吻別，祈禱：馬航MH17遇難者生前最後幾小時

In a bedroom in a townhouse near Amsterdam, Miguel Panduwinata reached out for his mother. "Mama, may I hug you?"

Samira Calehr wrapped her arms around her 11-year-old son, who'd been oddly agitated for days, peppering her with questions about death, about his soul, about God. The next morning, she would drop Miguel and his big brother Shaka at the airport so they could catch Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, the first leg of their journey to Bali to visit their grandmother.

Her normally cheerful, well-traveled boy should have been excited. His silver suitcase sat in the living room, ready to go. Jetskiing and surfing in paradise awaited. But something was off. A day earlier, while playing soccer, Miguel had burst out: "How would you choose to die? What would happen to my body if I was buried? Would I not feel anything because our souls go back to God?"

And now, the night before his big trip, Miguel refused to release his mother from his grasp.

He's just going to miss me, Calehr told herself. So she stretched out beside him and held him all night.

It was 11 p.m. on Wednesday, July 16. Miguel, Shaka and the 296 other people aboard Flight 17 had around 15 hours left to live.

———

The Boeing 777 tasked with shepherding its passengers from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, held the promise of beginnings and endings for many on board: the thrill of a new adventure or dream vacation for some, and the comfort of going back home for others.

It was love and a fresh start that had lured Willem Grootscholten aboard. The burly, 53-year-old divorced former soldier from the Netherlands — a gentle giant of a man — had sold his house and was moving to Bali to build a new life with his darling Christine, a guesthouse owner.

He'd met her by chance on a trip to the Indonesian island last year.

Christine, who like many Indonesians has only one name, had heard through a friend that some guy had fallen off a cliff and hurt his back. She told her friend to take him to a traditional healer she knew. The next day, Grootscholten called Christine to thank her.

They connected over coffee. Grootscholten had to return to Amsterdam, where he was working as a bouncer at a pot-selling cafe. But the two stayed in touch online, and their relationship blossomed. On New Year's Eve, he surprised her by showing up at her doorstep. He stayed three weeks.

The father of Christine's two children, 14-year-old Dustin and 8-year-old Stephanie, had died six years ago, and they quickly bonded with Grootscholten, calling him "Daddy." The four stayed in touch online. Almost every day, they shared meals via Skype by placing their iPads on their tables during dinner for Christine's family and lunch for Grootscholten.

In May, Grootscholten returned to Bali to celebrate Christine's birthday and told her he wanted to spend the rest of his life beside her. She drove him to the airport on June 3 and kissed him goodbye.

It would be their last kiss.

———

For 29-year-old New Zealander Rob Ayley, Flight 17 marked both the end of a month-long European trip and the start of a new career.

Life hadn't always been easy for Ayley. Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome as a teen, he'd struggled to understand others' emotions. At 16, he dropped out of school and hopped from job to job — fast food, horticulture, cheese-making. He flitted between obsessions, from cars to drumming and eventually, to Rottweilers, after his parents bought him a puppy.

Along the way, he fell in love with a woman named Sharlene. They married and had two sons, Seth and Taylor. Fatherhood changed him; he was determined to provide for his family. He enrolled in college to study chemical engineering and decided to turn his Rottweiler fixation into a profit by becoming a breeder.

That dream prompted Ayley to book a trip to Europe with his friend Bill Patterson, a kennel owner. Ayley's goal: to look at Rottweilers and hopefully bring back breeding dogs to New Zealand.

The duo spent a month driving all over Europe, visiting kennels and grabbing a coffee, beer or meal with the owners. They delighted in speeding along the German autobahns in the small Peugeot they'd rented.

Finally, it was time to come home. On Wednesday night, Ayley sent his mother an email:

"It's been a long, long journey. We've seen the world's greatest Rottweilers, we have established contacts, and made life-long friends, but now I'm just ready to come home. I hope all is well, if we don't talk before hand, I will see you on Saturday. Lots of Love Rob"

Flight attendant Sanjid Singh was looking forward to getting home, too. He hadn't originally been scheduled for Flight 17, but he wanted to get back to Malaysia a day early to visit his parents in northern Penang state. So he asked a colleague to switch shifts.

Only five months ago, a similar last-minute switch had saved his family. His wife, also a flight attendant, had agreed to swap assignments with a colleague who wanted to be on board Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The plane vanished en route to Beijing.

