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Crash

Khaleel Jooste


Crash

  By Khaleel Jooste

  Copyright Khaleel Jooste 2015

  This free e-book may be copied, distributed, reposted, reprinted and shared, provided it appears in its entirety without alteration, and the reader is not charged to access it.

  I seek protection from satan the outcast and I begin in the name of

  Allah, The Gracious, The Merciful.

  Ayat Al-Kursi

  Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great. (Surah Al- Baqarah 2:255)

  As Allah wills

  #BreakTheIce

  #KillTheLights

  #Jesus

  Crash

  “It’s been 72 hours since the crash…nobody knows what to do… we’re all freaking out here… it’s the aliens! It’s the aliens!”

  From Backpack by Justin Bieber

  “Why is he your favorite?”

  She looks at him curiously.

  He looks at her.

  Smiles embarrassed.

  Observes her eyes.

  Her tiny nose.

  Looks at her lips.

  He swallows hard.

  “Are you gonna tell me or are you gonna stare at me like a love sick puppy?”

  He laughs awkwardly.

  “What would make you say that?”

  He crosses his arms.

  Tries to make eye contact, but noticing her intense stare, he averts his gaze.

  “Just the drool. Just there.”

  She points to his chin.

  Unconsciously he covers his chin.

  She laughs.

  “I’m not droolin’.”

  He smiles awkwardly.

  “So you say. You gonna tell me or not?”

  She points to the fish tank.

  He grins.

  Starts.

  “Well, I always observe the fish I put into the tank. Mainly to see if the other fish attacks them or not. Lost a few like that. Had a beautiful blue ninja that didn’t last a day. That one there, I call him Tiger, got to him.”

  He points to the striped fish hovering in the corner, near the miniature tank.

  “And?”

  He looks at her puzzled face.

  Cute.

  He grins slightly.

  Starts.

  “Well, when I put new fish into the tank, they all usually immediately go and hide behind the fake seaweed in the corner to the back.”

  He points with his finger.

  She nods.

  “Well, Bullet here, that’s his name,” he smiles proudly, “immediately when I put him into the tank, he went to the seaweed as I expected, but a few seconds lata, he came into the open area and started swimmin’ about. He swam as if he owned the tank. A few of the bigger fish went closer, but he simply spun around in front of them. They all swam away.”

  She looks at him confused.

  “He wasn’t afraid. Small as Bullet was, he wasn’t intimidated by them. He is brave. That’s why he’s my favorite.”

  He observes her face.

  Starts awkwardly.

  “Little fellow crept into my heart immediately.”

  She smiles.

  Shakes her head.

  “You talk as if the fish have some system, some sort of intelligence.”

  “Of course they do!” He notices he was a bit loud and tones down his excitement.

  “Of course they do. I’m convinced they have feelin’s too.”

  The smile on his face is immediately replaced by a very serious crease in his forehead.

  “Feelings?”

  She hides the laugh that wants to burst from her mouth.

  “You can laugh if you want, but I’m convinced they do.”

  “Why is that?”

  She throws her head to the side.

  Her white-blonde hair shinier as the light from the tank catches the highlights.

  She looks at him and smiles.

  He scratches his neck and tucks at his shirt.

  “Don’t be so nervous. I’m not gonna bite.”

  She teases.

  He notices Florian enter the room.

  Relieved, he begins.

  “Looks like we’ll have to continue this chat a little lata.”

  He looks down and awkwardly moves to where the rest were taking their seats.

  She laughs and follows him.

  “Sure, Mr Fishman.”

  ا

  “Let’s start, please.”

  Florian puts more platters of meat and cheese next to the communal pot and takes a seat.

  “Please have more or Drew will finish it all.”

  He winks at Drew and then focusses on Embeth.

  She dips her skewer into the melted cheese and slowly twirls it about.

  “Made that especially for you, Embeth. I’m glad you’re here.”

  He smiles nervously.

  “Thank you for invitin’ me. I’m sure it’s all worth my while.”

  She winks as she puts the cheese covered bread in her mouth.

