Upon the MH17 flight from Amsterdam to Bangkok

*everything in the following story is fictional, Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental

by Kon Hans

She was smiling.  Not because her company was telling her so, but because she was genuinely happy.  Her face was shining as she was boarding the plane as she did a hundred times before.  Only this time, she was about to be married.  It has been a year following their decision, hers and Dany, until she finally managed to find some time and organize everything so that her annual leave and her roster could agree with the date of her marriage.  The life of a cabin crew has obvious difficulties but can also be rewarding in so many other ways.  Like now, for example, as she was welcoming aboard this beautiful family with their small cute child, with eyes of the deepest blue of the ocean.  Could she and Dany, make such a pretty family? She was sure of it! "Dany", she thought, "here I come to you to be your future wife", and she scarcely could believe it, as her eyes met with the beautiful eyes of the mother holding the small child.  Now, she knew where this blue came from!

Mother's name was Julie and she was holding her treasure tightly in her embrace: little Peter.  7 months old, a pretty little face with huge blue eyes, that were looking in her eyes as she was holding her husband's hand.  Jef was clear from the beginning: it is never too late for a second honeymoon or a third for that matter.  She was afraid, at the beginning, for little Peter but eventually she cherished on the thought of a trip to their beloved Bangkok.  Now, as she was aboard the plane, magnetized by the genuine and pretty smile of the stewardess before her, she was happy for her decision to take this trip.  The nametag on the splendid, colorful Malaysian uniform of the stewardess was saying "Blanca".  She seemed so beautiful and so sweet as she was welcoming them and showing to their seats.  Definitely a nice and warm person; she would remember her.

The take-off was smooth, and soon after, Amsterdam was but a spot behind.  The trip was pleasant and after 2 hours they met some small turbulences, flying over Ukraine, nothing to worry about and Blanca was always there, attentive, to make them feel safe.  After a while, and as Blanca was heading to the galley a sudden explosion shook the plane violently .  She fell down, the lights went off, she heard screaming and terrible sounds all over, the plane was falling, all was happening so fast.  She wanted to get up and help, her training kicked in, but she could not move.  She thought of the baby with the big blue eyes and she thought of Dany.  A second explosion, shook the plane more violently and she instantly knew that all was lost, her life was plummeting fast to an end, she only whispered "Dany" with an unborn tear in the corner of her eye. 

Small Peter was looking the chaos unleashing before him as her mother hold him tight in her arms and screamed.  He was looking at everything, the fallen masks, the lights going off, everything, with his innocent big blue eyes.  Life was too short for him. 

An unbearable noise.  A flash.  And darkness. Forever.

298 people died aboard the flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Bangkok on the 17th of July. They have been obliterated by the most cowardly act on the face of the earth; that of people killing civilians because they don't bear to face what they fear the most: themselves.