Billy was torn. To answer the call for help could mean delaying getting the generators online, but susan could be injured and need immidiete assistance. Finally, he
settled himself and ran past susans room; many more poeple would die if the temperature rose too high. The cries of help faded as he raced toward the basement and the backup generators.
None of them would start. Even the older gasoline powered ones would simply cough and be silent. He swore, then raced back to his experiment. There had to be a way to keep the anthrax from thawing.
Fire. It would destroy many months of careful observation and experiments, but what choice did he have? He would have to incinerate the anthrax and hope for the best. If it got loose . . . he shuddered, remembering the events of several decades past. Someone had let loose a strain of the black plague which had nearly devastated the country by the time a cure was found.
He reached into his pocket for a lighter, then remembered that he had given up smoking just last week. There were no matches or lighters in his room, and none in the building as far as he knew. Wait! Flares were kept in the storage room, which was situated right next to susans classroom. He sped to the storage cabinet, leaving skid marks on the smooth tiled floor. He grabbed a handful of flares and started to head back to his room, but stopped; Susan's cries were clearly of pain and fear. He couldn't leave her there. Cursing, he went in and lit a flare. She was huddled under a table, crying and rocking back and forth, releasing a scream every few seconds.
"Susan, calm down, it's ok. Shhhh." He knelt and comforted her, and she turned and cried on his shoulder as he thought of the lie he had told her. Who knew how long the insulation could keep the anthrax cold? She cried, and clung to him when he tried to leave.
"Susan, listen to me. My experiment is in my lab, and the power is off. You know what that means,right? I need to get there and burn it now before it gets loose, because if it does . . . you remember the plague don't you? I need to go. You can come along, but I need to go NOW." She released him and stood, huddling in the darkness.
"Billy, i never told you this, but I'm scared of the dark." He cursed, and hugged her. "Dont worry, there's nothing to worry about." He led her out and walked her to the lab. The temperture now read 14 degrees and was rising faster and faster. Quickly, he took the grabbers from inside the box, the airtight gel around them making slurping noises as the hooks broke free. he put the flare in them and shoved the hooks inside. the temperature reading shot up and the screens showed the bacteriums dancing all over the place. He shoved more flares in until the box was lit like a christmas tree. The temperature leveled off and the screen showed no living things. He kept the flares in there until they burned out, and slowly removed the hooks from the box.
"That was way too close for comfort," he said, hugging susan who was shivering in the cold air.
NOTE: This is the last current section of day one. The next section skips to day two of this "saga," continuing where Jenna and Aaron (the first charaters introduced) left off. But, there are some situations left un-resolved that could be added on before starting the second day...Jerry is passed out on the floor with her children, ect, and we don't yet know what Susan and Billy will do now that the anthrax has been destroyed (although this part could be continued easily on day 2 as well). If you have a part you would like to add to any of these, please do, and I will insert it chronologically. (NOTE: Please do read the additions in Day Two before adding anything, to avoid contradictions in the plot.)