An eery green light illuminated the hall as Amelia exited the elevator and she exhaled slowly pulling out her phone. She didn't really need the torch app. There was plenty of natural light streaming in through the windows making it easy to see but the fact there were no people around made the place feel that much more creepy.
She fumbled with the buttons on the keypad, pushing her doubts aside she started down the hall towards the main lab. It wasn't a big area. She'd explored it a few a times before when she was looking for somewhere quiet to collect her thoughts but it was a maze of corridors and she tried her best to remember which way would be the fastest route to assess the damage.
So far she hadn't seen any signs of damage from the storm. It was mostly just small rooms with desks and monitors but there was a distinct smell of dampness in the air and she slowed her pace when she finally came to a growing puddle on the floor.
Okay, good thing she was wearing sneakers.
She followed the flow of water around the corner, tracing it to what could have been a boiler or storage room. The big metal door looked sturdy but there was a small gap underneath where the water was escaping and she flicked the torch on her phone up into the ventilation grate. She couldn't see much and she tried the door expecting it to be locked but was surprised when the handle moved freely. There were no warnings about electrical content and she pushed forward, jumping back as a whoosh of wetness saturated her feet.
"Damn-" she cursed, shaking her shoes as she glanced around the room. Whatever it had been used for it wasn't overly big. There was a desk and two wall to ceiling metal shelving units but no sign of anything electrical and she stepped inside shining her phone towards the sound of rushing water. Her gaze trailed up the wall locating the burst pipe that was clearly the source of the damage. One of the bolts looked like it had come loose, probably from the pressure of the rain, and she took another step closer shielding her face as she tried to get a better look.
It didn't look like a significant problem. If she could just get the bolt back in then she should be able to stop the flooding.
Setting her phone down on the shelf, she directed the light upwards and shrugged out of her lab coat. She had this. Plumbing was just like simplified neurosurgery and if she could cut a tumor out of someone's brain then she could definitely wind a faulty screw back into place.
Placing her hands on the desk she pushed herself up trying to avoid the stream of water with as much agility as she possessed. It wasn't easy. The wood was slippery and she stuck her arm out using it to balance herself as she tried to reach the pipe.
What she wouldn't give to be three inches taller
The height restriction was a problem but she ignored it, flattening one hand against the wall and lifting up on her tiptoes to try and get closer. She was just shy of being about to reach it and she held her breath moving directly under the spray to get better access. Her fingertips brushed the edge of the bolt and she stretched, screwing her eyes shut as she fumbled to turn the screw.
A loud ominous creak filled the small space and she barely had time to react as a wall of water hit her dead in the face. The pressure sent her spiraling backwards and she lost her balance reaching blinding to stop herself from falling. Her fingers closed around the shelving unit and it was only when the metal started to pull away from the wall that she realized her mistake.
It groaned loudly as it toppled, sending her crashing to the ground and the last thing she heard was the door slamming shut as the shelves collapsed around her.