And then there was nothing

The airport, once a bustling gateway to the world, had become a strange limbo. The familiar hum of engines and rhythmic announcements of departures and arrivals had faded into an eerie silence. The air was thick with the lingering smell of stale coffee and fast food, mingling with a faint scent of antiseptic. Monitors flickered with the same cold message: All Flights Canceled. The crowds, once lively with chatter and laughter, were now subdued, their voices lowered to anxious murmurs. Eyes met briefly before quickly darting away, as if afraid to acknowledge the shared dread. The cold blast of air conditioning, usually a relief, now felt like an unwelcome chill, adding to the sense of foreboding as travellers huddled around their phones, searching for news that wasn’t coming.

Beyond the glass walls of the terminal, the sky was an indifferent shade of grey. The world outside had been on edge for weeks, with tensions simmering just beneath the surface. Border disputes had escalated into sanctions, political rhetoric into threats, and the once-distant possibility of war had now become a stark reality. Borders were closing, cities being fortified, and a garbled announcement about curfews and closed borders only deepened the unease.

Telcom infrastructure, had faltered. Connections were spotty at best, nonexistent at worst. The usual stream of information that kept the modern world in sync had slowed to a trickle, leaving people in the dark about the true scale of the conflict. Rumours spread like wildfire—naval blockades, missile strikes, civil unrest—but here in the airport, all anyone knew for certain was that they were stranded, cut off from the world and each other.

As the hours dragged on, the anxiety in the terminal grew palpable. The clock on the wall seemed to mock them with its slow, deliberate ticking. People gathered in small groups, sharing what little they knew, piecing together fragments of information from news reports and hearsay. The city outside, once a distant backdrop, had become an unknown, a place where danger lurked unseen.

Kim sat alone, her back pressed against the cold metal of an empty gate chair. She was meant to be in Bali by now, celebrating the end of her first semester with friends. Instead, she stared at her phone, which stubbornly displayed “No Service”. She tapped the screen out of habit, though she knew it was pointless. The last message she’d received was hours ago—a brief text from her mum to stay safe. Since then, silence.

The excitement she had felt just hours ago had evaporated, replaced by a gnawing uncertainty. The world outside had changed so abruptly, transforming her carefree holiday into something surreal and frightening. If things were this chaotic here, she couldn’t help but worry that it might be even worse in Bali. Her friends, who had been eagerly awaiting her arrival, might be facing their own version of this nightmare. The thought of them caught in the same chaos, or worse, filled her with a deep, unsettling dread.

She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to ward off the chill that seemed to seep into her bones. The airport, crowded with people, made her feel more alone than ever. Small groups huddled together, whispering about the news, but none of it made sense. The announcement about curfews and closed borders had been too garbled to understand fully. The uncertainty was stifling.

Her parents, once her anchor, were now as unreachable as everyone else. She looked up at the flickering monitors again, the words All Flights Cancelled flashing like a warning she couldn’t escape. Somewhere deep inside, a small voice whispered that this was just the beginning.

In the bar of the terminal, Derrick worked behind the counter, trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy. The bar, once a refuge for weary travellers, now felt like a temporary haven amidst rising anxiety. Passengers crowded around, seeking comfort in drinks and snacks, their conversations tinged with unease. Derrick’s uniform, seemed out of place in the tense atmosphere.

A handwritten note on the register read “Cash Only,” a reminder of the growing chaos. Derrick wiped down the counter with a distracted motion, glancing at the sporadic updates on the television behind the bar. The sound of the news reports, barely rising above the hum of anxious voices and the occasional clink of glass, offered little comfort—curfews, closed borders, and hints of deeper unrest.

As he worked, Derrick glanced at the faces before him, each reflecting a shared worry. He tried to offer a reassuring smile, though it felt strained. He was keenly aware of the weight of his role, caught between maintaining normalcy and the creeping fear that his own situation might be spiralling out of control.

Through a small window behind the bar, Derrick noticed Kim sitting alone in the terminal. Her isolation mirrored the general mood, and for a moment, their eyes met. The fleeting connection was a silent acknowledgment of their shared predicament. Derrick saw the same worry in her eyes that he felt in his own, a reminder that amidst the chaos, they were all navigating the same storm.

As the tension in the terminal reached a fever pitch, a sudden and alarming event shook the entire space. The low rumble of helicopters grew louder, their blades slicing through the air as a squadron of Army helicopters descended around the airport. The roar of the helicopters was followed by a loud, jarring explosion that reverberated through the terminal. The blast was so close it rattled the windows, caused the lights to flicker ominously, and sent a shudder through the building's foundations.

The previously steady hum of the terminal turned into a cacophony of panic. The flickering monitors went dark, and the intercom crackled to life with a distorted message that only added to the chaos. The familiar smell of coffee and fast food was now mingled with the acrid stench of smoke, the air thick with the tension of impending disaster.

Travellers and staff alike scrambled in every direction, their faces painted with fear and confusion. The sound of people crying and shouting filled the air, a stark contrast to the earlier murmurs. Derrick, still working behind the bar, felt the ground shake beneath him. He gripped the cold metal edge of the counter, his knuckles white, as he tried to maintain a semblance of order amidst the chaos. The bar, which had been a refuge, was now just another part of the pandemonium.

“Everyone needs to evacuate the terminal immediately!” a commanding voice boomed over the commotion. Derrick turned to see a military officer in uniform—Steven—striding purposefully through the crowd, his presence commanding immediate attention. His face was set with grim determination as he directed people towards the emergency exits. The calm authority in Steven’s voice stood in stark contrast to the panicked chaos around them.

