Man Books The Same 10 Flights As Female Attendant Until Security Checks His Bag

The Black Leather Jacket

She braked in place, the drinks in her hands almost falling over. She’d been seeing that same black leather jacket all day and night. In the nine flights that she’d been on, the jacket had seemingly come into view.

She thought it was a bad case of deja vu, but here it was again. She walked toward its wearer slowly, her heart thumping in her chest. She couldn’t scream fast enough when she saw what the man was holding.

A Sad Christmas Night

But for Kim Gallagher, this day had already taken enough from her. She sighed as she glanced at the clock in the plane’s cabin. It was nearly midnight on Christmas, and she’d been working throughout the day.

While everyone she knew was celebrating the special day with their loved ones, Kim was confined to the boundlessness of the sky, ensuring the safety and comfort of passengers. It had never dawned on her that she’d have a stalker tracking her every move.

Making Sacrifices

We all make sacrifices, and Kim was no exception. At the age of twenty-six, she’d given enough to be here and was still making sacrifices to support the people she loved.

It wasn’t the first time she’d had to make such a drastic decision as being away from her loved ones. But tonight, it stung a little more.

Regret And Self-Blame

Her frustration bubbled beneath her skin as she continued her flight attendant duties. She’d long loved what she did but couldn’t deny that it couldn’t mask the bitterness she felt tonight.

She was missing out on precious moments with her family, and hadn’thadn’t even seen them in weeks. But in this sea of regret and self-blame, only one thing kept her going.

Her Dad

You see, Kim wanted to support her dad, who had battled quadriplegia for a year after a tragic farm accident. He’d been strong and healthy one day and bedridden the next.

The medical bills had tacked on with every month he spent in the hospital, forcing the Gallagher family to make some drastic lifestyle changes.

Responsibilities

Since Kim was the firstborn, with her other siblings still in their teenage years, half the financial responsibility fell on her while the other half went to her mom.

Making the needed changes was challenging. But Kim stepped up and accepted the responsibility. She’d only wanted to support her family that this night, not knowing what lingered just beyond her peripheral view.

Focusing On The Job

Throughout the year, Kim attended to passengers with an unwavering smile. She never let her troubles radiate out of her skin and affect her job.

This usually worked well. But today, something felt terribly off. Kim couldn’t shake off the feeling that she was being watched.

She heard the stories of flights ending in tragedy and prayed that wasn’t the case here. If only she knew what was happening.

The Man

An apprehensive Kim continued her duties, jumping from one flight to the next on Christmas day. But a sense of familiarity crept up on her as the day continued.

She’d seen a man donning the same distinctive outfit on each of the nine flights she’d been on. Although Kim didn’t see his face directly as she wasn’t serving his side of the plane, she got a good look at his clothes.

Rock And Roll

The man looked like a rock and roll guitarist from the late seventies. He wore a black leather jacket and worn jeans. He’d thrown a red chiffon scarf around his neck and had some standout tattoos on the backs of his palms and fingers.

At first, Kim brushed it off as a mere coincidence that she’d noticed the same get up more than nine times today. She even considered that her mind might be fatigued. But the truth would be very different.

Her Plans

She paid him no mind, choosing to focus on the things that mattered instead. She hoped to catch the first flight to Colorado in the morning so she could surprise her family on Boxing Day.

She’d get them gifts on the way home and spend the week with them before returning to work on New Year’s. She had no clue that her plans would see no fruition.

A Coincidence

Christmas day flew fast; before Kim knew it, nightfall had taken the sky. She was on her tenth and last flight, tired and wishing all this could stop.

Walking down the aisle as she handed out hot cocoas and sandwiches, she noticed the leather jacket she’d seen through the day. “It’s just a coincidence,” she whispered, not knowing that she needed to call for help.

30,000 Feet High

For the last few years, countless flights have been suffering under attack. It got so bad that airlines were drilling their pilots and flight attendants on what to do if things went south while they were 30,000 feet in the sky.

Kim had been among that number and knew exactly how to react to such situations. But none of that training would prepare her for what would happen tonight.

Look At Him

Kim passed by the passenger again. The plane had just left the airport, so everyone was still settling in. She was in the middle of handing out refreshments when she saw it.

In the nine times Kim had passed by the man’s seat, she hadn’t stopped to look at his face. But this time, she felt something tug at her, coaxing her to stop and look at him.

A Little Curious

She braked in place as his leather jacket came into view. She hadn’t imagined it all this time. It was the same jacket she’d seen throughout the day.

Unlike the many times she’d walked past the man tonight, she finally let her curiosity get the better of her and decided to approach him. She had no clue what she was getting herself into.

Excuse Me

As the airplane stabilized in the dark sky, Kim pushed her cart to the end of the cabin and hurried back to the man’s seat.

“Excuse me, sir,” she called, gently tapping his shoulder. She could hear her heart thumpthrum within her, and could taste the anxiety it pumped through her body. But she needed to get to the bottom of this before it was too late.

