“Thanks for helping me again,” June said, trying to hide her guilt. “I should be able to figure this out on my own…”
Should, but couldn’t seem to get it right, and her class’ start inched closer with each wonky cable and blank screen.
“Perfectly reasonable,” Peter reassured her from inside the podium, voice echoing oddly. A muffled sneeze followed. “Unlike your message.”
Heat flushed her face and neck. “Um. I, ah, have no idea what I sent. Not exactly. Just some combination of desperation and despair.”
He pulled his head out, dusted his hands, and raised his eyebrows before reaching for his back pocket.
“‘Help,’” he read aloud. A long finger raised for dramatic emphasis. “‘I broke the internet. Student swarm of destruction imminent. Urgent help requested ASAP.’”
He tucked his phone away. “Ay-Ess-Ay-Pea,” he repeated, though he’d pronounced the acronym as ay-sap the first time.
“Student ratings,” June mumbled. “It’s not like I have tenure. And the dean hates me.”
“They switched the room,” Peter said. “You’ll be lucky if anyone shows at all.”
She groaned. “I forgot to put a sign up.”
“Relax,” he reassured her, and crouched by the wires. “I’m almost done. I’ll post a notice on my way back.”
“Really?” Hope rose, and she fought it down before it betrayed her. “It’s like magic. I couldn’t get any of the projectors to work.”
“No magic needed, just technology. The room’s archaic, but it’ll do until the construction ends.” Peter’s head disappeared again. “Try it now.”
June pressed a button, and all three screens filled with a brightly lit diagram. “It worked!”
Peter abruptly let out a sneeze. Suddenly the screen display appeared on the wrong screen – all three showed different slides from her presentation.
“What just happened?”
Peter huffed his way into another sneeze. “Pardon, it’s rather dusty.”
“Not that. What are you pressing?” June bit down on her finger, wondering if she should it back on coffee. “Every time you sneeze, the screens change”
Another explosion.
“Yes, like that!”
Peter wiggled his way upright, eyes watering. “I’m not – achoo! – touching any – achoo!”
“Wait, I like this,” she mused. “I mean, bless you and all. It’s almost right, though. Try one more time?”
“What-choooo!”
“Perfect!” Each screen displayed a different slide. She’d be able to lecture with just these three slides. “Now out! Before you sneeze again.”
“But -” He sucked in a deep breath. “Ahhhh.”
She planted a hand on his back and steered him out the door. “Thanks, I’ll see you later, bye!”
***
Needs some tweaking, but had fun writing it!
Thanks to Cedar for the screen swapping prompt! Can’t wait to see what nother Mike does with a fruit basket! Find more at MOTE.
