Published:
June 10, 2024
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“Josie my love, I’m not gonna make it,” he gasped, leaning on her even more as the rain pelted his forehead.
She slung his right arm over her shoulder as she attempted to maneuver him back toward the building. She looked around, hoping to find someone, anyone to help them. The parking lot, nearly dark as the second sun dipped below the horizon, was deserted. The wind picked up. His tie flapped in her face as she slowly marched him away forward. She swatted it away, pulled her graying hair back behind her ears, and kept moving.
She was small but fit for her age. He was a full head taller and twice her weight. She had broken one of her sensible heels catching him when he first collapsed, kicked them both off, and now walked barefoot, step by step in the rain, with him draped over her. His glasses were behind them, lost in the parking lot. Her purse was… somewhere.
“We’re… almost there,” she huffed, digging her nails into his side as she tried to steady him. Her grip slipped on his damp clothes, so she grabbed him by the belt, breaking a nail in the process.
“I’m sorry, baby. I’m so… sorry,” he said, his face turning increasingly red. “I never wanted it to end like this. You deserve better.”
“Let’s get you inside. There’s an E-Med pack in the lab.”
He nodded slowly, his head drifting off to one side.
“Bert! Stay with me!” she said, grabbing his face and locking eyes. She could feel his sweat on her fingertips as they slid through his beard. “We’re going to get you back to the lab. Just stay with me.”
“Ah, okay…” he mumbled. “Those eyes. Always… loved those eyes. That's why I fell in love with you, sweetie.”
“Tell me more about my eyes,” she said, gritting her teeth and pulling him forward. They passed the main entrance, near the Pan-Eurasian Technological Institute sign. The doors slid open.
“They’re just… amazing. A guy could get lost in ‘em. Great legs, too, Josie, my love. Been tellin’ you that since we first met. You got… legs of a woman half your age.”
“Well, I can’t run anymore, not with these knees, but thanks,” she said, trying to smile while not losing her grip. She dragged him down the hallway to the elevator, pressed the button, and waited.
“Those lips…”
The elevator chimed and the door opened. She shifted her weight, nearly throwing him up against one of the interior walls. She leaned against him, sandwiching him between her and the wall, his chin resting on her shoulder. She could feel him breathing, labored but still strong. Then she felt… something else. She fumbled through her coat pocket and found her keycard. In one quick motion, she held him in place with one hand while swiping the keycard with another, then pressed the button.
“Josie…”
“Stay with me!”
The door slid open again. A sign on the wall read, Biochemical Engineering Lab, Dr. Josephine Gao, Director, with an arrow pointing to the right. She slung his arm over her shoulder again, dragging the large man down the hall, then stopped at the lab door and swiped in.
“Why… we here, baby?” he said, barely looking around. “Just let me go. Ain’t worth it…” He put his hand up to her face, caressing her cheek.
“No one is letting anyone go, Bert. Hold on!”
She maneuvered him over to a nearby table, swept aside some folders, reports, and equipment, and half-pulled / half-shoved him on top of it. One of his shoes came off. He looked up at the ceiling, at the lights, then at her, then slowly closed his eyes as she hovered around him.
* * *
“J-Josie… Josie? Josephine? Um, sorry – I mean, Dr. Gao? What… am I doing here?” He sat upright, suddenly self-conscious, peeling the sensors off his forehead, then looked in confusion at the papers and equipment strewn across the floor. “Why are we back in the lab?”
“Relax, Dr. Brenner,” she said, steadying him. “You collapsed in the parking lot.”
“Collapsed?”
“You were pretty out of it. Delirious, really.”
“Delirious?” he said, running his fingers through his thinning hair. He looked around, then sensed something, looked down, blushed, and quickly grabbed a nearby file folder to cover his midsection.
“It’s ok,” she said, packing away the E-Medkit. I got you back here and gave you a hypo. You’ll be fine. You should’ve worn a containment suit when you handled Sample 41 earlier today. We suspected it might go airborne.”
“What? I-I was just going to get my glasses.”
“Not in a Level 2 Clean Room you don’t – not without a suit. Your glasses are in the parking lot. I’ll look for them before I leave. We can start work on Sample 42 tomorrow.”
“Yes… right,” he said, still groggy. “What, um, were the effects of Sample 41?” he asked, avoiding eye contact with her.
“Well…” she said, smiling just a little, “there’s no way Homeland will approve it for Orbiter 9. The crew will need something for the stress and boredom of being in space so long, but it shouldn’t be this.” She paused. “Then again, maybe it should be...”
“Oh?”
“We’ll run some tests over the next cycle.”
“Okay...”
“Don’t drive home yourself,” she said, adjusting his damp tie for him. “Wait out front. I’ll send for an autocar.”
“Um… thanks,” he said, still dazed and embarrassed. Strategically holding the folder, he slowly got off the table, unsure of what to say.
“Bert, go home to your wife and kids. It’s Taco Tuesday.”
He nodded, trying to tuck in his shirt, then grabbed his shoe and slowly walked out the door.

Copyright 2024 - SFS Publishing LLC
Sample 41
The long walk of unintended consequences
Paul Cesarini

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