The plane began to descend. I looked towards the heavy hung sun out of the cracked window, the two propellers hanging from the wing cut through the blood orange light rhythmically. A quick drop in altitude came and we were circling to land at the Island airport. The last time I had landed here had been in a thunderstorm, rain had poured in through the rusted rivets holding the elderly DC10 together. My sole companion, a young man clutching a suitcase and duffel bag hung on to the seat in front as his dog looked up for comfort, tail in between his legs. Coming into Thurston Island Airport was never a nice experience. A flat plain between two large rocky mountains required a sudden drop to achieve the correct altitude. I had always hated flying, the connecting flights especially, I hadn't eaten, my iPod was dead and I was in dire need of a shower, but tonight excitement bubbled in my stomach. The clear blue waters below me were replaced with the dark red silhouette of the jungle and the industrial buildings of Thurston. A loud bang, I bounced on the worn leather seat. We had arrived.
"We're here" The co-pilot turned out of his seat, the only distinguishable features his military fatigues, a handgun and aviators. He smiled a toothy grin as he opened the rusted door and deployed a set of rickety makeshift plane steps. The man next to me departed. I helped him with his luggage, and lowered his dog to him. "Please come fly with us again" he said while motioning with his hands to get out the plane, I dropped down the steps and my huge case was thrown out at me followed by another grin. He slammed the door shut, the propellers came back up to full speed and they taxied away as quickly as we had landed. No fuel, no paperwork, they just flew away.
For a moment we stood there, the man, his little dog and me. He sighed as he lit a cigarette, I couldn't tell if it for the better or the worse. He waved a cigarette at me while wiping the beaded sweat under his cap. His accent was heavy over his broken English.
"Girl you smoke?"
"No. Thank-you", I smiled politely. "Can I help with your bags?" I tried to explain using my hands, and put his duffels on top of my suitcase wheels. He looked at me blankly and nodded. I held my hand up to my forehead and shielded my eyes from the low light, across the runway the exit was right at the end, a mile maybe two. I smiled awkwardly to the man, "I guess we'd better try and beat the sun."
