A One Way Free Flight

I closed my eyes fast, and covered my ears, sitting on the floor at the corner of the room as I heard another loud bang somewhere. Someone had died yesterday and today was just the second day of our stay here on the island. I thought I could enjoy my vacation, but here we are stuck inside our rooms. We’ve been inside of our room since yesterday night. The management and the staff told us not to get out, not until the caretaker of the island figured out what was happening, but until now, we’re all stuck in here, with the loud noises of thunder echoing all over the place, with the continuous sound of gunfire outside. I didn't even suspect that something like this could happen, not even for once, but here we are, I should've just listened to my Mom when she was trying to stop me from going. **** “Mom.” I was sitting on one of the stools in my kitchen, and I decided to video call her after cooking my lunch. “Why? Do you have another trip? Where are you going this time?” I smiled as she opened the topic that I really love, she really knows me so well. “Well, I have found that my favorite Airline was giving free flights to their valued passengers. So I took the opportunity as fast as I could. You know, because it was limited to a hundred and fifty Individuals, so yeah, I grabbed it." It was just a one time opportunity for me so I really took the chance. Every time I travel, I'm always looking for a discount for tickets and flights, and now that I had found out that my Favorite Airline who was giving a lot of discounts had their very first free flight, I just couldn't make it pass through my eyes, so I grabbed the chance. Luckily, I got a seat for the flight. “That’s great.” My mom doesn’t look so happy about it, but it doesn’t matter as long as I could experience my very first free flight. It's not like I really don't care about her, and what she was going to say about it, because if so, I wouldn't be here, calling her in the middle of the day just to tell her my very good news. “So where would it take you? I mean the free flight." “To a very beautiful island in the South Mom. It was a really, really beautiful island. I haven’t heard about it, that’s why it’s so exciting. Just thinking about being there makes my heart pound so much." I held onto my chest, as I talked about it. It was just so satisfying to share my happiness with my Mom. But I am really trying my very best to contain my excitement, as I don't want something bad to happen. It's my jinx in life that whenever I feel so happy, excited or what, the next day or the other, something would happen, a very, very bad one. “In the South. Have you done your research about the island before you applied for that?” She’s not even looking at me. I think she’s busy again with her business. I was just thankful that she answered my call faster than ever, she still finds time to talk to me. “I don’t have enough time for that before I even applied for it, Mom. But I have done my research after.” “So how was it?” “It turned out that it was an Exclusive Private Island owned by a very wealthy man. And it will be the very first time that He would be opening his Island for the Public, Mom. It was a really great privilege to be part of that.” I met her eyes, staring at me from the screen. I know she’s studying me right now from the way she looks at me, like she was saying in her head that it was so suspicious. “Mom. I swear, I had my research. Don’t worry too much. It’s not as if, my very first time to travel, you know. It’s been part of me, Mom. I just love to travel alone.” I find travelling alone so interesting as it helps me to know myself even more. It’s my safe place, and it gives me more time to think about life, appreciate nature, appreciate People, and myself. Travelling teaches me a lot, and it gives me different energy that fills my whole system that keeps me moving forward. “I know. But it was just so suspicious. Why would a wealthy man suddenly open up his Island to the public? And why did they choose that place for their first ever free flight? Everything was just so suspicious for me." “Oh not again, Mom. Stop being paranoid. It’s not as if they’ll try to hurt us or leave us there to die, you know. I'm just taking my vacation. And it'll be just a three day trip, nothing will happen with that short time Mom. I swear. I have been travelling all my life, and took a longer trip than that. So it'll be fine." But with the excitement, there was something at the back of my head that kept me nervous. Something that I don't have any idea about. "Alright then. As you say so." She stayed staring at me for a while, before getting back her attention towards what she was doing ever since she answered my video call. She was always busy, but she really loves what she does, so it's fine. "But call me the moment you landed, okay? But I bet there wouldn't be any signal there." "I will find a way to call you Mom, don't worry. Just make sure to answer it." "I will. So when is your flight?" My Mom was really into my flight this time. Way back then, whenever I would inform her that I will be travelling, she would just say, 'alright, just call me if you arrived there' and nothing follows after that. But now, she has said a lot. "Tonight." I saw her brows ark and formed furrows after, as she was slowly looking at me. "Tonight? When did you apply for that?" "Early this day? I will start packing my things after this call." "I really have a bad feeling about that Llaine. Couldn't you just stay in your place? I will book you a ticket to the Philippines, just stay tonight. There's a lot of beautiful beaches there. I will take you to Palawan if you'd like." That was a very great offer. It's really my dream to visit Palawan in the Philippines. I heard there's a lot of white sand beaches there, and I really like to go to Coron as I heard that the beach there was on another level of having crystal clear water. Her offer was so tempting, and I couldn't give her my answer right away. It was really tempting, but this free flight to that Private Island is just a one time experience. There might be no other chance for me to visit that place. And I could always go to the Philippines whenever I want, and I already visited Boracay anyways. So maybe, next time. There will always be a lot of next time, Coron. I'm sorry. "I was tempted for a while Mom." I smiled. "But this might be the very first and last time that that Island would be open to the public. So I'm sorry, but I need to decline that very wonderful and tempting Offer for now." And I needed to turn down the offer with a heavy heart and closed eyes. "Mom, why do you need to feel me this way? It's so unfair." "I'm serious Llaine. If you're being tempted with it, just grab the opportunity. You know me. It's very rare for me to offer you something for your Travel addiction, so grab it now." She's really into something. She wouldn't let me go, and it's the very first time for her to do that. "Mom, you know me. Once I made up my mind, nothing can change it again, right? Especially when it comes to my travels." She sighed. It was the very first time I saw her being frustrated about my decision. She was