Fear in the clouds: Flight 504: From Benin With Fear

 Flight 504: From Benin With Fear”:

By Egbema Egberi Media special correspondent 

Chapter One: Not My First Flight… But This One?

I’ve flown more times than I can count. Lagos, Babcock, Ethiopia, even once to Malaysia when the visa gods smiled on me. But nothing could have prepared me for the flight from Benin to Abuja on that unforgettable Tuesday.

I arrived at the Benin Airport sharp-sharp, feeling like a boss in my clean native attire. I had no idea destiny had booked a seat for drama beside mine.

As I boarded, everything seemed normal. No strange announcements, no overly enthusiastic flight attendant—just your regular "good afternoon sir, welcome aboard" energy. I settled into my seat and took out my phone to record a selfie video. "Naija skies, here I come!" I winked. If only I knew.

Chapter Two: Cloudy with a Chance of Panic

The flight took off smoothly. I even dozed off five minutes in, dreaming about suya and chilled Fanta waiting in Abuja. Then came the turbulence—and not just any turbulence.

First, the clouds. Big, grey, and angry. The plane slammed into them like someone owed it money. The vibrations? Ah! Like a danfo bus on a bad road in Sapele.

Every time the plane jolted, I felt my intestines rethink their arrangement. I looked at the guy by the window. Brother was gripping the seat in front like it was an altar. Sweat glistened on his forehead like holy anointing oil. He didn’t say a word, but his eyes screamed “Lord, why now?!”

Chapter Three: Altitude and Attitude

Then came the real blockbuster. We were approaching Abuja, and the captain announced, “We’ll be landing in a few minutes.” But the plane had other plans. Instead of gliding down smoothly, it dropped. I mean, literally. Altitude vanished faster than my salary after a wedding invitation.

The entire plane shook. Vibration level: generator with a bad plug. A loud creak came from somewhere above, and one elderly woman at the back lost it.

She clutched her bag like it contained her last offering. “Jeeeeesus Christ of Nazareth!” she screamed. “Oh Lord, I didn’t finish my soup in the house o! Who send me enter this flying coffin?! If not that the road is far—ehh! I for waka go Abuja!”

People were crossing themselves, some praying in tongues, others whispering silent confessions. Me? I just closed my eyes and accepted my fate. At that point, I was ready to meet my ancestors—even the ones I had never heard of.

Chapter Four: The Laughter That Shook the Sky

But amidst all this, there was comic relief—one fine girl beside me. Light-skinned, well-packaged, with lashes like butterfly wings. Just when the turbulence peaked and everyone looked like extras in a disaster movie, she burst into laughter.

Loud. Unapologetic. Infectious.

I turned to her, shocked. “You dey laugh?”

She held her belly and said, “If we die, we die. But me I must enjoy this last ride o!”

I couldn’t help it. I started laughing too. Maybe it was fear. Maybe it was madness. Or maybe her laughter had broken the spirit of death in that cabin.

Even the man gripping the seat in front of him let out a nervous chuckle. The old woman stopped screaming. The whole plane calmed—slightly.

Chapter Five: Touchdown Miracles

Then, finally—wheels on the ground. We touched down with a thud that rattled the bones, but it was the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard. Passengers broke into spontaneous applause like we had just won the World Cup.

The old woman kissed the seat in front of her. “To God be the glory!” she shouted.

I looked around. Everyone’s eyes said the same thing: Never Again. But we all knew we’d still fly again, especially if someone else was paying.

As I stepped off the plane, I whispered, “Thank you, Lord. And next time... maybe I’ll go by road. Or… maybe not.”

Epilogue: When Next You Fly…

Dear reader, if you ever find yourself on a flight that feels like a spiritual bootcamp, remember this: Hold tight, laugh when you can, and always sit near someone dramatic—it makes the fear bearable.

And if you're lucky, maybe, just maybe, one fine girl will laugh fear away.

The End.