Chapter 2. The Plane Home

Hannah had plenty of time to kill on the four-hour flight. She drank some wine suggested by the flight attendants, carelessly played Candy Crush on her phone, fumbled for a book in her purse, and stumbled across the package of dice. She almost forgot them.

She took out the box and the booklet and looked at them. Hmm. Strangely, she had the feeling that she was seeing different pictures in the shop. The theme was the same, but the details were different. And ... hmm ... the woman on most of the pictures resembled her. No. She shook her head. This is just crazy. She just did not have a good look at the booklet in the store, so no wonder she had no memory of the details. And the resemblance to her could just be a coincidence.

She inspected the dice. Again that odd feeling that the images on the faces of the dice had changed. And the numbers - they did not go from 1 to 6, there were some random numbers in the range from 1 to 20. How could that be? How are they supposed to play this game?

She noticed that the passenger next to her, a handsome young man, was looking at the booklet and dice out of the corner of his eye, trying to look casual and inconspicuous. She blushed, then looked at him. Whatever, it’s just a stupid game.

“Do you, by any chance, read Arabic?” she asked. “I’m afraid I’m missing some important instructions, being limited to the pictures.”

Now it was his turn to blush. “No, sorry ... But I suppose the pictures tell it all. May I take a look?”

“Sure.”

He took the booklet, flipped through the pages and turned even redder. “Wow. I never thought it would be physically possible...”

“Let me see!”

But he slammed the booklet shut. “Sorry. I’m too shy to show you this kinky stuff.”

They looked at each other and laughed. Something - either the wine or the subject - made them feel high and playful.

“I dare you to try this game!” Hannah winked at him. “How about I roll the dice, just once, and we do what they say?”

He blushed, both with excitement and fear.

“And what if they suggest ... something explicit?”

“We’ll do it in the airplane bathroom ... or in a rented room upon arrival.”

Hannah felt mischievous. The man licked his lips.

“Well ... Okay!” He chuckled. “My name is Serge, by the way.”

“Hannah. So ... let’s roll...”

She shook the dice in her hands. Their hearts were racing. Finally, she rolled the dice on a folding table. They looked at them intently, then sighed with relief.

“To kiss ... with a...”

“A stranger, I suppose. That would be my interpretation of the pictogram...”

“ ... twice.”

They looked at each other, laughed, hugged and kissed. Then they kissed again.

“Mmm ... You are good at that...” Hannah purred.

Serge smiled. “Shall we roll the dice again?”

“To see if they suggest something we both want anyway?”

They hugged again.

“Let’s just do it. And I suggest the room on arrival, there is too little room in the bathroom here.”

She took the dice away.

They chatted happily for the rest of the flight. When they arrived, they rented the room and everything was perfect for them. Then they left for their hometowns and never saw each other again.