The Discovery (Part 1 of ?)

[Random Magic]

This is part one of a multi-part series (at least three as it stands, but may add more) the rest will be released as and when I've had chance to review them. As always please leave comments, suggestions and feedback (good, bad or indifferent!) and excuse any typos or inconsistencies as I cannot yet edit posts! It's a slow starter, but does get going, and future chapters will include more sneezing! So, without further pre-amble...

1. 

Sara Summers felt her eyes watering as Professor Dietrich told her the news. Despite her flawless academic record, and first-class performance across all modules in the curriculum, she was finally feeling what it was to be rejected for something she really and truly wanted - no, needed - in her life.

Academic failure was not something Sara was familiar with, she had a long and proud track record through school and university of finishing at or very near the top of her class. When choosing her course for further study she was spoilt for choice as a wide range of courses at some of the country’s most prestigious universities would have been only too happy to enrol her.

However, in the end, to the perplexion and dismay of many of her family, who foresaw a long and successful career in law or medicine, Sara eventually chose to take up an offer to study Archaeology in the little known University of Greenville, which while very distinguished in the field of pre-Roman northern European socio-archaeology, was otherwise largely irrelevant.

Within the small school in an unremarkable town, Sara quickly rose to prominence. with her tutors pegging her for future greatness within her field.

And for three years as Sara duly coasted through her undergraduate course, managing the elegant feat of being able to easily stand out, without allowing the success making her conceited or aloof.

Sara’s trajectory to the top seemed predestined as she looked to continue her studies into postgraduate and some kind of research role after that. However, that plan came to an abrupt halt as, during a seemingly routine performance meeting, the kindly and soft-spoken Professor Dietrich, almost casually informed her that she would not be considered for place on the much-coveted PhD programme due to certain “personal…ahem…afflictions”.

Immediately Sara’s head began to swim. This was the entire reason she came here in the first place, while undergraduate degrees were ten a penny, a place on the renowned Archaeology PhD programme from the at the University of Greenville was enough to open doors in this particular (albeit select) field for the rest of her career.

Professor Dietrich had continued to talk, rather inelegantly dancing around what was meant by these particular ‘personal afflictions’. Sara knew what was coming, she didn’t need to hear it.

It had to be that, she had not been found lacking in any academic capacity, nor had she shown any personal failings of note.

The truth was that Sara had terrible allergies. Almost anything made her sneeze and once she began, well there was no telling when she’d stop.

This obviously was of particular concern given the delicate and precise world of field archaeology. While Sara was academically unimpeachable, her nose and its proclivities had been a cause for alarm among her teachers. She suffered from prolonged fits each of which left her spraying wet sneezes in an almost helpless state of uncoordination.

“You see,” said Prof Dietrich, in his soft Bavarian accent, his kind eyes wrinkled at the temples, “there may be roles in this field which are more suited to your…skills.”

Sara fought back tears and for the millionth time in her life silently cursed her overly sensitive nose which had frequently been the source of shame and embarrassment.

“Of course we would be delighted to offer you an administrative role within the faculty,” he continued. “Someone of your calibre and understanding would be of huge benefit to Greenville Archaeology.”

Sara was not listening. She was not in the least bit interested in whatever desk-based role they came up with. Her passion was the field, and she had not got this far to be satisfied with a life behind a desk.

She blinked back her tears and looked up at the old academic defiantly. She raised her finger and opened her mouth to begin a defence of herself, but had to stop. She felt it, right at the back of her nose, the damned tickle.

She didn’t know which of her many allergic sensitivities was getting to her this time, but it had been teasing her all afternoon, and it chose this point to escalate into an urgent itch.

Now of all times, as if it knew exactly when to undermine her to worst effect.

Sara begin to speak, “I….”

Prof Dietrich, looked expectantly at her, he had braced himself for the defiance he knew must be coming from the young a headstrong student, but he became quizzical as he waited for what was to come. After a couple of seconds he understood and sighed sadly.

“I-I..Haa…Hahh!” Sara’s breath hitched as the tickle rose in her nose, the sneeze quickly moving towards release. “Eh-hehcuse me, Think I’m gonna…hah! HAH!” Her finger remained in the air between them, pointing straight up as if to add exclamation to her already alarming build-up. her head tipped back as she waited for the inevitable.

“Such a shame, such a promising girl.” muttered the old academic to himself, and he turned towards the door of the classroom as Sara laboured towards the inevitable fit. He had just entered the corridor when he heard the sneezes begin barrel out of the young lady with irrepressible force.

“HISSHOO! HISSHHOO! ESSHH! ESSHOO SHOOO!” Sara began sneezing, they were loud, desperate and absolutely unstoppable. As Prof Deirtrich kept walking he counted up to 15 sneezes before he could no longer hear her.

In the classroom Sarah stumbled against the desk and propped herself against it as the sneezes continued to bend her at the waist, as copious spray was illuminated by the sunshine streaming through the window.

“ASSHHHOOO! AAASSSHHHOOOO! AH…AHHH…ASSHHHOOO….HAH! HAH! HAAAAEEESSSSSSSHHOOOOO! EEESSSHHHOOOO! SHOO! SHOO! IIIISSSHHHHOOO!”

Leaning against the desk, panting, and in the throws of her fit, Sara’s knees almost buckled and she had to catch herself. She gasped loudly, her head was spinning and she gasped loudly as her head tipped back as she built towards an enormous sneeze…

“EHHH-HEEEHHH! HEEEEHHHH! Gonnahhhh…HEEHHHH….HEHHHH…I’m gonnahhhh…aaahhaahhhh…HAAAHHH…HAAAAEEEEAAASSSCCHHHOOOOOOO!”

Her slim frame was violently thrown forwards yet again as she was bent over at the waist, her long brown hair thrown across her face.

Sara gasped for breath as the tickle was finally quelled and her body slumped, exhausted into one of the hard plastic classroom chairs. Her steeliness and resolve was all but defeated in that moment, she put her head into her hands and wept tears of frustration and pain.

Why did this affliction fall on her? She was so well equipped in every other way for this career she had thrown herself into, but her nose had once again been her undoing, as had been the case throughout her childhood and adolescence.

The worst part of it was that she didn’t really have anyone to be angry at, other than her rebellious and uncontrollable nose.

