Around 19 hours later, after eating the terrible food they served on the plane and effortlessly gazing at the ocean below after waking up, we touched down. At Fairbanks airport, Alaska, U.S.A.. 

With clouds visible in the dark sky, and a snowstorm obviously brewing in the distance, I was actually pumped. Even though I'd never agreed to leave Sydney, Alaska seemed pretty cool and I liked it the moment I bothered to look. Well, what I looked at was pure darkness outside the plane's window, but...

The air seemed to stab me with icy claws, ripping at my skin. It was a big change from Sydney, which had seemed warm enough yesterday, even in the early hours of the morning. 

The temperature in the plane had dropped, and we'd been given blankets to keep us warm.

But now I was ready for action. It was time to face Alaska.

I tossed it aside even though the cabin was still freakishly cold. My T-shirt gave little warmth, so I quickly unzipped my bag and grabbed a jacket to put on instead. Mum was shivering beside me, her shaking fingers reaching for her small suitcase.

"It'll be even colder when we get out of the cabin. Get ready," she warned, putting on a dark brown jacket.

"No kidding," I muttered, trying to suppress my own shivering.

Slinging my bag over my shoulders wasn't easy considering the space between my seat and the one in front of me, but I managed and pulled my case out from under the seat. Basically at the back of the plane with one exit at the front was also convenient. Letting the passengers in front of us march up to the exit was no fun when we were desperate to get moving to work off the cold.

Finally reaching the exit, I grabbed hold of the handle of my case and carried it ungracefully down the steps that had appeared for us, almost tripping when I couldn't find a hold for my foot. Mum steadied me.

"Be careful."

I grunted.

"Thank you for flying with Alaska Airlines," called the pilot.

The frosty air bit me. Viciously. 

A man by the lit wheeled stairs gestured to a glass door around a hundred metres away. Then I remembered I was in America. No one used those measurements here. Yards?

"Go in there. You've gotta be freezing out here."

"Thanks." I nodded, speed walking to the entrance I could barely see in the dark.

The man muttered "Australians" and turned back to help out the last passengers, an elderly couple.

There's only around a 20 hour distance in time between Fairbanks and Sydney, so it was like a full day had passed. I was already tired, but there was no heat to make me sleepy and comfy. The cold kept me awake and alert. Even through the discomfort-I was constantly shivering- I was glad it would help me stay up late in the future.

We quickly wheeled our bags into the Fairbanks Airport concourses,  opening the doors and almost slamming them shut. Warmth reached me, and I immediately felt sleepy again. My jacket made it even more comfortable. I yawned and my eyes began to droop.

"Go sit down while I register everything. There's a really long line." Mum dragged me to a grey couch. "I'll put the cases through."

The couch felt old and disgusting, but I couldn't care less. Just a minute ago I'd been wide awake, but now that I knew what warmth felt like again, I just had to rest for a bit.

I watched as an old woman hobbled through the door I'd just walked through. It was the same woman that had sat in the row behind us, but there was no old man accompanying her this time. She had no luggage with her, and walked towards the concourses. And edged closer and closer to my seat. Finally, she decided to brave it and talk to the terrifying teenage boy sitting in the chair she probably wanted.

"Excuse me, but may I sit here?" asked the woman, her face crinkled up in a kind smile.

She was exhausted like me, and her clothes looked worn-down. I wonder what had happened to her.

"Oh. Sure." I grab my backpack and get off the small couch.

So much for resting.

"Where are you heading, boy?" she asked me, slowly lowering herself into the chair and giving me a practically toothless grin.

"Um...  I'll be heading to Laurel from Fairbanks airport. Alaska. I'm moving here," I said.

"What's your name?"

I felt like not answering her questions would be pretty rude. They were harmless enough. Just an inquisitive old lady asking random questions. No damage done.

"Eddie Weston."

"How old are you, Eddie?" This woman got straight to what she felt like asking.

"15."

"Where are you from, Eddie?"

"Au-Australia."

The woman muttered something that sounded like "accent".

"And you're here with...?"

"Just my mother. My dad's in Sydney somewhere."

"Oh. I'm sorry. Family crisis?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Good." She smiled again.

How is it good?!

"Nice to know that new people are coming here. I'm returning to Laurel, and it will be nice to see different faces."

She stood up and walked off, her old coat dragging behind her. She seemed liked a normal old bat but now she acted like a bat. "That couch feels horrible. You could pick another one."

Well, what was the point of making me move? There are plenty of other couches!

I reclaimed my seat and waited until Mum came back and dragged me through the terminal. "We have to get the rest of our shi- stuff and get to the movers' trucks."

We were lucky to be able to move to America on such low fares. Steve Mossington had persuaded  Fairbanks to discount everything to get us over the borders. He'd been desperate for the new secretary to arrive immediately. But I guess other people's sleep deprivation wasn't a priority to one of the richest men in America.

It was almost 3 am. Mum confronted the movers while I mucked around on my phone.

"How long d'you think it'll take to get to Laurel from here?" I heard her ask one of the movers, a tough-looking man with a stony face.

"From here, I'd say around half an hour," Stony replied. "You just organise which trucks you want stuff in. We'll lift and deliver it quick as we can."

Mum nodded. "Thanks. I'll have mattresses and bed frames, along with the kitchen table and chairs. Oh, and one of the couches. Maybe we can fit some of the toiletries in as well."

"You could just put those into a smaller suitcase or a bag if you want," said Stony.

She waited while they loaded everything into the first truck and tried to make small talk. "Wow. You guys are efficient."

Stony and his two co-workers just nodded coldly, leaving her standing in an awkward silence.

On impulse, I tried to text one of my friends. The text didn't go through. Mum looked over at me. "Sorry, but I've disconnected our plan. You can do something useful in Laurel instead of using up data."

I sighed loudly, pouting. 

"Just get in the car over there, wait for me and watch your attitude." She pushed me towards the navy Subaru, mirroring my face. "Deal with it."

"Great." I opened the front passenger seat of the car and slumped in the chair, the dark sky still not giving way to dawn.