BOMBER BOY

{Episode 1}

By Ike Pius

Sunday, June 09, 2013.

Editor’s note: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person or event is purely coincidental.

He pressed the switch to trigger the bomb, and he closed his eyes. Just then, he felt a jolt. The other passengers in the plane were also shaken; he heard some of them exclaim. But then, some of them started to laugh playfully again as if nothing had happened. Farouk had expected an explosion, but clearly, there had only been some air turbulence.

He pressed the switch again, again, and again. He did not understand: The Brothers had told him that all he had to do was put his hand under his shirt and press the switch. The plane would explode-he would go to Paradise, and the infidels would go to hell.

Despite the air conditioning, Farouk started to sweat.

The white man seated next to him gave him a concerned smile.

“Is everything alright, my friend?” He asked.

Farouk glanced at him, and tried to smile. He then scratched his head as he thought of something to say.

“All this shaking is getting to me”, Farouk lied, “I think I am getting a little sick”.

“You’ll get over it. Just relax. Breath deeply and regularly. Besides, its only about half the journey left. You have made it this far.”

Farouk nodded, and smiled back at the white man. He seemed really nice. Pity that he should die. He had introduced himself as Matt, or Mark, or something, but that was hours ago. Farouk did not remember because he was too occupied with blowing up the plane. Those western names all sound alike, and what was the point of remembering the name of a person you were about to send to hell?

Farouk got up.

“I have to use the rest room”, he said.

As he made his way to the back, where the rest rooms were, Farouks’ eyes met with several of the co-passengers. It was only his second time of going to the rest room but he thought that some of them looked at him in a funny way. Except of course the pretty airhostess at the door to the restroom. Farouk thought that she liked him. Airhostesses should be pretty and courteous, but Farouk  suspected that her smile was much more than courtesy. It lasted too long, and she seemed to blush. Too bad she would soon go to hell.

Inside the rest room, Farouk quickly removed his jacket and shirt, dropping them on the floor, and then took off the bomb which was designed like a waistcoat. He examined the bomb to see if any of the wiring had come loose. It looked good.

Farouk sat down on the toilet seat and sighed deeply. Time to die.

He pressed the switch and waited. Nothing. He pressed the switch again and again, each time listening to the clicking sound it made. Then he realized that there was nothing he could do to make the damned thing blow up. He threw it down. “Oh my god, I am screwed.”

Farouk knew he had to think fast. If the bomb was discovered on him, either on the plane or at the airport, he was sure he would go to jail.

Farouk thought about The Brothers. They would be waiting for news that the Northwestern Airlines Flight 253 had exploded. When the news would not come, they would get mad! They would think he had sabotaged them.

Farouk thought about his mother, brother and sisters. Father was also alive but Farouk hated him. In fact, if The Brothers decided to kill him, Farouk would be quite hapy for it. But Mama and the kids-it was for their sake that Farouk had agreed to go on the mission. Not because he believed in any Jihad, or because he wanted to go to any Paradise!

Farouk picked up his clothes and started to put them on. Then he folded the bomb and put it behind the toilet seat. The stupid thing would not blow, so he would not go to jail for nothing.

Farouk opened the door.

**************************************************************************

To be continued.

--

Ike Pius has grown from writing and editing low budget radio dramas to the status of author and independent writer. His first novel, The Paradise That Was, is available for download on Amazon.com.  He is also a contributing writer to many online magazines and content sites. He blogs at  onelovespace.wordpress.com