It had always been so, in class a few weeks earlier, while being tasked with conserving ancient texts, Sara had nearly destroyed some crumbling and dusty fragments during a particularly vicious fit. All but blinded by allergic tears brought upon by a few errant motes of dust which had found their way into her sensitive airways, Kim had been launched into an urgent and merciless fit within literal spitting distance from the manuscript.

The precious text had only been saved from permanent erasure by the quick-thinking of the tutor who, seeing the impending disaster, had pulled the cushion on which it rested out from under her nose as she reared up for a quite tremendous explosion. Dazed and bewildered, Sara had been excused from the class to collect herself, while her fellow students exchanged concerned and knowing glances and the teacher hurriedly returned the artefact to its storage box.

Later, Sara was gently admonished for her negligence and warned about the implications of such carelessness in the field of duty - as if she didn’t know, or was had anything within her power that she could do to predict or arrest her nasal outbursts.

While professionally, her trigger-happy nose was a source of constant concern, social her sneezing had proven damaging and embarrassing in equal measure. Throughout school the allergy-plagued girl had been shunned, or worse, teased due to her omni-present sneezes as she suffered through hellish pollen-induced fits through spring, summer and autumn and the odd messy cold, not to mention any passing exposure to animals, fragrances or of course dust year-long.

Despite her afflictions, Sneezy Sara, Miss Allergy and Lady Sneezalot, as she had been monikered throughout her school days, thrived academically, if not socially, through it all in the hope that, upon graduating and moving on, she would begin not just to be defined by her unruly nose, but rather her kind and generous nature.

However on reaching university, it appeared that if anything, her allergies only increased in severity and her sneezes in frequency and unpredictability. Living in the close quarters of the halls of residence, she had once again become known as ‘that sneezing girl’ as her nasal bombardments had become noticed and she found that, once again her reputation, and her nose preceded her.

The one person who seemed not to regard her with disgusted fascination was her neighbour in the halls, Tim, who she assumed must have been more familiar than most with the antics of her nose, given the paper-thin walls of the decrepit building in which they were housed.

In the first week of term, after a particularly passionate fit brought upon by god knows what, but she suspected the ragweed and obvious mould which was endemic within the building, she heard a tentative knock at the door. Upon opening it a crack, her watery gaze was met by Tim, holding a pocket size pack of Kleenex and wearing a concerned look on his face.

“Umm…Hi, I’m Tim and I stay next door and I heard you sneezing,” he said as he held the packet out, almost apologetically. “Are you ok?”

Despite her leaking face and her dark brown hair being in complete disarray, he thought she looked striking. Her blue eyes, while red and watery, were still piercing and her pale skin and full lips wore the flush of her recent exertions.

Inwardly cursing herself for allowing the first meeting with this quite attractive neighbour to be under these circumstances, Sara tried her best to summon a gracious smile.

“Uhh, I’m fine thank you. I’m sorry you heard all that, just my allergies. I’m afraid they can be like that sometimes.” She sniffed and opened the door a little further, inviting him in.

Other than the rumpled covers on the bed, on which she had obviously been sitting during the attack, and about a hundred tissues lying balled up on every available flat surface, her room was unusually tidy for in comparison with most other first year undergraduate rooms, Tim’s included.

“I have a touch of allergies myself in spring,” he said. “But sounds like you get it bad.”

“You can say that again.” Sara said, dabbing at her scarlet nose. “I’m sorry if I disturbed you, I couldn’t help it, I think it’s the mould in here. Or the pollen outside, or something.”

“Pollen?” Tim replied. “Didn’t think that was a thing at this time of year?”

“Well, guess again,” Sara said forcing smile. “The ragweed is out right now, and it’s totally kicking my ass.”

“Oh, that’s sucks.” Sensing she didn’t really want to discuss it, Tim tried to change the subject. “What are you studying?”

Sara’s nose however had other ideas. She held a finger up “Wait!” her eyes glazed over and her eyes narrowed in anticipation of the oncoming sneeze. “So-hoohhh-ry…I’m gonna…snee-heehh…”

Her head tipped back and her breath hitched as the tickle continued to build.“Heehhh…Heehhh…HAH!” Tim watched transfixed as Sara stood stock still for a second, before pitching forwards into her fit, letting her sneezes go unashamedly.

“Hisshooo…Hisshhhooo…Huh-isssooo…Hah! Hah-isshhoo…ESSSHHH!” The final one was stronger, bending her forward at the waist, her hands pressed to her nose and her hair whipping in front of her face.

“Bless you!” said Tim at last, as Sara righted herself and gave her nose a firm blow.

“Ugh, thanks,” replied Sara as she smoothed her hair. “Sorry those were just too much, I couldn’t’ stop them.” She blew her nose again, wetly.

Sneezing was Tim’s thing. From as early as he remembered, he had been interested in it, and in his teenage years, this has progressed in to what he now admitted (to himself at least) was a fetish. And here he was, in the presence of and living next door to, a beautiful, seemingly constantly sneezing girl. It was no wonder that in that moment, Tim’s brain could not find one single relevant thing to say, so he didn’t say anything,

“Um, so thanks for the tissues, and sorry. I guess I’m gonna go get cleaned up now.”

“Oh yes, shit, sorry, of course!” said Tim, suddenly coming round. “I live next door, so I guess I’ll see you around.” he said, as much to pacify himself as anything else.

“And you’ll probably hear me before that!” said Sara. “Sorry in advance, I will try to keep the peace.”

“Oh, please don’t worry about it.” said Tim. “There’s always something going on in this place, it’s never peaceful. And bless you in advance!” He added with a smile.

Sara smiled and, rather abruptly ushered him out of the door. Tim wasn’t sure but thought he could see her nose begin to crinkle as the door closed in his face.

In a second his suspicions were confirmed as he heard a fit of sneezes which were barely muffled by the closed door.

“AESSCCHOO! ESSHHOO! ESSHHOO! AAEESSHHOO! ISSHH! ISSHH! HA-EESSHHOO…“

Reluctantly, Tim turned to unlock the door to his own room, where he was sure he would continue to hear Sara’s suffering for as long as it persisted tonight, but longer in his mind’s eye.

