Contents
11:23 Mid-Atlantic Time Zone (MST)
Overview
As turbulence mounts, Van resolves to stop Horation, but a flight attendant blocks him. Allie detours, arms herself with Robin’s corkscrew, and reaches Horation but cannot bring herself to stab him.
After a fraught conversation about King Sorrow and dragon-slaying, Frank Heck arrives upstairs with a gun, escalating the standoff.
Summary
In worsening turbulence, Van murmurs that the dangerous task must be his. Allie offers partnership, and her thoughts spiral through their history: her closeted desires, conversion therapy, Mona, Donna, and the Park Slope stairwell accident that nearly killed Van and ended their engagement. Their bond remains, despite pain and pretense.
Van asks Robin for a last sip of wine, pockets the empty bottle, and heads forward. Senior attendant Albert Shook blocks him, escalating tension. Allie slips aft, then crosses to the port aisle, revealing she has Robin’s corkscrew. Robin presses for answers; Allie deflects, admiring Robin’s courage and vowing only to be brave enough to reach landing.
Allie ascends to business class, where passengers pray and the in-flight movie ends. She sits beside Horation, intending to stab him but falters at the moment, grasping the visceral difficulty of killing at close quarters.
Horation says he saw King Sorrow in lightning. They discuss passengers keeping shades down, his belief in a holy well that can cleanse his taint, and Allie’s mention of Arthur’s “dragon-slaying” theory and finding a knight. Horation dismisses her story, claiming long practice detecting and correcting lies.
As the exchange tightens, Frank Heck appears at the top of the stairs with a gun and addresses Allie, turning the confrontation into an immediate, volatile standoff.
Who Appears
- Allie (Allison Shiner)Protagonist; recalls fraught past with Van, arms herself with a corkscrew, confronts Horation but hesitates to kill.
- Van (Donovan)Determined to act against Horation; moves forward with a bottle but is blocked by flight crew.
- HorationAntagonist; discusses seeing King Sorrow, believes a holy well can cleanse him, calls out Allie’s lies.
- Frank HeckAir marshal; arrives upstairs with a gun, addressing Allie and escalating the confrontation.
- Robin FellowsEditor seated with Allie and Van; challenges Allie’s secrecy, lends the wine and corkscrew.
- Albert ShookSenior flight attendant; blocks Van from proceeding, attempting to de-escalate and enforce rules.
- DonnaAllie’s friend; appears in flashbacks tied to Allie’s desire and conflict, catalyzing strain with Van.