  Florian swallows hard.

  “Um. I think I’ll start.”

  There is less chattering as everyone listens to Madison.

  She was dressed in a sunflower patterned knee high dress. She straightens it as she gets up and walks towards the VCR. She inserts a tape and turns.

  “Before I get to the video, I’d like to say a short prayer for the families of those who lost their lives and those affected by that Asiana Boeing 777 plane crash.”

  She bows her head and prays.

  She takes a deep breath.

  “I found this plane crash really unusual. I don’t have much to say about it, but some strange things happened.”

  She tucks at her hair.

  Takes another deep breath.

  “There was this young boy that was interviewed and he said that right before the crash, there was an explosion on the plane. Before he could continue to speak, the police dragged him away.”

  Drew takes in her eyes.

  “Where did he say the explosion was?”

  “The roof of the plane.”

  Drew shakes his head.

  “So it could not have been the wings, the engines.”

  “No. What is curious about the wreck is that it appears there was no damage to the engines. The fire was mostly only the roof.”

  Florian shrugs and adds.

  “I’ve written about this before. There was this commercial advertised before and around the time of the crash, where a plane actually crashes.”

  He whispers something under his breath.

  “There was even a very tellin’ 777 tour that involved a plane where a lot of the tour was recorded on a plane. Lots of shots took place in the cockpit. This too was before this crash.”

  Peter-John starts.

  “Are you sayin’ that this was planned?”

  “Of course. I have no doubt about it. What about that really ridiculous news report about the pilots’ names? Captain Sum Ting Wong, Wi Tu Lo, Ho Lee Fuk, Bang Ding Ow.”

  He shakes his head.

  “That news reporter blames it on the intern for gettin’ the names wrong. Absurd. What reporter lets the intern do her work for her, especially reports that are supposed to go live on air?”

  He shakes his head.

  “Any way, it was planned to be like that. That report was supposed to be aired that way.”

&nb
sp; He looks at them all.

  “What’s more curious is that they interviewed a Bird or Birdy Ra. That Ra just says it all to me, but I’ll let it be. Didn’t mean to take over, Mads. Sorry. I just get so…”

  “No problem. All of that was really insightful. I thought sumthin’ was up with that plane crash and you obviously agree. I’ll carry on. More planes.”

  She turns to the VCR and presses play.

  The theme song to Caroline in the city suddenly fills the room.

  Madison presses stop and forwards the tape quick.

  “Sorry, I forgot that was there. We used to record…”

  She smiles and presses play.

  “Here we go.”

  “9/11?” Florian sits up more.

  Everyone stares at the screen.

  “What exactly do you want us to see?” Embeth gets up and goes to stand next to Madison.

  She was wearing yellow jeans and a white blouse.

  “Exactly that. This obviously fake news report. Didn’t any of you notice it? I suppose a lot missed it, ‘cause it was there and gone. Luckily we were tapin’ sumthin’ when the news interrupted. No one thought to press stop.”

  “The third tower, building 7, what about it?”

  She pauses the tape.

  “Look behind the reporter.”

  Everyone stares.

  They all shake their heads.

  “What is it we are supposed to see?” Asks Peter-John.

  “The buildin’ is still standin’, but the reporter is reportin’ that the buildin’ just went down. Then,” she presses play, “they cut away.”

  “So you’re sayin’ that they knew it was goin’ to go down and reported it too early?”

  “That, yes.”

  She shakes her head.

  “Perhaps even foolin’ with us. Danglin’ it right in front of us, to show that we were tools. Nuthin’ but foolish, blind sheep.”

  Embeth looks at Madison, her forehead creased with wrinkles.

  “I’m confused. You’re sayin’ the media was involved… it was all some plot.”

  Drew shakes his head.

  Florian does the same.

  He says calmly.

  “The media are in their pockets. When are you goin’ to accept that?” Madison forwards the tape more.

  “Look at those planes. Notice anythin’ odd about them?”

  They all stare at the screen.

  “It’s really difficult to tell, the picture is too blurred.”

  That