MiserAbility: Tag to "Ability"
By Evergreen
Peter watched in wonder as the lights started blinking out under Olivia's intense stare. He had instantly regretted telling her that he thought she was crazy and that he wasn't going to die with her. Hell, it was always a good day to die, right? He had turned around and come back into the room. He stood a good ten feet behind her trying not to break her concentration. She had practically crumpled under the intensity of her mental feat and looked back at Peter when it was done and they were safe.
Relief had flooded his brain and euphoria at not having died. "How about a drink, or five?" He had asked lightly. Of course, she refused, work always came first. He did really feel the need to blur the edges of the anxiety that still coursed through him. He also really wanted to continue reading the manifesto, it had a strange hold on him. Very readable and if he let himself, he could really sink into the idea of it. His brain was literally buzzing when he got back to the lab to pick up Walter. He was feeling good enough to actually bring Walter with him to the bar. He really didn't want to drink alone. He wouldn't have minded if Olivia had joined him, but beggars can't be choosers.
By the time he arrived at the lab, it was late and the campus was quiet and dark. He walked slowly through the thin layer of snow that was just beginning to coat the sidewalks. He could actually feel the quiet, the stillness in the air. It wasn't often you would feel that in Boston, or anywhere with any civilization anyway. His thoughts drifted again to the list of tests that were included in the box that Olivia had brought back from the amusement park. He wanted to look at those a little more closely, especially before Olivia would touch any of them. He pushed open the door to the lab. There was only one light on and Walter sat under it, staring at an old typewriter. The cow mooed lightly in the corner. "Ready to go, Walter?"
"Peter?" He sounded lost.
"Yes, Walter? It's me. Are you ready to go home?"
"Yes, yes. Can we stop and get my coffee cake, now?"
"Sure, Walter. Let's stop and get coffee cake." He strode out of the office behind Walter. The desk lamp clicked off exactly fourteen seconds after the door closed.