Dead Air - Episode 2
by Travis Pennington
You’ve reached Diamond Airlines Service Center. This is Aya.
May I have your flight and seat number please?
Flight DA104. Seat 35A.
Is this Chrissy Farrow?
Yes.
I hope you are enjoying your flight. What can I do for you today?
This is an emergency.
I tried to call 911.
And I tried the FBI.
Nothing’s working.
So I found the customer service chat link in one of the magazines.
You’re the first person I’ve been able to get hold of.
I see.
And what is the emergency?
I woke up a few minutes ago and everyone was dead.
And I just texted some woman from a guy’s phone.
I think she’s involved with whatever’s happening.
Her name is Sabrina — at least, that’s what was on the screen.
Her husband is sitting in 22D.
I’m sorry to hear you’re having trouble, Chrissy.
If I understand the situation correctly, everyone is sleeping, and you found a woman’s phone?
Have you asked one of the flight attendants for assistance?
THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS ARE ALL DEAD!
I see. I see.
Well, Chrissy, here’s what I’m going to do for you.
I’m going to send you a file that should help with the trouble you’re having this evening.
Please let me know once you’ve received it.
Chrissy receives a time-stamped photo from the airline that shows Chrissy in bed at home two weeks earlier.
What is this?? Where did you get this photo??
Is this some sort of sick game?
WHO ARE YOU??
The real question, Chrissy, is who are YOU?
Are you still the girl who hates being alone because you were studying by yourself the day your parents died?
Do you still hate insects because some kids threw you on a fire-ant hill on your tenth birthday?
For your sake, I hope not.
Because those things are nothing compared to what’s about to happen to you now.
Now, is there anything else I can help you with today?
Why are you doing this??
SMS Auto-Reply: The message you sent failed to deliver.
John? John, are you there??
I’m here, Chrissy.
Father’s also here.
We were just on the phone with the airline.
They’re saying that nothing out of the ordinary is going on with your flight.
Chrissy forwards the time-stamped photo to John.
I contacted the airline service center, and this is what they sent me.
Look at the date. That was two weeks ago, right after I booked my flight.
Wow. That’s messed up.
Who are they and how did they get in my apartment?
I wish I knew, sis.
Father and I are working on it.
Chrissy’s phone dings with a text from her father.
Hi, Dear.
We’re going to figure this out, okay?
I promise.
I’m so scared.
It’s too quiet.
The only sound is the engines.
And some noise like a hissing cat below.
In the cargo hold.
Who could be doing this?
And why??
I already have a couple of ideas.
I know you don’t want to hear this, but…
But what??
You know what I’ve always said about the government.
They’re capable of anything.
They flew those planes into the Twin Towers to start a war.
So God only knows what their endgame is with this one.
Please, Father.
I need help here.
Let’s focus on the present.
Not what the government did or didn’t do many years ago.
Okay, dear.
Tell me what you see.
Any detail might help.
Right now? I’m staring at a woman.
She’s sitting in the middle row.
She’s holding a doll.
It looks just like one my biological father gave me for my sixth birthday.
One that used to creep me out by singing "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush" at random times.
Except the one in the woman’s lap has burned-out eyes.
Oh God!
God!
What happened?
Chrissy??
The doll…
It just spoke.
I don’t understand.
A voice came from its mouth.
Not a song, though.
It’s saying, “Hi Chrissy! Do you want to play?”
It keeps repeating it.
Over and over.
How…
How does it know my name??
I don’t know.
But try to stay calm no matter what you see.
We’ll figure this out.
In fact, your brother has some news.
He just got off the phone with the FBI.
A text comes in from John.
Hi sis.
I don’t know how to tell you this, but…
But what?
What, John??
I spoke to an FBI agent.
The agent personally contacted the plane.
The captain and flight crew insisted that nothing out of the ordinary is happening.
The airlines said the same thing.
So either Father’s right and the government is in on this, or…
Or what?
Or what, John??
You need to be open to the idea that you might be imagining all of this.
How long has it been since you were on an airplane?
Fifteen years?
More like twenty.
Yes, and you survived a terrible accident that day, and everyone else died.
The mind can do crazy things in stressful situations. Believe me, I know.
I understand what you’re saying. And I’d even be willing to consider the possibility.
But I just took a picture of what I’m looking at.
Does that look like my imagination?
John?
It looks like a normal flight to me.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT??
The picture you just sent — it shows a normal airline cabin with people talking.
There’s a little girl a few rows up who’s playing with a Beanie Baby.
A flight attendant is standing next to the lavatory door, staring right at you.
There’s an old man and woman eating peanuts in the next row over.
I think you should head back to your seat and try to relax.
This really can’t be happening. Even if…
Even if I’m somehow imagining dead people.
I’m staring at the picture I just sent you right now.
Yes, there’s a little girl a few rows up.
And yes, she WAS playing with a Beanie Baby.
But now she’s as stiff as a board.
And the Beanie Baby is rolling down the aisle with blood on its ear.
I’m going to take another picture.
Hold on a second, sis.
Father just told me to turn on the news.
My God.
What?
What’s happening, John?
John??
Your friend who’s supposed to pick you when you land in Paris…
Her name is Angelique Paradis, right?
Yes. Why??
Because she’s dead.
There’s been an explosion at Charles de Gaulle.
And they keep showing her picture.
The shrapnel from the bomb tore her body in half.
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