Coastline From The Sky- (COMPLETED)

Kabanata 26

I sighed after I placed my cup of coffee on the cup holder.

Nasa loob na ng flight deck si Arshed at mataman itong nakatingin sa akin, sinusundan ang bawat galaw ko.

“How’s your feeling, Captain?” kalaunang tanong ni Arshed. Hindi ko siya nilingon. Nanatili ang paningin ko sa labas—nakatingin  sa mga trabahanteng busy sa kani-kanilang trabaho. Marshallers were busy waving their bright orange illuminated batoon for their assigned planes. Passengers were busy boarding on the plane where they’re bound to. Engineers were busy checking aircraft that are scheduled to fly. Crews were walking back and forth from planes that come and go.

"Letʼs settle things down before we take off, Captain. I donʼt want you to maneuver the plane with a heavy heart,” Arshed added with his low, raspy voice, but full of gentleness on it. But just like what I did earlier, I didn’t give him a single glance.

Bumuntonghininga si Arshed pero nanatiling nakatuon ang  paningin ko sa labas.

I look out the window and am mesmerized by the cockpit view—all whites around the alley with big airplanes on it.

Bumuga ako ng hangin at kinuha ang kape sa cup holder, and took a sip on it.

"Iʼm fine, Officer Salvaleon. Letʼs just prepare for our flight." I swallowed the lump on my throat even if my tears welled up in my eyes, bago ko binalingan si Arshed na matamang nakatingin sa akin. He nodded at me. Something in his eyes is telling me that he wants to say something but chose to keep it for himself.

As I took off the plane, my mind also did. Hindi ko maiwasang hindi isipin ang nangyari kagabi. From how Jardine lied to me, hanggang sa mga hinala ko dati sa tuwing tumatawag ito at hindi naman nagsasalita sa kabilang linya. Or maybe it was just an accident call kaya hindi ito nagsasalita. May isang beses na tumawag ito pero boses ng babae naman ang naririnig ko sa kabilang linya. I was just thinking that maybe it’s his comrade. I wasn’t expecting it at all. Akala ko talaga...

My eyes widened as I saw the fast approach of the birds towards the plane! It was fast and the bird strike was so heavy that it immediately affected the aircraft.

My eyes drifted on the radar when I heard it beeping.

Fuck! Not again!

“What was that?” rinig kong tanong ng isa sa mga pasahero.

“The bird strikes at the wind screen and the right engine,” Arshed murmured kaya tuluyan nang nakuha ang attention ko roon.

I saw the airplane’s right wing flamed. Tiningnan din iyon ni Arshed bago siya lumingon sa akin.

Fuck again!

I immediately contacted the tower controller to notify them about our situation.

“Mayday, mayday, mayday... this is Pilot Captain Carlisle Adria Rae Yara speaking... plane flight 86A bound for Istanbul, Türkiye... I have lost my engine due to the bird strike. I’ve lost my engine completely. I have no RPM right now and the plane’s right wing started to flame,” sunod-sunod na saad ko sa air traffic controller.

“This is Officer Martinez speaking... Captain Yara, are you still cleared for the visual approach?”

“Unfortunately, no, Officer Martinez. We’re flying over the coastline at the Pacific North Coast...”

“Can you tell me how many souls on board?”

“Yeah, yeah... we have 352 souls on board...” agarang sagot ko.

Gusto ko na lang sapakain ang sarili ko. I already reminded myself to stay focused on navigating aircraft today, but fuck happened and here I am again.