[Via]

hey this is fantastic! good balance of characterization and thirst in the setup-- excited to see where it goes!

[ID2006]

Love to see where this is going 

[SweetPotato]

>:[ This professor made me angry. There is an obvious solution and it’s medical accommodation. Not only to help anticipate and control when allergens will be present but to plan to do things like the tutor did to make sure artifacts aren’t damaged. Having someone brilliant is absolutely worth paying someone else to make sure they don’t accidentally damage items. Sara needs a disability advocate.

[Random Magic]

12 hours ago, SweetPotato said:

>:[ This professor made me angry. There is an obvious solution and it’s medical accommodation. Not only to help anticipate and control when allergens will be present but to plan to do things like the tutor did to make sure artifacts aren’t damaged. Having someone brilliant is absolutely worth paying someone else to make sure they don’t accidentally damage items. Sara needs a disability advocate.

Yes, you're probably right, I'm not an expert in this area and probably didn't think all of the possibilities through. It's really just supposed to be a fun piece of fiction, sorry if it offended you as that wasn't my intention. 😥

[Rick]

On 11/22/2023 at 10:09 PM, Random Magic said:

“Bless you!” said Tim at last, as Sara righted herself and gave her nose a firm blow.

This made me smile - as I know any neighbour of mine would have definitely heard me blow as well as sneeze! Maybe that's a future exchange - Sara's nose actually needs more than just "firm" when she blows, and a gentle prompt from Tim with a wink is "go ahead, don't worry, nothing I haven't heard before..."

As I should have said to start with, great writing and thank you!

[Glatissant]

Love the concept and am interested to see more!

[Random Magic]

Hey, so thank you so much for all of those who had positive feedback. I'm having a lot of fun writing this and it may go on for a couple more chapters, but can't promise anything - let me know if you'd like to see more anyway as I can always use some motivation to keep writing!

I'm trying to focus a bit more on plot development, but I realise it's still quite slow. I do have a fair bit more plot development in the next chapter, but for now this is, again, big on 'thirst' @Via ! 

2.

Sara bolted from her desk towards the bathroom of the Library’s office, tissue clamped to her nose.

Kelis, the Library assistant watched her from under her eyelashes. “There she goes again.” She heard the toilet door close and then the muffled sound of one of Sara’s infamous sneezing fits.

“Isshhhooo…Isshhoo…Isshhoo…Hey-isshhoo…HEY-ISSHHOO!” the last one, stronger and shrieked in sweet relief, as was her usual pattern. Sara exited the bathroom, dabbing at her nose with a wad of toilet roll.

“‘Scuse me.” she muttered as she passed Kelis’s work station.

When Sara started, Kelis figured it must have been a cold or some kind of temporary seasonal allergy that was the cause of these terrible fits, but after five months, she was beginning to realise that, unbelievable as it may seem, Sara just was that sneezy.

The poor girl started the day sneezing convulsively from pollen in the morning, and was tortured by dust from the books they catalogued throughout the day. Even the bright spotlights of the gloomy archive were also enough to elicit short fits from time to time, and sometimes, Kelis was sure, Sara just sneezed for no particular reason.

Sara had started at the University of Greenville’s Archive shortly after finishing her undergraduate degree, and had been in post now for almost four years.

Sara had never spoken about it, but Kelis had picked up on some kind of upheaval in her past that had some kind of bearing on why she ended up working at the Archives. Although friendly enough and always diligent, Kelis detected a sadness within Sara. She was an enigma, no partner, no real social life, and resigned to a job she didn’t seem to enjoy. Yet it was clear that she was fiercely intelligent and underemployed in the rather menial role of Library Assistant and Cataloguer.

Kelis looked at her, concern written across her face. “Sara, are you ok? You’ve been sneezing pretty badly lately. Is there anything I can do?”

Sara glanced up, the wadded ball of toilet roll pressed to her streaming nose. “Ugh, I’m sorry, I’m a mess. I can’t do much about it I’m afraid, it’s mainly just the duh-dust.” She blinked, another fierce tickle assaulting her sinuses.

Kelis watched as Sara’s head fell backwards and her breath began to hitch, as she fought for control. For a moment, the sneeze hung on a knife edge, teasing her.

“Uhhuhh…oh guuuhh…my nose, it…hah-hah! It ti-hih-hiickles…hehhhh…HAH! HAH! I’mm gonna…gotta…hheeehhhh…Ohhh…” she sniffed, as the tickle receded and she regained control of the situation, for now at least.

Kelis watched the performance with sympathy, as usual. It was the height of Spring and poor Sara really was a mess and seemingly no amount of rubbing or blowing seemed to quell her obvious sneeziness.

“Has it aways been this bad?” She asked shyly.

“Well, it’s never been good. I mean, I’ve had allergies my whole life, or for as long as I can remember anyway, but I swear it’s been getting worse the past few years, it’s like there’s always something around to make me want to…heehh….need to…Heeeehhh…”

The tickle returned, Sara’s nose felt as if a feather duster were being twirled around inside it, her eyes began to water again and her nose twitched. She pushed her chair away from the desk to give herself a bite more room, for this might be messy - she must at all costs protect the historic manuscripts that she had been painstakingly cataloguing. She raised her hands before her face to catch the upcoming fit.

“Guhh-huuhhh, here they cuuuhh…uhh…hurrr…HAAAEEYEESCCHOOO! EESSHOOO! IISSHH! IISSHHH! HEEEYYEEESSHHOOO! ESSHOOO! SHOOO!

The fit had bent her double, and she slowly straightened into sitting position, her eyes were still glassy and unfocussed, there were still more to come. She held the now completely sodden toilet roll in front of her face as she hitched and gasped towards release.

Unbelievably, Kelis thought, she was still trying to talk, even through this astonishing build-up.

“Still muuhh…more. Suh-sorry…I have to…have to…snee-heeeeh…Hah…ehhh. HAAAAHHH!” She was poised again on the brink of a tremendous release. Her mouth hung open, strands of her long, dark hair hung in front of her face. Finally, she pitched forward with fresh volley of powerful, spraying sneezes. Kelis was relieved that the visible spray was aimed away from the books, hanging in the air between them.

