The engines hummed as the plane stylishly moved through the runway. Jack was beaming with so much emotion. It was the first time his baby girl boarded a plane and that too, alone.
Stacy ran up to Jack with the exhilaration of victory written on her face. She handed over her phone to him and the message on the phone read; "Dear Miss Stacey, with great pleasure we wish to inform you that you have been admitted into Rahman college." Pin-drop silence.
That was the happiest Jack had seen Stacey since the demise of her mother and he had absolutely no right to snatch that happiness from her. He wasn't exactly excited about the news but Stacey was smiling and that was all that mattered. This message meant he was going to spend the rest of his days lonely.
"This is amazing hunny. I'm so proud of you. You got into your dream school afterall" Jack spewed with no sign of excitement.
"Yes daddy" Stacey replied, still grinning from ear to ear.
"I already told you that you're going to get in. You're such an intelligent girl and you got that from me "Jack said, a soft smile escaped his lips.
"Thank you daddy. Let me get to packing. I have only a week to report to school. I can't wait!" Stacey responded as she scooted.
It was already a week and his baby was leaving. They said their goodbyes amidst tears and he just couldn't leave until he was certain that she was safe. Jack drove 10km away from the airport and waited to see his baby soar in the air. Prior to this time, they already made an agreement that she would write something lovely on a piece of paper and show it to him once the plane took off hence, the 10km drive into the woods.
Jack brought out his telescope with so much eagerness. He figured Stacey would write something like 'i love you dad' or 'you're the best dad in the world'. He mounted his telescope and positioned it towards Stacey flight. From the back window, just behind the wings, he saw the message "HELP!" . He smirked. Stacey must be up to something mischievous as usual.
He sent a text message to her. "Hunny. What's with the message?😃"
No response. That was strange. She never delayed to respond to his message.
"Hunny?!" Jack sent yet another text.
Still no response.
"Okay pumpkin, you're beginning to freak me out. What's going on?"
No response.
Jack's heartbeat rate increased immediately, he had a panic attack. Something must be wrong somewhere. Maybe the plane had been hijacked. Wasn't it too early to hijack a plane? Maybe she was in danger. Negative thoughts kept flowing through his mind. The fear of losing his only child enveloped him.
He immediately entered into his red hatchback and sped off, heading towards the airport.
"You have a message from pumpkin with a heart emoji" Siri said in her automated voice.
"Read the message Siri," Jack said. His car's accelerator read 72km/hr"
"Gotcha, exclamation mark. I just wanted to scare you a bit daddy. Laughing emoji, laughing emoji. I will call you once I touch down in Los Angeles. I love you" Siri read in her automated voice.
Just like that, Jack's panic attack came to an abrupt halt. "I should have known better," he said to himself as he hit the brakes . With his nerves relaxed, he replied to Stacey's text.
"I love you too pumpkin. And never try that again. I mean NEVER!" Was his response to Stacey's text.
I see a plane trying to fully accelerate above a mundane and dark forest.
I feel there is some sort of dark energy surrounding the plane's make-up. Something dark and mischievous.
This was my participation in the contest A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words organised by 
With love, wongi ✨