N.B. I don't know if anyone actually reads these, but I would love comments on this particular bit. 'Green Slime' is my long-running attempt at writing a book (well, a half-decent book), and I would dearly love to know what people think. For anyone who has already read this bit, I am working on the rest, but I'm sadly lacking in motivation. Watch this space...
Green Slime - Chapter 1 (part 1)
The conversation between the two scientists had become too involved to follow. Sophie let her mind wander, looking round the lab at the test tubes with vari-coloured liquids, the shelves and shelves of note books, and the essential random machines that looked like something you’d normally find in a commercial kitchen. A large fridge whirred quietly against one wall, and had been used as another shelf once the ones on the wall opposite had been filled to the point of collapse. A large plastic pot plant stood next to a small table, trying but failing to give the impression of being outdoors. Sophie smiled at its feeble efforts, and tried to pull her mind back to the conversation going on in front of her.
“…sedated it. It’s by the pond, this side. I had to give it twice the initial amount, though. Both of the main tranquillisers. I almost had to use the top-up one as well.” As he spoke, the man pulled a blow-pipe from the pocket of his lab coat, carefully removed a small dart from one end, and slid it into a protective casing. “We might want to consider cutting back on the times we do this.”
“Both full doses?” The other scientist, a woman Sophie’s age, muttered. “That’s incredible. That amount should kill him. One of those darts would kill either of us. Why is it up so much from last time?”
“I don’t know, but I do know the beast would’ve had my throat out even after the first shot. It didn’t seem to have any effect at all. It’s just a good job I didn’t need to use more – I only took two main darts in with me.”
“Take more next time, Tim. Just in case.” The woman turned to Sophie. “You ready to go?”
“If you’re sure this is okay?”
“I’m sure.” The woman grinned. “Wouldn’t have said so if I wasn’t, would I? Besides,” she added, pulling a handful of splints from the pocket of her lab coat and sliding them back into a jar filled with them, “You asked me what was on my mind.”
“I know.” Sophie replied, slipping into a lab coat of her own that the man held out for her. “I just didn’t expect you to tell me. I know a lot of your work is classified. Why do I have to wear this?”
“There are brambles and thorny plants and all sorts where I’m taking you – it’s basic health and safety. Especially because you’re wearing a strappy top.”
“If I knew I’d needed to cover up, I would’ve brought a jumper.” Sophie replied, following the woman into a smaller room off the lab. “It’s just so damn hot today.”
“I wouldn’t know. I don’t get out much, and we’ve got air conditioning in here.”
“Lucky.” Sophie muttered. The woman tapped a sequence into a key pad by a large white door, then pulled a key from her pocket and slid it into the lock.
“What’s the matter, Liz? DNA super-lock not working today?” Sophie grinned as the woman turned the key and pushed the door open.
“We decided a good old fashioned key would be safer.” The scientist, Liz, replied. “Palm readers and the like are all very well, but they aren’t all that practical for what we’re keeping in here.”
They stepped into the room behind the door, and for a moment Sophie thought they’d come the wrong way. The room was small, only just big enough for the two of them, and didn’t seem to have any other way out.
“It’s not very impressive so far.” Sophie commented.
“It’s another safety feature. Even if anything got through the first door, it couldn’t get through the second door.”
“What second door?”
Liz pushed a button on the opposite wall, and a patch of the wall became transparent, forming a window at eye-level. Through the glass, or whatever it was, Sophie could see bushes.
“That second door.” Liz told her, with a hint of smugness. “But this is a bit tighter, security-wise, than the first. It’s the same key, but there’s a different code, and pressure points on the key you have to push. Here, look.” Liz held the key up, and Sophie could see the patch on the key head that the scientist was holding down. “You push these in, one on each side, as you turn the key, and it lets you through. The code has to go in first, of course.” Liz typed in another code, which the safety-conscious part of Sophie’s mind memorised as three-six-four-eight-nine. The pattern it made on the keypad was the opposite of the code that had opened the first door. That made Sophie smile.
“And this,” Liz announced as the door swung open. “Is the Arboretum.”
Professor Elizabeth Ellis was, in the right circles, a world famous name. Her work in the agricultural world – creating hardier crops to grow in more desolate places – was already saving lives, and even the students of the genetics genre whispered to each other about the top secret work she had recently been signed up for by the government. Although ‘recently’ was an outdated term now – she had been cooped up in her extremely large, extremely out-of-the-way house for nearly two years now, and no matter how many reporters clustered round her door, nothing of her project had leaked into general knowledge.
She had met a bright, promising student called Sophie Dentin while lecturing at one of the larger universities in the country, and had kept in touch with her even when she had been whisked away to the house they stood in now. Conversation between the two women had become tougher to keep up at that point, with Elizabeth not being able to talk about what she was working on, and Sophie not wanting to ask questions in case they intruded on something classified. Elizabeth now felt it was time to repay her friend for all those uncomfortable silences, and as they stepped into the Arboretum, she felt she had done so beautifully.
“…” Sophie said.
“You like?”
“Good God in heaven – it’s huge.” Sophie looked up, straining her neck to see the tops of the trees. It seemed impossible that an enclosed area this big could be sat in the middle of the forest without anyone noticing it. The air was warm and damp, smelling of greenery and of rain not long passed. A cool breeze moved the leaves gently, making a quiet, calming rustling noise. “I don’t remember seeing this on the outside – where do you hide this place?”
“It’s right there, if you look. It’s not quite as tall outside as it looks here, because we dug into the ground a good few meters before we even started digging the foundations.”
“What… what could need all this space?”
“The plants, mainly. Most of the species in here are genetically engineered from more common varieties, to give more resilience or produce more fruit, or whatever they were aiming for when they created them. The trees were designed to grow more foliage, so they could produce more oxygen. I think they were considering terra-forming other planets back then – they’ve sort of been forgotten about now. There are other things in here as well, animals and such. It’s essentially its own ecosystem – we control the light, the weather, and what enters and leaves, but it supports itself.”
“And what is it you’re taking me to see?”
“Oh, that’s a surprise. It’s not far, though. Just through here.” Elizabeth set off through the trees, following what seemed to be a well-used animal track. Sophie followed, stopping occasionally to peel her lab coat off of the brambles either side of the path.
“Sorry about this.” Elizabeth apologised, performing the same task herself. “We hoped they’d put off anyone who wanted to use this path, but really all they do it get in our way.”
“Who else could get in?” Sophie wondered. “Apart from Houdini.” Elizabeth grinned.
They carried on down the path for a minute or so, before they entered a clearing with a small lake on one side. Sophie assumed this was the pond, and began looking around for whatever drugged animal Elizabeth was wanting to show her.
“I don’t see anything.” She said finally, looking over at her friend. She was disturbed to notice Elizabeth was frowning, and looking around herself.
“He did say this side of the pond, didn’t he?” She asked. Sophie swallowed.
“Yes.” Sophie said cautiously. “Is it not here?”
“No.” She paused. “I wonder…” She walked over to the edge of the pond and began parting the reeds. Obviously not finding what she wanted, she moved off to the trees at one side, craning her neck to see round the trunks.
“Liz, what exactly is this thing?”
“It’s… Hold on, I think I see something.” Elizabeth walked into the trees. Sophie watched her go, beginning to feel slightly panicky. What if the two doses of sedative hadn’t worked? What if this beast which had almost taken Tim’s throat out was still wandering around somewhere. As the breeze blew again, the rustling leaves that had been so calming a few minutes earlier made Sophie shiver.
“Liz?” She called, realising her friend was out of sight now.
“I’m here. I just…”
“Just what?”
Elizabeth appeared again holding something, looking puzzled and worried. Sophie walked over.
“What are they?”
“The sedative darts Tim used.” Elizabeth held them out. “But they’re not used.”
“What? Why would he say he had used them if he hadn’t?”
“I think we’d better…” She paused. “Yes. I shouldn’t have brought you in here. I don’t know what I was…” As Elizabeth looked up at her friend, she focused on something over Sophie’s shoulder, and her frown turned into a look Sophie had never seen before – horror. Feeling her stomach tighten, she turned.
Behind her stood a man, dirty and naked. For a moment she stood confused, wondering why a naked man would be let into this high-security enclosure. Then she realised, at least partially, what her friend had been working on these past two years, and all she could think of was the two sedative darts, and the look on Elizabeth’s face.
“Ladies.” The man spoke, in a deep, rich voice that was just as predatorial as the look he was giving them. Sophie watched, hypnotised by the man’s nearly-black eyes, as he moved towards her.
“That’s not…” Elizabeth stammered. “You can’t… since when could you talk?”
The man halted his approach, and turned from Sophie to the professor. Eye contact broken, Sophie began to feel the first tingling of fear, heightened as she listened to the catch in her friend’s breathing.
“Damien, don’t… don’t…” Elizabeth’s words petered out under the quiet, predatory gaze. Once she was silent, the man, Damien, turned back to Sophie.
“Sophie.” He spoke quietly, carefully. “I didn’t think I was allowed visitors.”
And then there was movement, so quick it was over before Sophie could react. Damien moved, passed her right shoulder, and there was a noise from Elizabeth, something between a shout and a yelp.
Sophie spun to fine the professor on the ground, one arm curled protectively around her head. Damien stood over her, holding the two sedative darts. He selected one carefully, staring at the woman at his feet.
“Don’t…” Elizabeth repeated, trying to drag herself backwards. But her arms were shaking, and wouldn’t take her far. He legs sought wildly for a proper footing, and found only loose soil. Damien moved closer. “Please…”
Damien stopped and cocked his head, absently rolling the dart between his fingers.
“Please what?” He asked, and for the first time there was anger in the quiet words. “Please don’t hurt me? Please don’t stick needles in me, or drug me, or cut on me?” He moved again until he was looking down into the professor’s terror-filled face. “Please don’t take my life for your amusement?” He crouched. “Why not?”
Elizabeth tried to move, tried to get away, but had no control over her own body. Her breath began to come in sobs. Damien held up the sedative dart, still moving restlessly between his fingers.
“But I’ll give you something you never gave me.” He told her. Standing, he backed off slightly. “A head start.”