“HUUURRRIIISSSHHHOOO! HAAAYYEESSSHOOO! ESSSHHHOOO! ESSHHOO! Huuhh…god, not more…EEHHSSOO! ESSHHOOO! ESSHHH! ESSHH…HAAAEEYEEESSSHHOOOO!” As usual, the fit culminated with a longer drawn out sneeze.

Sara slumped back in the chair and gave her nose fearsome blow, it was unashamedly wet and messy, she just had to clear the residual dust from her nose.

“God, I’m so sorry, it’s the dust, sometimes it does this to me. Ever since I started here it’s been the worst. Sorry, I think I need to blow my nose again.”

After another very wet blow, Sara deposited another sodden wad of tissues into the overflowing bin beside her desk and sighed deeply. “I think I’ve finished here for the day. I need a shower and to stuff myself with antihistamines, so I think I’ll finish the rest of this report at home. God knows you could probably use a bit of peace and quiet.”

“Don’t worry about me,” replied Kelis, still recovering from Sara’s fit. “It’s nice to have the company, even if your sneezes do keep me on my toes, but you go home and take care of that nose, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

———

Sara dropped her handbag in the hallway of her apartment and sighed. The pollen count was ridiculous today her nose was streaming and her eyes were red and watering. As expected, the journey home from the Library had been difficult, she had sneezed her way across campus to the train station. Her allergies only calmed down once she was safely inside the air conditioned carriage, but still she had to sit with a handkerchief pressed to her nose on the train ride, more for some psychological comfort, than any physical relief.

Once in the door of her apartment, she flopped down onto the couch and surveyed her apartment over the wadded up handkerchief.

After her stellar early academic career, this certainly wasn’t how she envisaged her life going. In a dead-end job and living alone living alone in a small one-bedroom apartment in the less salubrious part of town. And to top it all off, she was single.

It wasn’t that she chose the single life, in fact she found it relatively easy to attract men, however time and time again she had found their interest short-lived once they realised the extent to which her allergies intruded on her daily life. Visits to the cinema had to be abandoned due to a dusty-induced fit, a walk in the park could leave her a sneezing mess.

As one of her few short-term boyfriends so memorably put it after a fearsome sneezing fit had interrupted them while making out, her nose was like an obnoxious and uninvited third wheel in the relationship.

Sara was dragged back into reality by the increasingly urgent tickle in her nose. She knew a fit had to be coming. Her sneezes could be delayed, but they could never be denied.

She started the shower and started to undress. She had to wash off some that pollen before it did too much damage.

She stepped out of her dressing gown and prepared herself for the inevitable fit that would ensue once the steam worked its way into her blocked sinuses. She didn’t know her neighbours that well, but she was sure they must be well acquainted with her, given the regularity and volume of her sneezes.

As the water cascaded over her body, she felt her nose immediately react to the change in temperature and the humidity.

Sara braced herself with an arm against the wall of the shower as the tickle increased in urgency. Her breath began to hitch, then gasp, she tilted her head back until her nose was pointed towards the ceiling, her breaths become vocal and desperate as the buildup continued. The wetness from her nose mingled with the water, running down her body. As was often the case, the sneezes refused to come quickly, as if mocking her for daring to hold them back.

Sara was used to her nose teasing and torturing her, but this was something else. She was braced in the cubicle, one hand on the wall, the other hovering in front of her face. Her legs were bent at the knees; she felt coiled like a spring. If they didn’t come soon, she felt like she might explode.

She was completely lost in the urgency of her need and in sheer desperation. Her eyes had screwed shut and her gasps became more vocal. Then, when she was really beginning to despair, finally they were upon her. They came rapidly and they came forcefully, bending her violently at the waist. Her body shook, the cascading water bouncing off her as her wet hair whipped back and forth.

“HEEEHHHH…HEEEEHHH…AHAAAHHHH…HEH! HEH! AACHHAA…HAAAEEESSSHHHOOO! ESSHHOO! ESSHH! ESSH! ESSHH! HAAAYESSHHHOOO! CHOO! CHOO! AACHHHOOOEEEYYY!”

Having been denied for so long, they just kept coming and she was powerless to stop them. After 20 or so sneezes she was getting out of breath the steamy confines of the shower cubicle.

Mercifully her nose gave her a moment’s reprieve and she gasped and straightened, opening the cubicle door to let some cooler air in. She felt light-headed and her vision was blurred with tears. She sniffed tentatively, taken aback by the violence of her own reaction.

Suddenly, she felt her nose react to the cooler air entering the shower. This time she was given no time to prepare and her knees buckled under the first sneeze. Sara only prevented herself from falling by catching at the shower itself. Fearing what would happen if she slipped, she crouched in the bottom of the cubicle as more sneezes wracked her body.

“ISSHHOO! ISSHOO! ISSHHOO! HA-ITCHOO HAAYYIISHOOO! Essh! Eshhoo…esshhoo…shooo…HAAAEESSSHHHOOO!”

The fit finally tapered down, before a final, thunderous sneeze signalled the end of her fit. Breathing heavily, she remained in a crouched position, before finally standing back up and finished washing herself, still dazed from the uncontrollable fit.

A handful of smaller aftershocks shook her as she stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her.

“Isshh…Isshhoo…Isshhoo…ha-isshoo!” Surprised, despite herself but the power of her own allergies, Sara wrapped her hair in another towel and blew her nose fiercely on a handful of soggy toilet roll.

“Oh my god! My nose…honestly. This is insane.” She hurried to get changed before any further fits occurred.

Sara was tying her hair up in a messy ponytail when her phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Sara, hello this is Professor Dietrich.” Sara’s heart jumped at the familiar accented voice on the other end of the line. She had not heard it for over four years, but she would have known it anywhere.

“Hi Professor, how are you?” Sara felt a mix of emotions - the pain of the rejection was still raw and angry, however she had always thought fondly of her old professor and it was good to hear his voice again.

“I’m fine Sara, thank you. Listen, I’m sorry for getting to the point so quickly, but we have a problem and I was hoping we might be able to call on your services to assist us.”

“A problem? What is it Professor Dietrich, is everything ok?”

“Not really. Sadly, we are in quite a predicament. My field team have stumbled upon something…well, something quite extraordinary. I think I need your help.”

