Stephen Ayres© All rights reserved.
“What about the red gunge on the floor?” Adam asked, wiping his brow.
“No problem, but for your own safety, I advise you stand well clear of the stain.” John handed Adam the torch. “Keep the area well lit.”
Adam stood back, shining the torch at the red stain. Reaching into his pocket, John took out a shiny silver egg-shaped object. Twisting it open like a luxury Kinder Surprise – the Fabergé for the common man – John removed a marble sized sphere from the padding inside.
“A kinetic enzyme bomb,” he said, gingerly throwing the sphere underarm into the centre of the stain.
Striking the floor, the sphere gently exploded in a white puff of powder. The powder drew to the red stain like iron to a magnet, and then rippled rapidly outwards – catalysing the algae, multiplying in strength. It only took a few seconds before the enzymatic reaction reached the outer edge. For a moment, the stain fizzed and frothed, then settled, producing a web-like pattern of elastic threads. Peeling back from the outer edge, the web rolled in on itself, eventually forming a small blood-red ball.
John picked up the ball with his gloved hand and dropped it into the recycler.
“Fair journey, unknown friend.”
Stephen Ayres: Copyright 2016