Stranded (pt 1?)

I sighed and ran my hand through my now-frazzled hair. I was exhausted. I was tired, and I was alone. My summer had been going fantastic, but it had now grinded to a halt. I was stranded, alone, in a strange city I had never been in before. I spoke the language, but was not that great at reading it, and even worse at writing it. My once vivid purple hair had started to fade, I felt dirty, and I was so tired. I couldn't help it when tears started to run down my face.1

"But..." I stared in the language, "You're telling me I can't leave the country? I can't go home?" I tired hard not to sniffle or snort. That would not help me at all. The ticket attendant gave me a look that said 'oh no, please don't cry. I hate it when they cry.' She did not do anything but shrug and point me back towards the waiting area.2

I tried once more to get her sympathy. "Don't you understand what you're doing to me? I'm a child. A child! I'm not an adult. This is not my home. I've never been here before, I don't know anyone here, and I have no way to contact my parents. You are preventing a CHILD from going home. You're forcing a CHILD to be here alone, with no help, and no way to get home. I hope you sleep well tonight." With that, I grabbed my seemingly huge bag and dragged it back towards the seating area. Of course there were no seats. Of course.3

I walked up to the help desk for the airline I was using. By now the tears were streaking down my face and I was close to full out sobbing. What was I going to do? A kind looking youth stepped aside and let me take his spot. I nodded a thanks to him and began to explain my situation to the lady behind the counter. She looked sympathetic enough, but informed me that, sadly, the phones were down in her area. I'd have to wait a few hours for the main office to open so I could use their phone. I took a deep breath, attempted to calm myself, and left. 4

I wandered around for a little while, finally settling into a corner by myself. I took my net book out of my backpack and turned it on. The wireless internet window came up and I tired every connection in that aeroport. Each one was either locked against me, or asked me to buy internet in any assortment of languages. I felt the tears streaking down my face again. There was nothing - nothing. I couldn't contact anyone I knew. What could was a cell phone that only works in one country? For that matter, what good is having three passports if not one of them will let you go home?5

"Nika?" I heard a voice above me. I looked up. It was the youth from the counter who let me in front of him.6

"Yes?" I asked, trying hard to control my voice. 7

"I overheard your name and situation. I am really sorry, that really sucks. I thought I'd offer my help in contacting your parents. My laptop has internet here." He held up a laptop, quite big for traveling, as proof. 8

"Oh," I sniffed, "Thank you. Really. Thanks." The boy, who looked about twenty two or so, opened his laptop and logged on. He handed it to me and sat down next to me. I instantly opened any program and website I could think of to contact people at home. Msn, Skype, Facebook - I tried all of them. For once, it seemed everyone I knew was asleep at 2 in the morning. I used some program he had to call my mother and fathers cell phones. No one answered. Just as I was getting ready to scream, someone on MSN logged on. 9

I immediately opened a conversation window and asked him to call my parents. He seemed reluctant but finally did as I asked. It took a few tries, but finally he got through to my mother and told her to get on skype. I nearly laughed with relief when I saw her online insignia on skype. I instantly called her and started sobbing again. 10

"What is it, Nika? What happened?" She asked, her voice worried. I could barely explain my situation to her, my sobbing was so bad. Finally I got my story out though, and she sighed. "Damn it." 11

"What?" I asked. 12

"You should have flown through Leningrad", she said, naming my hometown. "They never give you problems there." I nodded, forgetting she couldn't see me. 13

"What am I going to do, Mama?" I asked, tears in my eyes again. The boy, whose name I still didn't know, saw. He gave me a sad look and I tried to smile at him. 14

"I am not sure yet, kitten. We will figure something out. For now, sit tight, and I'll call your aunt and see if she knows anyone there who can take care of you." I muttered my thanks and told her I'd try to be online again in a half hour or so. If I wasn't, I told her to send me emails with any data I would need. We said goodbye, and I logged off. 15

I handed the laptop back to the boy. "Thank you. I will try to find a way to get internet on my laptop now. Don't you have a flight to catch or something?"16

"No, actually. I am sort of in the same situation as you, but my flights not until tomorrow. I am stuck here as well."17

"Well, its nice to meet you. I am Nika." I said, taking deep breaths to calm myself.18

"I'm Erkin," he said, simply. 19

"What shall we do now?" 20

"We are stuck in a totally unfamiliar city, with no friends, family, and barely any contact thereof. What else would we do but explore? Lets get out of here." Erkin stated, pulling me up along with him. He grabbed my huge bag, not leaving me much choice but to follow him. 21

I cheered weakly. "Let's go!"22