'Nuclear power is safe,' they said, and they grew to believe it. Society chased after progress with an insatiable hunger, polluting every part of the world in the process.
The facility research team had completed a study of the sensors that were wired to the facility through sealed pipes earlier in the week, which had indicated that the rad levels had dropped significantly. So much so that they figured a small team in protective suites could survive a journey top side for further analysis and study of the soil, vegetation, and surface water.
Being head of maintenance, and the most knowledgeable with the cutting torch, Bruno had been requested for the breaking of the seal only hours after the lab rats had reported their study to the mayor. It took all involved two days to agree on a strategy for breaking the seal and closing the doors again behind the surface team with minimal exposure to the rest of the facility. Now it was time to put the plan into action.
Bruno flipped his welding mask down over his face, and sparked the cutting torch to life. Sparks flew as the torch bit into the ancient welded seal. The surface team was finishing their gear preparations not too far from the giant metal portal, shadowed by the floodlights that lit Bruno's scaffolding. They would be sealed into their suits moments before the final bit of the seal was cut, and then the doors would be opened just enough for them to squeeze through with their equipment. The doors would be closed and sealed behind them as soon as they were through. A team of monitors would keep an eye on the video cameras that were wired all along the tunnel for visual confirmation of their return, when Bruno would once again cut the seal to allow them re-entry. Provided the readings were right of course.
The surface team knew there was a risk that it would be a one way trip, but they had all dedicated their lives to the re-surfacing cause.
Bruno signaled that he was almost done, and the team went about sealing each other's suites. No sooner had the last suite been sealed, then Bruno raised his right hand to signal the job was complete. His maintenance crew rushed to remove the last of the scaffolding as he jumped the last few feet to the floor. The mechanical hinges groaned and popped in protest as they began to retract the giant metal interlocking rods from the middle of the doors. The sound was deafening at first, but as the gears worked they protested less and less. The surface team rushed toward the now opening doors, and began passing through as soon as the opening was wide enough. The orange warning lamps bathed the giant entrance way in spinning pools of warm light. Within a few minutes, the last scientist passed beyond the barrier, and the doors began to close immediately behind him. The thwump-clunk of the giant interlocking rods slamming into place startled everyone.
As quickly as it had been disassembled, the scaffolding was raised once again and Bruno set to work sealing the fate of the surface team.
***
Anna and her team raced as quickly as they safely could up the tunnel to the surface. It was a mile up a winding cement encased tunnel, lit by guide lights that had not been lit in centuries. Pockets of dark shadows remained where some of the lights failed to return to life when they were switched on as the team began to leave the facility. A thick layer of soot had settled on the ground of the tunnel, and on the top of any jutting surface in the walls of the tunnel. She knew their window of opportunity was short, and that they would only have a few hours topside before having to return to the facility. She prayed that the readings were correct, and that they hadn't doomed themselves to a foolish death march. Her ear piece crackled as Renny transmitted a message from his helmet, startling her out of her own thoughts.
"Rad level readings are holding steady so far Ann."
"Thanks Renny, let's hope it stays that way."
A short while later they emerged from the mouth of the tunnel that led down into the mountain. They were greeted by the most beautiful site Anna had ever seen. Crystal blue skies, blazing sunshine, and snow covered ground. The clearing around the mouth of the tunnel ended in a jagged cliff face that overlooked a river that wound between the mountains in the valley far below. She was struck dumb by the stunning view.
A few moments passed with the team glued to the spot as they took it all in. Someone sneezed over their com, and she snapped out of her daydream.
"Alright, let's get to work," she said as she began unpacking her testing kit, "Renny you are on soil, Janus on vegetation, Romen on air quality. I've got surface water."
They confirmed their duties and set about their tasks as quickly as their bulky suites would allow. Anna decided to start with the raw crystallized water before moving on to melted samples. She scooped some snow into her petri dish and put it under her portable microscope. She attached the customized wide lens that would allow her to look at the sample with her helmet on, and adjusted the magnification to bring the crystals into focus.
Nothing could have prepared her for what she saw. At first she thought she was hallucinating. The entire molecular structure of the snow crystals moved. Little white bits swirling over and around each other in a slow, mechanical pattern, never stopping.
"What the heck is that," she stammered to herself as she stepped back from her microscope shacking her head. "How are the rad levels Renny," she asked over her com.
"No change, why," he replied.
"Come have a look at this snow sample. I need to make sure I'm not seeing things."
"Be right there."
Renny jogged over from his own microscope where he had placed a chiseled piece of rock into a petri dish of his own. He leaned over and peered through the giant eye piece of the lens.
"Whoa, what the heck is that," he asked as he jumped back.
"Exactly," replied Anna. "I guess that confirms that, I'm not seeing things."
Renny stared at her and blinked a few times, speechless.
"Something isn't right," Anna voiced his concern for him.
"Does it melt," asked Renny?
"Good question."
Anna grabbed her portable torch and a second petri dish. She scooped another small handful of snow into the dish and turned on the torch. Nothing happened. The snow remained un-melted.
"Yeah, that's normal," she blurted in sarcastic shock.
Renny gasped and looked on dumbfounded.
Without hesitation, Anna pressed down on her com unit again.
"Alright, grab the samples you've got, we're heading back in, NOW," she shouted as she began sealing the snow samples into a containment cube from her kit.
Janus and Romen must have sensed the urgency in her voice as they didn't protest at all. The four of them hurriedly gathered and packed their samples into their kits, and jogged back toward the mouth of the tunnel into the mountain.
***
Within minutes the surface team had rushed within view of the cameras. Bruno had only been a quarter of the way done sealing the doors when the shout came up that the surface team was returning already. Once again, they squeezed through as soon as there was enough room, and the doors shut behind them. Everyone except Bruno, who was wildly working on the sealing process again, stared at the suited scientists with a hundred questions in their eyes.
This was from yesterday's writing prompt (write a story about snow that isn't snow), and here is today's prompt: A fantasy world without humans. Bonus points if they aren't all furries.
Cheers,
Rob
This was from yesterday's writing prompt (write a story about snow that isn't snow), and here is today's prompt: A fantasy world without humans. Bonus points if they aren't all furries.
Cheers,
Rob
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