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Advent Drabbles: December 1st (part 3 posted 20:21)

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#1: Advent Drabbles: December 1st (part 3 posted 20:21) Author: Advent Drabblers,

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 1:10 pm
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Jack Maynard slammed shut the rear door of the family’s mini bus, familiarly known as Minnie and moved round to climb into the drivers seat. The little bus was as full as it had ever been, and he hoped that it would manage the steep climb up to the Platz. Jo sat beside him with little Claire on her lap, and Erica squashed in next to the door. Behind him were the rest of the large Maynard clan. The boys and the triplets had all arrived at Interlaken on the same train, and the rest of the family had insisted on coming down to meet them. They had just loaded everyone - including Bruno - into Minnie when Jo caught sight of Hilda and Nell making for the train up to the Platz.
“Stop a minute Jack!” she said. “We must give those two a lift.”
“Just where do you think we can fit them in?” asked Jack. “We’re full up as it is.”
“Second twins can sit on the triplets laps, and that will leave two seats for them.”
“They’re already sitting on laps Jo!”
“Well Cecil and Phil then! We can’t leave Hilda and Nell to take the train.”
“Very well, but if you have to get out and push halfway up don’t blame me!”
The two Heads looked a bit dubious when they saw the crowded vehicle, but Jo persuaded them to take the offered seats, Jack slid the door closed on them and jumped into the driver’s seat. Soon the loaded bus was pulling out of the station car park and heading out of Interlaken.
“This feels like the Tardis - more room inside than out,” said Con with a giggle.
“What on earth is a Tardis?” asked Jo.
“Just a machine from a new television programme,” said Len. “It’s very popular, and has a spaceship that looks like a blue police box from the outside, and is enormous inside. This doesn’t feel enormous, but we’ve squashed far more people into Minnie than we usually do, so I know what Con means.”
The first part of the journey was flat, running out to the autobahn that circled around the town, and then along the valley towards Lauterbach. Then they started to climb, gently at first, but then the road grew steeper and steeper, and Jack dropped into first gear. Minnie crept upwards with the engine labouring to make the climb. The combination of engine noise and conversation masked the other noises the valiant little bus was making. The groans and creaks that gradually got louder and more frequent. Concentrating on the driving rather than the talk, Jack gradually became aware of them, but there was nothing he could do. The bus was still moving onwards and upwards, and he knew that they were almost up to the level ground. He mentally crossed his fingers and kept going, though he heaved a sigh of relief when they finally came out onto the Platz. He pulled up outside Freudesheim and stopped. The side door slid open and Hilda and Nell climbed out and stretched themselves. Jo, Erica, and Claire scrambled out of the front, and the others climbed out one by one.
Then it happened! The creaks and groans had only diminished, and when one of the boys took a flying leap out of the door the strain became too much. There was a loud bang. the rear door flew off, narrowly missing Jack who had gone to take out the cases. the cases themselves leapt out as if shot from a gun. The windows cracked and shattered, showering glass in all directions. Everyone ducked, and then, with a final bang, the gallant little bus collapsed inwards into a heap of wreckage. There was a scream, abruptly cut off, and then a deathly silence.
Jo did a rapid count. “There’s someone missing Jack!” she cried.

Last edited by Advent Drabblers on Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:22 pm; edited 2 times in total

#2: Author: Liane, Location: Manchester

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 1:14 pm
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Shocked

A death already!
OK so it's just a mini bus but still...

Thanks guys.

#3: Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 1:17 pm
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Ooops!!! Shocked

Who is it, and what has happened to him/her? Rolling Eyes

Is this the only advantage of the board being down all weekend? Will we find out sooner? Laughing

Thanks, Advent Drabbler! Very Happy

#4: Author: Vick, Location: Leeds, Yorkshire

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 1:36 pm
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Who's missing??? Shocked

Thanks Advent drabblers.

#5: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 1:41 pm
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Are you sure RTW isn't writing this and masquerading as someone else?