The near-miss rattled Singh's parents, who fretted about the pair continuing to fly. But Singh was pragmatic. "If I am fated to die, I will die," he said. "You have to accept it."

On Wednesday, he called his mother and told her the good news — he'd nabbed a spot on Flight 17 and would be there on Friday. Take care of yourself, he told his mother.

After they hung up, she said a prayer for Singh, the way she always did.

———

Family was also the reason Irene Gunawan had booked a seat on Flight 17.

She was headed to an annual family reunion in the Philippines: a major event held at a resort that would include specially-designed shirts, drinking, singing and dancing. And 53-year-old Gunawan would — as always — be the star.

Gunawan was the light and laughter of her clan. The fifth of six children, the bubbly, music-loving girl had wanted to see the world outside her sleepy rural village. After high school, she moved to Japan to sing and drum in a band. There, she met Budy, a fellow band member.

They toured Europe together, playing music and eventually falling in love. They married and settled in the Netherlands, where she gave birth to Daryll and Sheryll, now 19 and 14. Gunawan took up office work, and sent money to her family in the Philippines. Budy worked as a supervisor at Malaysia Airlines in Amsterdam.

Gunawan flew back occasionally to the family's neighborhood, called "Heaven," in the town of Pagbilao, outside Manila. At reunions, she belted out songs by Norah Jones and Diana Ross. When neighbors heard the music, they knew she was in town.

This year, the couple and their two children were flying to Pagbilao, and Daryll was bringing his DJ equipment. They'd planned to leave earlier, but a typhoon was lashing the Philippines, so they delayed their trip until it subsided.

By chance, they nabbed seats on Flight 17.

Albert and Maree Rizk weren't supposed to be on that flight either.

Every year, the fun-loving 50-somethings from Melbourne, Australia, went on a month-long vacation with friends. They had hopscotched the globe, from Thailand to Fiji to Europe.

This time, the Rizks had nearly skipped the trip due to family commitments. Family came first for Albert, a real estate agent, and Maree, parents of two and beloved fixtures in their community.

A change of plans freed them up to join their friends, Ross and Sue Campbell, but they weren't able to snag a seat on the Campbells' return flight. So they bought tickets for the same route, a day later: Flight 17.

The Rizks and the Campbells had become more like family than friends since Sue and Maree met at a mother's group when their now-grown children were babies. They had a ball traveling through Italy, Switzerland and Germany. It felt like they'd laughed for a solid month. Together, they realized a lifelong goal: climbing to the top of the Klein Matterhorn in Switzerland.

On Tuesday night, the four gathered at an Italian restaurant for a final meal. They reminisced about their latest adventure — one of their best — and made plans for a reunion back in Australia. On Saturday, they would get together to feast on the delicious Dutch cheese they'd bought, drink wine and pore over their vacation photos.

The four headed back to the hotel, exchanged hugs and retired to their rooms.

Some friends were surprised that the Rizks were willing to fly Malaysia Airlines, after the disappearance of Flight 370. Maree's stepmother, Kaylene Mann, had lost her brother and sister-in-law in the disaster.

Albert's buddy of 30 years, Jack Medcraft, got in a friendly dig: Why Malaysia Airlines?

"Lightning never strikes twice," Albert replied.

They burst out laughing. The nonchalant explanation had a double meaning.

Albert's house had been struck by lightning last year.

———

Thursday, July 17, dawned warm and sunny in Amsterdam.

Before leaving his house for Schiphol Airport, Grootscholten called Christine and the children for one last Skype chat. He was so excited, he began to dance.

"Daddy's flying to see you!" he told the kids. "We will be together forever!"

Meanwhile, Ayley was struggling. Patterson, his Rottweiler business partner, had flown out Wednesday, so he had to get himself to the airport — and it was not going well. "Missed the airport bus," he wrote to his wife on Facebook. "Waiting for the next one."

Back in Malaysia, Singh's excited parents awaited their flight attendant son's arrival. His mother had prepared his favorite dishes — spicy prawns, blue crab curry, roast pork and vegetables.

Irene Gunawan couldn't wait to get home to Heaven to see her own family. She asked her sister-in-law to make that syrupy custard cake she loved. Gunawan's daughter was eager to stop at Jollibee, a popular burger chain.

