After the Pandemic: Briarwood Academy - The Airport (691 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.93 on 21 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by stardamage (View user info) at 2005-04-03 16:53:30 EDT
I know this isn't really a big movement among Uberites anymore, but I'm going to continue what I've started with it until I get bored with it. Enjoy.
continued from http://www.ubersite.com/m/62320
* * *
Kristoffer Sanning stared out of the window of the small white bus that was driving to the local airport. The traffic was the worst he'd ever seen. He sighed and started to undo the knots he'd tied in his tie earlier. He almost wished they'd been allowed to go back to the dorms to grab more comfortable clothes and books or something. He couldn't even lean against anything because he was on the aisle seat, in the front row. All there was to do was think, and he didn't want to do that too much at the moment. He looked around the bus to see what everyone else was doing.
Erik Besvikilse, Kris' friend from Sweden and head prefect at Briarwood, was now leaning against the window next to Kris, his navy blue blazer folded into a pillow and tucked behind his head. His green eyes were closed and there was a slight frown on his face as he dozed uneasily.
Many of the other students were sleeping, leaning against windows or each other. A few had books they were reading that had been in their backpacks.
The driver of the bus was Max Bauer, who was the sole German teacher at Briarwood and also coached soccer and track. Herr Bauer was an athletic Austrian in his early thirties who was fairly mild in the classroom, but who was renowned for the few times he lost his temper on the soccer field and let loose fits of blustery rage when he felt that the players on his team were not working to the best of their abilities. The students who worked under his supervision were pushed hard, but both in the classroom and on the field students were fiercely loyal to him. Now he gripped the steering wheel of the motionless bus, scowling at the other cars.
"What's taking so long, Herr Bauer?" asked Kris, leaning forward to talk.
Herr Bauer looked at Kris in the mirror. "It looks like everyone on the road with us is trying to go to the airport."
"I thought that only people with international passports who aren't sick were going anywhere on planes."
"That's true," agreed Herr Bauer. "But these people will try to bribe, of course, and use what connections they have. Everyone is trying to leave, whether to go further west or to another country. Before we left, though, I saw on the television that there are police and army checkpoints along the way to make sure that all these people don't reach the airport. It would be chaos if they did. Far too many people would be there to allow anyone to go anywhere. It will be busy enough as it is."
"Are you flying to Austria?"
"Eventually, yes. I have a flight leaving tomorrow night. I have to make sure that all of you get to where you are going first. You and Erik are going back to Sweden?" Herr Bauer turned to look at Kris, as traffic was completely stopped.
Kris nodded. "We have two stops on our way but we have enough time to connect and we're not carrying anything. We go first to London and then to Copenhagen and then we get into Arlanda tomorrow sometime. After that it's about a two hours drive back to my house."
"Will Erik be staying with you?"
"I think he will for a little while because his father is still away and we are not sure when he will be back. When will you get home?"
"I get into Innsbruck late tomorrow night and then I have a short drive until I get to my sister's house." Herr Bauer turned back to the road, as cars started crawling again. "Ach, Scheisse," he muttered as the cars ground to a halt. Someone started beeping their horn somewhere. He took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes tiredly.
Kris leaned back against his seat again and sighed. As soon as he got to the airport and through security, he would definitely stake out a bench or piece of floor and try to sleep.
"Hur mår du?" asked Erik, who was now awake.
Kris shrugged. "Inte så bra, tyvärr."
"Yeah, well," Erik replied, still in Swedish. "At least we're going home."
Kris shrugged again. His thoughts during the meeting returned. He couldn't get the thought out of his head that he or Erik or someone else would bring the disease back to Sweden. He thought about books he had read about the Spanish Flu and the Black Death, and people dying in houses alone with no one to care for them. He shook his head slightly to clear it.
"I should call my mum when we get to the airport," Kris said out loud. "Tell her when we're getting in and to pick us up."
"Yeah. I should try to get in touch with my dad too. I think he'll have to be away a few more days but I'm sure he'll be back in Sweden after a bit."
"You'll stay with us, then?" asked Kris, as the bus lumbered ahead a few more feet, then a few more. It looked like traffic was clearing up a little.
