One Last Flight
3:17 a.m.
Sleep had abandoned Brian hours ago.He sat on the cold concrete step outside his tiny one-room house, his back resting against the rusty metal door. The estate was unusually quiet.
Even the children who usually cried through the night had surrendered to sleep.Only the distant barking of dogs and the occasional rumble of a lorry broke the silence.Brian stared at his phone.
Battery: 2%.
His thumb trembled as he refreshed the screen.Nothing.He refreshed it again.His phone vibrated.Mum Calling...
He watched it ring until it stopped.A few seconds later, another notification appeared.17 Missed Calls. He closed his eyes.
Three months ago, he never ignored his mother's calls. She was the first person he spoke to every morning.Now, he couldn't bring himself to answer.What would he tell her?That the son she believed in had become...