Zuflucht

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The cover picture for this book is not mine as well as the inspiration pictures for the characters!!! All pictures and credit go to the respective owners! Other than that I wrote and did everything else hope you enjoy!!

"Raymond, damnit we need your help over here!" Alarmed, I quickly yet safely put my beaker down and ran over to where the group of students were standing. I pushed passed them all to see Gwen on the floor surrounded by everyone; she was clutching her arm as tears cascaded down her paled face.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I gently went up to her and placed my hand gently on her back. Shaking, she pulled her arm away from her chest and held it out for me too see. I'm not gonna lie, if it wasn't for being the second in charge for watching them then I would have probably hurled at the sight. It looked almost like acid was eating away at her arm from how big it was and the smell of her skin burning didn't settle too well around a bunch of already strong smelling chemicals. I asked a random student for a flashlight and bandage so I could get a better look at what I was dealing with. I turned my head and asked someone else to dial an ambulance since this was much more serious than for a university scientist to take care of.
Once I turned the flashlight on and got a better look at her arm I noticed something black pooling around her wound.

"Gwen, I need you to stop crying and tell me what happened alright." She hiccuped and tried her hardest to calm down as more and more tears started to well up. Seconds later one of her close friends sat close to her and held her other hand trying desperate to make her feel better. Whatever happened definitely wasn't good.

"I-I was getting hot a-and rolled my sleeves up so I could cool down a little. I used a big test tube I didn't think it would s-splash on m-m-me!" She started to get all worked up and cry again and another student bent down and tried to console her.
"Gwen, I've told you before the sleeves are there for a reason. You can always step out and take a break if need be but never leave your arms unclothed especially handling chemicals. I'm gonna wrap this then you can go to the hospital and have them do a few tests. It just looks like a chemical burn anyways." Even I didn't believe my words as her wound was getting bigger and bigger. I thought back to any type of chemical that might be here that would cause this but nothing seemed as aggressive as what she had used unless...no, it couldn't be...I told them it's too dangerous...too stay away...

Worry and curiosity got to me and I could help but wonder what she had been using that could have done such a thing.

"Gwen, be honest.... what did you touch."

She looked up at me as her lips started to tremble.

No.

Her silence said it all...

That day the university lost a student, I lost my job, and the world was brought into a new reality.