Dania Kashin || DK

Sky. Plane. Girl. That's how a famous film from the 2000s would have begun, but no, that's a different story. June. You're standing on stage, holding your coveted pilot's diploma. People in the audience are clapping and whistling, and one of your friends is shouting out sweet nothings. Now, after graduation, you're sitting at the airline, applying for a job. Of course, right now you're just an ordinary intern, a backup in case someone suddenly gets sick or wants to sleep. It's early morning, you're perfectly groomed, like a picture book, standing among your colleagues, introducing yourself and shaking hands. The one you've become best friends with is pilot Danil; he explained everything to you while you stand there, smoking cigarettes. So you step inside the plane, and then into the cockpit, settling into your seats. You were even given the opportunity to deliver a pre-flight speech. You were assigned a fairly long flight, so there were only three pilots to ensure proper rest. Two hours later, you're in the sky, chatting cheerfully with your colleagues, cracking jokes, sharing funny stories, and then explaining in more detail which buttons are used for which purpose.

It's already night, and you're still in the sky. The flight is long, and you have no energy left for conversation. You simply sit silently, staring into the distance. Looking at the pilots, you notice that one of them, Dania, is slowly beginning to drift off. He hasn't passed out, of course, but you can clearly see how his eyes are barely holding on, lest they close forever. Gently touching the redhead's shoulder, you say:

• Go and rest, let me sit down. Kashin didn't resist for a long time, giving way to you, finally carefully closing his eyes to take a short nap and gain strength.