#THE_UNKNOWN (A series of short horrifying stories)
   
Author: Sam Freddy
   
Issue 5: PLAIN SUICIDE
   
Part 2
   
    So far, in all honesty, the little incident with the potentially possessed teenage girl at the train station was the weirdest thing I had experienced all week. Even though I had exited the train station over two hours ago, I still couldn’t stop thinking about her threat.
   
    Should I be bothered? I wondered because, basically, she said I was going to regret my actions. But how exactly? That, I couldn’t tell. All I knew was that there was something just not right about that girl, and I could bet on it big time because my intuition hardly ever failed me.
   
    Be it as it may, I had bigger fish to fry. As much as I loved mysteries, my crappy job always comes first before anything else, so I was forced to shrug off the thoughts of the creepy white girl and replace it with a fake smile as I ushered the passengers to their seats on the plane.
   
    Dear ladies and gentlemen, never underestimate the power of a fast modern train at all. Never! I mean, who would’ve thought that I would make it to the airport in less than thirty minutes, just two hours ago? In spite of the traffic, the heavy rain and the crazy girl I encountered on my way here, I overcame every single challenge like it was nothing.
   
    Surprisingly, I made it to the airport on time, got dressed in my exceptionally fabulous uniform, and then reported for duty and still had much time to spare. Come on, let’s face it already; there’s just no denying that I am the boss in this game! A total badass!
   
    So, presently, the time was 9:05 AM, and we were preparing for take off after my colleagues and I had directed everyone to their seats. For some weird reason, I went upstairs to the first-class chamber to check on the passengers there.
   
    Lo and behold, just when I thought my day couldn’t get any better, I got the shock of my freaking life right there. Guess what? Raji Khan was actually on the big freaking plane too!
   
    The biggest, richest, dopest celebrity in town was not only on the damn plane, but also staring at me from his seat with his entourage. Oh. My. Freaking. God! No damn way! Somebody, please get me an inhaler ASAP! Call the paramedics! I think I might be hyperventilating!
   
    Left to me, I would’ve passed out right on the spot, but like I mentioned in the first episode, I hate getting too much attention for the wrong reasons, so I kept calm in order not to create a scene and get fired eventually.
   
    Trying my best to ignore the mega superstar’s gaze, I took a deep breath, blew it out and spoke into the intercom on the wall, right next to the door I entered.
   
    “Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you all to Sanparada Airlines. In here, we offer our best service for your convenience, so relax, feel free and chill with us. If you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to call on us, and I assure you that you shall be attended to at once.” I explained with a forced smile on my face, adding spice to my voice to entice the celeb. “And, oh, lest I forget, also remember to switch off your phones and stay on your seats as we prepare for take off. Thank you and stay safe as you cooperate with us for the best flight experience ever!”
   
    Some people gave me a round of applause the moment I was done talking. To be honest, I felt quite proud of myself. My internal jubilation was, however, short-lived as the pilots announced our departure. One minute we were moving through the runway like a cheetah, the next minute we were soaring high in the sky like an eagle.
   
    When we attained the proper altitude, the temperature normalized, all thanks to the plane’s regulator and Mr. Raji’s outstanding looks.
   
    Funnily enough, he was still eyeballing me, but he didn’t know that I was aware because I was actually looking at him from the corner of my eyes.
   
    “Alice, what’re you standing here for?” Koffee, a close colleague of mine, questioned rather rhetorically as she bumped into me from behind. “Come on, follow me. Let’s get the refreshments.”
   
    Jolted out of my daydream, I said “Sure!” and followed Koffee without hesitation, making sure I walked with poise—in a manner that allowed my bubble butt bounce recklessly enough for Raji Khan to see.
   
    Five minutes later, I found myself downstairs serving juice and cookies to the passengers. When I was done there, I went back upstairs to attend to the people there. The moment I opened the door—to my utmost surprise—I saw Raji Khan struggling with a luggage which seemed to be half-stuck in the overhead compartment.
   
    Makes you wonder why he has an entourage in the first place.
   
     However, I dropped the tray I was holding on an empty chair and rushed over to assist him.
   
    “Let me help you with that, sir.” I collected the briefcase from him, tipped on my toes and pushed it into the luggage section very smoothly.
   
    Judging from the look of relief on Raji’s angelic face, there was no doubt that he was, indeed, impressed with me.
   
    Out of gratitude, he removed his indigo-colored shades and offered me a well-deserved smile and a handshake before saying, “Thank you, Alice.”
   
    Surprised, I widened my eyes and replied, “It’s my pleasure, Mr. Raji. You… you know my name?”
   