Half of Sara wanted to throw the phone against the wall in anger. She had sacrificed so much to be a member of this team, only to be unfairly rejected. Professor Dietrich and the Faculty had left her out in the cold, they could go and screw themselves as far as she was concerned.

However despite herself, she was intrigued. What in the pedestrian and quite frankly dull world of field Archaeology could possibly have got the professor so rattled that he was here asking for her assistance?

So Sara swallowed her indignancy, took a deep breath. “What can I do to help, Professor Dietrich?”

[SweetPotato]

On 11/24/2023 at 1:17 PM, Random Magic said:

Yes, you're probably right, I'm not an expert in this area and probably didn't think all of the possibilities through. It's really just supposed to be a fun piece of fiction, sorry if it offended you as that wasn't my intention. 😥

Oh no, I’m not offended! If anything my reaction is proof of how plausible this situation is. Many people aren’t aware of disability services unless and until they’re using them, even within an institution as this professor is. It’s a compelling conflict.

And don’t worry, I am still having fun with this. The whole situation is hot to me, I’m hooked. I just felt the need to mention that there are solutions to this problem irl.

[Random Magic]

49 minutes ago, SweetPotato said:

Oh no, I’m not offended! If anything my reaction is proof of how plausible this situation is. Many people aren’t aware of disability services unless and until they’re using them, even within an institution as this professor is. It’s a compelling conflict.

And don’t worry, I am still having fun with this. The whole situation is hot to me, I’m hooked. I just felt the need to mention that there are solutions to this problem irl.

Haha! Yeah, I hadn't even thought of that, but good point! I guess if everyone took the most sensible and realistic course of action in these stories, then our forum would be a poorer place for it! Thanks for the positive feedback and sorry for the confusion!

[Hovercuke]

This is SO GOOD I can’t wait to see where it goes

[Random Magic]

18 hours ago, Hovercuke said:

This is SO GOOD I can’t wait to see where it goes

Thanks, appreciate the comment! There should have an update very soon! 

[anna]

This is amazing!!

[Random Magic]

Hi all, thanks for the lovely comments and feedback 🤗 here is the third chapter, there will be more, but I've not written them yet, so please send me comments on what you'd like to see as I'm (very) open to suggestions! 

Anyway, on with the story! 

Chapter 3

The archaeological site was remote, around a three hour train ride and then two hours drive away. Sara spent the train ride reading the briefing that had been emailed over to her, even the notes were enough to make goose pimples rise on her arms.

The cover note from the professor explained the situation, thus:

“While embarking on a relatively minor excavation of some promising earthworks to the East of the Tethys river, my team unearthed the entrance to a previously unknown and extensive underground complex, on a scale far beyond what we have prepared for. Following the initial discovery, time is now of the utmost importance to protect the site from the effects of the unpredictable nature, including the weather of this region, and other environmental impacts. We believe that we have not yet scratched the surface of this particular discovery. There is much more that proper research and analysis has yet to reveal, and it is therefore imperative that we  secure the site and make as much progress as possible before anything adverse befalls the site.

“Given the significance of this discovery, along with its clear archaeological precedence, means everything is, at this point, strictly confidential.

“Your knowledge of this period remains standout in my long professional experience, and I believe your skills will be of particular value in this unique endeavour. Please hurry to meet me and the team at the site, we look forward to your imminent arrival.”

Sara put down the papers, stunned. This was the work of a lifetime, the chance to work on an obviously groundbreaking discovery and she could not wait to see it for herself.

She gazed out of the train window as trees and fields sped by, she was around half an hour from the station where she would rendezvous with a member of Professor Dietrich’s team and she needed to take some more antihistamines before then, both as a preventative measure and because a faint scent of perfume was emanating from somewhere in the carriage, and Sara could feel her nose beginning to bother her.

As she rummaged in her rucksack for her supply the insistent tickle grew, making her eyes water and her nose run. She sniffed wetly as she drew a crisp white handkerchief from her bag and wiped at her bothersome nose. The last thing she needed was to arrive to meet the team a sniffling and sneezing mess.

She blew her nose wetly, hoping to alleviate the tickle. She knew it was no use, once her nose was alerted to the presence of an allergen, nothing could stop it until it had expelled whatever it was that bothered her. Her only hope was to delay the inevitable, try to stifle the worst of it and avoid bringing too much attention to herself.

“Ahhehhh…” she breathed shakily into the handkerchief. She could swear that the perfume smell was now stronger, and whoever was wearing it must have reapplied more. Sara closed her eyes and tried to wait the tickle out. If she stayed like this, took shallow breaths, didn’t move, it may pass.

“Tickets!” At that moment, she heard the door to the carriage open and the conductor start moving along the aisle to inspect tickets. She cursed her luck under her breath and fumbled in her pockets for her ticket, which of course she could not find.

Tissues, coins, hand wipes, pens, sweet wrappers, allergy medication, she dumped the content of her pockets onto the table in front of her as she searched in vain for the ticket, all the while keeping the balled up handkerchief pressed to her nose.

The conductor was now only a few rows from Sara’s seat the search was complicated by the fact her eyes were now blurred with allergic tears.

“Ehhh…hehhhh…Aheeeehhhh.” she was now in the grip of a full build-up, and with all hope of finding her ticket now lost, Sara gave over to her impending sneezes.

“Ahaaahh! HEHH! ESSSHOOOO! ESSHOOO!” The first two sneezes escaped her. Sara sense the conductor by her side, waiting silently. On instinct, Sara tried to stifle the next round of sneezes, something san act that she knew was never successful, but what else could she do?

“Hmmppphh…Huummpphhh…Hnnnnkkk-choo…Hah…Hmmmppp-chooo…Hmmk-choo…Hnnnkkkk…Haaa-mmpphh…Hah…Hnnnkkk-choo!”

It was no use, all the stifling did was seem to anger her nose into ever more violent and protracted fits. The pressure in her head was unbearable and the stifling was hurting her throat and ears, she simply had to let her sneezes out. Feeling the eyes of the passengers boring into her, Sara began to sneeze loudly and repeatedly.

“HAAAIIIISSSHHHH! HA-ISSSHOOO! I’m so-soh-HAAA-ISSSHHOOO! IISSSHHOOO! sorry - it’s my all- ISSHHOOO! ISSHHOOO! allergies, I cah-hah-han’t HEESSHOOO! HESSHOO! stop! HHAAEEESSSHHOOO!”

