Departure to Destiny

As the plane ascended, Natalie’s stomach churned with a familiar sense of dread. She despised every moment of being in the air. Natalie’s leg continued to bounce as the plane leveled, gliding through the overcast sky. She unclenched her fists, releasing the death grip she had on the armrest to her left and the phone in her right. She couldn’t wait for this seven-hour flight to be over and to be safely on solid ground. Before switching her phone to airplane mode, she checked again for any response from her sister. Still none. She sighed, turned off her phone, and leaned back in her seat. She wondered if Meghan was still angry with her for changing their flight plans. It wasn’t her fault that her boss threw her a last-minute project just before their planned vacation for a four-day cruise.

Natalie couldn’t help but wish she had taken the same flight as her sister. At least they would be on the ground by now and Meghan would be there to keep her calm. As the fasten seatbelt signs finally turned off and the flight attendants began to walk up and down the aisle, Natalie flagged one down and asked for a cup of rosé. It wasn’t much, but she hoped it would settle her nerves enough to get some rest.

As she took small sips of her wine, she glanced at the other passengers around her. A teen boy across the way was jamming out to his tunes, while two older women beside him chatted casually and laughed. The man beside Natalie was already asleep with a neck pillow supporting his head, and the guy beside him was typing away on his laptop, probably doing business, according to the sharp suit he wore. Everyone else seemed much more at ease than she was. Natalie wished she could relax like them, but all she felt was panic and worry.

When she finished her drink, she tried to doze off, but the light turbulence made it almost impossible. She closed her eyes and rested her head back against the stiff plane seat, hoping to at least get a little bit of sleep. However, instead of a peaceful slumber, her mind was flooded with nightmares. Vivid and terrifying visions of the plane crashing and burning flashed through her unconscious mind.

She saw bright, hot flames erupting from the right wing, while pieces of the plane were torn apart one by one. The oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling, and she could hear screams of terror and chaos all around her. The more she tried to push the images away, the more they persisted. It was as if her mind was trying to warn her of an impending disaster.

Suddenly, the plane shook, and Natalie was jolted awake. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she gripped the armrests with trembling hands. The image of the plane crashing was still fresh in her mind, and she couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

“Nervous flyer?” a gruff voice asked from beside her.

Natalie jumped, startled. She looked over to the man next to her, who had an amused smirk on his face. She tried to clear her dry throat and croaked out, “You could say that.”

“My wife is the same way,” he said sympathetically. “But can I have my arm back?”

Natalie realized her right hand was wrapped tightly around his forearm that was on the armrest. Mortified, she let go of his arm with a nervous chuckle. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not a problem. I know flying can be tough for some people.” He checked his watch and added, “We have about two hours left. We’ll be on solid ground soon.”

“I can’t wait.”

The guy snickered as he rested his head back into his seat, falling asleep on his neck pillow once more. Natalie, however, couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling that lingered within her. The vivid vision she had of the plane crashing was still haunting her. She needed to do something to prevent it.

She got up from her seat and headed to the bathroom at the back of the plane. As soon as she entered, she locked the door and looked at herself in the dirty mirror. Her face was pale and sweaty, and her chest heaved as she struggled to catch her breath. Suddenly, her stomach lurched, and she dropped to the floor, lifting the toilet seat just in time. She emptied the contents of her stomach into the porcelain bowl below her, retching and gasping for air.

As she leaned against the toilet seat, trying to steady herself, she felt a cold sweat break out all over her body. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her chest and her heart rate spiked. She clutched at her chest, gasping for air as her vision started to blur. Panic set in as she struggled to breathe, feeling like she was suffocating. The black dots in her vision multiplied and she felt herself losing consciousness. She desperately tried to hold on, but everything faded to black as she sunk to the bathroom floor.

Natalie’s eyes flickered open to a blinding light that seared into her retinas. She squinted as she tried to focus and sat up, confused. A hand reached out and steadied her.

“Take it easy,” a man’s voice said in a calm tone. “I’m Dr. Flinn Reyes. You’re on a flight to Miami, and you passed out in the bathroom.”

