A Flight Between Dream and Reality
Jussara and Janete were anxious; the trip to Mexico City was a dream come true for both of them.
Inside the aircraft, Janete found their seats, stored their bags in the overhead compartments, and the mood was relaxed: executives, backpackers, families, people travelling for leisure or to study — everyone with their own story, most of them excited for what was ahead.
Janete was the enthusiastic one: always smiling, joking around, making gestures, taking endless photos and selfies.
Jussara was the observer: at one moment, she nudged Janete, subtly pointing with her eyes at a pair of young men approaching, hinting they might be sitting nearby.
Janete got the message, smiled back, and let the moment linger — until the captain’s announcement interrupted them.
Once the plane had levelled off at 36,000 feet, they noticed the guys casting curious glances in their direction.
Jussara, seated on the aisle, decided to take action:
She stood up slowly, pretending to rummage in the overhead bin, secretly hoping one of the guys would offer to help.
— “Could you help me? It’s heavy!” she asked, looking at the nearest guy.
— “Of course!” he replied, standing up from his aisle seat. He lifted the bag with ease and handed it back to Jussara, who thanked him with a genuine smile.
— “So, where are you headed?” he asked, starting a conversation.
— “Vacation. It’s a dream we’ve had for years,” Jussara replied.
— “That’s awesome! I’m Ravel,” he introduced himself with a friendly wave.
— “And I’m Lissá!” said the other guy, grinning. They seemed just as excited as the two sisters.
— “We’re Jussara, and my sister — “ she started.
— “Janete!” her sister finished, raising her hand and snapping a selfie of all four of them, catching everyone by surprise.
— “Such great energy,” Ravel said. “Not everyone gets to live their dreams. I’m happy for you two. Our dream is a bit different, actually…”
— “Oh, that sounds interesting! Can we know what it is?” Janete jumped in from her window seat.
Ravel exchanged a playful glance with Lissá and replied:
— “Actually, we’re Physics students. Our real dream… is to travel through time.”
Jussara’s eyes widened, surprised and curious:
— “Wow! Are we talking relativity here?” she joked, laughing. “That’s movie talk!”
Lissá chimed in:
— “Who knows? Sometimes reality is stranger than fiction. But you know… everything is relative, right? Sometimes, the best encounters happen… outside of time.”
Janete laughed at the philosophical tone:
— “Can you imagine? Maybe years from now, we’ll remember this flight and realise we met two time travellers!”
They all laughed, and the conversation flowed effortlessly.
Outside, the sky seemed infinite, and the hours just flew by — but for Jussara and Janete, that conversation was already unforgettable.
— “I’m rooting for you guys,” Jussara said with a bright smile.
— “Thanks, Jussara! It’s really great to know you’re cheering for us,” Ravel replied.
— “When you make it, don’t forget us, okay?” Janete added warmly.
— “Impossible! Don’t worry, we’ll never forget you,” Lissá replied just as kindly.
Time passed, and the four grew more and more connected — the conversation became intimate, full of laughter and small confessions. The flight, which had left Rio’s Galeão Airport at 11 p.m., pushed through the night toward Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport.
Slowly, fatigue crept in — it was the dead of night above the clouds, and a gentle silence settled over the group.
Eventually, Jussara and Janete, lulled by the aeroplane’s gentle sway, drifted off to sleep.
“Sometimes, things happen in ways that turn us inside out.”
Time went by until:
The voice of Captain Fahard came softly over the cabin speakers:
— “Ladies and gentlemen, this is Captain Fahard speaking from the cockpit.
In a few minutes, we’ll begin our descent into Mexico City.
Please return to your seats, set your seat backs to the upright position, stow your tray tables, and fasten your seat belts.
The crew will soon come through the cabin for final checks.
The temperature at our destination is 25 degrees Celsius, with clear skies.
Thank you for flying with us, and we wish you an excellent day.”
The announcement seeped into the sisters’ light sleep. Jussara and Janete opened their eyes almost at the same time, slightly disoriented.
Immediately, their eyes searched for Lissá and Ravel — but the seats beside them were empty, spotless, as if no one had ever been there.
— “Sis, where did the guys go?” Jussara asked, frowning.
Janete signalled to the flight attendant, who approached them kindly.
— “Yes, ma’am? How can I help you?”
— “Two guys were sitting in these seats — right here,” Janete said, pointing to the empty places.
The flight attendant smiled politely and replied:
— “Ma’am, seats 21A and 21B have been empty for the entire flight.”
— “What? Are we going crazy?” Jussara murmured, caught between shock and confusion.
— “I’m sorry, but those seats had no passengers. Is there anything else I can help you with?”
— “No, thank you… Amanda, right?”
— “That’s right. If you need anything, just let me know,” the attendant replied as she walked away.
Jussara and Janete stared at each other, perplexed, trying to make sense of what just happened.
The plane was already on the ground in Mexico; passengers hurried to collect their bags from the overhead bins and joined the line to disembark.
Outside, they followed the flow to the baggage claim, picked up their luggage, and stepped out into the arrivals hall, where, among the rushing faces, they suddenly heard two familiar voices:
— “We were getting worried — what took you so long?”
— “Lissá? Ravel?”
For a moment, Janete felt time stand still — or twist into an impossible knot.
Everything seemed suspended, as if reality and dream were just thin lines crossing each other.
And maybe, as Albert Einstein once said:
“The distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.”
The End
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