A Brief Conversation

“I’ve noticed you on multiple flights today,” Kim said, trying to mask the cocktail of surprise and worry flowing through her. “Is there a reason you’ve been traveling so frequently?”

The man turned to her, a faint smile twitching on his lips as if he’d expected her to come straight to him. “Oh, you’ve noticed,” he said in a rough voice. “Yes, there is a reason, but it’s not what you might expect.”

Straightforward Yet Mysterious

In all the responses Kim expected from the man, she never thought he’d say something so straightforward yet mysterious. He looked calm, a man in his late fifties with the salt and pepper hair to match.

“What do you mean?” Kim asked with a furrowed brow. The man’s answer was intriguing, and she felt she should hear more from him. But what he’d say would have her stepping back.

It Gets Interesting

The man shifted in his seat as his smile broadened. “Oh, Kim, shouldn’t you be at work?” he asked. “Holding conversations instead of helping passengers isn’t good work behavior. You are still on the clock, correct?”

“I am,” she answered, then took a step back. Her head tilting, she asked, “Wait. How do you know my name?”

A Little Fun

“Now, where would be the fun telling you everything?” the man asked. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes as he shifted on his seat again, trying to get a better look at Kim.

“If I tell you that, you will freak out,” he whispered before chuckling. “We wouldn’t want to cause a panic now, would we, Kim?”

Crippling Fear

Kim froze in place. The curiosity that had taken her a minute ago had suddenly transformed into cold, crippling fear.

She looked around. The cabin was quiet, most passengers asleep as the plane quietly hummed on its way. Her sight returned to the man, and her heart skipped a beat at what she found him doing.

A Disturbing Secret

The man had gotten up from his seat so quietly and swiftly that she didn’t see or hear him. He reached up for a duffle bag that clearly belonged to him and sat back down with it.

His face was split in a smile all this while, the red scarf on his neck swinging softly. “You see, Kim,” he started, “I’ve been following your flights today.”

How Selfless

“What?” Kim stammered as bile shot up her system. “Oh, yes,” the man answered calmly. “I’ve been watching you work tirelessly, putting others before yourself. How selfless.”

He unzipped the bag, digging a hand into its hidden depths with a grin. He croaked, clearly having touched something of interest. “This will be over shortly.”

The Beeping Box

Kim’s breath caught in her throat, eating away at her voice and will to move. She couldn’t run to the cockpit to call the captain or signal her fellow attendants that something was wrong.

She watched helplessly as the man fished out a dark beeping chest from the duffle bag, wiping it as if it was dirty. “This will all be over shortly,” he repeated.

Falling

Kim started off immediately. But in her panic, she tripped over herself. The world turned slow as she pivoted toward the floor. But an arm shot out, catching her in place. Kim looked up. It was the man.

His smile faded away right before Kim as he said, “Careful now; we wouldn’t want you to miss out on the big finale.”

Take Control

Kim steadied herself. She needed to handle this the way she’d been trained, not panic when more than seven hundred lives on this flight depended on her.

“Who are you, and how did you know my name?” she asked with authority. The man’s eyes softened at this change of tone, and he sat back down as if everything was okay.

His Response

“Watching how selfless you are reminds me of someone I used to know,” he said. Kim grunted in irritation, but he paid her no mind.

“A selfless person who would go to great lengths for the sake of his family,” he added. His fingers reached and caressed the chest on his lap before he opened it. Kim couldn’t scream fast enough.

Are You Okay?

Passengers craned their necks as her scream echoed through the cabin. “Are you okay?” the man asked, worry plastered on his face.

A small clock was beeping inside the chest. He took it out, pressing a small button that turned off the noise. He reached for a box of pills and popped two, washing it down with a bottle of water.

“Blood sugar pills for my diabetes,” he smiled. But he still didn’t explain how he knew Kim’s name or why he’d been on the ten consecutive flights she’d been on.

A Blast From The Past

“How do you know my name?” Kim asked, her voice barely a whisper. The man reached into his bag and pulled out several small, worn photographs.

“Simple,” he smiled, his voice filled with emotion. “I know your parents. Or at least I used to.” Kim took the photos, bringing each up to her face. She gasped.

From The Seventies

In the faded photos were her mom and dad, a younger version of them from the seventies. Her dad had an acoustic guitar slung over his shoulder, and her mom had a bandana holding thick locks of his hair back.

“We were friends a long time ago,” the man said. “Before they had you.” He smiled, although there was pain in his eyes. “I’ve kept an eye on your family from a distance, but I’ve never had the chance to meet you.”

Spending Christmas With You

“I recognized you when I got on my first flight today,” he continued. “Being around you brought back fond memories of being with your mom and dad. Seeing you work on Christmas to support your family, I felt sad and wanted to keep you company. But I’ve spent the day and night figuring out the best way to approach you and introduce myself.”

Wiping his finger on his jacket, he presented his hand, “Jerry Schofield, pleasure.” Kim teared up as she recognized the name. Years’ worth of wild stories from her parents flooded her mind. But then she stepped back, remembering why her mom and dad cut ties with the man.

Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.