Samira Calehr and her friend Aan had ushered her sons onto the train to the airport. They were joking and laughing, excited to spend time with their grandmother in the mountains of Bali. Shaka, 19, had just finished his first year of college, where he was studying textile engineering, and promised to keep an eye on Miguel. Their other brother, Mika, 16, hadn't been able to get a seat on Flight 17 and would travel to Bali the next day.

At the check-in counter, Calehr fussed over her boys' luggage. Shaka, meanwhile, realized he'd forgotten to pack socks. Calehr promised to buy him some and send them along with Mika.

Finally, they were outside customs. The boys hugged Calehr goodbye and walked toward passport control. Suddenly, Miguel whirled around and ran back, throwing his arms around his mother.

"Mama, I'm going to miss you," he said. "What will happen if the airplane crashes?"

What was this all about? she wondered.

"Don't say that," she said, squeezing him. "Everything will be OK."

Shaka tried to reassure them both. "I will take care of him," he said to his mom. "He's my baby."

She watched the two boys walk away. But Miguel kept looking back at his mother. His big brown eyes looked sad.

Then he vanished from view.

———

They all converged at Gate G3.

Singh and his fellow flight attendants finished their preparations. The announcement finally rang out. It was time to board.

Miguel and Shaka made their way to their seats in the first row of economy. Grootscholten was in the same row, two seats to their left. He'd just changed his Facebook cover photo to an image of Schiphol's air traffic control tower.

Farther back, Ayley settled into his seat. Against all odds, he'd made it. The anxious flier had shot one final message to his friend Patterson: "Gidday mate, leaving Amsterdam now. Great trip, not looking forward to the plane."

Up front, Albert and Maree Rizk slid into the first row of business class. Budy Gunawan sat down next to Maree. His wife Irene and their children settled in a few rows behind them. They'd been among the last to check in.

Irene, still worried about how her family was coping with the typhoon, sent one last text to her sister-in-law: "Hehehe Lov u, turning off cellphone, time to take care always, you may get hit by falling trees."

She was on her way to Heaven.

———

Flight 17 took off around 12:15 p.m. on what should have been an 11 hour and 45 minute flight.

It lasted two hours.

———

The bodies began to fall. The phones began to ring. The confusion erupted, the hearts broke. And the twists of fate or happenstance that brought these people to this plane on this day unfurled.

In New Zealand, Ayley's frantic family began sending him messages, hoping his email about missing the bus meant he'd also missed the flight.

"Your booked plane has been blown up, literally," his mother Wendie wrote. "So wherever you are, whatever mess you're finding yourself in, we'd be delighted to hear that you missed your flight. ... We love you heaps and heaps and we just want to know you're alive my darling."

In Australia, the Campbells had just arrived when they heard that a Malaysia Airlines plane had been shot down over Ukraine. Fearing the worst, they rushed over to the Rizks' house to check on their kids. And for the second time in five months, Maree's stepmother learned she'd lost a loved one to a Malaysia Airlines disaster.

In Bali, Christine prayed. "Hope you will be fine... ohhhhhhhhhh GODDDDDDDDDDDD... PLEASEEEEEEEEEE!!! I beg You..." she posted on Facebook.

And in Amsterdam, Calehr had just finished buying Shaka's socks when her phone rang. It was her friend Aan. "Where are you?" he screamed. "The plane crashed!"

She made it home just in time to faint.

———

They grapple now with the what-ifs, the astronomical odds, the realization that the world they knew has turned alien in a blink.

In the Philippines, the Gunawan family home has grown quiet. Irene is gone, and with her, the community's joy.

Friends stop by to offer condolences and pray. Irene smiles out of an old picture on an altar ringed by candles. A videoke machine and microphone she bought on her last visit lie idle in the corner.

Her best friend, Zenaida Ecal, is furious. What does she want as punishment for those who stole Irene?

"What is worse than death?" she replies.

In Malaysia, the food Singh's mother had so lovingly prepared remains in the fridge. She cannot bear to look at it.

The parents cannot comprehend how something as simple as a swapped shift could have proven so kind to their daughter-in-law and so cruel to their son.

"It saved her life," Jihar Singh says. "Now my son has saved someone else's life."

