The cabin temperature dipped slightly, enough to raise goosebumps on Alyssa’s arms. She pulled her jacket closer, aware of how sealed the space suddenly felt. The doors were closed. The windows were small. The air seemed recycled. Whatever was happening, there would be no easy exit now.
The flight attendant returned to Alyssa’s row. Her face was tight, the urgency from before sharpened into something closer to dread. She didn’t speak. She didn’t smile. Her attention went straight to the seat number, as if trying to understand a complex mathematical problem.