In her desk, Doctor Katherine Smith was thinking about the specimen that was a few laboratories down.
The beast – for it was the best qualifier – was a strange one. A strong one too. It had taken two darts with a sedative for elephants to bring it down. The laboratory where it was being held had the strongest metal bars and concrete. And she knew that they would have to sedate it so they could study it without trouble. Now, all they had to do was to calculate how often to use the sedatives and how often without killing it.
Normally, she would not object to kill the beast. She had killed others before to study. But for this one she decided to study it alive before killing it.
She leaned back into her chair, closing her eyes in relaxation.
That was until the blare of the alarm went off. She bolted upright, what was happening?
As if to answer to her silent question, through the communication system came the announcement, “Code Red! Specimen no. 1 has escaped. I repeat, Specimen no. 1 is out of containment. Lock yourselves and be careful!”
As soon as the voice died down, she heard the loud howl and screams of people. The screams chilled her to the bone. She knew why, the screams were ones of pain. And then, silence.
Frantically looking around her office for something to defend herself, she found herself dismayed that she did not have anything to do so.
She rushed to lock her door, and the very second she did, the door knob twisted. She began to tremble, the beast would kill her without a doubt, she hoped that the steel door would be strong enough to handle its force.
She could hear the sounds of sniffing and then, a strong body hit the door sending her a few steps forward. Over and over again, she – who had never been particularly religious, prayed – began shaking in fear.
A few moments later, the door flew of its hinges.
The next thing she saw, was a far too fanged smile. She did not have the time to scream.
John pressed the button again. Taking a deep breath. It was unusual for security - or at least Major Barrymore - to notbe at their station … ? He pressed it harder:
“HELLO!!! Is there ANYONE who can hear me??! Could you let me OUT please?!”
.
Even the static cut off abruptly in answer. Along with the power.
John leaned against the door. Knocking his head back and breathing hard. His eyes attempting to adjust to the almost perfectdark.
.
The past ten minutes had all been a blur.
He was still holding a mask … though he hardly remembered why,now. He dropped it. Scrubbing his hands through his hair.
He was just outside the clean room. Suited up to deal with the world’s first and only glowing rabbit … not exactly top security …
.
The doors had locked down before he had even heard the alarm! No time to follow safety protocols or even to ask what had happened … before he was locked in?
.
John heard the sounds of running, far down the hall and made to stand up. Checking through the narrow glass again.
Not that he could see his hands past his face.
.
He blinked and to his relief a red glow appeared. The emergency power. Kicking on exit lights down the hall, most likely.
Why it had taken this long, was a mystery …
“Hello?” He tried again, banging on the locked door with his fist and shaking the handle. He knew it was an exercise in futility … but he could at least try …
His ears picked up a faint movement outside the door … and he stopped. Looking out again at the soft red glow. Trying to distinguish anything that might be moving?
The red glow.
Did it? … feel closer … ?
John squinted his eyes, attempting to see better …
Then -
Out of strain -
He blinked.
.
The red glow blinked back.
.
John nearly jumped out of his skin! Hopping away from the door.
He was two meters away in one swift movement. Hands outstretched in a steady shielding gesture.
He heard movement again. Nearing…Shit!
.
He wasn’t entirely sure whyhe was worried. Nothing but a blow torch could get through that door …
. and yet …
.
The door handle jiggled. Causing John’s spine to tingle.
.
A rumble and clawing sound followed.
.
John ducked under the nearest table. Trying to steady his heart rate and calm his breathing …
Nothing could get in! Nothing … he told himself … But he was powerless to move as he heard the steel twist. He groaned - as ten centimeters of steel and mechanisms flew open on nowuselesshinges!
.
John held his hand over his mouth, trying to silence the rising panic.
HOW???!!!
.
There was a low rumble like a growl … and the soft padding of bare feet across the linoleum … John’s neck strained as he held himself tight against the wall. Mind slipping into a slowly gripping terror …
… There was nothing in Baskerville that was dangerous? Was there?!
.
10 Minutes.
Was that really all it had been?
.
.
“Jooohhhhhhhnnnnnhh …”
The name reverberated through the room as if a search … John caught a gasp and held his breath for three seconds. Unsure if he had just heard his own name? Or was it a trick of his overactive mind?
He risked a glance from beneath the table …
Watching … as the movement seemed to slow … ? The soft red glow blinking, more and more. Shaking … as if … whatever it was … was unsteady … ? Stumbling? Fumbling against cabinets, counters In the dark …
Lost … ?
“Waaaattsson!” The deep baritone shattered the silence. A loud thud making the doctor in John jolt to attention. There was no mistaking it this time! He had heard correctly.
… and something had just hit the floor like a ton of bricks!
.
John risked another hand forward. Slowly crawling into the room …
… as the FULL LIGHTS came blinking back on throughout the facility. John froze.
He could hear the pop and whir of electricity once humming through wires …
But now he could see.
Lying on the floor of the room was a man.
.
Not large.
Tall, but thin? …
and soft … somehow?
