Finding Mitty.

Chapter 8: Flight 404

"So that's your story?"

"Yeah."

"I mean, you lied to everyone, and just jumped on the next plane to Spain?"

"Yeah."

"Knowing that the probability was almost as much as me being a Disney princess?"

"Yeah."

"Whoa."

"Yeah."

"Walter, that's one of the most ridiculous things I've heard in my life, you realise that right? I mean I've heard of more ridiculous things, but this is definitely top 10."

"Yeah." I replied with the same stagnant expression which was rewarded by a neck pillow thrown at my face.

"Stop saying that its really annoying." Said Anna munching on her sandwich.

"Okay. I was just thinking of something." I replied sipping my overly frigid water. Or maybe it was me who was feverish, I couldn't tell.

"What were you thinking of?"

"You know, funny you should mention ridiculous things, because Joanna, I think its absolutely ridiculous that you talked me into this."

"Into what?" She enquired, clearly pretending to be oblivious.

I furrowed my brows and clarified, "Into you accompanying me into my journey to find my father. It still seems pretty...."

"Surreal?" She completed, if incorrectly so.

"No!" I said, and after a brief pause, continued, "Well yes, if you mean incongruent."

She just smiled and, after finishing her last bite and slowly wiping her lips, turning to me said in a soft but intense voice, "This happened because, 1: I've always wanted to go to India, and I believe you were my sign, 2: You don't look like you have any travelling experience, so frankly, you wouldn't last a day."

"Well, I made it till Spain didn't I?"

She chuckled and replied, "Spain is kiddie stuff Walter. India on the other hand, is a Jungle, and you need to be real, and you need to be aware, if you wanna survive. And you can't speak Spanish, so I guess its safe to assume you don't speak Hindi either?"

I shook my now shrunken little head.

"Well there you go, third reason."

"So you're just like a good Samaritan, helping me out?"

"On some level it is true, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't have any personal motive behind it."

"So how do I know I can trust you?"

She gave a sly smile and, tilting her head a little, calmly said, "Look at me Walter, do I not look trustworthy to you?"

The surroundings became chillier, or maybe I grew swelter, I dunno, but a certain chill went down my spine. I felt like a certain ghost of reality just tackled me, and I was just a little cub out of its comfortable den and in a canyon full of hyenas.

Suddenly Joanna burst laughing and patting my chest said, "Oh God don't worry, I'm just kidding! We're in this together now. Its going to be an adventure Walter Mitty!"

I tried to calm my petrified and worried self as I closed my eyes and buried myself in my seat, whispering a chant to myself,

"I hope not. I hope not."