JFK - LHR: A Christmas Chat Story (First Draft)

​I discovered an app this week called HOOKED. It is an app for people to read and write chat stories (stories told via text message). I thought the idea fascinating. I had an idea for a story this past Christmas when I took a red-eye flight home on Christmas Eve. At the time, I thought it would be a fun story if told via twitter. I started it, but didn’t finish it. When I read about the HOOKED app, I immediately thought of this story and decided to take another shot at it. Instead of telling the story via tweets, I would write the story as chat messages.
 
This is my first draft of the story. It’s a bit rough in spots, but I thought I would share what I’ve have. My goal is to rewrite and polish over the next week and post the story in HOOKED by next weekend. 

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JFK -> LHR:  A Christmas (Chat) Story

Ben 
You still up?


Ben
Soon. Hoping no one is seated next me.
​I can 't sleep on these flights



Ben
Sorry


Ben
I mean it


Ben
Do you think Max heard us?


Ben
​What are we going to do?


Ben
​Once I get the restaurant opened everything will change. U, me, Max
we’ll go somewhere

Ben
​I love u


Ben
I’ll call you when I get to London.
Merry Christmas :)

Laura
Yes. Cleaning up a bit. When’s ur flight leave?



Laura
Can’t imagine there are a lot of people traveling on xmas night


Laura
Ok


Laura
I know


Laura
Don’t know. But he HAS heard us


Laura
What are YOU going to do?



Laura
You’ve said that before


Laura
I know



Laura
G’night

Ben
Hope ur phone is silent
and this doesn’t wake you.
​I can’t sleep. Staring out the window

Ben
I can see the Northern Lights..
They are really pretty

Ben
Thinking about you.
I know I made a lot of promises


Ben
​You’re still awake?


Ben
Sorry

Ben
OMG
​

​








Laura
​Ben?


Laura
​Heard phone vibrating on nightstand





Laura
​What?

Ben
Shooting star. right next to the plane.
A red streak

Ben
CRAZY. You gotta see this

Ben
OK that’s weird.
​Took a pic but the streak doesn’t appear

Ben
OMG OMG OMG
​You'll never believe this


Ben
The streak, I think... it’s Santa Clause


Ben
I'M SERIOUS This is nuts!
Santa is flying next to the plan

Ben
Reindeer are much bigger
​than in the movies


Ben
I’m not joking 

Laura
​Everything ok?



Laura
What? What is it?


Laura
​lol






Laura
ha ha. Goodnight


Laura
​have you been drinking?

Ben
​Not a drop. This is INSANE


Ben
I’m not the only one. Kid in 19A sees it too.
​Everyone else is sleeping


Ben
Wait! Something is wrong with Santa
Slumped over
​Reindeer keep looking back at him


Ben
There's an elf! He’s waving his arms.
​Looks like he’s trying to say something


Ben
Just got real
Kid in 19A whispers
“Santa needs our help”
I don’t hear anything.
​Kid says it’s b/c I’m adult 

​Laura
ur INSANE



Laura
​I’m going back to sleep




Laura
Oh no! Is Santa dead?  ;)



Laura
​An elf? Does he look like Will Ferrell?





Laura
well if santa needs help, I guess you better help him :)

Ben
Sounds like Santa got into some
bad milk and cookies.
Needs boost of xmas spirit to get home



Ben
Good idea!








Ben
Turns out waking people
in middle of night ​to sing
does NOT boost Christmas spirit


Ben
19A kid says it’s all wrong.
Santa doesn’t want singing or cookies
​He doesn’t care if people believe in him


Ben
​Dope






​Ben
No wait. HOPE, not dope.
Santa wants us to have HOPE


Ben
Are you hopeful?


Ben
Me too

Ben
​Go downstairs


Ben
I hitched a ride from a friend
​and his reindeer
I’m home

Laura
Maybe you could wake the plane and have everyone sing “We wish you a Merry Christmas”


Laura
I wasn't serious

Laura
Ben?

Laura
Ben!





Laura
You're ridiculous




Laura
​Then what does Santa want?


Laura
​Dope?
Santa wants get high?

Laura
​Not that I can blame him;)



Laura
<3


Laura
​I want to be





Laura
​huh?
​