It was late May and it almost looked as though Nature was determined to put on such a show that not even the busiest or the most hardened people could miss it. In the courtyard, amongst the rainbow of beautifully coloured flowers in full bloom it seemed as if only the absence of birdsong seperated it from being pulled straight out of the pages of Austin, or some other romantic from the English Victorian era. The lack of bird song that is, and the squeals coming from violin which a teenaged boy of about 13 years was either trying to play or to murder.

In spite of spring being present in all it's splendor in the small art school's courtyard, only the young musician and an orange cat were there to enjoy it. The cat, a large straggly tom was perched atop a table, shaded from the sun by a comically large beach umbrella. he was twitching his tail irratably at the sound coming from the violin, however he was watching the gate out onto 5th street, almost as though he were expecting someone.

Inside the sketch-class, Anna Gidley reached down into her backpack for another jelly bean, slipping it into her mouth and screwing up her face slightly in displeasure as she realised it had been a black one. All the while she hadn't taken her eyes off the sketch she was working on - except for a glance or two up the front of the room to look at the subject. Two seats in front of her Billy Rudder's watch beeped and he excused himself from class, leaving behind the shopping bag which he had sat beside his seat when he had first arrived. Gidley had just shifted her glance back from the shopping bag to her sketch when a good looking man, about 6' with dark hair, and carrying a newspaper face burst into the room.

Gary Hobson paused when he first stepped into the room, surprised to see the nude posing up the front of the class. After having been checked by shook for
less than a second though he told the class in a loud voice, barely short of shouting, "Everybody out! There's a bomb! Get out!"

The teacher stood, taking offense to Hobson bursting into his class and making such wild statements in what was clearly just an attempt to rattle his students. "Excuse me sir..." He began, his annoyance coming through loud and clear in his voice, Hobson cut him off, not wanting to hear it.

"Get out!" Hobson repeated, sounding as if on the verge of outright panic. "Rudder... William Rudder... he left a bomb here... GET OUT!!!" The teacher
went to pump him for more information but Hobson continued "THERE'S NO TIME! JUST TRUST ME ON THIS ON AND GET OUT!". And helped the nearest student out of her seat. The gravity of the warning form Hobson and the climate of fear surrounding even the most mundane of tasks thanks to organised terrorist networks was enough for all the students to get the point and flee the class room, running into the courtyard. Just as Hobson followed the last of the students, Gidley, out of the room Rudder's bomb exploded, thanks to Hobson's intervention though, the only damage done was material and to the nerves of the people gathered in the courtyard who just had just had a closer brush with death than the usually liked.

The ginger cat, his work done, jumped down off the table and trotted out into the street, disappearing from sight.

Email the author: iddylion@tpg.com.au
 

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