Chapter 1 Summary

Two men free-fall toward the sea from a great height. They are Gibreel Farishta and Saladin Chamcha, both actors and the only two men destined to survive the explosion of Flight A1-420. As pieces of the burning wreckage crash all around the falling men, they hold onto each other for dear life. Gibreel sees the specter of a former lover, Rekha Merchant, who curses him to a life from hell. Chamcha does not see her, but he is gripped with some indescribable power and commands Gibreel to sing. Gibreel sings and the song gives him the power to fly. He flaps his arms and the two men descend safely to the beach. After relating this miracle, the narrator intrudes to pose the central questions of the story: "Chamcha willed it and Farishta did what was willed.

"Which was the miracle worker?

"Of...