#6: Author: PaulineS, Location: West Midlands

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 3:02 pm
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Minnie's end reminded me of another cars' demise

#7: Author: Advent Drabblers,

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 3:46 pm
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Over in the school Rosalie had been busy all morning, and was now extremely busy. She had been trying to type up the last of the reports that were due to be posted to parents that afternoon, but had been interupted by numerous telephone calls, the last one of which was from a certain Old Girl who just wanted to be sure that the current prefects were able to handle the Christmas Nativity Play and to offer her help if they were having any difficulties. Rosalie was quite short with her, having a sudden cramping across her stomach as she was speaking on the phone which made her decide enough was enough.
“For goodness sake grow up and realise the girls here don't want you butting in on them any more. Surely you have your own life to lead, and if not, we do.”

That may not have been the best thing she could have said, as it made the former Head Girl drop everything and get the first plane she could out to the Platz to see what had gone wrong. Rosalie, fortunately did not know this was happening and was able to carry on with her typing until another stomach cramp 20 minutes later.

After another 20 minutes she had another cramp, this time accompanied by a sudden rush of fluid that soaked the cushion she was sat on, ostensibly because it was a gift she ought to use, but actually because she had recently developed piles.

Rosalie flung the cushion into the sink to deal with later, and considered calling Matey, but knew that once she did that, she would not be allowed to work for the rest of the day, decided to finish the reports first. She didn't realise at first that the cramps were increasing in frequency, but over the next two hours as she tried to type, and increasingly made mistakes she noticed that the pain was increasing and her back was now aching as well. Then a cramp when she was not expecting it, only 7 minutes after the last made her scream.

She screamed some more when the door opened in response to her noise and Matey walked in.
“Not another one,” was Matey's comment as she helped the now panting Rosalie into a slightly less uncomfortable position.
“No, don't push yet,” was her next instruction, only to be followed moments later by, “What on earth was that,” as she heard the explosion from next door.

#8: Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:22 pm
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Rosalie! Busy?! And is this OOAO on the way to sort everything out?Whatever next? I look forward to the third part.

Thanks. Very Happy

#9: Author: Liane, Location: Manchester

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 6:26 pm
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Shocked

#10: Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 6:42 pm
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Liane wrote:

#11: Author: JackieP, Location: Kingston upon Hull

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 7:03 pm
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Ummm.... can't wait to see how Lesley get's these two together.

Thanks ladies

JackieP

#12: Author: Advent Drabblers,

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:21 pm
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Outside at the scene of Minnie's demise those of the Staff still at the School had all streamed out to find out what on Earth had happened. Just as Joey had uttered her fateful words there came a heartfelt groan,

"Hilda, oh no, Hilda you can't be dead!" everyone looked over to see Nell Wilson cradling the body of her dear friend. Hilda Annersley lay there still, grey and to all appearances de...

"I'm not, you know," the voice of Miss Annersley herself stopped the litany and she struggled to sit up, "look I'm moving, I'm talking and as for the grey bit," she reached up and placed a hand on her forehead, it was covered with blood from where Minnie's aerial had spun off and sliced across her head before sailing on to skewer an innocently passing maidservant.

Everyone sighed, relieved that the Headmistress, if not completely well, was at least reasonably compus mentis. That diagnosis was swiftly reduced to partly compus mentis with her next words, however, "Nell? When did we engage the Red Indian?"

Miss Wilson looked across at where the other Staff were all crowding round taking pictures, "That's not a Red Indian," she hissed, "that's Pat. Don't you remember? She's here covering for a couple of terms until Cathryn Carpenter gets here."

"Fine, so why does our Librarian look like Uncas then?"

Miss Wilson dragged her friend away, hissing, "She had an accident in Interlaken, thought she was asking for a trim but actually asked for a pink mohican. We all agreed not to mention it."

"What, and you think the girls won't notice then...?"

As everyone watched the Head Of St Mildred's frogmarched her friend away before she could comment on anyone else's hair style. Finally, fed up of being completely ignored, Joey tried again,

"I say? Didn't anyone hear me? I said 'There's someone missing Jack!'..."

