Jurassic Park: Outbreak.
Chapter 7
Florida Natural History Museum, 2:00 AM, Extraction room.
Sandy was almost through the thick plaster that covered the possible stegosaurus shoulder blade. The plaster being cut away with her shiny buzz saw made a thin white steam-like cloud, the protection of the paper face mask and yellow goggles made things easier for her and her partner.
Her rather chubby white colleague was with her, Kate Faerro. She is a animal behaviorist, and paleobotanist of 20. The very kind nature made her fun, but kinda hard to work with, she talked a lot.
She had 3 kids that usually wanted her attention, Sandy did not want to keep her too much longer, so she hurried up.
The room was filled with 13 foot tall shelves with 1000s of dino finds, the shelves were shiny and wooden. And marked with the names of specimens.
Ten lights with metal ropes holding them hung on the ceiling, the bright lights made pretty faded shadows on the grey concrete floor.
The room, actually used to be a library.
1 minute later, the shoulder blade was free, dust was sprinkled on the light blue thin gloves of the scientists, Sandy then cut 1 part of it, which took 2 minutes...She then finally put it one the desk with her microscope, and cut the piece some more. She put the fragments in a petri dish.
The desk had multiple large shelves that were on top of it, they had lables like: Petri dishes, plastic bags, microscope parts, light bulbs, and test tubes. Sandy was a very neat person, she did deep cleans once a week at every space that was hers, and did her friend's houses sometimes, she was a huge neat freak--but was not afraid of germs.
"Ok, let's get started..." Sandy said, "Kate, hand me the baking soda." she was going to use it to clean.
Kate got some from a shelf, about 6 feet high.
Sandy put some of the itty bitty pieces under a microscope, in a petri dish, and tore them apart.
For a while, things seemed normal...After a few seconds, she found green specks again...As usual, they looked like algae, and in little bite mark-like holes.
She cut the parts with them in it, and set them aside on one end of the petri dish. She searched for more, but could not find any...
She decided to clean the fossil fragments with some vinegar to get cleaned. The sight of the specks moving a little startled Sandy.....Sandy stared in amazement....the specks slid off the bone, and moved some more.
"Kate...." she said. The microscope connected to the PC allowed the beady eyed part-time paleobotanist to see the creatures.
"What is happening?" Kate said.
Sandy watched as the shrimp-looking things moved a little more, wiggling like worms.
"What if...?" Sandy thought...She decided to add more vinegar...The vinegar dripped, and in seconds, hundreds and hundreds of tiny cells appeared before her eyes...Thousands appeared per second. Sandy was in total shock. But in amazement.
"They're multiplying...." Kate said.
Sandy magnified the scope to 1000X, the cells were still multiplying, rapidly.
"Sandy.....?" Sandy saw as Kate looked tensed, she looked fearful of the cells..
Sandy took screenshots with her scope, they automatically were sent to her e-mail.
"This is unreal..." Sandy said to herself.
Kate noticed a small...Cracking sound, it sounded too close.
"Sandy...?"
Sandy heard it to, it was near...Right in front of her...The petri dish was cracking...Sandy began to feel a faint, sharp warm pain on her gloved finger, a burning pain..
"SANDY!!!" Sandy got away from the microscope quickly, pulling away her glove as he finger ached, she threw it in the trash can before her and Kate dashed to the other side of the room, knocking down the shelves with files in their way.
"Is it safe...? Kate asked.
Sandy shhed her, and listened out for the chaos in the petri dish. It started making hissing noises, like a burning sensation...
"Kate...Follow me, slowly..."
Sandy ripped off the fire extinguisher on the wall next to her (In case of fire...) The two went to the dish, slowly....
The two saw as some vinegar was slowly sliding to the edge of the table-- Kate squeaked as Sandy blew away the disease with her fire extinguisher. Making a small wild shiny blizzard. Making the lamp next to the microscope shake it's light around the narrow faced paleontologist. Some white liquid splashed on the ladies' white lab coats.
Sandy sighed in relief...She cheeked the area, the 1000000 dollar microscope was totaled, and the PC was sparking...
"At least I have the data and pics in my e-mail..." Sandy thought.
"What was that?!" Kate said, "They reacted to the vinegar."
"...I don't know..." Sandy replied.
Sandy took a sample of the extinguisher's liquid, and put it under the other microscope across the room. Through the scope...Not a sign of life was seen...
"Ok... It's safe." Sandy confirmed.
"Is the microscope ok?" Kate asked.
"No. This thing responds to vinegar....But why?" Sandy said as she rubbed her pointy chin, "Let's leave it alone, and call it a night, I'll do more research, AND get better tools."
"Ok, ma'am. Are you ok....?"
Sandy looked at her slightly red pinky, "...Yeah, I will be ok, just a little shocked."
Sandy did not like admitting how truly scared she was...She was the strong, silent type, that tried to act fearless around people to gain their confidence.
Kate took off her goggles and mask, and opened the door to leave.
"Goodnight Miss Sandy." Kate smiled.
"Goodnight Kate."
Kate left, and Sandy took off the mask and goggles, and turned at the mess...Frowning as she was nodding sadly...
