Taking a rare break from his work, Bryce decided to visit the Network 23 cafeteria. It was late, but he knew that tonight there would be a few staff members there. They were setting up for the Intra-Network Awards Ceremony that was going to be airing the following day.
"Hello, Bryce," Mrs. Marshall said. She was the one in charge of the setting up that night. She'd worked in the cafeteria ever since Bryce had started working there when he'd been twelve just after graduating from ACS. She had been fond of him ever since those days, doting over him like an aunt or grandmother in the earlier days, and still treated him like family at the rare times he came to visit.
"Hi, Mrs. Marshall," Bryce said, cheerfully. He liked the old lady. When he'd been sick the first year that he was there, she had brought him chicken soup and crackers and had sat by him like a grandmother until he had fallen asleep. "You don't mind if I have a little of the punch you're setting up for tomorrow's awards ceremony?"
"I don't think a cupful will be missed," Mrs. Marshall said, putting a couple of cookies on a plate for him as well.
Bryce smiled as she ladled a bit of the punch into a small cup and handed it to him along with the plate. "Thanks." He set the plate on a nearby table and pulled the chair out to sit down, taking a long sip of the punch and setting down the cup.
"Always a pleasure," Mrs. Marshall told him as she ladled a little punch for herself as well. She was about to take a sip of her cup of punch when Bryce suddenly stumbled. "Bryce?" She put her cup down and went over to him. "Are you okay?"
Bryce steadied himself with the chair. "I think so… I guess I've been working too hard lately. I think it's finally catching up with…" he stumbled forward, as if he were going to pass out. "What's wrong with me?"
Mrs. Marshall reached for her cup, then a terrible thought struck her. She set the cup down quickly and ran to the cafeteria vu-phone to call for the med-center. She only hoped that her fears were unfounded.