Sparks fly from the engine outside my window.
The plane rattles as it tilts forward.
I squeeze the ends of my armrests.
A pleasant ding sounds above my head.
The seatbelt light illuminates.
The sparks outside turn to smoke.
We pull hard to the left.
I see panic in the passengers around me.
I try to slow my breathing, but at 20,000 feet and falling, that’s hard to do.
We bank back to the right.
I hear screams throughout the cabin.
I feel myself begin to float upward before the seat belt catches me.
I press my feet down with all my strength—
Like maybe, if I push hard enough, I can stop this.
But the roaring wind only grows louder.
What am I supposed to do?
What do people do in these situations?
Finally, the air masks drop from the ceiling.
Everyone around me scrambles to put them on.
But I can’t seem to move.
Helpless, I break into tears.
Then a hand settles on my shoulder.
Man
Ma’am, are you okay!?
I manage to turn my head.
The man seated next to me looks back from behind his air mask.
I struggle at first, but eventually manage to get something out.
Man
You’re gonna be fine.
He grabs my mask and wraps it around my face.
Air immediately flows into my body.
I feel blood rush to my head.
The alarms ring in my ears.
The plane rattles, seemingly ready to burst at any moment.
I especially don’t want to die alone.
I have no clue who this guy is, but I know I need him to keep talking.
His voice is the only thing that’s helping me through this.
Man
Out through the mouth.
Without realizing it, I feel myself taking hold of his hand.
I slip his fingers between mine and squeeze as tight as I can.
The roaring noise, the turbulence, the fear…
I woke up in the airport's medical clinic a few minutes ago.
But now I’m racing through the terminal at full speed.
When I came to, I was surrounded by EMTs.
They told me I lost consciousness just before the plane leveled out.
They said the man next to me made sure I got help.
But they didn’t know where he was.
So I’m weaving through travelers to try and find him.
Maybe it was the stress of the moment.
But I felt something when he held my hand.
Something I have to know more about.
At the very least, I have to thank him.
I dash into baggage claim, nearly out of breath.
I scan the giant room for the man.
I look from person to person.
I see businessmen and women.
There are airport employees and police, but I don’t see the man.
And whatever moments we had, or may have had, are gone too.
Then, way in the distance, I see it.
He steps outside and I race after him.
The doors open and fresh warm air washes over me.
A cacophony of honking cabs rings in my ears.
I see the back of the man’s blue shirt.
He’s calling for a cab of his own.
He can’t hear me over the noise.
But before I get close enough, a car pulls up.
He tosses his bags in and it speeds away.
Without thinking, I hail a cab of my own.
I leap into the backseat, startling the driver.
Emmy
I need you to follow that cab.
My driver and I swerve into the drop-off lane of a hotel.
The man in the blue shirt is pulling his suitcase inside.
I grab a wad of cash and pass it to my driver.
I fling the door open and race inside.
The man is standing at the check-in counter.
But he’s probably going to think I’m crazy.
I’m the weirdo lady who passed out on him.
What am I even doing here?
If he wanted to talk to me, he would have waited.
I try to leave, but something keeps me there.
He heads to the elevator, and I follow.
He presses the up button and waits.
I tap him on the shoulder.
Emmy
You’re gonna think I’m crazy, but…
It’s not the man from the plane.
I drop my head and walk away.
It’s just like me to chase after someone like this.
And the wrong someone at that!
I clench my fists and wish I could just disappear.
Man
You’re gonna think I’m nuts.
Man
But I just want to talk to you.
Man
Through the terminal, past baggage claim, to here.
Man
I’m sorry if you’re weirded out.
I look into his eyes, and then I know…
And now we have time to be still…