The ticket inspector obviously hadn’t been trained for this and felt it was clearly outside of his job description, so he shrugged and moved on.

Sara’s fit continued for another couple of minutes before the sneezing began to taper off and she was left snotty, panting and red from exertion and embarrassment.

Her personal belongings were still spread on the table where she left them, only slightly wetter. And she could feel the eyes of the passengers boring into her for the rest of the journey.

———

As the train pulled into the station she immediately recognised a familiar figure on the platform, it was Tim, who she had lived with in her university residences. In the four years since she had last seen him, Tim had grown up, his tall frame had filled out and he now sported a broad chest, muscular arms and square jaw covered with a light brown stubble. She noticed that his eyes still had the same softness as they used to, as he scanned the train looking out for her.

All in all, he was looking hot.

Sara stepped off the train, struggling with her two bags, dragging one large rucksack containing her clothes and equipment, and a smaller one slung over her shoulders with personal belongings and of course a large stash of allergy medication.

Tim rushed to meet her, relieving her easily of the larger bag. He then enveloped her in a big bear huge, lifting her off her feet.

“Oh my god, I can’t believe you’re here! How are you? How was the journey? Are you well?”

Not knowing which question to answer, Sara just looked into his eyes and smiled.

“Yes!” she said, a little tongue-tied.

“Yes, what?” Tim said, managing to sound both amused and confused at the same time. “You haven’t changed a bit by the way.”

“I have you know.” she said, smiling wryly. “But maybe not as much you, Mr soon-to-be-famous Archaeologist.”

Tim smiled and glanced away, bashfully. When he looked back he thought he saw a slight look of discomfort cross Sara’s face and her nose wrinkled. ‘I guess some things haven’t changed, anyway.’ he thought and quickly ushered her off the platform and out of the pollen-infused air.

As they began the long drive towards the site, Sara fished a large white handkerchief from her back pocket. Even though Tim had been careful to keep the windows tightly closed, but the old Land Rover had no air filters and she could already feel her nose responding to the pollen and dust which suffused the car.

“Allergies still bad?” asked Tim, gesturing to the handkerchief and speaking in a tone he hoped didn’t sound as hopeful as he felt.

“Mmhmm.” replied Sara wiping at her nose. “My nose is still a ticking time bomb, can’t defuse it. No use.”

“You used to get it bad in university anyway.” said Tim, keen to keep the topic of conversation on Sara’s nose for just a bit longer.

“I know, it’s why I wasn’t allowed to join the team, remember?”

“I heard.” They drove in silence a moment before he added, “I’m sorry about that by the way, that really sucked.”

“Not your fault.” Sara shrugged. “Professor Dietrich was right, it was for the best. What with my allergies, all the dust and delicate objects and such, it would have been disaster. I don’t know how I didn’t see that from the start.”

“He can’t think that badly of you, he insisted that you had to come out here, you know.” said Tim.

“Yes, out of desperation and as a last resort. It’s not quite the same. I was pissed, still am. I almost didn’t come.”

“I’m glad you did.” Tim’s eyes remained fixed on the road ahead.

Sara didn’t know if he was just being polite, but she appreciated the sentiment all the same.

“Anyway, my nose has not improved in the slightest. In fact I think I…hehhh…” Sara breathed out shakily and remained mouth open, nose wrinkled and eyes glassy. Tim took his eyes off the road for a moment to look across at her with interest.

However she snapped out of it. “Sorry, thought I was going to sneeze there for a moment.” She laughed. “I guess you’re going to see exactly what my nose is like for yourself soon enough!”

Sara didn’t notice the slight red flush creeping up Tim’s neck and into his cheeks. his mouth was dry, legs shaky and his heart was pounding. How the hell was he going to make it through a three hour drive next to this woman?

———

“Do you need me to pull over again?” asked Tim as Sara looked blearily up from her handkerchief.

The sneezing had started around 20 minutes into the journey, and it had not let up, Tim was surprised she was still conscious. The ferocity of her sneezes must really take it out of her, and Sara’s sneezes were not petite and delicate things, she sneezed passionately and with her whole body. Throughout the ride they had wracked from head to toe, bending at the waist and leaving her breathless, stuffy and dazed. After several intense and prolonged sneezing fits, her nose had now settled into a pattern of shorter but more regular bursts. She was terribly tired and congested but this did mean she got short reprieves in-between the fits.

“No, I’d fide.”

“Jesus, you weren’t kidding when you said your allergies hadn’t improved.”

“Sorry, but I did warn you. God, what am I going to do when I get to site? I can’t let the others see me like this. I’m a mess!”

“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. The site is busy, we’re all busy, no-one is going to notice a few sneezes.”

“A few sneezes? I don’t know what it is up here, but my nose is out of control! I’ll be lu-huh…hah…HAH! HAAEESSCCHHOO! I’m so-sorry, HAAYYESSHOO! Sorry but - HAAAYYEEASSSHOO…Ugh, sorry, I meant I’ll be…heehhhh…lucky if I…ESSHHOOOO!

She released another set of massive, wet and full throated sneezes, lifting one hand in front of her face in a half-hearted gesture.

God, poor Tim, thought Sara. he had seen it all now, seen her at her worst seen the terrible power of her allergies. There was nothing left to hide, from him at least.

God, poor Sara, thought Tim, having to deal with this day after day. She really can’t catch a break.

“Bless you.” He said softly. He loved her sneezes, but he was conflicted, he recognised how difficult this was for Sara, and he silently determined to do whatever he could to lessen her suffering.

He glanced across a Sara, who looked exhausted but was valiantly and loudly attempting to clear her nose and alleviate the tickle. He turned off the road onto a side track, within 20 minutes they would be arriving at the dig site.

[Rick]

On 11/30/2023 at 7:59 PM, Random Magic said:

He glanced across a Sara, who looked exhausted but was valiantly and loudly attempting to clear her nose and alleviate the tickle. He turned off the road onto a side track, within 20 minutes they would be arriving at the dig site.

I love this - and I can imagine the valiant attempt being successful, as Sara as a lifelong allergy sufferer is probably almost a professional nose-blower, albeit with the frustration of knowing that her ability to clear her head and force open her passages will only give the next allergen unimpeded access to the most sensitive parts of her nose...

