The Seatbelt Light Has Been Turned On

Instructions

The plane began to shake. I barely looked up from my tablet. I had been a frequent flyer for years, and I was used to turbulence by now. My job had taken me to all sorts of places. I barely even noticed the sights flashing by me, much less a little shaking. I sat in the window seat, headphones on, barely aware of the world around me. I felt a hand shake my shoulder. I ignored it. My shoulder was shaken again. I freed one ear from the headphones. "What?" The man beside me heard the frustration in my voice, and he replied meekly: "They're making an announcement." I rolled my eyes and covered my ear again. I'd heard the turbulence announcement before. My seatmate pulled my headphones down. "I think you want to hear this." I turned my attention to the intercom, where the pilot's voice was speaking. She sounded nervous, although she was clearly trying to mask it. "It appears we have encountered a bit of... turbulence. It should be nothing to worry about, however for the passengers'-" the plane jerked- "for the passengers' safety, the seatbelt light has been turned on." Just as the pilot's voice stopped, the plane started to d r o p ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Panic filled me as the plane nosedived towards the ground. There was some sort of protocol in place for this kind of thing, but I couldn't remember it. I looked around frantically, but the other passengers were all frozen in states of shock. Even when the pilot's voice came over the intercom again, I couldn't think. I couldn't do anything but agonize because I was going to die. I was going to die miserable and alone, someone who travelled the world but never saw it. Suddenly, I wanted to /do things/. I wanted to travel to distant places and actually appreciate them. I wanted to have dinner with all my friends and family and tell them how much I loved them. I wanted to quit my job and stay in the city I called home. I was filled with irrational hope. These stories always have a happily ever after. Something changes and everyone is saved. /Luckily, no one was killed or injured,/ the newspapers would report. I knew it in my soul now. I was going to survive. I wouldn't die. I smiled, sure of myself, just as the plane hit the ground. I never even looked out the window. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pain. Flashing lights, blaring sirens. Darkness. Sterile, white rooms. "I love you." "Don't leave us." I love you too. I have to leave. The seatbelt light has been turned on. There will be turbulence on the journey to come.