Pesticide

Dale and Mary were making a story about an accident in an old pesticide laboratory. Many years had gone by since then, and the place was still abandoned.

Several workers had died of intoxication from the pesticide emission caused by the explosion. The hole area had for many years been considered a no go zone, because of the high level of toxicity. Now the danger seemed to be over, but the plants, the animals, everything was dead. Once green cultural landscapes and forests, the accident had left the place a toxic desert. The lake was a lifeless pool.

They passed by the old industrial worker’s houses, up to the pesticide factory. The buildings where beautiful, with the characteristic aesthetics of old industry. They didn’t make factories like that anymore. Big windows and decorations. Red brick walls. They walked around the area for a while, taking photos. The factory had all the signs of having been evacuated in a hurry, things were thrown around everywhere. The floor was full of rubbish, chairs and tables were tipped over.

We have to be careful, Dale said looking up. -This could fall down any moment.

At the end of the hall they found the laboratory. There was a big hole in the wall were the pesticide tanks had exploded. Old file drawers, broken measure bottles and laboratory stuff. There seemed to be some construction in progress the day of the accident, carpenters tools where lying around.

Mary was going through some documents on a desk.

Look! she said. -It’s a project log!

Dale was looking around in some piles of bottles on the other side of the room while Mary was investigating the file.

Listen to this! The scientists were working on a new chemical, one that was going to be the most efficient ever!

She read out loud: “There have been some complications. When the X9 substance is mixed with the common DEET, the insects seems to be strengthened rather than weakened”. Further down it said: “The effect of the mixture seems to be even stronger on spiders”.

This is great! We need all of these documents. Dale looked around to find more. Suddenly he stopped, staring into the hall next door.

What’s that?

Some kind of strange web covered part of the opening.

He went over, took a pen from a drawer and poked it. Mary was taking pictures.

Something moved in the shadows. Keep taking photos! Dale said, exited. They moved closer, carefully. They heard a sound behind them. They turned around. A giant spider jumped at them. It caught Mary. Pulled her through the door. She was screaming. Then there was silence.

Mary! shouted Dale. Mary!!! He grabbed a pointed saw from the floor. Mary! Where are you?

Dale… please, help me… She sounded weak. He moved into the other room. She was hanging on the wall, sticky web covering her body. He ran over to her, started cutting the web. It stuck to the saw like glue.

Her face was pale. Her lips blue. Dale… Look out… Her voice could hardly be heard. The spider attacked him from behind. Dale fell over. Hurt his knee. It charged at him. He held out the saw, cut it. It bit him. He could feel the poison enter his blood. Shooting pain went through his body. He cut the spider’s head again and again. It fell lifeless to the ground.

Dale got up. Walked weakly over to where Mary was hanging, started cutting the web. He realized she was dead. He felt dizzy. He needed air. He staggered out of the opening in the wall. A few steps into the desert he fell on the ground and died.

https://my3sixty5challenge.com/2016/10/06/day-147-the-roundhead-prelude-10-hiding-inside/

http://www.toxicsaction.org/problems-and-solutions/pesticides

Mantis Religiosa