While boarding the passengers on her most recent trip, Lena had an odd feeling. She had the unpleasant impression that someone familiar had just boarded the plane and couldn’t shake it. While making her rounds, she caught sight of a passenger who resembled her late spouse. How is this even possible? When Lena approached him, she uncovered a secret that she hoped she hadn’t discovered…
The man in seat fifteen
Lena couldn’t stand it any longer. She’d had enough of going around the elephant in the room and needed to know what was going on. So she approached the man on seat fifteen. She was resolved to ask him personally, but she hesitated when she got at his seat. Was this an excellent idea?
She froze
The man fixed his gaze on Lena, waiting for her to say something. But Lena could only stand there. “Um, miss?” Can I assist you?”the man ultimately inquired. That appeared to bring Lena back to reality. “Yes, actually,” she responded as she gathered herself and smiled at the man. “I think you can.”
Explaining everything
Lena told the man what was going on and what she had seen. She told the man about her late husband and observed a shift in his manner. He suddenly appeared aggressive and offended, rather than sympathetic. What was he concealing? But who was this odd dude on the plane? What specifics did Lena notice? And why was he behaving strangely?
Lena
Lena has been a flight attendant for more than a decade. She like her profession since it allowed her to travel the world and meet new people. Her love for the profession, however, has been put to the test in recent years, especially after her husband’s death.
Losing her husband
Her husband, Tom, was a pilot for the same airline, and the two of them had a passion for flying. Tom died abruptly from a heart attack after they had been married for over ten years. Lena had been saddened by the loss, and it had taken her a long time to accept it.
An uneasy feeling
But as she moved down the plane’s aisle, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. It was a strange sensation she had never felt before, and it made her nervous. As she made her way to the back of the plane, she observed a man who appeared to be a familiar face.
A familiar man
He sat in a window seat, facing the window. Lena could only see the contour of his head and body, but something about him made her hesitant to come any closer. She came to a halt and peered at him, trying to remember where she had seen him previously.
Her husband
She didn’t realize he looked familiar until he turned his head. He shared her late husband’s dark eyes. They both shared the same brown hair, and the man was dressed in a pair of trousers she was certain she had seen before. Lena felt her heart skip a beat and a lump grow in her throat.
She had to sit down
Lena instantly turned around and approached her coworkers. They saw her pale complexion and asked her what had occurred, but she was at a loss for words. “I need to sit down,” she eventually said. Stacy, her colleague, nodded and took a seat. “Take your time.”
Really shaken up
After a few moments, Stacy inquired once more. Lena was shaken, and she was concerned about her safety.
“I… I’m not sure,” murmured Lena. “That man… He…”
“He who?” Stacy inquired, concerned. “What exactly did he do?”
“He did nothing, he did nothing…” He just seems… familiar.”
Stacy smirked. “Familiar?”
Feeling for Lena
Stacy, who had known Lena for several years, had never seen her like this before. She was aware that she had suffered immense sadness after the death of her husband, but she had been back on the job for several months and was doing well.
That was until recently. “Which man are you referring to?” She inquired of Lena.
She sounded crazy
“The man who looks exactly like Tom,” she added more confidently now. She knew she sounded insane as she spoke those things, and she could see it on Stacy’s face.
“How about your late husband, Tom?” Stacy inquired, perplexed. “Yes, I understand how it sounds, but I know what I saw.”
Asking for his boarding pass
Stacy let out a sigh. “All right, you sit here while I talk to him,” she said as she approached the man and gently patted him on the shoulder. “Please allow me to see your boarding pass, sir.” She inquired politely, hoping the man would not question her. The man pondered for a moment before handing over his flight pass.
Mark Glitsh
The pass was in the name of Mark Glitsh, which was not Lena’s late husband’s name. Stacy returned the boarding pass and thanked the man. She noticed Lena’s nervousness as she walked back to her. “I apologize, Lena. That man, however, is not your late husband. Mark is his name.”
Time to fly
Lena let out a sigh. She wasn’t sure whether she was glad or disappointed, but she knew she needed to let it go. The seat belt warning light flashed, and everyone was forced to take their seats. It was time to take off and travel to their destination. Lena went around making sure everyone’s belts were properly fastened. Then it was time to take off.
Couldn’t take her eyes off him
Lena couldn’t shake the uneasy sensation she had as the jet flew into the clouds. She kept looking back at the man who resembled her late husband, wondering if she was insane. She attempted to concentrate on her work, but something else drew her attention, a detail that made her heart race.
A shocking detail
It was a minor thing, seemingly unimportant, but it caused her heart to accelerate. The ring of a guy. Her late spouse wore the same ring every day—a silver band with a little diamond in the center. The man wore it on his ring finger, precisely like her late husband.
A coincidence?
Lena attempted to remain professional and calm, but her mind was racing. How is this even possible? Was it an accident? Or was anything more nefarious at work? She urgently wanted to tell Stacy, but she knew she wouldn’t believe her. No, she was now on her own.
Something was off
Lena couldn’t help but notice the man as the journey progressed. She observed him while he read a book, sipped a drink, and even nodded off for a few moments. He appeared to be just another passenger, but Lena couldn’t ignore the feeling that something was wrong with him.
