by Loco König Mon Oct 11, 2010 6:43 pmI must have been very flushed when I handed my ticket to the lady at the counter, because she was quick to assure me that flying is even safer than driving a car. Mildly distracted, I remember mumbling something under my breath, probably a nervous, hushed "thank you" or something along those lines. I guess she was in a playful mood, though, because she wouldn't let up, she continued to reassure me that no one was going to hold it against me if I was afraid of flying, and since it was the most convenient form of travel, it would be convenient to try to relax on the flight. My white knuckles must have given my frustration away, because when she glimpsed down, she blushed and directed me to the boarding gate. I took several deep breaths as I walked into it, knowing that the deeper I went, the closer I was to my metallic cocoon, my flying coffin.
"May I see your ticket?" I hesitantly proffered it to the mildly attractive lady standing watch over the door of the airplane. I had begun to feel dizzy, and slightly faint, and just wanted to get it over with. "You're in the back half of the plane, left side. You're actually going to be near an emergency exit, should the plane crash, you will be one of the people who must help open the hatches, are okay with that?" I wordlessly nodded, my heart skipping a beat when she said the word crash. She might have had a look of concern in her eyes, but I stared straight at the ground as I walked to my seat.
I sat, removing my backpack, which had only seemed to grow heavier in the passing seconds. Luckily, I was in an aisle seat. Situated immediately to my left was middle aged looking man. He had grey flecks in his otherwise brown, clean cut hair, and his face was nicely shaved. I seem to have finally gotten lucky, there were no children in my immediate area, and the man next to me was of medium build, not obese, and certainly (thank God) not talkative. We made brief eye contact, then he nodded curtly and put his earphones in. I sat down and simply waited for my ordeal to begin.
Twenty minutes later, the large plane was humming with hushed voices, and we took off. The man next to me was clenching his arm rests, having taken out his headphones just a moment ago. He looked just as nervous as I was, if not more. After what seemed to be an eternity, the clanking tube leveled out, and the pilot switched off the seat belt light. The man beside me touched me shoulder, then looked intently at the aisle. It took me a moment to understand, but then I realized he simply wanted to get up. I climbed out into the aisle, and let him out.
Nearly half an hour later, the strange man still had not returned. I glanced over, and I saw that he left his iPod on his seat. Well, truth be told, I had seen it earlier, but I didn't pay any mind to it, it wasn't mine. Now I was overcome by curiosity. I picked it up, turning it over gingerly in my hands, and looked at the song title. My eyes widened as they registered the words across the top, not really comprehending it at all. My heart rate sped up massively; this explained everything: the man's unwillingness to talk, his nervousness, his physique, even his hair style. The iPod display simply read Дмитрий Покровский - Природа в Опасности. I realized in that moment what needed to be done, everything I had experienced the past few days snapped together.
I hefted my backpack as I rushed to the back of the plane, hoping to myself that what was about to come would be quick, preferably painless, too. The cruel straps cut into my shoulders, I rudely pushed past a flight attendant; I recognized her as the one who told me where to sit. I apologized, told her it was an "emergency", and nodded towards the restrooms. She laughed, and shook her head, and then I was gone.
It felt like I was rushing down the walkway for eons, but I finally made it to the restroom in one piece. I stepped into an unoccupied one, and looked at myself in the mirror. God, I was a mess. My forehead was dripping, my hair was messy, I had terrible bags under my eyes, I looked like Hell. I took a minute to catch my breath, splashing water in my face, gathering the last bits of my courage. It took a moment, but I found my footing, and put on a calm facade. Slowly pushing out of the restroom, I put a hand in my pocket, and put my back to the restrooms. I then pulled a small joystick looking device out of my pocket, and yelled with quite a bit of bravado in my voice.
"Ladies and gentlemen! I have a bomb! You are all going to die!"
There was a split second of silence, and then a woman shrieked. It was all that the plane needed to spark into chaos. Children wailing, mothers praying, husbands and wives reaffirming their love... my heart went out to all of them, and then without hesitation, I jammed my finger down on the small red button.
My vision quickly went black, and several white words flashed across my vision.
PROTOCOL 16 - FIRE - COMPLETE
"May I see your ticket?" I hesitantly proffered it to the mildly attractive lady standing watch over the door of the airplane. I had begun to feel dizzy, and slightly faint, and just wanted to get it over with. "You're in the back half of the plane, left side. You're actually going to be near an emergency exit, should the plane crash, you will be one of the people who must help open the hatches, are okay with that?" I wordlessly nodded, my heart skipping a beat when she said the word crash. She might have had a look of concern in her eyes, but I stared straight at the ground as I walked to my seat.
I sat, removing my backpack, which had only seemed to grow heavier in the passing seconds. Luckily, I was in an aisle seat. Situated immediately to my left was middle aged looking man. He had grey flecks in his otherwise brown, clean cut hair, and his face was nicely shaved. I seem to have finally gotten lucky, there were no children in my immediate area, and the man next to me was of medium build, not obese, and certainly (thank God) not talkative. We made brief eye contact, then he nodded curtly and put his earphones in. I sat down and simply waited for my ordeal to begin.
Twenty minutes later, the large plane was humming with hushed voices, and we took off. The man next to me was clenching his arm rests, having taken out his headphones just a moment ago. He looked just as nervous as I was, if not more. After what seemed to be an eternity, the clanking tube leveled out, and the pilot switched off the seat belt light. The man beside me touched me shoulder, then looked intently at the aisle. It took me a moment to understand, but then I realized he simply wanted to get up. I climbed out into the aisle, and let him out.
Nearly half an hour later, the strange man still had not returned. I glanced over, and I saw that he left his iPod on his seat. Well, truth be told, I had seen it earlier, but I didn't pay any mind to it, it wasn't mine. Now I was overcome by curiosity. I picked it up, turning it over gingerly in my hands, and looked at the song title. My eyes widened as they registered the words across the top, not really comprehending it at all. My heart rate sped up massively; this explained everything: the man's unwillingness to talk, his nervousness, his physique, even his hair style. The iPod display simply read Дмитрий Покровский - Природа в Опасности. I realized in that moment what needed to be done, everything I had experienced the past few days snapped together.
I hefted my backpack as I rushed to the back of the plane, hoping to myself that what was about to come would be quick, preferably painless, too. The cruel straps cut into my shoulders, I rudely pushed past a flight attendant; I recognized her as the one who told me where to sit. I apologized, told her it was an "emergency", and nodded towards the restrooms. She laughed, and shook her head, and then I was gone.
It felt like I was rushing down the walkway for eons, but I finally made it to the restroom in one piece. I stepped into an unoccupied one, and looked at myself in the mirror. God, I was a mess. My forehead was dripping, my hair was messy, I had terrible bags under my eyes, I looked like Hell. I took a minute to catch my breath, splashing water in my face, gathering the last bits of my courage. It took a moment, but I found my footing, and put on a calm facade. Slowly pushing out of the restroom, I put a hand in my pocket, and put my back to the restrooms. I then pulled a small joystick looking device out of my pocket, and yelled with quite a bit of bravado in my voice.
"Ladies and gentlemen! I have a bomb! You are all going to die!"
There was a split second of silence, and then a woman shrieked. It was all that the plane needed to spark into chaos. Children wailing, mothers praying, husbands and wives reaffirming their love... my heart went out to all of them, and then without hesitation, I jammed my finger down on the small red button.
My vision quickly went black, and several white words flashed across my vision.
PROTOCOL 16 - FIRE - COMPLETE
