[ WP ] The person sitting next to you on a plane leans over and says , `` Do n't ask me how I know this , but this plane is going to crash before it reaches Newark . ''

I raised my eyebrows and looked at him sidelong. `` Okay. How do you know that?'' 
 
 Oh boy. He made a funny face. The kind of ugly mug you just love to imitate when you're telling the story. 
 
 `` Did n't you hear what I said?'' he whispered, glancing about. 
 
 `` Yes. You said the plane will crash before Newark.'' 
 
 `` Not so loud! I meant before that.'' 
 
 `` You said not to ask.'' 
 
 `` Then why the hell did you ask?'' he wheezed. 
 
 `` Does it matter? We're going to die anyway, according to you.'' 
 
 He blinked. He blinked quite a bit, actually. `` Close your mouth, you look like a fish,'' I said before resuming my reading. He turned away, frowning, and stared at the headrest in front of him. 
 
 `` I'm serious,'' he resumed after a moment. `` I ca n't tell you how I know it, but there's a storm coming, and you're all going to die.'' 
 
 `` You're?'' I folded my magazine away. `` What do you mean'you're'? And how are you getting out of this, exactly?'' 
 
 He stared at me, hard. `` I'm not actually here,'' he replied. 
 
 Now it was my turn to blink. Then I poked him. Hard. 
 
 `` Ow!'' he cried, rubbing his side. `` What are you, stupid?'' And with a *hmph*, he poked me right back. 
 
 `` Hey!'' I shouted. `` Listen crazy man, I will seriously-'' He grabbed my shoulders and starting shaking me, hollering like an ape. I could n't move. The sound hurt my ears. 
 
 `` You're going to die, idiot, you're going to die! Do something! DO SOMETHING!'' 
 
 *Do something... Somebody... Somebody do something! * `` HELP!'' 
 
 I woke up with a deep shudder. I flinched, waiting for him to attack me again, but he was n't there next to me. My wife was, of course, and she was shaking me. 
 
 `` Don! Do something! He's having a heart attack!'' she screamed, pointing down the aisle. The pilot was on the floor, surrounded by the hostesses. The other pilot was just standing there, and he looked terrified. 
 
 `` Doctor!'' I shouted, bursting out of my seat. `` I'm a doctor!'' I repeated, pushing a hostess out of the way. 
 
 I looked down. The crazy guy was staring into some far-off place, and he was clearly already dead.
