I took a deep breath, trying to adjust to the unfamiliar woman's body I inhabited. "Focus," I murmured, looking around the chaotic cabin. An elderly woman stared in confusion, while a big man held a child's toy, tears in his eyes.
The other attendant approached. "We need to unite. I'm Jacob, by the way. From Chicago."
"Damian. New Jersey," I said, comforted by another young voice in the turmoil.
Jacob cleared his throat, looking a little uncomfortable. "Okay, this might sound crazy, but did you...you know... sense something... romantic from that co-pilot guy?"
I hesitated, remembering the look in the co-pilot's eyes. "Yeah, I did. It felt like there was something between him and... well, her," I said, indicating the body I was in. "It's weird and uncomfortable, to say the least."
Jacob nodded, looking equally disturbed. "Figured. The way he looked at you... her, whatever, it was intense."
Navigating through the cabin, Jacob and I quickly zeroed in on a man dressed in a polished business suit, his demeanor starkly contrasting his attire. His face was pale, eyes widened in alarm, and his hands trembled as they clutched the armrest.
"I was driving with my daughter," he said, voice shaking. "She was in the back. We were headed to the doctor." He choked back tears, gesturing to his new body. "What if she's in danger? I'm her mom!"
Jacob and I exchanged a worried look. "Many of us switched," Jacob said, trying to sound reassuring. "Whoever's in your body might have kept her safe."
I added, trying to offer some hope, "And people are generally good at heart. If they found themselves in your situation with your daughter, they'd likely do everything they could to keep her safe."
The man tried to absorb our words, looking for a thread of hope to cling to, but his worry was palpable, the shadows in his eyes deepening. "I just want to make sure she's okay," he whispered brokenly.
Continuing down the aisle, a young girl with pigtails looked up at us, her face holding a defiance that seemed out of place. "Man, I still can't piece together how I got tossed into this kiddie ride, but I ain't complaining. Beats the gray walls and bars, if you catch my drift."
Jacob and I exchanged uneasy glances, her tone and vernacular clashing violently with her innocent appearance. Trying to tread lightly, I began, "When you say 'gray walls and bars'—"
She cut me off, a smirk playing on her lips. "Rikers, man. Was staring down a cold 25 for dealing with a greedy store clerk. Man thought he could play me, skimming a little extra for himself. So I made sure he knew where I stood."
Jacob leaned in, concern evident in his eyes. "Wait a minute. You're telling me you, or at least who you were, was locked up in Rikers? And now, there's... there's an innocent kid stuck there instead of you?"
Her chuckle was disturbing, given her current form. "Sounds crazy, right? But it's real. Just like you swapping places with whoever. But trust, I ain't losing sleep over it."
Jacob's hands clenched into fists at his side, the veins in his neck becoming more pronounced as he tried to keep his emotions in check. "You don't feel a shred of guilt? Somewhere in that hellhole called Rikers, there's a little girl, probably cowering in fear, surrounded by criminals, all because of the choices you made. Can you even begin to imagine her terror?"
The girl, her pigtails oddly contrasting her hardened demeanor, tilted her head slowly, her eyes distant as if she was revisiting memories of her own. "Life's never given any free passes. It's ruthless out there. If she’s got the fight in her, she'll adapt. Might even come out stronger."
My gaze was unwavering as I took a step closer, the intensity of my eyes trying to penetrate the criminal's veneer. "She’s a child. Innocent. She shouldn’t have to face the monsters of your past or bear the weight of your sins. Doesn't that resonate with you at all? Don't you feel any ounce of responsibility or regret?"
Her gaze, a mix of defiance and age-old weariness, locked onto mine. Her voice was softer, yet edged with bitterness. "All my life, I've been passed the worst cards. Maybe, for once, fate's seeing fit to deal them to someone else."
It was a chilling response, and as much as I wanted to press further, the conversation seemed to be going nowhere. Jacob and I exchanged another look, both of us feeling a sense of unease about what had just transpired.
As we moved away from the girl, Jacob leaned in, his voice low. "Can you imagine what that poor girl's going through right now? Locked up in a body that doesn't belong to her, in the middle of Rikers Island."
I nodded in agreement, a heavy feeling settling in my chest. "Yeah, it's unimaginable. I hope she's able to find a way to prove her innocence, given the situation she's in. And the fact that the person who's now in her body doesn't seem to care about the consequences is beyond messed up."