Natalie looked around, bewildered, and saw two other people watching her with concern etched on their faces. Surprised, Natalie stuttered out, “I passed out?”

“Yes. The flight attendant here,” he jutted a white-gloved finger towards the woman in the hall, “Josie, noticed you were in here for quite a long time and received no response when trying to knock. We took the liberty of entering and checking in on you.”

“Oh,” Natalie sighed as she rubbed her fingers against her temples.

“How are you feeling now? Any Nauseousness or dizziness? Headache? Chest pains?”

“No… No. I’m fine.”

“Can you tell me your name and where you’re going?” Dr. Reyes inquired.

“My name is Natalie Almond. I’m going to Miami for a cruise with my sister.”

“Okay, good,” Dr. Reyes said, smiling reassuringly. “Would you like a hand getting up?”

Natalie took the doctor’s outstretched hand and stood up, feeling unsteady. Suddenly, the plane jolted with mild turbulence, causing Natalie to panic once again as she remembered her intense nightmare from earlier.

She clung onto the doctor’s coat-clad arms and shouted, “The plane is going to crash!”

An air marshal stepped into the cramped bathroom, barely fitting through the door. Natalie noticed the pistol holstered to his hip and panicked even more. He cleared his throat and said, “It’s just turbulence, ma’am. You’re disoriented.”

Natalie shook her head frantically. “No! I saw it! The plane is going to break apart and burn up!”

The doctor and air marshal exchanged a quick glance and muttered something to each other. The doctor stepped back and left the bathroom, while the air marshal moved closer to Natalie, pulling out plastic restraints.

“I’m sorry, but for your own safety, I have to restrain you,” the air marshal said firmly, looking at her like a child.

Natalie sobbed uncontrollably as hot tears streamed down her face. “Please, you have to listen to me. It’s true!”

The air marshal restrained her wrists with the plastic ties. “We’ll be landing soon, and we’ll figure everything out. Just try to stay calm, okay?”

“Fine.”

He guided her to the front row of the economy seats, drawing the attention of other passengers. Natalie felt uncomfortable with the stares and kept her head down as she walked by. The air marshal helped her buckle up and she felt the plane continue to rock back and forth. Her nerves were still on edge; the plane could come crashing down at any moment. But no one wanted to believe her. What could they even do since they were already soaring through the sky?

Suddenly, the fasten seat belt sign illuminated, and the pilot’s voice came over the intercom. “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. We have a change of plans. Due to an incident at Miami International Airport, we will be rerouting to Ft. Lauderdale International Airport. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Passengers with connecting flights should proceed to the front desk for assistance. Thank you for flying with us today.”

Natalie’s heart sank as she processed the news. Someone a few rows back muttered, “Oh God, a plane crashed in Miami. It’s a total mess over there.”

Natalie’s head shot up. She turned to the air marshal and asked, “A crash at MIA? When did it happen? What flight was it?”

He shook his head, his face etched with disbelief as he pulled out his cell phone. “I’m not sure.”

Natalie watched anxiously as he pulled up an article on his phone, swiping through the page as he gathered information. She prayed that her worst fears wouldn’t be confirmed.

“It happened five hours ago. Flight number AD 559.” The marshal sighed, looking over at Natalie beside him. “I was supposed to be on that plane. They switched me onto this one at the last minute.”

Natalie felt a lump form in her throat, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. “My sister was on that plane... And I was supposed to be with her.”

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” he said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Tears streamed down her face as she tried to come to terms with what had happened. She squeaked out, “There’s always a chance she could have survived.”

“According to this article, it seems unlikely.” He frowned as he looked back at his phone. “But I wish you the best of luck.”

The air marshal gently took her hands and undid the zip-ties that restrained her. She nodded her head in gratitude before looking out the window beside her, watching the clouds pass by. As the reality of what had happened sunk in, Natalie’s shoulders slumped in defeat. She had been so sure that her premonition was about her own death, but it had been her sister’s all along. The guilt she felt was overwhelming.

As the plane descended to its new destination, Natalie knew that her life would never be the same again. She couldn’t bear the thought of flying anymore. All she could do now was try to find a way to move on and live her life in a way that honored her sister’s memory.