already holding onto her temple, which means she was already stressed out. "Nothing bad will happen Mom. Trust me, just like how you trusted me when I left our home to live alone." I smiled to give her assurance. She shut her eyes. I wonder what she was thinking right now that distressing her so much. "Llaine…" She sighed. "Call me or message me every hour if you can. That way I could be at ease." "Mom. Am I a kindergarten student? Why would I do that?" That's hilarious. I want to enjoy my short vacation by myself. Why would she think that way? "Just do it. Or else, I'll make a way so you can't go tonight. I have so many ways to stop you Llaine. Remember that." "Alright, alright. I will, Mom. But make sure that your offer remains open, and I'll call you every thirty minutes. Deal?" I need to also gain something, Mom. "Alright then." I ended the call after we had agreed with the deal. I already have somewhere to go after this, and that's all thanks to you, Mom. The Email that I had received was still flushed on the screen of my laptop, and so as soon as I ended the call, it was the first to appear in front of me. "To all the people who love to travel… We have very good news for you. It is in our deepest gratitude to give back to our loyal passengers who always avail our Ticket Sales. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. This is all for you. To avail our free flight, please show any proof of your Travel with us through email. The first one hundred and fifty people that can show their proof of flight with us can only avail our free flight. Hurry up, before it's too late. Please reply to this email as fast as you can. - WIC Airline." I smiled as I read the email again. After reading it, I started packing my things in my luggage. I decided to bring my laptop with me so I could edit pictures and videos fast that I will be capturing from my Camera. I brought with me my essential things, my hygiene kit, make-up kit, and my mini first aid kit which I always bring every time I'm going to travel, and put them all in my backpack with my laptop in it. I also packed snacks and bottles of water which I know I don't need to, but just to be sure about things. And brought all my ID cards with me. My luggage was filled with comfortable clothes like sweatshirts, pants, shorts, and I also included some other sweets and instant food there. After a while, I prepared myself to go, wore jeans and a sweatshirt, paired with sneakers and I'm ready to go. I got my remote car key, exited my own house, and put my luggage inside the trunk of my car. It was already past four in the afternoon, and the rush hour will already start in an hour, so I need to leave now. It would take me an hour to get to that Airport, and another thirty minutes if I got caught with heavy traffic. I drove fast, and arrived at five forty-five at the airport. At six, I was already inside the building, and at exact eight in the evening, the flight would take off. There were familiar faces inside the Airplane that I had seen when I was looking for my seat. They're probably regular passengers of the Airline. It's so nice to see familiar faces here. I messaged Mom first as soon as I took my seat, and turned my phone to airplane mode after sending my message. I was setting up my camera to record everything inside, when a woman sat beside me, which I really don't know why. I thought we would be seated separately, like no one would seat randomly beside me, because the flight would just have a hundred and fifty passengers, and that means, everyone can seat in each row. I was just looking at her, until she looked back. "Hi." She greeted me and flashed a half smile on her face. And after that she opened her laptop and didn't even bother to look back again. I just shrugged my head, and focused on fixing my camera to start recording. Once I had finished setting up, I started recording my very first video for this Trip, and not long after, the plane took off. "What do you do for a living?" I was so caught off guard when the woman suddenly spoke beside me. I glanced at her, and it was so creepy because she's also looking at me. But just to not be rude, I just put my worries in the back of my head. "I am a vlogger. And my content is all about Travelling." I don't know if she was happy to hear my answer, but she didn't even react to that. She's just looking at me and it's really creeping me out. "Okay. I'm Luna by the way." She said, smiling, which I don't know why she does. "I'm Llaine. But, have we met before? I'm sorry to say this but, to be frank, You looked so comfortable with me, and I don't know why." She smiled again, but this time she looked away, and got her eyes fixed with her laptop again. "Yes. We've met before." I thought she wouldn't answer me. I was about to ask her when, but she started talking again. "I had appeared in your Vlog, once." Wait, what? You appeared on my vlog once? When? I mean, I don't have any recollection of memories about that. As far as I remember, it was the very first time that I had seen you. "And so does everyone here." She looked back at me once again. "We all once had appeared in one of your vlogs." She's full of suspicions with her voice, and I don't know where it was coming from. Why does she have to tell me that in that way? It's really creeping me out, and I couldn't even speak a word while looking at her. "But I guess you didn't know that." Why do I need to know that? And how did you appear in my vlog? Not too long after, we arrived on the island, and we’re already walking at the gate of the hotel we will be using for our stay. "Wait up." I saw Luna again, walking in front of me, and I just needed to hear the answer I was looking for ever since she told me that thing that created so many questions in my head. I had asked her when we were still on the plane, but she just suddenly inserted Bluetooth earphones on her ears, and I guess she played very loud music because she never answered me the whole flight. What she has done was so rude for me, but I can’t blame her for that, because in the first place, we’re not even close. But now, I need to find answers. The surroundings were still dark as the Sun hadn't shown up yet. The flight only took six hours for us to be here, and it’s already past two in the morning, and I just want to sleep right now. “Wait up.” I rushed towards her, and grabbed her arms as she didn’t even hear me calling her. She was still with her earphones. “Oh. Hi.” She looked at me, and removed her earphones as soon as she saw me. She was smiling again. “You have raised so many questions in my mind. Mind to answer them?” She stopped walking as soon as I told her that. I don’t know what’s going inside her head, but she was just staring at me, blankly, but her lips were smiling and it’s creeping me out. “I will answer your questions. But not here. Wait until we reach our room.” Did I heard it right? Like not my room, but Our? “What do you mean our room?” “We’re roommates. And it is not safe here.” I don’t know anything about this woman, but every time she speaks, it raises a lot of questions in my head, and is creeping me out every time. Now, what does she mean, it’s not safe here?