[wmb19]

I love this so much!! I can't wait to see what happens next. I love how desperate she gets and how embarrassed. 

[Random Magic]

Hi everyone, thanks for your messages. This is the penultimate chapter of this story, which apparently will come in six parts, so hope you enjoy - lighter on the sneezing, and more plot development, although Sara is still suffering throughout, I'll try to make the final part suitably sneezy (because why not?!) 

I can't edit any spelling mistakes yet, so please forgive any errors!

Chapter 4

Sara’s allergy medication had kicked in by the time she had reached he camp. She was still stuffed up and her nose itched, but she was able to introduce herself to her fellow team members without incident.

The camp itself comprised dozen tents, which were mostly individual sleeping quarters, with two larger ones for a cooking area and communal workspace. The latter was equipped with long table, projector and an amazing array of charts, maps and diagrams which took up every available space from floor to ceiling. Despite long work hours, the team had found time to decorate the space with paper lanterns, homemade bunting and had even creating houseplants from the native plant life. While cramped and cluttered it felt welcoming.

Once she had dropped her bags, she walked with Tim the short distance to the site, located on a steep and stony hillside about half a mile away, in a small depression between the rocks. Over numerous trips to and from the site, members of the team had worn a path into the dry grass, however even as they got close, Sara could not locate an entrance of any sort.

“I can see why it was undiscovered for so long,” she said, squinting at the rocks. “It’s so well hidden.”

“It doesn’t look like much from here, but just you wait until you see inside!” said Tim.

Sara felt a jolt of adrenaline course through her body, and her heart skipped a beat. This was a once in a lifetime experience, and she was still processing it. She was also very conscious of Tim’s presence by her side as they walked in silence towards the site. As much as she tried to remain focussed on the situation in hand, she was aware she was developing a serious crush on him.

Sara was torn and she cursed herself, professionally this was the most important thing she had ever been involved with, and she couldn’t even concentrate properly because she had the hots for a co-worker.

The route the the site involved a steep climb through boulder fields, before scrambling over boulder-strewn outcrops higher up the mountainside. The entrance didn’t reveal itself until a matter of feet away, and Sara and Tim were panting heavily when they reached it. They entered via a the triangular shaped cleft, hidden in the rocks.

Although the entrance looked natural, Tim pointed out time-worn markings carved into the rock, which indicated it had been shaped at points by human hands. Human, Sara thought, but incredibly old.

“When we found it, the entrance had been blocked up with rocks.” said Tim. “Whoever was last here, didn’t want anyone poking around after they had left.”

Sara’s mind boggled; around 6,000 years ago a person had left this cave, filled in the entrance, and it had lain for aeons, dark, silent and utterly undisturbed until now.

They continued into he cave, the floor sloping away before them, the bright warmth of the day replaced by darkness and a chill.

Tim pulled an electric lantern from his pack and handed it to Sara. Being more familiar with the layout of the cave, he was comfortable just using the torch on his phone to navigate his way. “I knew there was something beyond the rocks as I could feel the cold air from inside. The amount of airflow wasn’t consistent with a small natural cave.”

Although stony, the floor of the cave was relatively flat and the path wound onwards on a consistent decline. Sara shivered and her nose twinged from the cold as they made their way deeper inside. Soon the path bent at a 90 degree angle, and opened out into a large space. The weak light cast by her lantern illuminated a large ‘room’, roughly circular and around 8 metres at its widest point. A natural rock column stood in the centre of the space, around which was scattered an array of archaeological equipment.

Tim strode over to a large lighting rig and flipped a switch. Instantly the cave was flooded with brilliant light.

Sara, who was standing about four feet from the rig, blinked at the sudden and blinding light, spots swam in her eyes as they struggled to adjust. She immediately knew what was going to happen.

Sudden exposure to bright lights always had this effect on her, whether it was a sudden burst of sunlight, or just turning on a lamp, her nose always objected.

She cast a shadow on the wall of the cave as she built-up to an enormous sneeze. Both Sara and her shadow reared back, their heads falling backwards and mouths opening in anticipation. Her brown hair which she had tied up in a pony tail, swung as she gasped in the throws of her build-up, and her chest heaved beneath her t-shirt.

“AH-HAH…HAH…ASSSHOOO! ASSSHOOO ASSSSHOOO!” She sneezes a huge triple, not noticing the shadow of the copious spray projected onto the wall of the cave.

Startled, Tim spun around in time to see Sara building up for another round of sneezes, the tickle in her nose still not quite dispelled.

“HEESSSHOOO! ESSHHOOO! EESSSHOOO…A-HAH-HAH! HEY-EASSHHIIIOOO” the final sneezes sounded painful as it was torn from her throat. In the confines of the cave it was practically deafening and the sound of the sneezes echoed for a second after Sara finished.

“Jesus!” said Tim, still recovering from the shock. “You scared the shit out of me! I thought the roof was collapsing!”

“I’m sorry,” replied Sara, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. “But you have got to warn me in future before turning on that big light. I’m a photic sneezer, it means I sneeze when exposed to bright lights.”

Tim laughed, “Oh my god, you almost gave me a heart attack! Of course you’re a photic sneezer, why does that not surprise me! I think I’ve gone deaf.” He flashed her a smile to show he was joking.

Sara scowled at him in mock anger. “Well careful, I can’t always control these sneezes, I’d hate for the next ones to cause you any permanent damage.”

Tim could feel his heart rate was still elevated, only he wasn’t sure whether it was the shock, or if it was being in the presence of Sara and her magnificent sneezes.

With her nose under control again, Sara turned to Tim. “So, what are we here to see, exactly?”

Tim returned her gaze, a serious look in his eyes. “Come here, I need to show you something.”

Only half-seriously, he added, “And please don’t sneeze on these.”

Tim wheeled the lighting rig around, pointing it at a section of the cave wall. It took Sara a moment to see what she was looking at, but but once she saw it, she could not tear her eyes away.

Running over the top of the complex network of fissures and rock strata were paintings. They were a deep burnt ochre in colour, crude in form and some of them had all but worn away, but they were magnificent.