Meal service
When it came time for the in-flight meal service, Lena found herself in the man’s row. She took a deep breath and summoned the confidence to approach him. “Excuse me, sir, can I get you anything to eat or drink?” she inquired, her voice steadying.
A kind man
The man raised his head and grinned at her. “No, thank you. I’m fine,” he gently said. Lena couldn’t help but notice how similar his smile was to that of her late husband. She came to a halt and glanced at the man, who spotted her and looked at her calmly. She swiftly turned away and went about her business.
A glass of water
She was walking back when she felt a little tap on her shoulder. She turned around and found herself in front of the man once more. He asked for a drink of water, and Lena promised to deliver it to him quickly. She observed his hand shaking slightly as she handed him the water.
He was nervous
That’s when she noticed something wasn’t quite right. It appeared that the man was nervous or afraid of something. Lena’s heart began to rush, and she wondered what was bothering the man so much. Was he concealing something? Was he in jeopardy? Or was he simply a nervous flyer?
Acting suspiciously
Lena had no idea, but she knew she needed to find out. Lena maintained a tight eye on the man as the trip continued, hoping to glean any information that would lead her to a conclusion about what was going on. He kept checking his phone every few minutes, she noted.
An important message
The plane had internet, so it wasn’t unusual for people to be on their phones, but he kept checking it as if he were waiting for some type of crucial message. Lena put it to the back of her mind because it wasn’t substantial enough to make her suspect him of anything.
Stacy caught on
Stacy, who had been watching Lena intently, realized something was strange about her. Lena tried to appear unconcerned, but Stacy saw right through her. She approached Lena and asked her quietly what she was doing. Lena seemed to be perplexed about what she meant, but she knew she was being watched.
Feeling sorry for Lena
“Lena, please leave it alone,” Stacy inquired. Lena moaned and lowered her gaze.
“I know, I know, but something about this man doesn’t seem right.” He even wears the same ring Tom did…” Stacy stared at her coworker with sadness. Lena looked certain that this man was up to something.
Going with it
This man was not Lena’s late spouse, but what if he had an ulterior motive that Lena missed since she was so focused on him? His being her late husband couldn’t be the sole reason he was acting this way.
“Come on, Lena. “I believe you,” Stacy eventually responded. “He’s acting strangely, but why?””
Asking him directly
Stacy’s response pleasantly surprised Lena. She never expected her to acquiesce so quickly, knowing how insane she sounded. But she was relieved to hear it because it meant she wasn’t alone any longer.
Lena advised asking the man personally. She was tired of circling the wagons.
Sudden turbulence
So Lena confidently approached the man. But, just as she did, the seatbelt alert flashed again, and the plane began to rock violently. They were subjected to significant turbulence. Lena was forced to return to the rear and take a seat with her coworkers.
Everyone screamed
The turbulence appeared to frighten the man. He began to sweat and clutched his armrests tightly. He wasn’t, however, the only one. Many individuals began yelling and screaming. Nobody knew how long it would last or how bad it would become. Fortunately, the turbulence subsided after around twenty minutes.
Asking if he was alright
Lena’s curiosity won her, and she decided to take a chance. The seatbelt warning remained illuminated, but it had settled sufficiently for Lena to walk. She approached the man and inquired about his well-being. The man appeared astonished by her question and paused before responding.
A defensive answer
“I’m sorry; I don’t mean to bother you, but you seem nervous; is everything all right?” Lena inquired. The man looked up at Lena, astonished by her inquiry.
“No, not at all. I’m not fine, and that’s not so strange, is it? “There was severe turbulence just a few minutes ago,” he retorted angrily.
Not giving up
Lena sensed the man’s defensiveness, but she refused to back down. She needed to know if his conduct was more than just fear of the turbulence.
“I understand, but you seemed nervous before the turbulence began; is there something else going on?” Lena inquired, trying to be as polite as possible.
An excuse
The man’s gaze darted around the plane, and he appeared uneasy. Lena could see he was thinking about a response. After a brief pause, he spoke quietly.
“Look, it’s nothing; I’m just on business, and I’m a little stressed out, that’s all, I swear.”
Feeling disappointed
Lena wasn’t persuaded, but she didn’t want to press the issue any further. She thanked him for his time and returned to her seat, frustrated that she hadn’t made any progress in unraveling the riddle.
Stacy stared at Lena, and Lena could tell she was perplexed by what had occurred.
Time was running out
Lena shook her head, signaling that she had reached a dead end. She sat down next to Stacy once more. They were getting close to their target, and time was running short. Lena knew she wouldn’t be able to contact the man once he got off the plane. She needed to figure out how to get to the bottom of things.
More to the story
That man was up to something, and Lena was out to find out what it was. He resembled her late spouse, dressed the same clothes, and even wore the same ring. That couldn’t be a coincidence; there had to be something else to the story. But how could she possibly figure out the truth in such a short period of time?
Going into the lavatory
Well, it appeared that her long-awaited questions were about to be answered as the enigmatic man abruptly stood up and proceeded to the restroom with his rucksack in hand. Lena frowned and wondered why he required his backpack to use the restroom, and when he didn’t return after 10 minutes, she realized something wasn’t right.