“Master Switch: ON. Flaps: SECURE . Mixture: RICH . Propeller area… CLEAR !!!” The engine of the Cessna Skyhawk finally started.

“Forget the checklist, Tom! Full Throttle NOW , damn you!” Eric used the rudders to taxi down the runway from the passenger’s seat. He lined the small plane up on runway three zero and did a quick magneto check.

“We’re heavy, ERIC ! We’re not gonna clear the runway! You can’t take off with 7 people in here!”

“Then get out, TOM ! GET THE HELL OUT !!” Eric gave Tom a hard uppercut to the chin, knocking him out cold. He shoved the throttle forward, sending the small blue plane ackwardly down the runway.

35 Knots …
36 Knots …
40 Knots …
46 knots …

“Come on now, we need more airspeed, COME ON !!”

55 Knots…
60 Knots…

Eric pulled back on the yolk barely clearing the runway. The tachometer of the small plane was maxed out as Eric made a steep climbing left turn to view a mushroom cloud rising high over what used to be Detroit, Michigan. He leveled off at 3,000 feet.