Keeping Time

Chapter 12

Something was about to happen.

Nicole could feel it as she and her sister Taylor, along with Alexis, Nicholas, Diana and a new student named Avery from Professor Liu's Chinese Class boarded a plane for Shanghai. She felt it when she hugged her parents goodbye as if she might not ever see them again.

"Are you guys ready? We are going to China!" exclaimed Professor Liu.

He did a happy dance and we all laughed watching it. Then he kissed his wife on the cheek.

They boarded the Chinese Southern Airplanes Plane and took their seats. It would take 12 hours. Nicole was not entirely thrilled about the trip.

Alexis was excited.

"When I arrive in Shanghai, I am going to buy all the Korean dramas and KPOP music that I can," said Alexis.

"Why does that matter? You can always go to Korea for that. There is music in Shanghai bars from all over the world and crazy nightlife. I am going for that. It would make no sense to go halfway around the world and not a party" said Nicholas.

"Oh, believe me, I will and I will also meet a cute Shanghainese boyfriend there."

"That's the spirit!" exclaimed Nicholas.

They both clapped hands.

The first half of the flight was already a battle. Nicole's feet were ready to hop off the plane at Amsterdam. She was frustrated. Nowhere to go and she really didn't want to use the restroom on that plane.

"You need to eat," said Taylor.

"You're right," said Nicole. After all, she couldn't starve herself for 12 hours and expect to walk off the plane and not fall flat on her face. She ate lunch and used the restroom.

They stopped at Amsterdam and continued to Beijing. By this time, Nicholas and Alexis were already well acquainted with each other. They began to talk about international issues. Nicole was impressed by their knowledge and began to listen to them. She began to agree with their opinions and inferred that World War 3 was not only possible but probable.

The thought of a World War was terrifying.

Nicole also began to watch her sister Taylor. She was drawing Chinese characters into her brand new leather-bound journal. Her handwriting looked so neat that it was disgusting. Then she went on to inscribe Japanese characters and soon a little Arabic she had begun to learn the past spring semester. Nicole turned away. Why was she always so good at everything? She buried her head into Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Avery took it upon himself to introduce himself to Diana. They sat quietly, never speaking to each other and staring at each other when the other was not looking. When they discovered that they were staring at one another, they turned away from each other awkwardly and said "Sorry."

Finally, they were still. So Still. They stayed like that for a good half hour with Diana reading Virginia Woof's The Waves and Avery watching The Avengers: Age of Ultron.  Finally, he tapped her on the shoulder. She turned to him, trying to mask her surprise.

"I know we never go to meet in class. My name is Avery. I've always noticed you sitting in the back. You have the most beautiful eyes."

Young love. It never works out. Nicole wanted to scream, "It never works out! You guys will leave each other broken-hearted. All marriages end in divorce! Love never lasts! Save your dignity while you can!"

"You're thinking about Joseph aren't you?" asked Taylor. "My sister, the tomboy becoming a hopeless romantic."

Avery and Diana went to talk the rest of the flight into Beijing. Nicole thought about Joseph. She wanted to crawl in her bed and cry her eyes out for the rest of her life, but Taylor was right there and Nicole had to prove to her that she was not upset or she would never let it go and would say for the rest of her life, "Nicole was still upset about that boy a year after he broke her heart. She's so ridiculous. Maybe she should be treated for Depression or something."

They couldn't stop in Beijing. The captain wouldn't tell them why. Professor Liu looked worried. His wife rubbed his shoulders.

"See? They can't let us off in Beijing! A war must have started" said Nicholas.

The intercom came and the captain's voice played over in French, Dutch, English, and Chinese.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. We have been informed that Beijing is a no-fly zone at this moment. Currently, we have enough fuel supply to refuel in Wuhan and be able to reach Shanghai. We appreciate your patience and welcome you to the People's Republic of China!"

They stopped in Wuhan. It delayed them another 2 hours. By the time the plane had actually arrived in Shanghai, Nicole had fallen asleep on her sister's shoulder. She didn't see the lights and the shape of the Oriental Pearl Tower, nor the ships passing on the Bund. It wouldn't have mattered. The lights were not on, and the city was in a panic.

They woke to a fog horn and a voice on the intercom shouting "Zhe shi yi zhong jinji!"

They awoke in a fright. Then the passengers began rushing out of the plane.

Professor Liu yelled, "Follow me, children!"

Alexis, Avery, Diana, Nicholas, Taylor, and Nicole rushed out of the plane following Professor Liu and his wife. Everyone was panicking. People all around were running and screaming. The guards were standing in rows along the highway, guiding the people to shelter. They all had looks of fear in their eyes.

When did Nicole lose grip of Taylor? She could not say. All she knew was that at one moment she was firmly holding Taylor's hand. The next, she was gone. Nicole looked around but couldn't find her, her classmates or her teacher anymore. Then she found herself attacked by a swarm of people exiting another flight.

She followed what seemed to exist signs but the people were going in the opposite direction. She breathed heavily.

"Do not panic. If this isn't the right place, I can always turn around" she told herself. "Who knows? This might be a short cut to a shelter."

Only she found herself in an abandoned train tunnel. It was there she saw a young Chinese man that stood alone against a wall. He was lanky with glasses and unkempt hair. When he saw her, his face lit up.

"It's you," he said. "The voice told me you would be here."

"You speak English?" she asked surprised. "Look, I am trying to find a shelter. Do you know where a shelter is?"

"Yes," he said, smiling.

Was this guy for real?

"Wo jiao Godfrey and you are?"

"Nicole."

"Well Nicole, the voice told me you would be here, and we don't have much time to save the world now do we?'