In New Zealand, Wendie Ayley's work as a hospice nurse has given her a different perspective. She knows the end must come for everyone, including her son, who missed the bus but not the flight.

"When he died he was 30,000 feet closer to God. He would have known he was dead, and opened his wings," she says. "I believe his first thought would have been, 'This is awesome.'"

In the Netherlands, Samira Calehr thinks about how her baby boy seemed to sense that his time on earth was running short. She imagines the futures that will never be: Shaka's dream of becoming a textile engineer, gone. Miguel's dream of becoming a go-kart race driver, gone.

How could he have known? How could she have known?

"I should have listened to him," she says softly. "I should have listened to him."在阿姆斯特丹附近的別墅裏的臥室，米格爾•潘杜維納塔問他媽媽：“媽媽，我可以抱您嗎？”

薩米拉• 卡勒赫擁抱了她11歲的兒子米格爾。米格爾最近幾天莫名地焦躁不安，不斷問媽媽關於生死、靈魂與上帝的問題。第二天上午，她送米格爾和米格爾的哥哥沙卡到機場搭乘馬來西亞航空MH17到達吉隆坡，轉而前往巴厘島探望他們的祖母。

她的兒子一向開朗、四處旅遊，本來應對此次旅行十分興奮。他銀色的旅行箱已經在客廳準備就緒。巴厘島這個人間天堂的飛艇衝浪正在等他。但是事情有些不對。一天前，米格爾在踢足球的時候突然叫喊道：“你會如何選擇死亡？如果我被埋葬，我的身體將會怎樣？是否我將因靈魂迴歸上帝而感覺不到任何東西？”

而現在，就在長途旅行的前一晚，米格爾緊緊擁抱着他的母親，久久不願鬆開。

卡勒赫告訴自己，他這樣一定是捨不得我。所以她一整夜都抱着兒子。

這是7月16日，星期三，晚上11點。15個小時以後，米格爾、沙卡和馬航客機MH17上其他的296名乘客墜機喪生。

———

這架波音777飛機從阿姆斯特丹飛往馬來西亞吉隆坡，爲乘客帶去啓程與歸途的希望：對一些乘客來說，啓程就是踏上新的旅程，開啓夢幻假期的激動心情；對於另一些乘客而言，歸途，就是回到溫暖舒適的家。

乘客威廉•大斯科爾滕搭乘飛機，去追求他的愛情和新生活。53歲的他是一位高大結實的退伍軍人，離過婚，買了房子準備搬到巴厘島和他的心愛之人克莉絲汀開啓新生活。他們是在去年到印度尼西亞的海島旅遊時相遇的。

克莉絲汀就和其他多數印尼人一樣只有名，沒有姓。當時在旅遊的時候，聽到一個朋友說有人從懸崖上摔下，背部受傷。她告訴朋友，請他幫忙將這個人也就是大斯科爾滕帶到她認識的一個傳統治療師。轉天，大斯科爾滕打電話給克莉絲汀表示感謝。

他們相約喝了咖啡，就此相識。之後，大斯科爾滕動身返回阿姆斯特丹，他在阿姆斯特丹是一位咖啡館的保安。但是之後他們倆通過網絡聯繫，愛情之花由此綻放。新年伊始，大斯科爾滕悄悄到克莉絲汀家，給了她一個驚喜。之後在印尼一呆就是三個星期。

克莉絲汀有兩個孩子：14歲的達斯汀和8歲的斯蒂芬妮，兩個孩子的父親六年前去世。兩個孩子很快就和大斯科爾滕相熟，管他叫“爸爸”。他們四個之後也一直在網絡上保持聯繫。他們幾乎每天都用iPad放在桌上，通過Skype軟件分享克莉絲汀一家的晚餐和大斯科爾滕的午餐。

五月，大斯科爾滕回到巴厘島爲克莉絲汀慶生，並告訴她他願用餘生與其相伴相隨。6月3日，克莉絲汀送他去機場，並深情吻別。

這就是他們的最後一吻。

———

對於29歲的新西蘭人羅伯•艾力來說，馬航MH17既是爲期一個月歐洲之旅的終點，也是職業的新開端。

艾力的生活並非一帆風順。他在少年時期就被診斷出患有阿斯伯格綜合症，理解別人的情緒有障礙。16歲時，他輟學，之後換了一個又一個工作，從快餐店到園藝工再到做奶酪。他對許多事情都曾經癡迷過，從汽車，到打鼓，最後他父母給他買了一隻小狗之後，他又愛上了這種羅特韋爾犬。

