Border Crossing
Author: Barbara Brennan
Welcome to the terminal transit hub. No-one stays here; you go through and you leave. Papers please.
. . .
Thank you, that’s all in order. Once you pass through the turnstile, turn to your right, gate 95A.
. . .
Welcome to the transit terminal hub. No-
. . .
No, you cannot pass as a group. All papers are processed singly.
. . .
Blood ties have passed. Single person processing only.
. . .
There is no other desk.
. . .
Perhaps you will. That is all determined, judged and decided by powers greater than mine. Papers please.
. . .
Thank you, that’s all in order. Once you pass through the turnstile, turn left and go to the far end – gate 12.
. . .
No, you must pass through the turnstile before I can process the next person.
. . .
I cannot help you. This is the process, we all must follow it.
. . .
Next set of papers please.
. . .
Thank you. Ah, you are a fast track passenger. Go through the turnstile, there’ll be an assistant on the other side to look after you on your journey.
. . .
That’s very kind of you. I hope you have a good day too.
. . .
Next papers please.
Next papers please.
. . .
Perhaps it would be best if you came through next. It will make no difference to either of you who goes first.
. . .
Thank you. All in order. Through the turnstile, turn left, gate 14.
. . .
The passenger before you had a fast track ticket. That allows them a special level of care.
. . .
Passengers do not sleep here, they travel.
. . .
The assistant will see that they get where they are going safely. Please pass through the turnstile, turn left, gate 14.
. . .
Now your papers please.
. . .
Thank you. All in… order… Oh dear. Yes, well, here’s your transit tag. Through the turnstile, walk straight ahead, follow the corridor until it ends.
. . .
The judgement, determination and decision has been made. There are no changes possible now. All there is now is this turnstile, the corridor, and the end of the corridor.
. . .
No-one shouts here, you can try as hard as you like.
No-one fights here.
You cannot step out of line.
Through the turnstile, straight ahead until the end of the corridor. There are no choices left.
Welcome to the terminal transit hub. No-one stays here; you go through and you leave. Papers please.
The Past
365tomorrows launched August 1st, 2005 with the lofty goal of providing a new story every day for a year. We’ve been on the wire ever since. Our stories are a mix of those lovingly hand crafted by a talented pool of staff writers, and select stories received by submission.
The archives are deep, feel free to dive in.
Flash Fiction
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Kathy Kachelries
Founding Member
Submissions
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