– Can you hear me?
I stared silently into my neighbour's beautiful face and felt the most genuine terror.
– Do you need help? – His smooth, charming voice sent a chill through my bones. He was speaking to me in Czech.
– No, thank you… I'm better now," I whispered, finding the strength to open my mouth.
– But you look scared," my vampire neighbour insisted in a soft tone.
– I'm just afraid to fly," I whispered the first thing that came into my head.
Emotion and fear overcame my mind: I couldn't move or look away from my dangerous neighbour. A slight shiver swept over me. My fingers dug forcefully into the armrests.
"What am I going to do? Jesus! What to do!" – I thought feverishly, my thoughts interrupting each other as if on purpose. – Cedric… I could call him! No, then the vampire would hear what I was talking to him about… But I could write… Yes! I'll write to him!"
– Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Imagine or remember something good," the vampire told me in the same pleasant voice.
"Why is he being so polite to me? After all, he knows about and Cedric! Knows about me possessing the secret of vampires! But perhaps he hasn't heard anything? The plane was so far away from the airport building!" – flashed through my mind, and a spark of hope flickered in my soul. But I couldn't risk it: with naughty trembling hands I pulled out my rucksack from under the front seat and nervously searched for my phone, feeling the gaze of the blue immortal eyes on me. Finally, the phone was found, and I took it with both hands so the vampire wouldn't notice them shaking, and began to type a message to Cedric, sincerely hoping for his advice and support.
"He'll know what to do… I shouldn't be so worried," I tried to reassure myself, pressing my finger on the touch screen of my phone.
– What are you doing? – Suddenly I heard an indignant female voice right above my ear, and I even flinched in surprise.
When I looked up, I saw a stewardess standing next to me.
– I want to send a message to my parents. They asked me to write to them as soon as… – I started to justify myself, though I knew very well that it was strictly forbidden to call and write on the regular network during the flight.
– Please put your phone on 'in-flight' mode and keep it on until you arrive in Rio. It's airline policy," the flight attendant ordered me in a slightly irritated tone.
– Now, one minute! I'm almost done! – I exclaimed in frustration and continued typing the message.
– Please, give me the phone and I'll put it in the right mode myself! – The stewardess said insistently and held out her palm to me.
Panic gripped me and I pressed the phone to my chest.
– Understand, I'm not joking! Your phone can cause interference with the instruments! – said the stewardess in a serious tone.
I looked around and found that the neighbours closest to my seat were looking at me with displeased and even contemptuous glances. I felt terribly embarrassed, but, hell, I couldn't give up! I had to write to Cedric and wait for his reply!
A feeling of hopelessness swept over me, but I obediently put my phone in the right mode.
– I can use it later, right? – I asked quietly, losing hope for a happy ending to my flight.