    God, I couldn’t believe I was actually shaking his hand. Damn! I never thought anyone’s hand could be so manly and nice like whipped cream. I wished I could lick it up like candy, but that would be too nasty, and I sure wasn’t willing to scare him off all because I wanted to play hanky-panky.
   
    “Oops! Your nametag says it all.” Mr. Khan confessed, making me blush like hell. “And please, just call me Raji instead. I prefer it pure and simple. It feels weird when people address me with respect all the time,” he added, stroking my soft palm with his thumb.
   
    Heck! I could sense that this guy was really into me. Hell, yeah! I’d been waiting for this moment my whole boring life!
   
    “But you deserve it!” I said chirpily, showing my perfect dentition through a childish grin. “Everybody loves you, including me. I’m, like, your biggest fan ever!”
   
    “That can’t be true!”
   
    Those words instantly stung me like sharp needles. “Why?” I asked, a little disappointed. “Because I’m black?”
   
    “No, no, no. Not that, sweetheart,” he clarified, laughing. “You just don’t look like the type of girl who listens to Hip-Hop music a lot. You look like a complete church girl.”
   
    “Eww!” I burst out laughing at once, squeezing his hand in mine. “I wouldn’t say that if I were you. You don’t even know me. I can always get nasty when needed,” I added with a flirtatious wink, “especially for you, pretty boy. Anywhere. Any time.”
   
    Raji Khan licked his lower lip lustfully, signalling that he got my hint crystal clear. Sadly, just when our conversation was starting to get intense, the killjoy called Koffee came in, requiring my help downstairs. Unfortunately, even though I didn’t want to, I had to release Raji’s hand and follow her.
   
    “What were you doing with that guy?”
   
    “Talking, obviously.”
   
    “It didn’t look that way to me, though.”
   
    “Oh, really?” I raised a brow, giving her an uninviting look. “So, what are you insinuating, then?”
   
    Koffee must have noticed the displeasure in my voice because she said, “You know what? Don’t worry. Never mind.”
   
    “Cool. That’s what I thought.” I said bluntly. “Mind your own business.”
   
    With that, we both continued walking in silence. Shortly, we arrived at the storage room, and Koffee’s mouth fell wide open the moment we got inside.
   
    “Something’s wrong,” she muttered, wide-eyed, pointing at something. “It was right there.”
   
    “What are you talking about?” I followed her line of sight, only to see an umbrella on the floor. “What’s wrong?”
   
    “It was right there!” Koffee repeated, walking towards the umbrella. “That couch over there is the reason I called you,” she continued, still pointing and breathing fast. “I wanted you to assist me in carrying it over to that exact place, but now it’s already there. How come? It was right in the middle of the room before!”
   
    Confused, I shot Koffee an awkward look and then squinted my eyes playfully. “Am I high, or are you just not making any sense here?”
   
    Koffee groaned in frustration. “Alice, believe me, I know what I am saying!”
   
    Still confused, I nodded slowly, rolling my eyes. “Yeah, right.” I was literally fighting the urge to laugh my freaking round ass out. “So, according to you, that couch over there just magically moved itself from this side to that side, right?”
   
    “Yes!”
   
    Wonderful.
   
    “And then that umbrella flew in from nowhere and placed itself right there, too, I suppose?”
   
    “Well… Yes, I guess.”
   
    I chuckled. “And this whole thing doesn’t sound crazy to you?”
   
    At this juncture, Koffee shook her head and sighed. “It sure does sound stupid,” she admitted as she bent down to pick the umbrella. “But I am sure of what I saw. Or maybe I am just being delusional, due to stress.”
   
    You can say that again, buddy.
   
    Before I could even respond verbally, Koffee muttered “Oh, my God!” fearfully, totally pissing me off.
   
    “What is it this time, Koffee?” I drawled out loud, obviously not desiring her petty gimmicks.
   
    Dramatically, Koffee told me, “Alice, come over here! You have to see this!”
   
    “See what?”
   
    “This!” Koffee tapped on the umbrella. “Hurry up!”
   
    “Is it that important?”
   
    “Yeah. I think so,” she answered sharply. “I think it’s a message for you, and it’s not nice at all.”
   
    “What the hell are you even talking about?”
   
    Unsettled, I went to meet her right there. Lo and behold, I discovered that the umbrella in Koffee’s hands was the same one the cab driver gave me earlier. How it ended up in the storage room was what I didn’t understand because I never even brought it into the plane to begin with.
   
    Just when I thought I had seen it all, my eyes caught something written with red paint on the surface of the umbrella, which reads:
   
    “Alice, I promised you one thing. Death!”
   
    The alphabet ‘D’ always gladdens me, especially when it starts the word between a man’s legs, but not this time.
   
    Totally not this time.
   
    “I have not forgiven nor forgotten you. Prepare to meet your maker soon, for you shall die on this plane today!”