"If that's okay, yeah. It's better than being home by myself when all this is going on." Erik frowned a little, staring out the window.
* * *
Three hours, one hundred miles and five checkpoints later, the students got off the airport shuttle at the international terminal. Kris gasped out loud at the chaos visible from outside. Lines wavered back and forth everywhere, and the sheer amount of people inside was jawdropping. A cacophony of voices escaped every time the automatic doors opened, as more and more people crammed themselves into one line or another.
Herr Bauer muttered something darkly under his breath, and then turned around. "Okay, everyone," he shouted over the din coming from indoors. "Everyone from the same country has been put on the same plane whenever possible. Please stay with other students when you can. We will split up to go through the security and check-in, and then meet up on the other side. Are there any questions?"
Everyone muttered or shook their head no.
Herr Bauer smiled grimly. "It may take a while to get through check-in, but we don't have to go through the medical procedures here. Does everyone have their medical sheet?"
Everyone nodded.
"Hold them up so I can see them. I don't want anyone having to go through medical security because they don't have theirs."
Everyone held up the green sheets of paper that had been signed by the members of the infectious disease team from Ashfield.
"Okay then. The sooner we're in, the sooner we're out. If any of you get to the other side of security before me, stay put or try to find Kris or Erik. Stick together. And keep your medical sheets folded up safely in your hands until a guard asks to see them. There are probably many pickpockets about trying to find a way to get past medical security."
Herr Bauer paused, looking around at the students. He smiled again, this time with genuine warmth. "I'll see you in a little while." He nodded to Erik and Kris, who nodded back.
The automatic doors opened, and the noise and chaos swallowed the group of students making their way inside.
User Reviews
Submitted by FALLEN (user info) at 2007-11-15 09:15:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
and again
Submitted by Barnymeinhoff (user info) at 2005-08-26 09:59:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by notyou (user info) at 2005-07-11 15:00:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Jungle_Jimanee (user info) at 2005-05-13 09:06:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Mmmm don't know where you are going with this though am enjoying the ride.
Submitted by mikethescottish (user info) at 2005-05-13 07:35:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Excellent series.
Submitted by nrduncan (user info) at 2005-05-12 17:56:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I have just got done reading these all and I have enjoyed them all. Great work everyone, +2's for all!
Submitted by Dannie (user info) at 2005-04-04 11:08:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This just rocks my pants off.
Submitted by stardamage (user info) at 2005-04-04 07:56:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I meant that Herr Bauer is an Austrian who teaches German language classes.
Yeah, I can see how I didn't make that clear now that you mention it. Whoops.
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-04-04 01:13:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 more to cancel out that no-reason-giving-hooer/jackass carol richards
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-04-04 01:08:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Good installment. I like the detail on the international students.
You mentioned that Bauer is German, then called him Austrian. Were you thinking of Hitler? Because Hitler was bad.
Bread good. Hitler bad.
Goodness, I've stayed up too late overdosing on horse tranquilizers again.
Submitted by Benny (user info) at 2005-04-03 23:26:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Carol Richards is certainly an eager beaver today with all the -2s.
Great fiction. I have enjoyed reading this series so far so definately keep it up.
Submitted by Revolutionman (user info) at 2005-04-03 22:52:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
YE AT LEAST THATS WHAT I THINK I WANT
Submitted by professorfuckface (user info) at 2005-04-03 22:49:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
WTF IM NOT READING ALL THAT
Submitted by carolrichards (user info) at 2005-04-03 22:49:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
No Comment
Submitted by stardamage (user info) at 2005-04-03 22:31:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Thanks!
Working on the next installment right now while I should be writing my German theme.
Go me!
Submitted by Zackstersmackster (user info) at 2005-04-03 22:25:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I really like your writing.
Submitted by Zoidberg (user info) at 2005-04-03 22:04:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
good fiction never gets enough attention on this site
Submitted by Bizantine (user info) at 2005-04-03 18:06:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
do continue
:D
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2005-04-03 17:59:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
keep going.
herr is german for mister.
Submitted by bob (user info) at 2005-04-03 17:29:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
is his name max or herr?
Submitted by pen_name (user info) at 2005-04-03 17:08:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment