*Criiiaaakkkk.
…..Criiiakkk…..criiiiakkkk…..criiiaaakkk*
"Everybody inside. She's gonna...…
*BOOM*
*....Errrrrreeeeaaaiiiaaacckkkk…tish*
She better get here fast, or we won't go anywhere at all."
"Elwin, you….."
"Ohhhh….Crap.
We're too late."
"Not on my watch."
"Can you feel anything inside?"
"Mask on. A feeling is very different from reality."
"So that's a no?"
"Elwin, shouldn't you be giving me hope….not me you?"
"Doesn't hurt to take it from time to time."
"Deep breath, and…..*Huuuuuuuuuup*
Let's go find them. I'll show you where the Bathrooms are, you make sure all the windows, doors, and vents are shut tight."
"You got it."
"Ruby. One last question."
"Yes?"
"Why didn't you ever think of safety first? You know…..a huge force field around the place so that nothing like this happens."
"Elwin, history has taught us that safety was always the last thing. As long as progress was made, sacrifices came second.Who knows, one of the Kids might have an alligator tail."
"Ruby!!!"
"But let this experience teach us that we should improve.
A force field around a Hospital might have deteered parents, but rright now..it might…"
"If we make it that far.
*Flame on.*
You sure you'll be able to see through the smoke?"
"Elwin, haven't you learned already? Don't worry about me."
"But I always worry, Ruby. It's my job to worry."
"No. It's my job to worry. It's your job to make better."
"How can I make better if I don't worry about the now? The only way to get better is to hate where you are currently, and worry where others could be."
"Keep telling yourself that."
*Knock. Knock. Knock.*
"Ruby?
Is that you?
Is it safe to come out now?"
"Not yet, Darius. We're vacuuming everything down into the Dragons chamber. There we can burn it and dissipate it so nobody else will be harmed, but for now we're just creating a path for it to flow by closing all other vents it can't go in."
"But…"
"Darius, the heat wil take care of everything and clean it out, but their will still be residue for a few days."
"How will we…"
"I don't know, Darius. Just let us worry about that."
"EVERYTHING'S CLOSED. GOING UPSTAIRS TO THE OTHER FLOORS."
"Wait.
Just lay out Mats....Dummies…..and anything else all in a path leading to the doorway in the Library.
The Gas is looking for something to absorb into."
"Ummm….Ok."
"Everything is going to be fine, Darius."
"But won't it turn all the inanimate objects to life?
I mean....nobody knows what it is."
"Darius, would you rather get slapped in the face by a teddy bear, or an actual bear?"
"Is that a trick question?
*Vroom*
Wait. Ruby, don't leave. Answer me.
Ruby!!!"
"Elwin, that's a lot of stuffed toys, but I think you can do better than that."
"Wait, Ruby; what are you…."
"This dumbbell looks heavy."
*Phueeemmm…..Phueeemmmm…..Phueeemmm.....*Throw...Pishhhh*
"Ruby?"
"Elwin, you and I are the only ones here. We can't dump it out in the woods, and we can't recycle it in the air."
*Cough…..Cough*
"You mean.....you and I were the only ones here?"
"Ruby…..Ruby....Ruby."
"Vine net...…Vine net...…Vine net."
"Was that your plan all along? Bring Inanimate objects to life?"
"Better than bringing innocent kids to death.
UHHHHHH.....YOU CAN COME OUT NOW, DARIUS."
"IS ALL THE CRAZIES GONE?"
"Ummm....What do you mean by crazies?"