Horoscope

-'Breakfast is ready.'-
Monday morning, the first day of the work week, always seems to be the worst day of the week.
-'Benny, dear, the breakfast is already served.'- She was impatient, her most important sell would close this morning. Benny was awake, but he couldn't open his eyes.
-'Where is the newspaper?'- He asked her. He read the horoscope everyday. He used to say that it amused him, but he knew it was more that just fun. What could it happen today? Maybe he would win the lottery, maybe he would be promoted. Well, perhaps, it would only be sentimental problems with his partner.
She knew that he would ask for his newspaper; after being together for four years she was used to him and so did he. Taking the newspaper to the bedroom she repeated
-'Ben, what are you waiting for? You know that you don't like to eat your breakfast cold.'- He took the newspaper, didn't check sports or social. He went directly to the horoscope; he thought that The Daily Morning's horoscope was the best horoscope in the city.
He sought his astrology sign, Scorpio...
-'Oh My Goodness!!! What is this?!?'- He couldn't believe it, but the message was clear...
"...Be careful today... Something horrible could happen during the day... Take care of your life..."
It couldn't be a joke. It was so serious. He shouldn't leave the house. He didn't want to die.
-'I don't feel good today... I think I should stay and rest."- He said to her.
-'Oh, Benny, what is it happening now? Don't tell me that you believe in that horoscope.'- She knew that he would follow everything the horoscope said rather than his parents' advice. It was not the first time, but what was so unusual this morning.
He was scared. His head was spinning. What could happen to him today? Would he die? Would he have an accident? It was better stay at home rather than to go working.
He had always borne in mind that story about the man who forgot to read his horoscope and died in a ship's sink. He was travelling on the Titanic.

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John had locked his keys in his car again.
-'Oh God! I’ll miss my flight.'- He was mad. How could it be possible? He had got an interview with one of the largest firms in the world and now he would lose the opportunity of his life. He took his mobile and called his house.
-'I hope she's there and picks up the phone'- He thought, waiting expectantly to hear a voice. -'Hello'- A voice answered. His wife was there.
-'Rose, please, come to my office I left the keys inside the car, again. I have to catch my plane in one hour. Please come straight away. I'll be at the main gate.'-He was trying to talk as calmly as he could.
-'John, not again. I have an appointment in the beauty parlour in two hours. You know how difficult is to get a space with Jimmy, he's the best hairdresser around.'- She replied.
-'Don't you realise that if I don't catch this plane, you won't be able to have your hair done in any place other than a barber's shop. Come right now!'- He shouted. His head was spinning.
-'OK, I'll be there in half an hour, but next time that you talk to me like that I'm going back to my parents', John, I promise.'- She said to him.
Where would she go? She had run away from home when she was seventeen. She didn't know anything else; he took care of every single detail of her life.

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Benny was in bed. He had been sleeping the whole morning. It was 11 o'clock, time to take a snack. Sometimes it’s good to take a rest and stop the routine.
-’Oh, no! This bottle is empty. How can it be possible? No milk'.- He took some orange juice and some biscuits. There was not much to eat.
-'Well, let's see the 12 o'clock news, maybe something has happened.'- He laid on his bed and turned the TV on.
Nothing important on the news. Perhaps, this time the horoscope was wrong. Well, a holiday was not so bad. Actually, there was nothing to do in the office today.
-’Let’s look for something to read.’- He thought.

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Finally, John was on the plane. He couldn’t believe it. This interview would give him the opportunity of his life. Well, nothing more to do.
-’Do you mind switching that light off?’- He wanted to sleep for a few hours. He was so tired that he fell asleep when he closed his eyes.

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-’Oh! I fell asleep again.’- Benny couldn’t read more than two pages. It was nice to have some free time, but the whole day in the house was irritating for him.
What else could he do? He had the TV on, magazines and books on the bed, but he was not watching TV nor reading.

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-’What’s it happening!?!’- Suddenly, he woke up. Everyone was scared. The aeroplane was shaking roughly. It seemed to be as a toy on a child’s hands.
-’Your attention, please. The captain had turned on the seatbelt signal.’- The flight attendant tried to calm down the passengers.
-’It’s only a strong air stream.’- John said to a person who seemed to be crying. John had travelled lots of times, but it was the first time he faced this situation.
The aeroplane was in a thunderstorm. He could see thunders around, the sky was black.

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-’Benny, please, don’t forget to buy milk.’- She was thinking to go back home earlier today.
-’I won’t go out. You can buy it.’- He didn’t want to go out. Outside was too dangerous for him. He went back into bed. The channel news was so boring. Nothing was happening today.

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It was even worse. The captain tried to calm the passengers. No one noticed that one engine was not functioning. It was extremely difficult to fly an aeroplane without an engine.
-’Your attention, please. In twenty minutes, we will be landing. The captain informs that it will be necessary to take measure for an emergency landing.’- The flight attendant was trying not to scare even more the afraid passengers.
John couldn’t believe it. He would be late for his interview.
-’It’s very irresponsible’.- John was very angry. If he lost this opportunity, he would sue the airline. It was the last time he would travel with this line.
Trrrrrrrr!!!!!!!! A thunder hit the plane.

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Benny opened the window. It was raining for the last two hours; it was another thunderstorm. He laid on the bed.
-’Maybe, I could have a car accident, if I had gone to work today’.-He was still afraid of that horoscope. What was that strange sound? It seemed to be an aeroplane, but it was not possible, the airport was so far away. He stood up and walked to the window.
-’Oh God! It’s a plane!'- He was amazed. An aeroplane was coming. It couldn’t be possible.

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-’Ahh!!!!!’- The passengers were crazy. The aeroplane was descending uncontrolled. It was shaking. The bags were hitting people.
John stood up. No one seemed to care of. The bags were flying everywhere hitting people. He was shouting. He didn’t want to die. He had an important interview.
A person tried to stop him, but he was mad.

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Benny didn’t go to work the next day.
-’Where is Benny?’- He never disappeared without notifying for more than one day. Perhaps, he was as usual afraid of his horoscope.
-’Did you read the newspaper today?’-
-’Not, why?’-
The newspaper was on the table. It could be read on the front page in big red letters:


107 PERSONS DIE IN AEROPLANE CRASH

© Víctor Rivera Meléndez - All Rights Reserved