Vulnerable

• Chester Navales, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2015

The seat-belt light flashes, “Passengers, please remain seated as we are experiencing some turbulence.” I sit up and tighten my seat-belt, the plane casually dropping and coming back up. I glance to my left and I see him, the same guy that’s been following me around the whole day, he’s staring at me like I’m some sort of vulnerable little child, maybe that’s what he saw me as but I’m not, obviously. I look away and try to go back to sleep, with one thing on my mind, my potentially amazing holiday in Singapore.
“Passengers please remain seated, with your seat-belts on as we are about to make a descent into Singapore.” I wake up rubbing my eyes and look out of the window, it was still dark, I look at my watch, 1:38 a.m., the bright lights of Singapore in the middle of the night is absolutely astounding. The plane slowly descends and we arrive in Singapore. “Ladies and gentlemen we have arrived in Singapore.” Everyone in the plane stands up, grabs their bags and tries to get out of the stuffy airplane. I push my way through the congested aisle and make my way out of the plane. I get my bags from the baggage carousel and make my way out of the airport.
Outside, its dark, cold and there are hardly any people outside. I wait for my taxi and I sense someone behind me, watching me, thinking if it’s the same guy from the airport. I look back and there’s no one there. Someone taps my shoulder and I turn around, someone’s fist makes way with my face and I get knocked out cold.
I wake up in dark room, tied up, I can feel my face bruised and dried blood on the cold concrete floor. A light turns on and I see him, the same guy that has been following me. “Why are you doing this?!” he smiles at me his face looking smug, “Money,” I give him a disgusted look. “It was Malone,” he smiles at me. I look at him in shock; it was almost as if he knew what I was thinking. He points a gun to my head and I laugh maniacally, he pulls the trigger and I fall to the ground, blood gushing out of my head. He leaves the room laughing, leaving me for dead.