後來，他愛上了一個名叫莎琳的女人。他們結了婚，生了兩個兒子，賽斯和泰勒。做了父親後，艾力變了很多；他決定要供養家庭。他考入大學，學習化學工程，並決定成爲一位飼養員，這樣他可以將自己對羅特韋爾犬的癡迷變成生財之道。

爲了這個夢想，他踏上歐洲之旅，拜訪他的朋友比爾•帕特森，這是一位養狗場場主。艾力的目標是找到好的羅特韋爾種狗，並帶回新西蘭。

二人一個月內遊遍歐洲，拜訪養狗場，和場主喝喝咖啡、啤酒，吃吃飯。他們租了一輛標緻小車，在德國的高速公路馳騁，心情暢快。

終於，他準備踏上歸途。7月16日晚，艾力給媽媽發了一封郵件，寫道：“漫長的旅途終於要結束了。我們找到了世界上最好的羅特韋爾犬，我們將保持聯繫，併成爲一生的好朋友。但是現在，我準備回家了。我希望一切都能順利。如果沒有另行告知，你週六就能見到我了。愛你，羅伯”

乘務人員撒吉德•辛格也準備回家。他原本訂的不是MH17的航班，但是他想提早一天回家見他在馬來西亞檳城北部的父母。所以他託一位同事和他調班。

就在五月前，一次更換航班拯救了他的家庭。他的妻子，也是一位乘務人員，答應了一位同事調班要求，沒有登上馬航MH370客機。MH370在飛往北京的途中失去聯繫。

這次失聯事件讓辛格的父母惶惶不安，小兩口還得接着飛。但是辛格卻很實際，他說：“如果我命中註定離去，那就離去吧。人得接受命運的安排。”

7月16日，他打電話給媽媽，告知好消息：他調班到了MH17客機，週五就能相見，希望媽媽保重。

放下電話，辛格的媽媽做了一次禱告，就像往常一樣。

———

艾琳•古納萬因爲家庭搭乘了馬航MH17航班。

她前往菲律賓參加一年一次的家庭聚會，這個盛大聚會在度假勝地舉行，人們要穿着特殊定做的襯衫，喝酒、唱歌、跳舞。53歲的古納萬一定會像往常一樣成爲聚會的明星。

古納萬是家族的焦點，總會給大家帶來快樂。她是家裏六個孩子中的老五，陽光，開朗，喜歡音樂，一直希望能從寧靜的鄉村去外面的世界看看。中學的時候，古納萬去日本組建樂隊，負責唱歌和打鼓。在日本，古納萬結識了巴迪，樂隊中的一位成員。

他們一起環遊歐洲、一起玩音樂、最終墜入愛河。他們在荷蘭結婚並定居，生了兩個孩子，19歲的達利爾和14歲的謝麗爾。古納萬找了一份辦公室的工作，掙的錢裏的一部分寄回菲律賓的家。巴迪成爲馬來西亞航空公司在阿姆斯特丹的一位主管。

古納萬偶爾會飛回菲律賓馬尼拉附近的帕格比勞鎮的家，她管那裏叫做“天堂”。在家庭聚會上，她深情演唱諾拉•瓊斯和戴安娜•羅斯的歌。鄰居們聽到歌聲，就知道古納萬回家了。

