A Silly Short Story.

With due acknowledgement to Blithe Spirit.

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‘We must be slap bang over the middle of the Atlantic, I should think.’

Joseph was bored with his book, and was idly watching the clouds slip under the big silver bird. He had the window seat. Lisa looked up from her magazine.

‘Yeah, I guess so.’

‘I’m bored,’ said Joseph.

‘Me too. Wanna hang out?’

‘Hang out?’

‘I got travel scrabble in my carry luggage. Best I can do.’

‘OK. English spellings or American?’

There was no time for a reply. A sudden jolt and deafening bang was followed quickly by a sickening lurch into a violent downward spiral. Joseph gripped the seat in front and looked out of the window.

‘Shit. The wing’s fallen off,’ he yelled over the sound of screaming passengers.

‘Does that mean we’re gonna crash?’ Lisa yelled back.

‘Don’t see much of an alternative, old girl.’

‘Hey, that’s good, right?’

‘Is it?’

‘Yeah. It means we get to die together.’

‘Oh yes, I suppose it does.’

‘I think we should die kissing.’

‘Do you?’

‘Yeah.’

‘OK.’

They enfolded one another in a tight embrace, locked mouths, and awaited annihilation. It seemed to take an age, but the sensation was surprisingly agreeable. Eventually, another almighty shock brought the world to an end.

Except...

A high sun shone brightly on the two people sitting relaxed and resplendent on the whitest and softest of the clouds, dangling their feet over the edge and feeling oblivious to the dizzying drop below. Lisa looked at Joseph, smiled and said:

‘The earth sure did move, didn’t it?’