The Bright Light

A baby that had been screaming since takeoff was strangely and finally quiet. That was the first thing you notice as you awake from your nap. It is a red eye flight to your vacation destination so that isn’t too odd. What IS very strange is the feeling on the side of your face leaning against the window. You know you haven’t been asleep that long and the window seems to almost pulse against your face. It should still be dark outside. You remove the eye mask you are wearing and the ear plugs to mute the sound around you and see the window no longer has a view of anything but a blinding white light!

As you look around you realize everyone else was also waking from a nap that was more of a loss of consciousness. Then the screams started. No one could see anything but the bright light. The pilot’s voice on the intercom tells everyone to shut the window covers and flight attendants began to rush around the cabin closing them as other passengers still are regaining consciousness.

You push the call button and a flight attendant comes to you and immediately tells you your guess is as good as theirs about what is going on and the expression on the attendant’s face was one of sheer terror. You decide not to further pressure the crew member and try to focus on maintaining your own composure instead.

The flight had started as normally as any other. You remember getting suddenly very sleepy and quickly putting on your eye mask, ear plugs, and neck sleeping pillow along with the screaming baby that is now gazing mesmerized outside a still open window into the blinding light. As soon as the flight attendant closed that window the baby starts screaming again.

The next thing you notice is the flight is extremely smooth and quiet. There is no longer the regular noise associated with the engine. Most of the passengers screaming has stopped except for the baby. None of the passengers’ mobile phones or the craft’s inflight passenger communication systems are working and the pilot is still in the cockpit. You press the call button again and ask the flight attendant to check if the pilot has communications and after rushing from the cockpit and back tells you no. The attendant also tells you the plane is moving faster than humanly possible and the instruments in the cockpit are all spinning.

That’s when another voice seems to take over the intercom. It isn’t a normal voice but sounds automated and otherworldly in nature. Then there are a bunch of unique tones that seem to make you feel sleepy again. You quickly grab your earplugs and put them back in and watch as other passengers once more begin to lose consciousness . The digital voice is reassuring passengers they are in no danger and the tones seem to comfort them as they pass out.

After you see everyone else is unconscious you notice that although seemingly inflight the cabin doors are opening. You quickly pretend to be asleep too. What you see will change your life forever! The blinding light fills the cabin yet peeking through one eye you can see the silhouette of small figures walking down the aisle. They begin removing passengers starting with the previously screaming baby… THAT is the moment you realize the airplane is actually inside another craft of some type! The light dims and they take a few more passengers before leaving and shutting the cabin door back. Now the voice on the intercom is less comforting and says it is aware you are awake.

What do you do, continue to pretend to be asleep or acknowledge you are awake?

1. Pretend to STILL be asleep. (Read here/Acknowledge you’re awake STOP reading and skip to “2)”)

TO BE CONTINUED…

2. Acknowledge you’re awake. (Read here)

TO BE CONTINUED…