今年，古納萬夫婦與兩個孩子準備一起回帕格比勞，達利爾還帶上了他的DJ設備。他們原本計劃早點出發，但是由於颱風席捲了菲律賓，他們推遲了出行計劃，直到颱風離去。

就這樣，他們意外地搭上了馬航MH17航班。

阿爾伯特•利茲克和瑪麗•利茲克原本也不打算搭乘這一航班的。

每一年，這一對喜歡玩樂的50幾歲的夫婦都要從澳大利亞墨爾本出發，踏上爲期一個月的探友之旅。他們的旅程遍佈全球，從泰國到斐濟再到歐洲。

這一次，這對夫婦差一點就不用踏上旅程，因爲他們要顧及家庭。阿爾伯特是一名房地產代理商，而瑪麗是兩個孩子的母親。他們深愛着這個社區，對他們來說，家庭擺在第一位。

但是由於計劃有變，他們可以和他們的朋友羅斯•坎貝爾和蘇•坎貝爾一起走，但是他們卻沒能和坎貝爾一起搭上同一架返程班機。所以他們買了一天後同一個路線的MH17航班。

利茲剋夫婦和坎貝爾夫婦十分友愛，與其說是朋友，不如說更像一家人。蘇和瑪麗在一個媽媽團體中相識，他們的孩子也都還小。他們一起環遊了意大利•、瑞士與德國。那一個月彷彿歡笑一直不斷。他們一起定下了一個目標：他們要一起登頂瑞士的小馬特宏峯。

7月15日晚，他們四人聚在意大利的餐廳，一起享用這趟旅程的最後一餐。這趟旅程是他們最好的旅行之一，他們一同回憶，並計劃回到澳大利亞要再相聚。他們原本計劃7月19日晚上一起聚會，享用他們買的美味的荷蘭奶酪，一起喝酒，一起欣賞旅行的照片。

他們四人回到旅館，相互擁抱，回到各自房間休息。

一些朋友對他們在馬航MH370客機失聯一事之後還願意乘坐馬來西亞航空公司的飛機而感到十分詫異。瑪麗的繼母，凱琳•馬恩就在那次事件中失去了哥哥和丈夫的姐姐。

和阿爾伯特有30年交情的好兄弟傑克•梅德科拉夫特友善地開他玩笑：爲什麼選馬航？

阿爾伯特回答：“電閃無二次”。

他們都笑了。這次不經意的解釋現在看來卻有另一層意思。

阿爾伯特的房子去年被閃電擊中過。

———

7月17日，星期四，阿姆斯特丹的破曉陽光和煦。

大斯科爾滕在離家前往史基浦機場之前，用Skype給克莉絲汀以及兩個孩子打了最後一通電話。他太興奮了，跳起了舞。

他告訴孩子們：“爸爸要飛來見你們啦！我們要永遠在一起！”

同時，艾力就不怎麼順利了。他的羅特韋爾犬生意夥伴帕特森7月16日就提前飛走了，所以他要自己去機場，路上很不順利。他在臉譜網(Facebook)上和妻子寫道：“錯過機場大巴了。只好再等下一班”。

辛格的父母在馬來西亞激動地等待他們的空乘兒子回家。他的媽媽做了他最喜歡的菜——辣蝦、咖喱螃蟹、烤豬肉和蔬菜。

艾琳•古納萬等不及要回家，要回到“天堂”與家族團聚。她請她的妹妹做了她最愛的糖漿乳蛋餅。古納萬的女兒盼望着能去菲律賓很受歡迎的漢堡連鎖店“快樂蜂”。

薩米拉•卡勒赫和他的朋友安陪她的兒子上了機場快軌。他們開着玩笑，對於能夠去巴厘島的山裏陪他們的祖母感到十分開心。沙卡剛剛上完大學一年級，學的是紡織工程專業，他答應會照顧好米格爾。他們另一個兄弟米卡，今年16歲，沒能趕上馬航MH17，只能隔天飛去巴厘島。

卡勒赫在登機手續辦理櫃檯忙着辦理她兒子們的行李託運手續。這時，沙卡發現他忘記帶襪子。卡勒赫答應給他買幾雙，讓米卡帶去給他。

他們終於到了海關之外。孩子們抱了抱媽媽，和媽媽道別，朝出境護照檢查處走去。米格爾突然回頭，跑向媽媽，抱住媽媽。

他說，“媽媽，我會想你的。如果飛機失事的話會怎麼樣呢？”

卡勒赫心想：“爲什麼會這樣？”她緊抱着孩子，說：“別說這話。一切都會順利的。”

