Newspaper Story

Leo

Inspired by the horoscope: "Don't rob others of their delusions. The truth will come out when it's supposed to."

Also inspired by Shay.

 

                 Leo pushed up his large glasses and nervously looked around. Leo was used to sitting in the airport waiting for his flight home to Atlanta. Leo checked his watch. Ten minutes until his flight. Leo was surprisingly nervous for this flight. Leo was an experienced flier; however, something about this flight seemed a bit off to him. As large as the Atlanta airport is, Leo had never once flown there. He looks around at the other passengers preparing to board the flight. An old lady with a walker. Lots of men in business suits. A couple with two small children.

                For some reason, this made Leo even more nervous. Finally, the plane came and the line slowly began to shuffle onto the plane. When Leo boarded, he knew something was off. There was a sound coming from under the plane. Although the low hum was calming, Leo thought it seemed unnatural. Almost like the engine was overheating.

                Leo talked to the stewardess of the flight, asking about the sound.

                “Oh, hun. Is this your first time flying?” she asked in a thick southern accent.

                “No,” Leo responds.

                “You’ll be fine, hun. This plane’s an oldie but goodie.”

                As the plane took off, Leo began to hear a soft rattle from below. An oldie but goodie, the stewardess’s words echoed in his mind. Leo can’t wait for the flight to be over.

                One of the small children Leo saw earlier begins to cry. This flight is getting more and more uncomfortable. Leo stands up and begins walking to the stewardess.

                “We aren’t safe on here,” Leo said.

                “What makes you say that, sir?” the stewardess responded.

                “I don’t know. I just have a feeling—“

                “If you know of some danger please share, or go sit down.” Leo opened his mouth to respond, however no words came out, only a loud pop from under the plane.

                The plane began plummeting, Leo could feel it. As the rest of the passengers begin to realize their situation, Leo began to except his fate.

                They are all going to die with this plane.

                “I tried warning,” Leo began, looking at the stewardess. A crash from the snack cart running into the front wall interrupted his speech. “You. I tried to warn you,” he finishes.

                As the plane fell, it began shaking violently. Leo fell to the ground where he landed next to a fortune cookie from the snack cart. He decided to open it up and read his final fortune.

                “Don’t rob others of their delusions. The truth will come out when it’s supposed to.”

                Well, Leo thought, the truth is out. This plane is going to explode and all of the passengers are going to fly everywhere.

                Leo thought about the old lady, the young couple, the little kids.

                As the plane made contact with the ground Leo flew out, greeting the white lights of the sky above.