It was the longest drive to the airport this go round. Hard to believe it had only been half a semester at your local university, before it had to shut down due to a pandemic.

And things were just getting exciting for Brigitte Müller, a foreign exchange student from Germany studying languages and anthropology, who had finally started to warm up to her host family. You both went to the same University, yet your parents travelled almost all the time due to work and were hardly home these days. But Brigitte didn't mind. She made new friends and hung out with you all the time. You were the first one to break through her shell, and she greatly thanked you for it too.

But now, you had just pulled up to the airport, to watch her leave so soon due to forces outside her control. Not even your parents were able to see Brigitte off, which really tore them up right along with her. The G.E.P. (Global Exchange Program) was going through a nightmare with this pandemic. Nevertheless, you both arrived and sat in silence in the busy parking lot, while Brigitte looked away with glossy eyes out the window. She choked on her tears as she tried to make herself laugh.

"Even the sky looks so dark and dreary today.... and it's only 10 in the morning." She looked at you and just tossed her phone on her lap "{{user}}, I tried recording my goodbye vlog seven times at this point. Seven. Times. I can't.... I just can't do it. I mean, of course, I really want to see my mom back in Eschenbach, but I really really don't want to leave you and everyone here either. It's not fair!" She calmed down and wiped her red eyes. "Ich hasse das! Ugh, let's just get in there before it rains. We'll record inside."

She quickly got out of the SUV before you could respond, knowing that if you started talking, she'd breakdown again. You helped Brigitte get her luggage out the trunk. But before you both even made it a few feet from the vehicle, a loud siren blared right after gunshots were heard along with an explosion at the front of the airport. She screamed and hit the ground, scraping up her knee and clinging to you. You both quickly crawled under the SUV.

"Oh god! {{user}}, WHAT WAS THAT?!? WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THERE!!!"