Through the glass windows behind the bar, Derrick caught sight of the helicopters landing, their flashing lights casting eerie shadows across the terminal. The sight of the military presence and the explosion’s aftermath added a new layer of urgency. Derrick’s eyes met Kim’s, who stood near the bar, her face a mix of shock and anxiety. The chaotic scene had forced them both into the same immediate crisis, their earlier sense of isolation now replaced by a shared sense of fear.

As Derrick watched Steven take control, a mix of emotions surged through him—relief that someone was leading, but also a gnawing helplessness that he was just a bystander in this unfolding catastrophe. Yet, driven by a determination to do something, he moved to assist in the evacuation, urging people towards the exits and trying to offer what little comfort he could.

Steven’s authoritative voice continued to cut through the chaos as he directed the evacuation, coordinating with other military personnel who were setting up perimeters and guiding people to safety. The explosion had served as a grim reminder of the danger outside, and the once-ordinary airport had transformed into a scene of emergency and desperation.

The flashing lights of the helicopters illuminated the terminal, highlighting the frenzy of people scrambling to escape. Derrick could feel the cold metal of the bar beneath his fingers as he gripped it one last time before moving to help, the reality of the conflict now hitting home with startling clarity. The sense of foreboding was tangible, and the tension that had simmered just beneath the surface had erupted into full-blown fear.

As the evacuation gained momentum, another figure emerged from the chaos, moving with swift, purposeful strides. Julie, an Australian Federal police officer stationed at the Airport, had quickly taken charge of guiding the terrified passengers toward safety. Clad in her uniform, her presence brought a semblance of order amidst the confusion.

Julie’s voice, calm yet commanding, cut through the panic as she directed groups of travellers to designated evacuation points. “This way! Keep moving! Stay together and follow the officers ahead!” she called out, her tone leaving no room for hesitation. She pointed to the various exits where buses and military vehicles awaited, engines running, ready to whisk people away from the danger that now loomed over the airport.

Her eyes swept over the crowds, scanning for anyone in need of assistance. Julie’s years of experience had prepared her for crises, but the sight of the frightened faces—children clinging to parents, elderly passengers struggling to keep up—made this situation feel different, more personal. She couldn’t let herself be overwhelmed; there were too many lives depending on her composure.

As she led another group toward the nearest exit, the deafening sound of another helicopter landing nearby caused the ground to tremble. Julie instinctively glanced up, then quickly refocused on the task at hand. There was no time to dwell on the danger; her priority was getting as many people out as possible.

She noticed Derrick and Kim among the evacuees, both looking shell-shocked but determined. With a brief nod and pointing the way to them, Julie continued to guide the flow of people, her authoritative presence a beacon of direction in the disarray. Every step they took toward the evacuation points brought them closer to safety, but the urgency in Julie’s movements made it clear that time was running out.

As she hurried to organise the next group, Julie felt a heavy responsibility settle on her shoulders. The airport, once a hub of movement and connection, was now a place of desperate escape. And in this moment, she knew she had to be the one to lead these people to safety, no matter what.

Despite the desperate efforts of the good-hearted, those trying their best to keep everyone safe, sometimes even the noblest intentions aren’t enough. The sense of foreboding that had hung over the airport like a dark cloud suddenly became a horrifying reality.

A distant rumble drew everyone's attention, and as they turned their gazes toward the Perth CBD, a sight that would forever be etched into their memories unfolded. A massive fireball erupted on the horizon, a fiery mushroom cloud climbing into the sky, casting an ominous glow over the city. The explosion seemed to occur in slow motion, and the world held its breath in stunned silence.

Seconds later, the shockwave hit.

A deafening boom rolled through the airport, shaking the very foundations of the building and causing a ripple of panic to spread among those still evacuating. The force of the blast knocked some people off their feet, and the windows shattered inward, showering the terminal with glass. For a moment, the noise was overwhelming, drowning out all other sounds as the world seemed to explode around them.

Derrick’s heart pounded as he stumbled back, the realisation of what he’d just witnessed sinking in. All those people... all those lives. His mind raced as he tried to comprehend the scale of the destruction, the devastation that had just been unleashed. The reality of it was too much to bear.

Kim, stood frozen in shock. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched the mushroom cloud rise higher into the sky. I was supposed to be on a beach right now, laughing with my friends. The thought seemed trivial in the face of such horror. Tears welled in her eyes as she thought of her parents, of everyone she loved, and the sudden, terrible uncertainty of what the future now held.

Steven, amidst the crowd, felt the impact like a punch to the gut. He had seen conflict before, had been trained for moments like this, but nothing could prepare him for the sight of his own city being destroyed. We tried so hard... he thought, his mind flashing back to the frantic evacuation, the efforts to save as many as possible. But in the face of such overwhelming force, what could they do?

Julie, still ushering people toward the exit, staggered as the blast wave hit. She glanced back at the terminal, now a scene of chaos and destruction, and then toward the city, where the fireball still burned. I did everything I could. The words echoed in her mind, but they felt hollow. The scale of the disaster was beyond anything she could have imagined, and a deep sense of helplessness washed over her.

As the shock began to fade, the realisation of what had happened settled in. Fear and despair gripped the hearts of those at the airport as they looked on in horror at the distant city, now engulfed in flames.

Then, just when it seemed like things couldn’t get any worse, a sudden burst of bright light filled the sky above them, blinding in its intensity. There was no time to react, no time to think. The light consumed everything, washing over the airport and its occupants with a final, overwhelming brilliance.

And then, there was nothing.