Unforeseen Landing in a Forbidden Land

The turbulence started two hours into our flight. At first, it was just a gentle rocking—nothing unusual for air travel. But then the plane dropped suddenly, sending my stomach into my throat.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the captain's voice crackled over the intercom, strained but professional, "we're experiencing some unexpected weather conditions. Please return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts."

I gripped the armrests as the aircraft lurched again, more violently this time. My knuckles turned white. The cabin lights flickered, and several passengers gasped.

"It's okay," I whispered to myself. "Just bad weather. Normal stuff."

But it wasn't normal. The turbulence worsened, rattling everything—overhead bins, service carts, my nerves. The plane seemed to be fighting against invisible forces, dropping and rising unpredictably.

Outside my window, lightning illuminated angry clouds. I'd never seen such a ferocious storm.