There was a moment of silence, broken only by Elizabeth’s ragged breaths. Then she began scrambling again – she found her footing, and with a burst of energy, propelled herself to her feet and out of the clearing. The snapping of twigs followed her, and soon faded away.
With her departure, a spell broke over Sophie. She looked up to find Damien watching her, and realised she was shaking as well. Without waiting for anything else to happen, Sophie turned and ran.
The track way seemed narrower than it had five minutes before, and the brambles caught at her clothes more often, as though they wanted to slow her down. Her lab coat tore on one bush as Sophie ploughed through, but she didn’t dare slow down long enough to take it off.
The path branched off, and Sophie remembered passing the turning on the way in. Half way back, she realised. Not far now.
Two steps later, and she heard Liz scream. She stumbled to a halt – somewhere behind her was a flurry of panicked activity as birds took flight, and then silence. Sophie felt sick – every branch swaying or insect calling became Damien creeping up on her, but several moments passed before she could find the energy to move again. Even once she began stumbling through the undergrowth again she kept looking back over her shoulder, sure she could feel someone right behind her.
The trees stopped so suddenly Sophie almost ran into the door she was searching for. She was reaching for the key pad, code racing round in her mind, before she realised she didn’t have the key.
Her heart raced as she stood there. No key, no getting out. But there, on the wall, a box with a speaker, a button on the side. She held the button down, praying she was right, and yelled into the box.
“Timothy! Timothy, get me out of here!” Her finger slid off the button, made slippery by fear-sweat. She pushed it down again, and practically screamed for Elizabeth’s lab assistant to open the damn door.
Nothing happened. Sophie released the button, knees weak, using the wall to keep herself upright. Get away, her mind told her. Hide, climb a tree, dig a hole, just get away from the door. Get away from the door. Timothy would realise soon that you haven’t come out.
She turned, pushing herself away from the wall and willing her legs not to give way. She had no chance, she knew, if she was kept trapped in here. She knew none of this incredible area, and the man roaming loose probably knew all of it. But she had to try.
Choosing a direction at random, she began moving again, half running and half walking. The trees loomed in front of her, both invitingly safe and horrifyingly dangerous. As she reached the fringe of the forest, however, someone walked round a trunk and into view. And it wasn’t Liz.
“Can’t go this way.” He told her, white teeth flashing from a dirty, tanned face. Sophie backed up as Damien walked toward her again.
“Wh… What did you do to Liz?” She managed to ask, words tripping over themselves in her fear.
“No more than she would have done to me.”
“And what are you going to do to me?”
“No more than I did to her.” Sophie backed into the wall, running out of space to retreat into. Damien kept coming. Sophie saw a single dart in his hand, and tried not to think of where the other one was.
She began to edge along the wall, trying to keep the space in front of her, but had to stop again as a corner poked sharply into the side of her head. The speaker box. Could she try for Timothy again without Damien stopping her?
The man had stopped, and watched her with what might have been interest. She felt like a child in a play-pen, being watched by a minder who didn’t mind her running around because he knew she couldn’t get out.
She tried anyway. Knowing he would catch her before she spoke, but needing to do something, she spun and whacked at the button on the box, yelling Timothy’s name over and over. After a moment, she was silent – nothing had happened. She turned back, deadly curious as to why Damien hadn’t acted.
She jumped – he was behind her, close enough that she could feel his breath on her face.
“He can’t hear you.” He told her as she pushed herself back against the wall again.
“Why?” She squeaked.
“Because I told him not to.” He brought his hand up, and for a brief, hair-razing instant she thought she saw the dart, believed that this was it, the end. But when she focused on his tanned fingers, she saw they held the key to the Arboretum.
“You know how to use this.” He said simply.
“I… I don’t know…” He pushed the key against her lips, silencing her.
“Don’t lie to me. I want you to open this door.” He took her hand, lifted up to eye level, and placed the key in it.
“You… you have to…”
“I know what you have to do.” Damien interrupted, impatient. “I want you to do it.” He stepped back.
Sophie looked at him, then at the key in her hand. She squeezed her eyes shut briefly, as if praying it would all disappear. Finally, she looked up, and turned to the door.
What had Liz told her? Turn the key as you push the pressure pads down? Sophie pushed the key into the lock. But there was something else. Oh yes, the code. The numbers wouldn’t come this time, when she needed them most, but the pattern they made on the keypad was easier to remember, and she typed in the code slowly, wishing that she might make a mistake and set an alarm ringing. Timothy couldn’t ignore something like that.
But the code went in with no trouble – her treacherous hand pushing the right numbers without asking her brain. She brought her hand down from the keypad to the key. She had to hold it tight enough to activate the pads before she turned it. They were stiff, almost refusing to cooperate. One depressed on one side of the key, and she tried for the other, but by the time she felt it give under her finger, the other had risen again, her shaking hand too weak to keep it pressed.
She blinked again and tried again. Concentrating so hard on the key, she didn’t notice Damien come up behind her until his hand snaked past her and took hold of hers, pushing the pads with her fingers. He turned her hand to turn the key, and the door swung open.
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