沙卡來安慰他們倆，他和媽媽說：“我會照顧好弟弟的，他就是我的寶貝”。

她看着兩個孩子漸行漸遠，但是米格爾一直不停回頭看看媽媽。他那大大的棕色眼睛寫滿了難過。

隨後，他消失在視線中。

———

所有人都來到G3登機口了。

辛格和他的同事完成了準備工作。廣播終於響了，是時候登記了。

米格爾和沙卡坐在經濟艙的第一排。大斯科爾滕也坐在第一排，坐在他們左邊的第三個座位。他把臉譜網個人主頁的封面照片換成了史基浦機場塔臺的照片。

艾力坐在後面，經歷了路上種種不順，他還是順利登機了。焦急的他給朋友帕特森發去了最後一條信息：“好兄弟，我要離開阿姆斯特丹了。旅途會一切順利，不用來接機”。

阿爾伯特和瑪麗坐在頭等艙的第一排。巴迪•古納萬坐在瑪麗旁邊。他的妻子艾琳和孩子們坐在後面幾排。他們是最後幾個辦理登記手續的乘客。

艾琳還在擔心颱風對家裏人的影響，她發了一條短信給她的妹妹發了一條信息：“嘿嘿，愛你啦。我要關機了，準備起飛。還是要小心，樹可能會砸到人”。

她正在飛往“天堂”。

———

馬來西亞航空公司MH17航班於12:15起飛，航程預計耗時11小時45分。

但是總共才飛了兩個小時。

———

遇難者墜落；電話鈴響不斷；混亂爆發；心碎蔓延。是命運，亦或是意外事件將這一天這些人帶到這架飛機，也就是在這一天，命運或意外降臨。

在新西蘭，艾力的家人瘋狂地給他發信息，希望能夠收到他關於錯過機場大巴進而錯過航班的消息。

他媽媽寫道，“你訂的航班客機爆炸了。所以，不管你在哪兒，不管你遇到什麼麻煩，我們都希望你錯過了這個航班。親愛的兒子，我們十分十分愛你，我們只想知道你還活着。”

在澳大利亞，坎貝爾一家剛到家就聽到了馬航的一架客機在烏克蘭被擊落的消息。他們想到了最壞的結果，便衝到利茲克的家看看他們的孩子的情況。而且，這是五個來瑪麗的繼母聽到的第二個關於她的深愛的親人在馬航空難中喪生的消息。

在巴厘島，克莉絲汀一直在祈禱。她在臉譜網上寫道，“希望你能平安...噢！上帝啊！我求求您！”

在阿姆斯特丹，卡勒赫剛剛買到了沙卡的襪子，她的電話就響了。是她的朋友安打來的，安在驚叫道：“你在哪裏？飛機墜毀了！”

她剛一到家就暈倒在地。

———

家屬們現在情緒仍舊十分不穩定，總是在說“如果……就好了”這種話，在盤算着被坐飛機失事的概率本應該很小，並且意識到他們的世界在一瞬之間便完全不同。

在菲律賓，古納萬家裏寂靜無聲。艾琳走了，同樣帶走的，是家族的快樂。

朋友們紛紛前來弔唁，併爲艾琳祈禱。艾琳的一張老照片裏被放在祭壇上，周圍插滿蠟燭，照片裏的她依舊笑容燦爛。她上次帶來的卡拉OK機和麥克風擺放在角落。

她的最好的朋友，澤娜伊達•艾卡爾非常憤怒。對於那些帶走了艾琳的人，她想要怎麼懲罰呢？

她回答道：“還有什麼比死更厲害呢？”

在馬來西亞，辛格媽媽做好的可口的菜餚還放在冰箱裏。她甚至不看看一眼。

老兩口實在無法理解，在調班這件簡單的事情上，爲什麼對兒媳婦這麼好，卻對自己的兒子如此殘忍。吉哈爾•辛格說：“兒媳婦被救了一命。現在我的兒子救了別人的命。”

在新西蘭，溫蒂•艾力的救濟院護士的工作給了她另外一個視角。她知道人終有一死，她兒子也不例外。兒子錯過了機場大巴，卻沒錯過飛機。溫蒂說：“他死的時候，他在三萬英尺的高空，離上帝這麼近。他知道他死了，他會展開翅膀的。我相信這會是他的第一個念頭。這樣想就太棒了。”

在荷蘭，薩米拉•卡勒赫在想着，她的寶貝兒子好像感覺到自己在世間時日無多。她想象着永遠不會到來的未來：沙卡成爲紡織工程師的夢想消失了。而米格爾成爲卡丁賽車手的夢想也是煙消雲散。

他怎麼會知道的呢？她又怎麼會知道呢？

她低聲說：“我應該聽他的話的。我應該聽他的話的。”