" Looking from the air "

“Hello, sir. Would you like a drink?” I shake my head to send the flight attendant away. They are like hawkers pushing carts here and there. People make noise as they chat, tear a plastic bag and bang the shelves’ doors shut. I sigh and put the headphone on, with no sound. I try to look through the solid window. There is a little ice stick on the outside of the glass. I try to look through it.

Down there, are the renowned big cities that we fly pass. But they look so small now. Landmarks distributed in different part of the city now aggregate together. The whole city can be viewed. Cars, houses, bridges, skyscrapers…in this size are all mixed together. I can no longer recognize each of them, but can only feel their existence from the lights they emit. I see thousands and millions of lights sparkling at the same time. White, yellow, green, red and blue... Assorted colors shine against each other, competing for a showy position.

While each of the cities trying their best to flaunt their prosperity, I feel dizzy. One city comes over one city. But all I see is one replacing another one. They all look the same. Their lights sparkle but their temperature does not reach here. Their shines become more and more harsh. I close my eyes.

Gradually, the plane climbs higher in the cold air. Metropolises shrink in size and lights faint. All of a sudden, the dark that surrounds cities become noticeable. A few curves are drawn on the continent. Some enormous figures pierce through mist. They are the mountains which are located at that place long before the cities are built. They are black in the dark. But strangely I can see their shapes. One hill connects to another. The mountain chain goes continuously. It is like the mountains work together to build a fence. Despite the vanity of the cities, they still try to look after the tiny kids who rest in their hands.

The plane keeps going up. It reaches the clouds, passes through a thick one. The time when I open my eyes again, the airplane is immersed in an abyss of darkness. The window becomes visible as light from the inside is mirrored. I try hard to see through the reflection of myself, and find that there are some glittering spots hanging on the sky. Unlike the artificial lights, they disperse themselves into distant corner in the universe. Their lights are not obvious. But still, as I pay attention to them, I can see them twinkling. These little stars mystically shine for a while, and weaken after that. Their lights are gentle to see, to admire...

Feel like a decade after, I move my sight away from the window. Lights are dimmed. The flight attendant steps on the aisle as light as a timid cat, avoiding waking up the human who are deeply asleep. I take off the headphone and the only sound in this cabin is made by the washroom door. “Swap”, passengers sneak in and out.

I close my eyes with a smile, and get into sleep calmly and comfortably.