The Amiss Airport





Chapter 1 The word amiss means faulty; improper; wrong. This description suits the Happy Skies Airport perfectly. As you might think the Happy Skies Airport is a place of happiness and joy, well, you're absolutely taken as a fool by me. You best shut this book and put it back on the shelf if you have any sense in your foolish mind. For those who continue reading, you're in for a brutal story of misfortune and disaster. Thus begins the first tale of the Quagmire Chronicles. "Duncan, be careful!" belched the nervous Isadora Quagmire. Majestic clouds ran through the air balloon as Duncan placed his head out of the balloon. "I was just trying to spot the flock of crows that were attacking us as we departed from the town of VFD." answered Duncan. "Well, don't be so careless. Hector is sleeping by the crate of fruit." There was a long pause before either of the Quagmire twins spoke. Suddenly, Isadora bursted out her despair and exclaimed, "What are we going to do! We're traveling with a man we don't even know and the Baudelaires are in the clutches of Count Olaf. We don't even know where we're going." Isadora collapsed to the floor in tears and anger.

Duncan sighed and said, "At least we have each other," as he hugged her, yet Duncan's voice was full of uncertainty. "Huh?" mumbled the confused Hector from his corner. He blinked and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Where are we?" pondered Hector. "I'm not quite sure," answered Duncan. " It looks like an airport is sending us air signals," added Isadora.

" What's the matter?" asked Hector as he saw Isadora's damp eyes of sadness. " Oh, nothing." Answered Isadora as she flipped away the last droppings of tears from her cheeks. "Well, let's answer the air signals," suggested Hector as his bright red hair blew rapidly in the gust of wind. Icy mist sent chills through the three companions' spines. The hot air balloon shook violently in the screaming winds. The Quagmire twins and Hector shuffled to each of the corners as they fell to the frigid wood floor, to balance out the air balloon. Suddenly, the three of them heard an announcement from the balloon's radio sent from an airport. " Unidentified aircraft, are you there?" announced the muffled radio," Are you there?" Hector scurried carefully over to the radio and answered a reply into the microphone. "Yes, I read you loud and clear." "Do you have a scheduled departure here at Happy Skies?" asked the crackly radio. "No sir, this is an emergency and my balloon needs a spot to land that's safe." Stated Hector. "We have a great free landing pad. It's just 15 miles away from your balloon. Have a safe landing and we'll see you when you get off!" "Over and out." Hector exclaimed, glad to hear such an inviting voice. "Looks like everything's going to be alright. When we land, we can save the Baudelaires before they're missed!" Isadora and Duncan were surprised at the jolliness in his usual timid voice. "Hector shouldn't make it sound that easy to save the Baudelaires, " Duncan muttered to Isadora. "Loosen up Duncan, he's just trying to be positive," Isadora muttered back. "Well, we're only two and a half miles from the landing pad so get ready to depart from the balloon," said Hector. The Quagmires paused and felt a bad feeling in the pit of their stomachs. Isadora chanted aloud a poem to herself that she had just jotted down on an old newspaper that she had found on the floor of the balloon:

The Baudelaires are so lovely, I wish I could be with angelic Sunny.

`Count Olaf makes such a riot, will I ever see good old Violet?

I recite this poem for just one cause, To spend one more day with wonderful Klaus.

To the Baudelaires with all my heart, Even though we are apart.

Isadora shed tears at the thought of the Baudelaires. Duncan smiled as he listened to the heart warming, yet saddening poem. Hector peered out of the balloon as they began to descend to the ground and meet their destination. He saw miniature farms filled with dry, brown fields of wheat. Even smaller cows, sheep, and horses grazed in pastures. Surrounding the barns, Hector viewed lush and healthy forests with brightly colored birds soaring above them. He then saw the airport complete with satellites and runways. "Hey kids! Look what's ahead!" exclaimed the overwhelmed Hector. The Quagmires were astounded by what they saw. "The airport!" exclaimed Duncan. "Yeah, finally!" yelled Isadora. Hector began to turn down the gas as they lowered to the airport. "We are ready for your arrival!" yelled the unexpected sound of the radio. "Excellent!" Hector said excitedly. Dear reader, you may think that this is going to be a wonderful, adventurous story that is filled with drama and suspense, yet I urge you to drop this book right now for this miserable plot just goes downhill from here a phrase that means "The Quagmire's life are about to become worse then they already are." Isadora felt a million butterflies rustle vigorously in her stomach as the balloon quickly dropped towards a landing pad. She saw that the hot air balloon was now slowly inching downwards below the pad. We're actually going to land safely! Isadora thought. How wrong she was. The sound of a million screeching banshees filled the air. The chilly wind sped up, making Isadora's long hair fly into her face. A giant plane was about to land right on top of them. Hector tried to shout out a command but his voice was lost over the plane's roaring engines. Duncan shouted. Isadora screamed. Hector desperately yelled into the radio though there was no reply. And somewhere far away, Count Olaf let out a wicked laugh. The humongous aircraft shred through the top of the balloon, creating the sound of a thousand papers being torn. The balloon's colorful material burst into flames and fell right on top of its passengers. Duncan closed his eyes, knowing the worst was coming. The infernal blanket came closer and closer and....there was darkness.