Jack looked across "Yes we heard you the first time," he said, "so, who is it?"

"Erm, well, that is," Joey looked round with some alarm and, thankfully, Nancy Wilmot came to her rescue, "Oh let me, Jo," she smiled, "it's no use you trying to work it out, you're useless at Maths!" She did a quick count up then shook her head, "I'm afraid it's Cecil," she reported after some quick calculations.

"No!" Joey looked distraught, "but how?"

Nancy moved over slightly to show where little Cecil had met her end.

"Can nothing be done, Jack?"

Jack looked across and sighed, "Don't think so," he said slowly, "having the engine land on her head hasn't really helped, you know."

"But that means I've only got," Joey did some rapid calculations, "ten children, four wards, one adopted child..."

"And a partridge in a pear tree..." chorused the rest of the Staff and Maynards gathered there.

Joey pouted, "Look, this is not a laughing matter, Matey would understand...where is Matey, by the way?"

"Right here, my darling," Matron Lloyd said, pushing her way to the front, she was looking a little tired and held a small bundle in her arms, "Sorry I'm late but I was helping Rosalie - I've got another one," she proffered the bundle to Joey.

"You have? What wonderful timing," Joey grabbed the bundle and crooned to the little face, "boy or girl, Matey?"

"Oh girl, of course," Matey replied, "Rosalie always throws girls - see that this one has dark hair as well?"

"Well yes, and dark skin," Jack said, "very dark skin. How did that happen?"

Matey shrugged, "No idea - you know as well as I do that we can't find out why this keeps happening to the Mistresses at the School - the only good thing is that you Maynards are here to take up the slack."

Joey smiled as she suddenly realised that she would be able to spend the next two weeks in bed, "Well there had to be some reason why the Maynards all have different colouring, didn't there?"

#13: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:42 pm
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Ooohhh!!!!!!!!

#14: Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:28 pm
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Laughing

Lesley that was fabulous - and I just love the pink mohican Twisted Evil

#15: Author: Sugar, Location: second star to the right!

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:28 pm
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Laughing

Ohhhh I have the giggles!

Thanks Drabblers

#16: Author: Liane, Location: Manchester

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:43 pm
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Fantastic!
Thank you

#17: Author: Sal, Location: Walsall / Aberystwyth

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:37 pm
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rofl

already, dread to think what sort of state I'll be in by the time I've read the other 2....

Thanks Drabblers

#18: Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 9:46 am
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Laughing

Wonderful! Thank you all!

#19: Author: Simone, Location: Newton le Willows

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:05 am
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Fantastic - Thank you

#20: Author: brie, Location: Glasgow, aka the land of boredom

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:08 am
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Thanks you! Laughing

#21: Author: Liz K, Location: Bedfordshire

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:28 pm
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"Rosalie always throws girls" - I love it!!!!!

#22: Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:38 pm
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Liz K wrote:

"Rosalie always throws girls" - I love it!!!!!

Got to get future pupils from somewhere! Rolling Eyes

#23: Author: JackieP, Location: Kingston upon Hull

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:49 pm
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*giggles*

So that's the reason Rosalie's always so busy...

And love the pink mohican.

JackieP

#24: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:36 pm
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Thanks, Advent Drabblers! This is really brilliant so far. I am loving every single minute of it!

#25: Author: Torri, Location: Connecticut

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 4:55 pm
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*giggles*

Thank you, Advent Drabblers. That was brilliant!

#26: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 9:53 pm
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A brilliant start to the Advent drabbles, thank you all.

#27: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 8:12 pm
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LOL!!!!

Fantastic! Thank you, all three of you.

#28: Author: Fi, Location: Somerset

Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 8:35 pm
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The pink mohican makes Grizel's mistake in "School at" completely unremarkable Laughing

Thank You

#29: Author: Smile :), Location: Location? What's a location?

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 7:57 pm
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Thanks, Very Happy

#30: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 5:31 am
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And it's only December 1st! Shocked

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