They were hard to identify at first, but once her eyes were accustomed she saw more and more, hundreds of images of people, animals, objects, scenes unfurled before her. They covered the wall from the ground to the ceiling.

“This is…incredible.” she breathed. “I don’t, I mean, I can’t…”

Tim said nothing, but moved the lighting rig to illuminating the back of the cave, as he moved, hundreds more pantings appeared, almost seeming alive as the light and shadow played across them.

“Hundreds.” he said. “Here. And here.”

Sara was speechless. She knew this had to represent one of the greatest find of prehistoric cave art, certainly anywhere in Europe, possibly the world. It could re-write everything we knew about the period. Mouth open, she looked at the wall, then at Tim, and then back at the wall again.

Sara had seen a lot of things, but nothing had prepared her for this. Once she moved past her initial shock, she was overcome by a wave of intense emotions. She sobbed and her eyes filled with tears. She flung her arms around Tim and buried her face in his chest.

She couldn’t even identify exactly what it she was feeling, but it overwhelmed her.

Tim understood, he held her close as she sobbed in ragged gasps.

“I know.” was all he said.

———

Before they left the cave, Sara took photos of as many of the paintings as she could. When she got back to camp she linked her phone to the projector to review the evidence.

She looked tired, the long day’s travelling, the tough walk to the cave and the immensity of the discovery had taken its toll. Sara didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, but she was also working hard to keep her allergies in check, not just for reason of professional decorum, but also because she liked Tim - she liked him a lot - and she wanted to spare him any more issues from her troubles nose.

Even now it was tickling - it had been all day, although the excitement of the discover y had distracted her somewhat.

Tim was heating through two packets of their dehydrated rations, and the other members of the group had driven to the nearest village with a well-stocked bar.

Sara collapsed into a seat. “So, who gets the credit for this discovery?” Sara asked, as she scrolled through the photos, projected against the back of the tent.

“What?”

“Like, when they make the Netflix version, who gets the credit for finding them?” she swiped from one photo to the next.

“Well, we are here because Dietrich had intel that there was something to be found. But, he can’t actually go out on terrain like this so I guess it was me who actually found it. To be honest, I don’t really know how these things work.”

He glanced across at Sara, at first he thought she had fallen asleep, he noticed her nose twitch and Sara wipe a hand beneath it.

It was only now, after the excitement of the day had passed, her nose was finally beginning to torment her. Her eyes narrowed as her breath increased. They were tired sneezes, bending her at the waist, she barely had the energy to raise her hands before her face.

“Eh-heh-excuse me…I th-hink I’m gonna…gonna…Hah! Hah! Essshhhuu…Herreesschhhooo…Ah-hah-Haaaeesscchhoo!” She blew her nose softly and groaned.

“Sorry, I’ve never been much good at camping. It’s all the po-po-pollen and du-huh-dust. It makes my…heeehhhh….nose itch. Guuuhhh…”

Her nose was red, swollen and Tim could make out a bead of moisture hanging precariously from its tip. Sara’s eyes were screwed shut ad her mouth hung limply open - she looked like a picture of allergic misery. She continued to pant and puff, waiting for the inevitable sneezes to come.

“Ooohh….guuhhh…I-I think I’m guhhh-gonna…gotta…hah HAH!”

Finally, the torturous tickle reached a crescendo, unlike her usual enormous sneezes these were weary and painful  “Hisschhooo…Hiisscchhhooo…Haarrrissshhooo. Ugh god, Tim I’m…I’m sorry, I cah-hah…can’t stop…”

“Ha-issshhooo…Issshhhooo…Issshhhh…Heh…Hehh…Oh god… again…not aga-hah…hah…HAH HAAAISSSHOOO!” One final enormous sneeze left her bent double in her chair, panting softly.

Tim, who had pretended not to be paying much attention, called out a ‘bless you’ from across the tent that he hoped betrayed none of the emotional turbulence he was feeling.

He placed a hand on Sara’s back and a box of tissues be her chair. He rubbed her shoulder as she straightened. She smiled at him through watery eyes and placed a hand on top of his. Despite the allergic tears, Tim had never seen such a radiant smile. He felt an energy between them that rooted him to the spot, he felt unable to move, yet nor could he leave.

Sara, looked away nervously and looked on the screen again.

Tim reluctantly removed his hand and went back to cooking, he began to talk to distract himself more than anything from the energy he was feeling.

“Yeah, I don’t know about Netflix, But I do know who would play me.”

Sara was peering at one of the images, her brow furrowed.

“Tim…wait.”

“I’d play myself. I’d write it into the contract.”

“Tim…”

“How hard can it be to act? And anyway it would be so easy, I wouldn’t even have to act because I am literally an archaeologist.”

“Tim…wait…and shut up. Come here.”

Hearing the urgency in Sara’s voice, Tim took the pan off the gas cooker and joined her in front of the projector screen.

“Look here, what’s that?” Sara asked, pointing towards a smear of ochre paint next to a pile of rocks.  To Tim, it looked like nothing specific, two vertical lines, capped with a curved horizontal line - a bit like a mushroom, he thought.

“A mushroom?” he guessed.

“My god, and you get paid to do this.” Sara retrieved her rucksack from the corner of the tent and rummaged inside it and offered a dog-eared copy of possibly the world’s dullest looking book.

Several dozen colourful page markers poked up from the top, and Sara flipped the book open at one of these, entitled ‘Northern European grave markings from the early Neolithic period.’

Tim scanned the page, but he was too tired and the text was just too dry to register. He looked at Sara blankly. She sighed.

“Look, in several previous sites of similar providence, this symbol has been used to depict the entrance to significant grave sites. It’s not a mushroom, it’s a graveyard.”

“Yeah, so what it could have been a burial chamber, make sense why they blocked it up and left it all this time.”

“But where’s all the stuff?” said Sara. “You said yourself it has been undisturbed in 6,000 years. Whoever deserved this grand tomb, must have been buried with some possessions. And look here,” Sara pointed a the pile of stones beside the wall marking, “The entire place is carved smooth and spotless, doesn’t it strike you as odd that they just left these stone here, rather than remove them? “

Tim’s eyes flicked between the book and the photo projected onto the wall.

“We need to get back up there.” he said.

“What are we waiting for?” said Sara “Let’s go!”