And now for my contribution to Stormchaser90's 8th Annual Heebie-Jeebie Hullabaloo Halloween Contest, submitted for your approval in... the Kim Possible Zone!
Nightmare at 19,685 Feet
After placing his luggage in the overhead compartment, Ron sat down unsteadily in his seat as he fumbled with his seat belt. As always, Kim was right there to help.
"Here, let me help you, Ron."
"Thanks, KP, I appreciate it."
She smiled back at him. "Well, it's the least I can do, especially after your recent, uh, stressful sitch."
"You mean, my nervous breakdown?"
"Well, yeah, but the meds your doctor gave you seem to be working, right? And now we're heading back to Middleton after your treatment at the Mayo Clinic."
Ron breathed out a small sigh. "Yeah, they're working fine, but I'm just really hungry at the moment. So I'll be fine if I can just get a ham and Swiss on rye, and hold the Mayo."
Kim winced. "Now I know you're doing better if you can joke about it."
"Whose joking? I'm famished! And boy do I miss Bueno Nacho. Not a single one in all of Minnesota…"
Ron choked back a sob. "And my appetite just hasn't been the same since we… since we lost poor Rufus."
Kim's face drooped at the memory. "Yeah, that last battle with Drakken and Shego was just one fight too many. And then the inevitable explosion of their latest doomsday device. We never even found his poor little body."
Kim reached out and gave Ron's shoulder a little squeeze. "But not to worry, we'll be home in a few hours and you can chow down to your heart's content once we're back home."
"Yeah, you're right of course. As usual."
The pilot came on the PA system and started to speak. "Welcome everyone to Miracle Airlines Flight 666. And if it's a great flight, it'll be a miracle."
A collective groan went up from the passengers as she continued, "Sorry, just could resist. Just a little airline humor to break the ice."
Ron paled. "Ice? We haven't even taken off yet, and we're icing up?!"
Kim placed a calming hand on his as she spoke soothingly. "Chill out, Ron. It's just a little quip. We're not icing up and we're not going to either, so just relax, okay?"
"Yeah, okay. Thanks KP, you always know what to say."
She smiled back at him. "Hey, what are girlfriends for?"
Ron added, "But I have to say, that pilot's voice sounded awfully familiar…"
Soon the plane was airborne and climbing. The pilot came on the PA system once again and announced, "We'll be heading into some rough weather soon, so we'll be leveling off just under an approaching storm front at 19,685 feet, which is exactly 12,000 meters for you math types out there."
Ron gave Kim an apprehensive look. "Storm front?! Ooh, I sure hope I don't start feeling crummy in the tummy, 'cuz all I need now is some turbulence to make me airsick!"
Kim tried to calm him down. "Here, let me get you some water and you can take one of your pills. Flight attendant, could you get Ron a cup of water, please and thank you?"
Ron took the proffered water along with his chill pill, and he began to relax.
"Just in time, Ron. You were starting to look a little green around the gills there for a moment. Feeling better?"
"Yeah, thanks Kim. I think I'll just take a little nap. That should help."
But no sooner than he began to doze off, when a sharp crack of thunder rocked the plane, followed by a flash of lightning. The plane lurched as a wave of turbulence rocked them from side to side. Ron was instantly awake as the pilot again came onto the PA system.
"Sorry folks, but please remain seated and keep your seat belts fastened until we get through this bit of turbulence."
Another flash of lightning streaked by the window, narrowly missing the plane. But this time, Ron thought he saw… something. Something on the wing. Not very large, but it was definitely moving. Another lightning flash back-lit the creature, and he gasped as he turned to Kim.
"Kim! There's something out on the wing! And I think it's alive!"
Kim leaned over and took a look out the window. But whatever it was had quickly dropped off of the wing, and she saw nothing.
"Sorry, Ron, but I don't see anything. Probably just a trick of the light, what with all the lightning out there."
"But I could have sworn I saw something! And it was walking right over to the port engine and pulling up an access panel on the cowling!"
"Calm down, Ron. We're traveling at nearly 500 miles an hour, and there's no way anything could be out there without being swept off of the wing. So chill out, please?"
She reached over and closed the shade on the window.
"Yeah, you're probably right," Ron agreed. "What I thought I saw just… just isn't possible. Must have been a mirage."
"That's right. Now, why don't you take a little nap, and I'm sure you'll feel a lot better after you wake up."
"Good advice, KP."
Ron leaned his seat back a bit and closed his eyes. But he couldn't rid himself of the vision of that weird creature on the wing. And it seemed… familiar somehow. All too familiar. And the pilot's voice… He tried not to dwell on it, but the more he tried not to think about it, the more that critter invaded his thoughts, its hideous appearance slowly but inevitably taking over his mind. His hand shaking, he slowly reached out and grabbed the shade, jerking it open. In the window, its ghastly face met his, just a few inches away. One eye was covered by a black patch, the other eye totally bloodshot, glowing nearly pure red as yet another clap of thunder and lightning cut loose. But this time, its huge buck teeth were unmistakable. Ron froze for a moment before screaming in fear.
"AAHHH! KIM! IT'S RUFUS!"
Kim's head snapped towards the window, but Rufus had again slipped off of the wing.
"Ron, I think you better take another pill. You're hallucinating, and I'm getting really worried. Rufus is gone, and you're close to losing it all over again."
"No, Kim! I know what I just saw! It was Rufus looking through the window, just as plain as day!"
The flight engineer then rushed up and began speaking in a hushed, furtive voice. "Mr. Stoppable, please keep your voice down, you're scaring the passengers!"
"But there's a naked mole rat out on the wing and it's ripping up the engine!"
The flight engineer slowly rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, we've seen it too. But we're trying not to frighten anyone else, we've got it under complete control, I guarantee you."
"But I could have sworn…" Ron immediately hooded his eyes and grimaced, folding his arms as well. "All right, you can stop humoring me. I can tell that you're just trying to calm me down and not get me upset. But I know what I saw. And I want to see the pilot right now."
He got up from his seat and started to move forward through the cabin.
"Mr. Stoppable, you're not allowed in the cockpit!"
Kim pleaded, "Ron, please come back, there's nothing you can do!"
But Ron merely shook off the flight engineer's grip and stormed into the cockpit. And he was shocked by who he saw manning the controls.
"Shego? Drakken? What are you two doing up here flying this plane?"
Shego looked over at Drakken and mumbled, "Ooh. Busted."
Suddenly, a small explosion fractured the windshield, which instantly grew in size to a large hole. Explosive decompression took over, and with a loud yell, both Drakken and Shego were sucked out of the plane. Ron quickly exited the cockpit and slammed the door, but not before observing Rufus climbing into the cockpit and strapping himself into the pilot's seat.
Rufus activated the PA system and announced, "S-okay! Everyone return to your seats."
Ten minutes later, Rufus was bringing the plane in for an emergency landing as Ron surmised what had just happened.
"Kim, I think Rufus was giving Drakken and Shego some well deserved payback for nearly blowing him up."
Still shaking, Kim mumbled, "Yeah, but couldn't he have done it another way without putting us all in mortal danger?
"Yeah, maybe. But as the saying goes, revenge is a dish best served cold. And an angry naked mole rat will trump a woman scorned any day of the week."
A tiny giggle was heard from the cockpit as the plane safely touched down, today's adventure finally over.
The End, for now...
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