Nan's hand shook as she dialed the phone. She listened to it ring, and then Tom's voice came on the phone.
"Hello?"
"Tom, it's me...Nan." Her voice quavered.
"What's the matter? Where are you?"
"I'm at the airport. Can you come down and pick me up?"
"I thought you were going to fly down to Miami tonight."
"I was, but I didn't get on the plane."
"Why not? What's the matter? You sound as though you're shook up."
"I am shook up! I can't get myself to stop shaking." Nan tried to calm herself. Slowly she said, "The plane crashed just after takeoff. The emergency crews are out there now getting the injured to the hospital. It looks like almost everyone will be OK, but ..."
"Oh no! Are you all right?"
"I'm fine. I didn't get on the plane. I knew something was wrong because of a dream I had."
"What do you mean, a dream?"
"Last night I dreamed that I was asleep, and I woke up to this funny light coming in my window. I got up and looked out the window and there was this big, black limo... the kind they use at funerals to carry the coffin. And then this man looked up and saw me at the window. He waved, and then he said, 'C'mon. There's room for you." Then I woke up. It scared me because it was such a weird dream."
"Uh, bad dream all right. But what did the dream have to do with you not getting on the plane?"
"Well, I was standing in line waiting to get my boarding pass, when I saw the ticket agent and, Tom, it was the same man as the driver in my dream... and he said the same thing. He said, 'C'mon, there's room for you!"
"Then what happened?"
"I ran out of there as fast as I could. I ended up in the observation area where the big windows are. I was shaking so much I just sat down and stared out the windows at the airfield. I thought I was nuts. But a few minutes later I saw it - the plane, I mean. It started to take off, but then it just nosed down and hit the runway. Oh, Tom, it was awful! Please come and get me."
Nan started to cry.
"I'll be right there, Nan. Don't move, I'm coming. Thank goodness you're OK."
Nan heard the phone click. She knew Tom was on his way. She staggered over to a seat and sank down into it, facing away from the huge windows.