An Enclosed Purpose

Chapter 9.2 A Family

They make their way to the plane so that nobody notices

Sigourney. She stays hidden in the plane cabin, but Anthony makes a

place for her so she can see.

"You'll have to be silent. There will be a lot of communication

with the tower and the control staff," the captain turns to her and

whispers while fastening his seat belts. "Fasten yourself in, Sigourney."

It is dark in the cabin. The captain has earphones on and starts to

press buttons and toggle switches. The monitors light up in sequence.

The whine of the engine starts and gradually amplifies. The sound is

audible but not uncomfortable. In front of Anthony hundreds of large and

small sparks shine from the instrument panel. These bright, multi-colored

bulbs create a feeling of delight. Over the pilot, one more panel lights up,

mostly of white and grey colors. The one that is under the windshield has

a mix of green, dark blue, violet, and red lights. One more panel lights up

on Sigourney's right. During the procedures, Anthony exchanges words

with the tower. Having received permission to begin taxiing down the

runway, follows the instructions, Anthony switches on the top panel

toggle switches and buttons lighting the strip directly in front of them.

The plane moves slowly. Anthony turns the control wheel to the left, and

the plane comes out to the runway and stops. Through the windshield he

sees the white lines marking the strip and the directional lights. Anthony

asks permission to launch, and after getting it, accelerates the plane. The

distant lights come nearer and disappear under the plane. The white

center line is broken faster each second. Having reached the necessary

speed, the forward part of the plane rises. Sigourney and Anthony are

pressed against their seats, and the plane flies up.

The stars are now visible. Periodically white stains of clouds

illuminated by the plane's aero navigation lights come near the

windshield. They see blinking, flashing beacons and the lights from other

planes in the distance.

"Sigourney, the landing will be soon."

After a while, the plane descends and gives a more detailed image

of the city at night. They see not only the broken lines of roads, but also

various areas that take form as rectangles and other figures. The light is

brighter in the city center than in the suburbs. Below them are all the

colors of a rainbow as the city leads into nightlife. On the roads car lights

move. Anthony eases the plane toward its landing, and in front of them,

the picture of a late descent opens. Over the dark surface of the ocean

where the sun has hidden, the scarlet line has been drawn along the

horizon. Slightly above, it is darker and changes rapidly to the dim blue

color of the sky where the stars are visible.

They see an assortment of buildings: skyscrapers are replaced by

shorter constructions then the taller buildings reaching for the sky again.

Just past that, they see only small, private houses. Various configurations

of types of bridges take shape in front of the plane. There is a wide

landing strip with empty dark space in front of it. The voice of the

onboard computer makes comment on the height and descent: "500

feet, 400 feet, 300 feet, 200 feet..." As soon as the border of the landing

strip begins, the set of lights indicates the landing direction. With each

second those lights become brighter.

"Now there will be a push," Anthony tells Sigourney so that she

will be ready.

In the cabin, the computer voice continues: "100 feet, 50 feet, 20

feet, 10 feet, 5 feet." Their bodies shiver with the thrill of the plane's

successful landing. The lights in the center and on each side of the

landing strip move slower and slower. From the middle of the strip, the

lines go in many directions. Anthony turns the control wheel to the left,

and the plane follows his command. As it taxis slowly, Anthony

communicates with the tower and the command center and brings the

plane to a parking lot.

The plane stops. Anthony, without interrupting his

communication with the tower, switches the buttons and toggles –

switches off the engine and carries out other processes to prepare the

plane to park for the night. It takes a half hour.

"How are you?" he asks as he removes the earphones.

"It was awesome!" Sigourney answers, remembering what she

has been seeing for the past two hours.