Page 53 of To Hell With It
I thought of Slievenamon and then of Fionn and his fair maidens.
‘Yes.’
‘Climb Roy’s Peak, the views are amazing.’
‘Roy’s Peak?’
‘That’s the one. You’ll love it. Please don’t get off the plane.’
Even though there was no emotion on her face because it couldn’t move, there was in her voice. And I didn’t know whether it was the lure of Fionn telling me I should do it, or just her persuasive eyes – but I changed my mind and made my way to my seat.
ChapterThirty-One
Of course, my seat was number seventy-two: evil and death. I’d convinced myself the person who sat next to me would be my killer. They’d either do it on the plane, somehow, or wait until I’d got off.
I ignored the people around me finding their seats. I didn’t want to look up at them, to smile or make polite conversation. I just wanted the plane to take off so that I had no choice but to stay on it.
I’d already done a scan of my seat, of the back of the one in front of me and the arm rests, for any sign of saliva or snot. All clear.
I took out my sanitiser and placed it on the flip-down table, my book (The Lord of The Rings– Una said it was long enough for the journey there and back), and my antibacterial hand wipes that I was happy to use on my face if I had to because I’d forgotten to put my face wipes in my handbag.
I pulled out my phone and scrolled to Una’s number.
I’m on the plane.
Well done!! How do you feel?
Sick.
You’ll be fine. Do you have a window seat?
Yes. I’m in seat seventy-two.
Don’t think about it.
Seventy-two is evil and death. I’m going to be sitting next to a serial killer.
She ignored that.
What film are you going to watch?
Not a serial-killer one.
Probably a good idea, remember to put your phone on flight mode.
What does that even do, anyway?
I don’t actually know.
Will the plane blow up if I don’t, like petrol stations if you use your mobile phone?
I don’t know, maybe turn it off just to make sure.
I don’t want to.
Why?
Because then I’m really on my own.
