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NW995  von QaDeS aus der Kategorie Geschichte - Nachdenkliches, Ernstes |
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They did not get much out of the car, and what they got was, well, roasted at best. The two kids on the back seat were the hardest part. Some of the helpers had to be replaced in the progress of getting them out of the cabin and trying to resemble the puzzle of their coal-like body parts. The odors of burnt flesh mixed with a truckload of fuel made it hard to hold the lunch down. Only the rain made it bearable. What really startled them was the man who had driven the car, or more specific, the flight-tickets they found where the inner pocket of his suit had been. Not even a brown spot. Those tickets didn't look like they had been there at all when the car burned out. They said this guy should have been in Europe until the end of the week, but somehow he had managed to stay with his family, just to drive them to death. Tears filled his eyes when he went down the gangway. He had always felt alone at this point of his travels, but this time the feeling was harder - this time it was true. Then again, he had felt funny since he had agreed to replace Juan, who initially was planned for this trip. He had caught an angina or something, said his boss, but Ralph knew it was more likely an Angie, or some other girl this gigolo had seduced, while he had lost his loved ones. Like always he took a look at the hull of the airplane as he passed the huge windows just before the entry. If there was something wrong with it today, he might even be glad. He could not stand the thought of finishing this flight alive, being the only survivor of his family, the one who didn't participate in their lethal accident. He would better like to finish this tragedy as the one who got away there, but died in a plane-crash on the way home. The newspapers would love it too, for sure. Somehow he got in without being asked if he was ok, although he must have looked really sick. They didn't seem to notice him heading down the wrong aisle either, but when he turned around to walk the other way, he did get a sharp glance from one of the cabin attendants. She made some of those well-trained gestures, directing him to walk to the end of the plane and do a u-turn there. Later he wouldn't know how she managed to make this clear to him. Then again, later he would not know anything else. Ralph ran into a girl that was trying to stuff her luggage up into the box above her seat. He saw her exhausted smile and asked if he might help, which made him feel a bit funny. Fourteen years ago, he had met his wife in a similar situation. Back then, he had travelled by train a lot and was always glad to help a beautyful lady. In his thoughts, the suitcase he was holding now would never reach at JFK. Just as he pushed the it in, he felt someone was staring at him. Not the girl, she had taken place already and was busy closing her seat-belt, which didn't seem to be easy for her either. He scanned the faces of the people around him, the old lady who was reading through the emergency leaflet, a little boy, restlessly shoving peanuts into his mouth, some business-men switching off their cellphones ? and this guy with a pair of huge, dark eyebrows, whose green eyes seemed to stare right through him. Ralph checked the number above his seat and swallowed. This was the place where he would spend the next six-and-a-bit hours, or less if he had luck. Then again, he had a quite sympathetic smile. This, and the dirty brown trenchcoat he was wearing made him look completely out of place on his business-class seat. His eyes followed Ralph as he went on, and he couldn't hold from smiling back at him. This all seemed so unreal. He took place and closed his seat belt when the lamp started to glow. As a good passenger, he had always done that. Yet, he felt kind of stupid. This was supposed to be his last flight, wasn't it? He so wished. ?You think it's your fault?? Asked the boy, who was now staring absently out of the window. His back turned to Ralph, who wasn't quite sure what to think now. ?No...you wish you had been there? Slowly, he put his feet back on the ground and turned. Ralphs eyes filled with tears again, and he didn't know why. ?You wish, you would have had the damn possibility, right?? With this words, he again put his stare onto Ralph. He didn't turn his head. Who the hell was this guy? ?I'm Elias? He said, holding out his hand like the twenty years old boy he was.. The airplane started moving. Elias pulled his hand back, and Ralph smiled. It was pointless, he knew who he was already. Much more than himself, maybe. None of them talked until the plane had started. Ralph was in his thoughts, and Elias just looked straight through the seat in front of him. When the gravity let go, Elias longed into his trench-coat and released a Zippo, then lighted his zigarette which wasn't there just a minute before. ?This is a non-smoking flight.? Ralph said. Elias just smiled back and let out a cloud of smoke. There was no smell. ?You see, I'm just here for you. Only you.? He started to feel like a piece of the wrong puzzle. If, and only if this was not a dream, who was this guy supposed to be? An angel or something? Elias took a long, deep, smoky breath, and let it out in a string of perfect circles. If he was an angel, he would accept it. He never refused anything anyway. ?Why me?? ?Well, let's just say you won some kind of...lottery. We don't do that a lot. Takes up too much ? effort.? The plane broke through a layer of clouds, and the sun, which was well hidden behind it before, now finally showed up in the window. It blinded Ralph until the angel leaned forward a bit and partially covered it with his face. ?This feeling you have, this being out-of-place, it's just temporary. Will go away as soon as you are ready to go.? With these words he eyed Ralph. ?You mean I can end it right now?? Elias laughed. ?I mean you can go back to the point you took the wrong path.? He remembered the phone call. The one where this feeling started, the point where he had chosen to leave. Elias checked the time. ?Oops, only one minute left. I'm sorry to put you under pressure, but if you don't choose quick, I will disappear and the plane will land with you on board. We can't hold this state up longer than thirtytwo hours, yanno.? The feeling that he shouldn't be there was growing. He looked around and saw all those unreal persons in this unreal plane. No, there was nothing to choose, he would go. ?Close your eyes, pal. Reality is waiting for ya.? He longed out his Hand, and this time Ralph shook it. Then the darkness set in. When he opened his eyes again, he was blinded by the sunlight. Mira let out a grunt and turned around under the cushion, still half asleep. He couldn't hold from kissing her beautyful nose, and he managed to press back a tear when she smiled. ?Can't imagine how I love you, baby? He said, reaching for the phone plug and pulling it out. | ||||||||||
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