Burning Danger

“Ready?”

            “Ready.”        

“Now?”

“Soon.”

“Do the scientists really know? Will it happen today? Will it?”

“Look! Look! See for yourself!”

A red light sparkled in the clear blue sky. Dr. Halow frowned. He looked over at Janet. Her green eyes shone behind her spectacles. Was it in surprise or fear that made her eyes shine so? He did not know. Dr. Halow had not expected it to come so soon. Didn’t they have another week or so? Crispes, they need to use all the time they had now. Ding-dong! Dr. Halow’s door swung open and a woman’s head popped in. “Someone’s here to see you, Professor Oakley,” she called. Janet lifted her gaze on the red light outside and focused her attention on the female scientist. “I’m coming,” she responded. Brushing past Dr. Halow, she clomped out on her leather high shoes, her skirt sweeping behind her. The door slammed shut and Dr. Halow was left alone in the room. Very slowly, he walked over to the window and stood at the spot where Janet stood only minutes earlier.

Did he dare open the curtains? And reveal the dark fate behind them? Yes, of course. He had no choice. Slowly, as if Death himself laid behind those fabric sheets, gently, he reached out a sweaty shaking hand and swept open the curtains. Yes. It was still there. The red dot pulsed in the air. Dr. Halow could almost feel the weight of that dot crushing on top of him. He could almost feel the intense heat coming from that dot, the heat that would melt his skin and flesh. Was this his fate? Yes, maybe. He was the only one that knew what that ‘dot’ was. It was the most feared weapon in the 32nd century, in his time. It was a deadly, almost uncontrollable, force. It was far beyond comparison in power with an atomic bomb. Yes. It was a metamorphic superheat comet. It had enough power to destroy almost half the universe, with all 480 planets going up in smoke. Dr. Halow shuddered. He hoped that wouldn’t happen. Shaking his head, he checked his watch. 1:30 it read. Only 2 hours left, before that comet strikes. Good grief Dr. Halow thought. Absentmindedly, he scanned his ID card and the door swung open with a BEEP! He took one step into the hallway. All around him, scientists and lab workers scurried around like little white ants.