The sun burned hot on her oval window. As she looked about at other aeroplanes that surrounded her in all four directions. She felt small, very small, in front of those human-manufactured giants. Their metal glossed with the pouring sunlight and reflected rays directly into her eyes. Her flight started moving abruptly, directly towards that gleaming sun, taking her to her enemy, as she tucked her hands hard at the handles of the chair and closed her eyes in anticipation.
"It's okay." Amdo's soothing voice was ringing in her ears while his gentle fingers stroked the tightened muscles of her hands. Colour returned to her pale knuckles as she somehow managed a smile. Looking down, now, she could see the aeroplanes looked nothing bigger than a speck. Even the huge houses and skyscrapers had turned into mere ants. It was hilarious. As if she were zooming out her camera while taking a video.
Finally the huge machine seemed to spread its wings and gain a pace of stability as they oozed through the sky in the stomach of the big metal bird. Malad finally started to notice her surroundings, now that the fear and anticipation of the take-off were all but gone. There was a TV in front of her seat, which meant it was going to be a long flight. Beside the handles of her seat, small circles were indented to place cups. Above her were many buttons, a bulb, a speaker and what not. Amdo had started explaining some of the buttons when the voice of the air hostess pierced through their conversation. "You can now un-fasten your seatbelts."
Malad started fumbling with the TV only to find that there were none of her favourite shows on it. "Useless!" She exclaimed attracting the stares of the crew and some fellow passengers. "Oops" she whispered to herself and looked down embarrassed. In no time, she was trying every button and every lever. Curious as she was, she just could not resist all the magnificent machinery. Her seat sank, then raised, then stretched and, to a passing passenger, looked like it was doing summersaults. Her seat illuminated then went dark while she called the air hostess at least ten times by pressing all the wrong buttons.
"Wanna take something from the trolley?" Asked Amdo as the air hostess whizzed by offering treats. "Of course!" Was the excited reply.
"I'm sorry but I just can't keep this any longer." Amdo confessed, his face as plump as the jam filled bun he had just eaten. "I never was very good with surprises so it's actually a miracle that I have kept it so long."
'Oh no!' Malad whispered to herself 'he is going to tell me about the journey!'
Amdo continued, "So, we are going to-"
But was cut of by Malad's sudden exclamation, "No!" She said firmly. "L-let this be the first time you actually, you know, keep the surprise" she soothed. 'Well escaped' she added to herself.
"I agree," he confirmed, "but you deserve to know. You deserve to have as much control and knowledge of this journey as I have."
A sudden softening change appeared in Malad's eyes. She stared at her sandals in shame. She couldn't take this any longer. "I'm sorry," she said, "you're such a nice person and I just cannot believe I have been lying to you like that." Her eyebrows creased into a tight frown, threatening to merge with each other any moment.
Amdo stared at her in confusion.
"I know-" she answered his questioning look, "I know about the journey, where we are going and what we are going to do, where we are staying, everything." She added "I saw the tickets in your bag."
"Wow!" Amdo said sarcastically, "I just-" he struggled as his words attempted to race each other to his tongue. Taking a deep breath, he began slowly "And I have been feeling so guilty. I thought maybe you were right about me not trusting you but looks like it was the other way round."
"No." Malad began, "It's not that, it's just that I-" She stopped suddenly.
"I what?" Amdo asked bitterly, "you have no excuse." He added.
Malad edged away as if she would rather walk through the walls of the aeroplane and jump-off than finish her sentence. A battle raged in her head. She just could not decide whose side to pick.
The aeroplane started to buzz as the air hostess ordered the passengers to fasten their seat belts for the landing.
"This isn't our destination," Amdo remarked instinctively, "but why am I even telling you that? You probably already know." He added bitterly.