The plane's departure had been delayed...
Due to the heavy snow.
The air inside the airport warmed its visitors pleasantly, yet the wind outside remained fierce.
Crissa Pang stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, weighed down by her heavy coat, mesmerised by the white blanket which slowly shrouded the runway. A flurry of snowflakes swirled in the wind, falling down gently in the dim sunlight to make everything seem blurry.
Baggage handlers drove to and fro in their vehicles, working on the task of transporting luggage as well as clearing snow from the runway. By the time Crissa lifted her wrist to check the time, it was already 8:00 P.M.—the time she was supposed to have arrived in City E's airport.
The gate was crowded with no staff members in sight. Half an hour ago, someone arrived to hand out water and lunch boxes to the anxious passengers. It was at this point when Crissa began to contemplate her chances of arriving home that night.
She had come to the North by herself on a business trip; two months of staying in a cold, foreign place had made her desperate to be back in the comfort of her own home.
With no one available to inform her of whether or not the flight would still take off, Crissa sat in her chair and instead observed the people around her. A young man was already deep asleep, and beside him, a similarly youthful mother cooed to the child cradled in her arms. On the other side, a couple sat close, sharing earbuds while they laughed at a video streaming on their iPad. A middle-aged man sat beside them, dressed sharply as he sat as still as a monk in deep meditation.
A sound from Crissa's phone alerted her of a call from her mother, Jessica. Crissa informed her of the delayed flight, not knowing if she'd be able to arrive home by night.
"It's snowing horribly, and there's no one here who knows anything," Crissa lifted her head to the blizzard outside, a bit helpless.
"Then I'll tell Yu to go home for now... he's been waiting for you to call for a while. He was even offering to pick you up from the airport, too!"
Crissa furrowed her brows. "Why is he there? Just tell him to head back, and I'll take the bus home if the flight is taking off."
Ending the call, Crissa decided to walk around for some time. The few hours of waiting in the airport had bored her.
Passing by several souvenir shops and clothing stores, Crissa eventually stumbled across a bookstore. She wasn't expecting anything special; there were only autobiographies, traveler's guides, magazines. She lazily flipped through random displays when something intriguing caught her eye--a book displayed on the bestseller table.
It was a mere picture book, around the size of an A4 paper. On its cover lay meticulously drawn leaves with emphasis on the center--a tiny crab sitting upon the back of a little ostrich.
The ostrich's eyes were gentle, dark yet translucent, while the crab slept peacefully with its claws closed tight.
The book was titled "My Ms. Crab."
Crissa involuntarily picked up the plastic-wrapped cover, noticing its high price. She found the author's name, Mr. Ostrich.
An odd name, yet it left her heart pounding.
She carried the book to the checkout, her hands trembling as she handed the cashier money.
Back at the gate, Crissa found all the passengers gathered in one spot, their voices clashing as they talked over one another. Apparently, an airport attendant had announced that, due to the blizzard, all flights were canceled for the night. As for when the airplanes were to return to normal, they had the weather to consult.
The attendant sincerely apologized, directing guests to contact the airline to arrange whether they'd like a refund or book another flight. Guests in need of accommodations were provided information on local hotels while those who decided to take the train were sent to the station.
Crissa stood aside, watching as dissatisfied passengers argued with workers until their faces burned red. She hugged her overcoat close to her, a bit dazed.
It wasn't until 11 o'clock at night when Crissa found a inn to stay at. The building was simple, but it had everyday necessities as well as a working heater. She held no opposition.
Diving into the bed after a shower, Crissa opened her new picture book under the warm glow of the table lamp.
Caressing the smooth, durable cover, Crissa once again examined the little ostrich and crab. Finally, she settled down and flipped open the book.