The Entity hides

The Entity hid within the particle remaining inert as it was analysed. It tried to understand its environment but nothing yet seemed to make sense.

It tried to view its surroundings through a myriad of visible and invisible spectrums until it viewed above it a haze of emotion. It tried to remember what emotions were and how they tasted. There seemed to be a waves of anger, resent, boredom and jealousy... ah, it remembered jealousy. Greed, avarice.... desire, different flavours to be savoured.

Drawn to the emotions like a moth to a flame it began to move towards the waves of emotion.

Just as it began to move Doctor Young looked away from his analysis and picked up the petri dish. Having identified that the sample was safe he moved to store it within vacuum sealed drawers for future reference.

The Entity found itself in darkness again. It waited, it was used to that.

Time passed, the drawer was opened occasionally and new dishes added. Every time the drawer opened the waves of emotion grew stronger. The entity was able to sustain itself from those emotions as it patiently waited.

Eventually the drawer was opened and samples were brought fully into the light.

Doctor Young cursed his failures. With limit resources on Mars he would have to sterilise and reuse the petri dishes like a lab assistant. He felt like he was in his 20s again only without the youth and vigour. A year of research, a year of failure. He reveled in his bitterness.

He needed a breakthrough but there was nothing, no hope.

He removed the lid of the dish as he prepared to sterilise it.

The microscopic Entity felt red waves of anger wash over it as it basked in one of its favourite emotions. It did not hesitate and flew towards the light no longer imprisoned by the lid.

The particle flew towards where the waves were emanating from as fast as it could too small to be seen by Doctor Young.

Doctor Young coughed as he felt a grain of dust fly into his mouth. He cursed his bad luck, the dust of Mars even found its way into a sterile lab.