Flight 171: Chapters 1–8

by Amy Christine Parker
High school senior Devon Marsh is with her classmates on a four-hour flight to a Colorado ski resort, when an immortal being threatens to kill all the passengers unless they sacrifice one body for possession.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–8, Chapters 9–16, Chapters 17–26, Chapters 27–35
40 words 59 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
    No lightning yet, but the sky is ominous enough that I can’t help wondering if our takeoff will be delayed.
  2. falter
    be or become weak, unsteady, or uncertain
    “And, considering we’re all about to board a plane, it’s bad luck to talk about crashing.”
    Spencer’s smile falters.
  3. bracing
    refreshing or invigorating
    The sudden drop in temperature makes me shiver violently, but it’s good, bracing enough to make the tears building in my eyes dry up.
  4. cliche
    an unoriginal or predictable theme, situation, or person
    He’s the guy who fits the dumb-jock cliché perfectly—or at least he willingly feeds into it.
  5. tentatively
    in a hesitant manner
    Spencer touches my hand tentatively. “I really am sorry. Hey, want a Twizzler?”
  6. obscure
    make unclear or less visible
    His hair—the exact shade of chestnuts—flops over his face, obscuring his eyes.
  7. staccato
    marked by or composed of disconnected parts or sounds
    I spent so much of last summer and fall memorizing the angles and planes of his face, the way they set my heart beating in an entirely new rhythm—one that was all stuttering staccato beats.
  8. buoyant
    characterized by liveliness and lightheartedness
    “No way I’m missing this,” I say, making my voice as Emilyesque as I can manage, all buoyant cheer.
  9. galley
    the kitchen area for food preparation on an airliner
    Mom is in the business class galley with the flight crew.
  10. incontrovertible
    impossible to deny or disprove
    I won’t confront Jack again until I have incontrovertible proof.
  11. deftly
    in an agile manner
    Without a word, Kiara moves deftly around the boy and his dad into business class.
  12. furtively
    in a secretive manner
    There he is, attempting to hide behind a middle-aged guy, furtively watching me.
  13. stifling
    characterized by oppressive heat and humidity
    The air isn’t circulating, so the cabin is stifling.
  14. glom
    latch or seize upon; take hold of
    But after Emily died and Kiara volunteered to organize the school’s candlelight vigil for her, she glommed on to me and I got absorbed into Emily’s friend group.
  15. tactful
    showing skill and sensitivity in dealing with people
    “I just need some space, okay,” I blurt, because apparently the old me still controls my mouth sometimes. Emily would’ve been more tactful.
  16. lapse
    drop to a lower level, as in one's morals or standards
    If I break character right now and let my Emily-self lapse, I might not be able to get it back.
  17. careen
    move at high speed and in an uncontrolled way
    He stands up so fast his magazine goes careening to the floor.
  18. curate
    select and present content or information
    She always manages to look both like she doesn’t try and like she curates every outfit carefully.
  19. flush
    sudden reddening of the face
    There’s a sudden flush of pink to Carter’s cheeks.
  20. rebuff
    an instance of driving away or warding off
    Hopefully her not-so-subtle rebuff has him embarrassed enough that he’ll leave me alone for a while.
  21. blather
    talk foolishly
    He blathers on about headwinds and weather reports, his words barely distinguishable over the white noise of the plane’s engine.
  22. wistfully
    in a pensively sad manner
    He runs one hand over the leather-bound cover wistfully, then tucks it into the seatback pocket.
  23. testament
    strong evidence for something
    The fact that he’s helping Kiara anyway is a testament to how much he loves her.
  24. gnarled
    old and twisted and covered in lines
    That’s when the old woman captures my attention. She’s in the aisle and headed this way.
    Her gnarled fingers grip the sides of the seats as she passes row after row.
  25. malady
    impairment of normal physiological function
    Some old people are straight-up creepy. I think maybe it’s because, with all their maladies, they’re walking billboards for death, glaring reminders of how it’s eating away at all of us with its sharp teeth, one nibble at a time, then in giant, ghastly gulps.
  26. disquiet
    a feeling of mild anxiety about possible developments
    I try to shake the disquiet making me want to fidget or flee.
  27. flummox
    be a mystery or bewildering to
    Carlos looks momentarily flummoxed, but when she tries to get around him, he puts his arm out to block her.
  28. lilt
    a jaunty rhythm in music or speech
    “Let me by or I will tell everyone on this plane your secret.” The old woman's voice has lost its lilt.
  29. relish
    derive or receive pleasure from
    She jabs the needles at them almost playfully, seems to relish the fresh round of screams that erupt.
  30. intangible
    incapable of being perceived by the senses, especially touch
    I swear it’s like I can feel her—some intangible part of her—clawing at my brain again, trying to pry it open and see inside.
  31. revulsion
    intense aversion
    So much blood. On her. Leaking out of Carlos. The coppery smell sends a fizz of revulsion through me.
  32. caricature
    a representation of a person exaggerated for comic effect
    Her voice is clear and high and laced with a singsong quality, a caricature of a grandma voice.
  33. loll
    hang loosely or laxly
    He’s collapsed in his father’s arms, head lolling, mouth open, a thin line of drool hanging from his bottom lip.
  34. unbridled
    not restrained or controlled
    When the old lady’s blue-black eyes focus on me again, the unbridled glee in them is palpable.
  35. palpable
    capable of being perceived
    When the old lady’s blue-black eyes focus on me again, the unbridled glee in them is palpable.
  36. veneer
    an outward appearance that is deliberately misleading
    The old me and all her hotheaded impulsiveness is slipping through the Emily veneer I’ve built.
  37. reverberate
    ring or echo with sound
    The old lady makes a growling, inhuman sound that reverberates through the whole plane, into my chest, into the deepest part of me.
  38. inexorable
    impossible to prevent, resist, or stop
    I can only feel the inexorable pressure, pulling at me, wrenching my seat from the floor.
  39. atone
    make amends for
    “Then you could really atone for your sins. Be the hero.”
  40. discern
    perceive, recognize, or detect
    He flinches, as if he can discern my thoughts.
Created on Thu Jun 13 16:23:11 EDT 2024 (updated Fri Jun 14 15:42:55 EDT 2024)

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