The Pilot (backstory to 'The Black Aeroplane')

The pilot in the Dakota was brave, I had to give him that. Imagine so confidently just flying into the storm with just one tank of fuel. Soon, the devices would stop working. The clouds did that to them. Normally I would just watch them, flying slowly behind them till they ran out of fuel, or if they were lucky enough, get out of the clouds. Watching them fly out of the clouds always mocks me. It was so easy for them. Why couldn't it be the same for me?

I watched the pilot of the Dakota attempt to steer through the clouds. The fuselage seemed kind of familiar though. Had I seen this plane before? It kind of felt like when you look at a flower on the bush you can tell what kind it is, but when it's standalone you could easily mistake it for something else. This plane was somewhat like that. Had I seen it in a group of planes before maybe? Ugh, I hate it when a plane seems familiar. It may just be someone you knew and you're stuck doing the 'right thing' and guiding it out of your clouds. With a sigh, I got the attention of the pilot. He looked familiar too. A bit like me if I may say so. I guided him out of the clouds and watched him land. By now flying around here was perhaps the easiest thing ever. You know all the ways in and out of this place. Sadly you just can't use them. Yep. I'm a ghost. Stuck in a storm. Pretty gloomy, right? Yeah, I agree.

After the Dakota landed, it suddenly hit me. I've seen this plane before. I've flown this plane before. IT'S MY GODDAMNED PLANE! And what was my younger brother doing flying around into storms? Okay, I think I should explain to you who I am and why I'm in this cloud.

I come from a rich English family. From the start, I was really fascinated with planes. There was something about flying through the clouds in a metal box that just seemed so appealing. Being from the family I was, I got a chance to fulfill that dream. Eventually, I got to join a flying club. I learned how to fly a plane, and I was really good at it. I was finally flying through the clouds in a metal box like I always wanted. But of course, confidence can eventually lead to overconfidence. That kinda runs in the family.

I had been learning to fly a plane for three years. I decided I could finally take a flight on my own. On my insistence, my dad got me the Dakota. Man did I love that plane. I literally lived on that plane for another year or so. And then came the next. An icon A5. The Dakota suddenly started spending a lot of time parked in the hangar, unused. Soon my brother grew older and began to follow in my footsteps, falling in love with flying. Of course, back then he was too young to fly on his own. He was always in the passenger seat, with me taking him on rides.

Eventually, I got to join a flying club. I learned how to fly a plane, and I was real good at it. I was finally flying through the clouds in a metal box like I always wanted. But of course, confidence can eventually lead to overconfidence. That kinda runs in the family.

I had been learning to fly a plane for three years. I decided I could finally take a flight on my own. On my insistence, my dad got me the Dakota. Man did I love that plane. I literally lived on that plane for another year or so. And then came the next. An icon A5. The Dakota suddenly started spending a lot of time parked in the hangar, unused. Soon my brother grew older and began to follow in my footsteps, falling in love with flying. Of course, back then he was too young to fly on his own. He was always in the passenger seat, with me taking him on rides. 

A few years ago, I decided to take fly to Paris for a week. The area between Paris and London seemed to be all clear, and perfect weather for flying. I started off, not knowing this would probably be my last flight. While I was alive, that is. I had two tankfuls of fuel. Halfway there, I reached a storm. Even though I had enough fuel to fly around it, I decided I'd fly through it instead. After a few minutes, all my devices and my lights stopped working. I was nervous. I spent the last few hours of my life flying around in a circle trying to get out of those storm clouds. Eventually, the fuel ran out and I prepared for the fall. But, surprisingly, it never came. Instead, I watched my plane fall down and get lost in the dark clouds. Shocked, I wondered how I didn't fall. Then it hit me. I was sitting on the cloud. No that's not it. Oh, right. I was a ghost now.

I pretty much spend all my time these days flying around in the storm watching other pilots. I try to fly out with them, but after a bit of distance, the storm just starts following me. Between me and you, I think it needs me. Well after today, I think maybe I need it too. Maybe I'll get to see my brother again.