Fragile.
.
.
Lost.
.
His dark curly hair was matted to sweating temples …
Bare chested and wearing only torn suit trousers … and nothing on his feet? He should by all rights be freezingin this room??
.
“Help me.”
The voice drew John back down. Softly kneeling by his side … A barely audible whisper now … Torn from a man who was curling up. Shutting down.
John watched in confused silence. His mind confirming the rapidly reached sleep status. The action of the eyelids fluttered with the tension of REM sleep. Breathing calmed to a dream-like state …
.
He reached out a hand … the skin was hot to touch.
As he pressed and tested various points across the body for vital signs and eyed for any wounds … he could find nothing amiss besides the still alarming thermostasis.
This?
Thiswas the growling creature that had just opened a high security steel door by ripping it off the wall?
No.
.
John pulled back. Looking around in haste as his eyes fell on the medical kit. He needed something more.
He glanced again at the sleeping form.
His heart told him to protect … even as his mind was considering ways to lock the doors again and call for backup …
He decided to make a rash decision.
Hoisting the man onto his shoulders … John carried him out of the emptied facility to his waiting land rover.
.
.
And as he turn the key in the ignition,
He wondered …
How quickly could he get to the nearest hospital? And how long would he be in lock down, for this breach of security?
I’ve barely followed the prompt, but I wanted to write cute monster-human schmoop ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Thanks to @flashfictionfridayofficial for the prompt!
[Image ID: white text reading ‘FFF 155 Out Of Containment’ on a photo background of dark brown wood.
End ID]
and i believe, yes, i believe that you will see a better day
word count: 569
CWs: mentions of past mental health struggles, some mild catastrophizing
—
The thing is he’s happy. When he was stuck living with his sister because he quit his job and ran off into the Alaskan woods to prove demons were real, that was the worst. He loves his sister, he really does, but he was going to explode.
So new year, new job, new allegedly haunted apartment to cover up for the fifth-dimensional thing that he’s dating, new start! Great beginning to being an independent 27-year-old after a disastrous two years trying to summon Beelzebub.
shapeshifting marine biologist breaks out of supervillain prison
warnings: implications of violence just around the corner and mentions of blood
***
Two security guards stood in front of the tank, watching the passing fish with their hands hovering by their guns. More guards waited around every corner in the building, all armed to the teeth.
It wasn’t the fish they were worried about.
But while the atmosphere was tense, there was no cause for alarm. Not yet, anyway.
“So, what made you want to work in a supervillain prison?” the older guard asked. Mary had more experience than anyone else in the building. And more muscle.
Her new apprentice shrugged. “Honestly? Money.”
Mary smirked. “That’s what they all say.”
Chris threw his boss a sideways glance. “Well, I can’t imagine anyone signing up to do this for fun.”
“You’d be surprised.” Mary lifted a fist and banged it on the glass. “Hey, Sheldrake! You coming to get dinner, or what?”
The response came from behind them. “Ready when you are.”
In her desk, Doctor Katherine Smith was thinking about the specimen that was a few laboratories down.
The beast – for it was the best qualifier – was a strange one. A strong one too. It had taken two darts with a sedative for elephants to bring it down. The laboratory where it was being held had the strongest metal bars and concrete. And she knew that they would have to sedate it so they could study it without trouble. Now, all they had to do was to calculate how often to use the sedatives and how often without killing it.
Normally, she would not object to kill the beast. She had killed others before to study. But for this one she decided to study it alive before killing it.
She leaned back into her chair, closing her eyes in relaxation.
That was until the blare of the alarm went off. She bolted upright, what was happening?
As if to answer to her silent question, through the communication system came the announcement, “Code Red! Specimen no. 1 has escaped. I repeat, Specimen no. 1 is out of containment. Lock yourselves and be careful!”
As soon as the voice died down, she heard the loud howl and screams of people. The screams chilled her to the bone. She knew why, the screams were ones of pain. And then, silence.
Frantically looking around her office for something to defend herself, she found herself dismayed that she did not have anything to do so.
She rushed to lock her door, and the very second she did, the door knob twisted. She began to tremble, the beast would kill her without a doubt, she hoped that the steel door would be strong enough to handle its force.
She could hear the sounds of sniffing and then, a strong body hit the door sending her a few steps forward. Over and over again, she – who had never been particularly religious, prayed – began shaking in fear.
A few moments later, the door flew of its hinges.
The next thing she saw, was a far too fanged smile. She did not have the time to scream.
Aziraphale looked up from his book in alarm, chest instantly tight. Oh dear. What had Crowley gotten into this time? Another new plant that was toxic to demons? “Crowley?”
“Help!”
Oh no. Abandoning the book in an instant, Aziraphale leapt out of his armchair. He rushed through the cottage towards the plant room, analyzing possibilities. It could be a toxic plant, or hostile humans, or an attack from one of their old Sides. He had to be prepared for anything.
And yet, when he skidded to a halt in the doorway, he was still utterly unprepared for the sight that greeted him.
