The Lab Accident

There was a deafening silence in the room as the Scientist and his Assistant stared in horror at the broken tray of pink vials that had fallen off the rack and onto the floor. They had shattered on impact, releasing it's intoxicating fumes into the air.

"Was that what I think it was?" She asked him nervously, but she knew the answer already. The doors automatically locked, the vents closed. The answer came without need for words.

"Can't we get out of this?"

The security screen to the left of the door showed a red screeen with the words EMERGENCY QUARANTINE IN PROGRESS scrolling in a marquee.

"No," said the Scientist. "We're trapped until they can filter out the infected air. We've already been exposed, so we can't leave. "

"What? It's only been a second!" She covered her mouth with her sleeve. "Can't they treat us? Shouldn't they help us?" A sinking feeling.

"It's relatively harmless. We just won't be able to leave for a few hours until it wears off." He began picking up pieces of the broken glass and putting it in the trash.

"We haven't developed the antidote yet," he admitted. The pink liquid was slowly evaporating off the table. Soon, there'd be no evidence of a spill at all. "It's something we're working on, but it hasn't been a big priority around the lab lately. Bigger things to do," he said.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Well, how long does it last?"

"Just..." His eyes trailed down her petite frame from her head to her toes, "...long enough."