I have finally worked up the courage to take to the Sky.

I am Booked on a Flight to New York City.

I have waited along time to make this Trip.

But I am as nervous as a Kitten.

Come on Steven get a grip.

 

The Day has finally arrived.

And I get dropped of at Sydney International Airport.

For My Holiday of a Lifetime.

 

I Book in Two Hours before My Flight is due to leave.

So I have a Coffee and Read a Book to fill in the Time.

 

Finally My Flight is called and I head to Gate No5 for Boarding.

Hopefully My Flight will leave on Time without any delays.

Oh Yes happy Days.

 

There are People heading in all Directions.

Passengers taking their Christmas Holidays.

I hurry so I wont be late.

And after what seems like forever

I finally reach the Boarding Gate.

 

After Boarding

I make My way to First Class.

I thought if I am going to be on a Plane for Twenty something

Hours.

I might as well have some Creature comforts.

 

Maybe I can get some Sleep.

And when I wake up I will be in New York City.

But then the Guy in the seat next to mine.

Turns My Flight from good to very shitty.

 

Just My luck.

The guy in the next Seat is talking about One Hundred

Words a Minute.

He is going Home to New York after a Month long Holiday.

God are there any Words in the English Language

That this Guy doesn’t know how to say?

 

After Five Hours He is still yapping

I think I will have a Drink to Drown My sorrows

Or maybe a handful of Sleeping Pills

Cause if the Flight Attendant doesn’t help Me.

God I know I will Kill.

 

I know that He is nervous about Flying.

So He talks and talks to take His Mind off it.

We are over Twenty Thousand Feet above the Ground.

I would give anything for some Silence.

Never to Hear another Sound.

 

But silence I do not get.

The Guy is still Talking

I look over to tell Him to shut the fuck up

And I am dumbstruck

The Air goes very still.

And it is like Time is moving in slow motion.

 

Because right before My Eyes.

The Guy has become Transparent.

He now looks like Casper the friendly Ghost.

 

The Ghost Guy is still talking.

But now He is talking in the past tense.

My Name was Barry Andrews

And I was an American Citizen.

I used to be a used Car Salesman

And I Died way to early.

 

Well that got My attention.

And I asked Him how did He Die?

He told Me that He Died in a Plane Crash.

I was shaking so much I could barely Speak

I asked the Date of His Death.

And even though I already knew the Answer.

He told Me anyway.

‘I Died on Qantas Flight Qan156 Three Hours out of New

York City.’

‘On the 1st of May 2016’

 

Shit just what I thought.

That is Todays Date.

And I am on Flight Qan156.

 

I need to get to the Cockpit to tell the Captain to turn the

Plane around.

I am sitting next to a Ghost.

Twenty Thousand Feet above the Ground.

 

Barry Andrews the Transparent Person

Is still talking.

But I really need to block Him out.

Where are all of the Flight Attendants?

When I get out of My Seat I see that I am surrounded

by Ghosts.

The Plane is full of Transparent People.

 

Flight Attendants are like Cops.

There are never any around when You need One

I race down the Aisle looking for some help.

But all I can se are Alive Dead People

If that makes any sense.

They are all seating in their Seats watching a Movie

or just having a Chat.

But these People have already Died.

They all look fit and healthy

They don’t even look tired.

 

I make My to Economy Class

And sitting in one of the Seats is a little Girl about

Eight Years Old.

She looks scared and frightened

 

But She has a Pink healthy glow

So I know that She is Alive and kicking

But I have to keep moving

Because the Clock is ticking.

 

But I cant leave Her.

So I introduce Myself and take Her Hand.

She seems to know that I am Her only chance of Survival.

 

Then an announcement comes over the Speakers

‘Thank You for Flying Qantas we will be landing in New York

in a little over Three Hours from now’

‘Please enjoy an in Flight Movie and before You know it We

will be Landing  at John F Kennedy Airport’

 

Jesus the Three Hours are almost up

There isn’t any Time to think of a Plan

So I grab the little Girls Hand

We take our Seats

And just wait for the inevitable.

 

The little Girl and I are the only Survivors of Flight Qan156

She never told Me Her Name

All up Three Hundred and Ten Passengers and Crew Perished

But they will Live forever in the Hearts of the People they

Cherished.

 

I will never again take to the Sky.

I will keep My Feet firmly on the Ground.

But maybe I can take to the Water?

So I decide to take a Ferry Ride.

 

But when I arrive at the Ferry Terminal

I can see that is full of Transparent People.

Another Accident is about to happen

But there is nothing that I can do

Because they have already passed to the Other Side.

 

Wherever I go I am surrounded by Transparent People

Ghosts living their final Day.

 

If You ever see a Transparent Person

Give them some Dignity and Respect

Because after all One Day We will all Die.

And it just might be Your turn next.