The Fifteen Minute Novel is an attempt to take a single prompt and use the last sentence written each day as a start for the next day. This year I had several prompts circling around a similar story, so I have combined them. However, the story starts the same way each day, with the last line from the day before and a timer set for fifteen minutes. The hope is to end up with a complete, if very rough draft by the end of the year. Some stories are better than others, but I always learn a whole lot about my own writing when I do this so for me it is not only a nice way to work out a story, but it is a tool for helping my writing get better. And so, we continue this story for 2024 with…
Day 196: Sophie leaned back in her seat and wait for everyone else to settle and take off to begin.
Sophie leaned back in her seat and waited for everyone else to settle and take off to begin. The others streamed into the plane in a halting line. Bags were lifted to the overhead compartment or stowed beneath seats. There was plenty of space this time as the flight was not full but as Sophie watched those around her, she wondered if those bags would fit when more people were around. Once again she was glad that she chose a carry on that could slip under the seat and not one she needed the overhead space for.
Gradually everyone settled into their seats. The intercom buzzed on and seatbelts were fastened. The intercom played a pre recorded safety speech while the silently smiling flight attendant went through eh motions of fastening and unfastening seatbelts and using the various flotation devices and oxygen masks., On her last flight there had been a recording playing on the screen on the back of the seat in front of her. This time the seat did not have a screen.
‘I guess that explains the flight attendant,’
Sophie sat quietly a the pantomime continued and when it was done she turned away. The overhead recommendations told her that she would be advised a to when she could turn on her electronic devices so she left her mp3 player in the seat pocket with the plastic coated safety card. Sophie looked at the window at all of the people moving about as the plane got into motion.
They rolled away from the airport and began a bouncing sort of roll as they moved into position on the run way. Sophie listened to the engines gearing up and then felt the force as the airplane accelerated speed and launched itself into the sky. She smiled softly to herself as they became airborne. Somehow the trip didn’t feel quite real until they left the ground.
Now she knew she was on her way. Her trip had officially begun to feel real. The plane climbed and then leveled out. The lights dinged off and Sophie put her headphones in and turned on a podcast. She downloaded several about Italy and Milan in specific for this trip. They were in English, but there were a few Italian language podcasts as well. She planned to play them closer to her arrival so she could attune her ears to the different language before landing.
Having never visited a non -English speaking country before, Sophie wasn’t sure what others did to get themselves ready to hear a language not their own spoken all around them, but she thought this would be a good start.
‘Hopefully,’ she thought.
Sophie took a deep breath and listened to the podcast play.
The flight ended and Sophie put her mp3 player away and listened for the details of her connecting flight. Even though they told her the gate while she was still on the plane, as soon as she left the plane, she checked on e of the large boards. The digital numbers matched what she was told and Sophie set off towards her gate. Once she found it, she checked the time, realized she had a bit and went to the bathroom. She relieved herself and then sought sustenance from the nearest food kiosk.
Once fortified she stood by one of the seats in the waiting area. Wanting to stand ass long a she could, she put her bag in the seat and took out a magazine to read. She waited and was pleased to see many others were standing in advance of the long, enforced seating as well. When the flight attendant moved to the intercom, Sophie slipped her magazine back into her bag.
Ten til Midnight 