Neráida

Chapter III : Off to New York

She lifted her right hand again, I caught her hand with my right hand and rubbed my nose with my left hand. I tried shaking her gently, to wake her up. She did not move a muscle.

I sighed and asked the air hostess, whether I can have an ice pack to place on my nose.

She smiled and asked me to wait a minute.

She came back with an ice pack and I smiled at her gratefully.

Feeling the pain reduce a little, I slowly removed the ice pack and placed it aside.

I looked at the time, and it's hardly been half an hour since I slept. I took out a book and started reading. I was startled when I heard a noise which sounded like a donkey braying.

Since when did they allow donkeys on a flight?

I removed my headphones, as soon as I did that, I regretted it.

The old woman beside me was snoring loudly with her mouth open, I scrunched my nose in irritation. I looked around, almost everyone were sleeping and looked unbothered by her snoring.

I closed my book and placed it aside before I hit the woman with it.

I respect elders, okay? But this woman is testing my patience.

Fuck gentleness. This time I shook her vigorously so that she will wake the hell up.

She was still sound asleep.

I took out my water bottle and poured some water on the woman.

No response.

I pinched her on her hand.

Nothing.

Should I hold her nose for five seconds so she won't be able to breathe and will wake up?

I looked at the woman. She looked way too old. What if she died? I don't want to go to jail.

I sat back in my seat properly and groaned internally. I put on my headphones back with maximum volume.

After what seemed like forty minutes, I saw from my peripheral vision that the woman was waking up.

I narrowed my eyes for a second and closed my eyes acting like I was asleep.

I heard the sound of a water bottle opening, she is probably drinking water.

After five minutes, I acted as if I was dreaming and stretched out my left hand hitting the woman on her face.

She squealed.

She started shaking me.

I tried to snore loudly, just to irritate her more.

She started shaking me again, but stopped when she saw that it was of no use.

She mumbled something like "youngsters these days are such a nuisance."

I rolled my eyes mentally and drifted off to sleep.

I woke up after almost an hour. I stretched out and turned towards my left, to see the women giving me a stink eye.

I smiled sweetly at her and turned front.

The flight's going to land in almost 20 minutes.

***

I took a taxi to the hotel where I booked my room. It was the nearest hotel I could find, to the address.

I got out of the taxi and paid the fare.

I looked up at the giant building and started walking inside.

The receptionist smiled at me.

"Hello Ma'am, welcome to the Grandiose."