Abstract
This short story follows Mateo Alvarez, a TSA officer whose life has settled into a rigid routine, and Elena, a passenger beginning a new chapter in her life. Their brief interaction during a routine security screening becomes a quiet but meaningful exchange, which centers on kindness, memory, and the courage to move forward. As Elena carries her father's journal with her on a flight toward a new opportunity, Mateo is reflecting on the choices he has avoided and the life he has placed on pause. Through parallel perspectives, this story explores themes of transition, human connection, and the impact of small moments between strangers.
Bio
Cristopher Cando, an undergraduate student majoring in Engineering whose work focuses on character-driven narratives and quiet moments of human connection. His fiction centers on emotional realism, everyday encounters, and the subtle moments that influence personal growth.
Recommended Citation
Cando, Cristopher G.
(2026)
"The Passenger in 12A,"
Night Flight: Online Literary Journal: Vol. 7
, Article 10.
Available at:
https://commons.erau.edu/night-flight/vol7/iss1/10