We’re almost landing. I can hear the wheels cranking down. It’s very serene. The lights have dimmed and it’s wonderfully quiet. I feel half asleep. As if things aren’t quite real. Will I feel alone once I’ve collected my bags? They’ll be no-one waiting for me. Not this time.
I turn to my crossword companion. He is no longer there. Where did he go? He can’t have gone to the toilet because we’re descending, seatbelts are on, even the stewards are back in their cabin seats. Where is he? I glance around to no avail. Maybe he swapped seats. Had I offended him in some way? Had I fallen asleep and put my head on his shoulder? No, I hadn’t slept. Or had I? It’s so confusing. I’m not sure what’s going on. I glance around again, desperately searching for him. There is no-one. The cabin is empty, all except for me, strapped into my seat.