Yesterday I boarded a plane from JFK to the Minneapolis to visit my family. The landing was a little rough and it reminded me of a flight that I took from London exactly one year ago. I was returning from a trip to see my English boyfriend and the captain had to pull up the plane seconds before landing in NYC because something was on the runway. As I sat on the plane yesterday, I felt inspired to write about that event. However, when I started writing the story took on a fictional and dark twist. Although the assignment only called for us to write for 10 minutes, I felt compelled to write until I gave my story an ending.
It was almost impossible to believe her time had come to an end. Corrine had gone on many holidays over the years, but her recent trip was different than most. It had a purpose. A purpose beyond seeing the London Bridge or Westminster Abbey, this trip was meant solely to see him. Him being the man she loved.
Corrine boarded her flight back to New York. Typically the thought of getting on a plane was quite exciting. Each seat was filled with a new face, with a story of their own. But the excitement was gone and her heart was only filled with sadness. Corrine hoped the Captain would come over the intercom and say, “I am sorry to announce ladies and gentleman, but our flight has not been cleared for take off due to major delays at JFK. The earliest flight will be tomorrow morning. We are sorry for the inconvenience.” At least this would give her one more night with him.
However, there was no such message from the Captain and soon she felt the plane jerk away from the gate. Take off was a blur and before long London had disappeared behind the clouds. The clouds were quite symbolic because the trip had felt like a lovely dream that Corrine didn’t want to wake up from. Champagne breakfasts, private tennis lessons and a guided tour of the English countryside. What more could a girl really ask for she asked herself. But how could this be a reality? She was from the United States and he was from England. How could the universe ever bring them together?
Between the excitement of reliving the memories of her trip and the nervousness she felt by asking the big questions, Corrine was completely exhausted. Corrine leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. The dreams came swiftly and were quite vivid. The people, the place and time felt real. It was the kind of dream you didn’t want to wake up from.
A fresh layer of snow had just fallen on the mountain. The sun was waking up and making its way over the peaks. It cast the most beautiful display of pink and orange hues on the snow. The mountainside looked as it was made of sherbet and ready for tasting.
In the dream, she saw him. He pushed open the door of his bungalow that was nestled in the snow piles on the base of the mountain. Dressed in a bright orange jacket, goggles and beanie it almost made him unrecognizable. But his movements and stance were a dead giveaway for the masked man’s identity. Ready to get first tracks of the morning, he strapped his skis to his backpack and started the ascent up the mountainside. Each step was a challenge in the knee-deep snow. He was in heaven, his heaven. He started the journey alone, but when the sun touched his face he instantly felt her presence. She was always with him. He made his way up the mountain, enjoying each view along the way. He had a knack for making her face out in the designs in the clouds and often in the fresh snow. It was like they had just seen each other yesterday, but it had been much longer than that.
Corrine had last said goodbye to him at Heathrow airport last summer. He remembered the awkwardness of their last goodbye. They stood by airport security for a ridiculous amount of time - hugging, kissing, staring into each other eyes and coming up with meaningless conversation just to prolong the moment. She was returning to New York to start a new job, a new school and a new life that was so far away from him. When they said goodbye, neither knew it would be the last time and the tragedy that was in the imminent future.
The flashbacks of their time together, albeit short, occupied his mind the entire hike up the mountain. He reached the top, short of breath, but full of life. He was following his dream of skiing the highest peaks and living in a winter wonderland. He turned to the West and could feel the warm sun on his back. He felt of surge of adrenaline and warm sensation through this entire body. The energy felt different; perhaps it was a message from her.
Without hesitation, he leaped off the snowy cliff into the canyon. He was floating on a cloud of snow. Each turn perfect and with such ease. He took each drop with such courage. He was no longer afraid of anything. That happens when your worst fear comes true, his fear of losing her. Along with the good memories, the thought of her last moments consumed him from time to time. He imagined how scared she was, how she was alone and how painful it must have been. Her flight from London to JFK ended in tragedy. The flight was cleared for landing and seconds before the plane was meant to touchdown on the runway, the Captain got a call saying that there was an obstruction and they must pull up immediately. The Captain did as instructed, but it was too late. The flight, it’s crew and all 300 passengers never made it to New York.
His eyes filled with tears, his heart with pain. He was distracted. And with distraction, comes careless decisions. The snow overtook him quickly. There was no pain. But in the compact snow, he could make out her face, just as he did earlier. But this time, she was there waiting to take him into the light. Their loved had prevailed, the Universe had brought them together again.
When the wheels touched down it woke Corrine from her dream. Her heart was racing and she covered in sweat, but Corrine had a strange sense of calm. That dream was a sign that no matter what happened it would okay. The Universe would bring them together.
The Caption came over the intercom. “Welcome To New York. If this is your final destination, welcome home. If you are continuing your journey, safe travels wherever you are going in the world.”
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