The Tune of Life

Breaking the routine can make all the difference in the world

Jesse sat in his seat with his computer on his lap, waiting for the all-clear to use electronics. The flight attendants came on deck, each holding a seat belt and wearing an oxygen mask around their neck. Jesse politely took the safety card out of the seatback in front of him and essentially stared through it.

He was startled from his indifference when the male flight attendant opened up the instructions with a song, a deep rich baritone. He sang about the seat belt, the buckle, and how to tighten it. The female attendant on the other side of the plane began to harmonize in a beautiful tenor, their voices blending seamlessly. This was a novel way to draw attention to the safety brief!

Jesse found he was listening to every word. When they pointed to the escape doors, the female sang solo; the male took the solo when indicating the floor lighting When they donned the oxygen masks, they hummed the tune as they covered their mouths.

They finished their strange aria and retreated to the crew galley as the big engines began to wind up. Jesse looked out the little rounded window to watch the takeoff. The runway sped past in a fascinating blur. But as the plane lifted off, he saw fire belch out of the engine, and the plane began to slide back down out of the sky.

As the trees flashed past his window and he heard the landing gear ripped from the bottom of the plane, Jesse huddled in the crash position they had been shown. He felt himself smile at his last thought before the crash: a person could buy survival for really nothing more than the price of a song.

NOTES: ▼

Word Count: 300
Submitted for "Daily Flash Fiction Challenge" 
Prompt: Use the words draw, flight, song

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