As we moved through the chaotic plane, the scale of the body swaps became clear. I was haunted by the image of the criminal in the little girl's body. 25 of 60 passengers were disoriented, in wrong bodies. Jacob whispered, "What's going on?" echoing the confusion we saw everywhere.
I shook my head, trying to make sense of the situation myself. "I don't know, but our priority right now is to keep everyone calm and help them cope until we land or figure out a solution."
Determination flickered in Jacob's eyes as he nodded. "You're right, Damian. We've got to be the ones to hold things together."
After completing our rounds, we found ourselves back near the cockpit, faced with the decision of who would break the news to the co-pilot, Aaron. Jacob glanced at me and then spoke up, "I'll do it, Damian. I don't think it would be right for you, given...well, you know."
I appreciated Jacob's consideration, but I knew that avoiding Aaron indefinitely wouldn't help. "Thanks, Jacob, but I'll have to face him eventually. Besides, it's not just about me. We're all in this together."
Jacob hesitated, his expression conflicted, before nodding in understanding. "You're right. Just be prepared for... you know."
I nodded, my mind already swirling with a mix of awkwardness and sympathy. "I will. Let's focus on helping everyone first."
With that, I took a deep breath to steady my nerves, I approached the cockpit door, knocking softly. It opened after a few seconds, revealing the co-pilot, whose name tag read Aaron.
Aaron looked visibly frazzled; his brow furrowed with concern as he met my gaze. "Now's really not a good time, Madis...I mean, Damian."
I offered a sympathetic smile, understanding the urgency of the situation. "Yeah, I know you're fully occupied with flying the plane. But," I continued, pushing myself gently inside the cockpit, "I believe we need to have a conversation."
Aaron looked reluctant for a moment, but finally relented and closed the door. “Fine, what’s on your mind?”
I glanced at the cockpit. The person in the pilot's body sat dazed. "We've talked to the passengers," I started, pausing for Aaron's reaction. "About twenty-five of us have swapped, including Jacob and me."
Aaron blinked, his expression shifting from mild curiosity to genuine concern. His eyes darted between me and the controls, a mix of worry and confusion evident on his face. "Jacob?"
"The other flight attendant," I clarified. "He's actually a teenager from Chicago."
Aaron blinked, absorbing the information. "Alright. So, two teenagers in flight attendant bodies, a quarter of the plane misplaced, and I'm trying to land us safely. Just an average day, I guess." His attempt at humor was weak but appreciated.
"Yeah," I replied, my voice tinged with concern, "but there's something you should know. There’s a little girl in 23B; it turns out whoever’s in control of her body now is actually a convicted murderer serving a sentence in Rikers Island." The gravity of the situation weighed on my words as I shared the unsettling information.
Aaron's expression turned even more serious, his brow furrowing. "What? Are you serious? That's... that's incredibly troubling. We need to make sure she doesn't pose a threat to anyone on this flight." His focus shifted back to the controls, his demeanor shifting into a heightened state of alertness.
I nodded in agreement, my own worry mirroring Aaron's. "Exactly. We can't take any chances. It's a complicated situation, and we need to ensure the safety of everyone on board." The urgency of our conversation settled heavily between us, a reminder that the challenges we faced were far from ordinary.
Aaron was silent for a moment; contemplating his next move. He looked at me and said, “I know this isn’t something you and Jacob know how to do; but I need you both to step in and be my flight attendants. I need you two to keep everyone calm; and to keep an eye on 23B.”
“I understand; we’ll do our best.” As I turned to leave, I stopped and said, “Before I go; is there something going on between you and...well, the body I’m currently in?”
His face took on a hint of red, and he avoided eye contact for a moment. "Yes," he finally admitted, his voice quieter. "Her name's Madison. We've been seeing each other for a few months. She means a lot to me."
The realization made me feel even more out of place, like I'd trespassed into someone else's intimate moment without meaning to. "It wasn't just the way you spoke," I continued slowly, "I felt it when you looked at me earlier."
Aaron nodded. "I'm sure you'll want to talk more about this later; but right now my chief concern is getting this plane on the ground safely."
Nodding, I said, "Let's focus on the present, keep everyone calm, and find that safe landing spot. We can deal with the other issues once we're grounded."
Aaron looked at me with a newfound respect. "Agreed. And... thank you, Damian."
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