. I’ll contact you as soon as I arrive.” Quinn hung up the phone, giving the man no further opportunity to argue. He grabbed the phone
book, called the airport and booked the first flight out. As he started to leave the lobby, he left a note for Remmy and Maggie, explaining his situation, and leaving instructions for them if and when they arrived.

***

Kelly tugged and pulled the oars through the choppy waters until she thought her arms would fall off. Her two charges lay still unconscious on the raft floor. She stopped
her motion and let the oars fall, hands and fingers beginning to tingle.

“Come on, guys. You have to wake up. I need your help here,” she said through the sobs. Nothing. She closed her eyes and laid her head back against the rounded edge
of the raft. Her hand rested on the box marked ‘Survival Kit’. She had used some of the medical supplies to bandage Colin’s head as best she could, hoping it would be enough
until they were rescued -- IF they were rescued.

The sun was getting lower and lower in the sky. Soon darkness would decend upon them. Kelly trembled with fear at the thought of being in this boundless space in
pitch black darkness. She offered up a prayer for something, anything, to help her out with her two charges. Without realizing how exhausted she was, she was asleep in
seconds after mumbling amen.

Kelly jolted awake as the raft jerked and stopped its bobbing and weaving. She rubbed her eyes and raised her head when she remembered where she was and the
predicament they were all in. Why had they stopped? Upon peering over the edge of the raft, she realized they had drifted to land.

“My God! Where did this come from? The last time I looked around there was nothing but water.” She looked skyward. “Thank you, Lord.” And just in time before
nighttime settled in. But what now?

She let out a big sigh and looked at the two unconscious bundles next to her. How on earth would she get them out of this raft? She buried her face in her hands and
tried to think.

“Okay, okay. He got you here, He’ll get you through everything else. He gave you brains, so get to thinking. You’re a logical girl, Kelly Welles, and determined when
you set your goals. You can do this.” She continued several more minutes with her pep talk to herself and then clambered of the raft for a look around. She figured, for now, the guys would be just as safe there as anywhere so she left them alone for the moment.

Kelly didn’t want to venture too far, especially inland, in case of extreme danger. For the moment, she limited herself to the beach area and a few feet beyond. As far as
she could tell, they had probably washed up on one of the many, tiny little unnamed islands stretching westward from Kauai. Someone would surely be looking for them
soon when they didn’t return to the airport on time. She just had to bide her time and make the guys as comfortable as possible.

She gathered dead palm fronds and other sticks from the edge of the tree line and piled them up in a circle of rocks she had made. After spending what seemed forever
tugging, pulling and dragging, she finally had Colin and Conie settled on the sand next to her potential campfire and went back to the raft to retrieve the survival kit.

When the dead fronds blossomed into a full-fledged fire, she released her breath, and tried to relax. The sun was sinking into the ocean on her right, and she sat
mesmerized at the sight until the last curve of light sizzled into the distant waters. The descending darkness weighed on her shoulders and her mind. Only then did she have a chance to mourn the loss of three of her companions.

Cal was dead, left floating atop his watery grave. B.J. and Walker were nowhere to be found; she had to assume they were long since buried under the sea. And what of
the plane, the pilot and co-pilot? All gone - disappeared without a trace.

Never in her twenty-nine years of life did she think she would end up on a deserted island, with only some of her companions, trying to survive. And certainly not
on a parallel world. She thought of her sister. “Oh, Wade. How did it ever come to this?”
----------------------------

Ooooooooooooo. Now what did she mean by that? Hmmmmm.

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SS

Whoa!

Date: 9/16/2000
From: DieselMickeyDolenz

Never saw that coming! Wow. You know, you really should start posting these on Vortex62's board, too. He's got a separate forum set up for fan fic.

http://pub17.ezboard.com/fstevesparallelworldstoriesrptstff

You're stories are simply to good to only be posted here. There just isn't enough traffic here. Please do consider posting in both places, hmmm?

DMD

1 hr until kickoff.........

HELL-O!

Date: 9/17/2000
From: Robin14334

Didn't see that one coming! Well, I figured Kelly was Wade's sister, but the parallel world thing surprised me.... You rock my world, SS, keep 'em coming!

~Robin

Original URL http://www.scifi.com/bboard/browse.cgi/1/5/1095/2844
Nominated by DieselMickeyDolenz