Feelers Pt. 4

Dear Lothar,

This letter is to inform you that we did receive the recent samples that you sent to us. I am sure that you are anxiously awaiting to hear the test results from our laboratory. Unfortunately, it has been a great disappointment for the samples to show nothing by way of the results that you promised so assuredly. From your enthusiastic recommendations of the latest package, we had expected to at least find traces of the promised effects. But nothing showed itself but that which was within normal odds.

Please believe me when I say that I am using my best efforts to keep our mutual friends from becoming too impatient and from contacting you directly. From your last communication, I understood exactly what you meant, that their interference and close contact would distract you from your work. Understand, however, that time is of the essence, and if our friends get tired of waiting, then I, as the go-between, will likely be the initial sacrifice. Therefore I urge you to redouble your efforts, perhaps trying some new method for discovering the source of that which we have staked our futures upon.

Anxiously awaiting your latest news,

Benedict Rasmussen

Grant turned the letter over and examined the envelope, but there was no further information to be had. “What do you think this is all about?” he asked.

“He’s doing something on the side. Some kind of experiments for some company?” I asked. “Do you think it has anything to do with the school?”

“Doesn’t sound like it to me. Maybe some high-tech company needing some product or something?”

“It’s obviously a secret. Otherwise we would have heard about it.” My friend Emily’s cousin worked in the front office and passed along any juicy tidbits she came across to Emily, who shared them with me. Mr. Devius doing some experimental work on the side would definitely be a subject for gossip around the soda machine.

Grant put the letter back the way he had found it and we stepped further back into the office. What had seemed like the back wall was now revealed to be a dingy curtain hanging across another opening. We stepped around some small boxes that were carelessly scattered about, and I pulled the frayed edge of the fabric aside. I could not see far into the blackness, but I could tell the room went further back; it was narrow and seemed to stretch back along the wing of classrooms. Obviously, a long time ago, someone had created a hidden sort of office area by cutting into a few feet of classroom space and walling it off. Surely there was a light switch somewhere, but I couldn’t feel anything like one against the wall.

“Look here!” Grant said excitedly. He pointed to a small table up against the wall on the other side of the curtain. In the gloom I could see several jars that looked like baby food jars, some packing material and small cardboard boxes. I picked a jar up and held it up to the harsh fluorescent light behind us. About an inch of soft blue flecks shimmered in the container. I slipped it into the side pocket on my backpack.

All of a sudden, I felt a sick rush in my stomach.

“How long have we been in here?” I hissed.

Grant looked stricken. “Probably too long,” he said. “We should get going.”

We stepped around the disorder and back to the door. I put my hand on the knob.

“Wait!” I froze while Grant flipped off the light switch. “Now crack the door and take a peek.”

As slowly as I could, I turned the handle and opened the door a fraction of an inch. A sliver of light caught the dust motes we had stirred up, and I put my eye to the opening. As quietly and slowly as I could, I shut it again and let the knob turn in my hand until it stopped.

“What is it? What’s going on out there?

“We can’t leave now.” My heart was pounding. “The class is coming into the lab.”

“What are we going to do? Any minute Devius will see that we aren’t in there.”

“If he thought he locked his office, he won’t suspect we’re in here. He’ll think we cut class, right?”

“Maybe.” Grant reached out and put his arm around my shoulder. “I think we have to just stay put for now. Move back up against the curtain, so if he does come in, we can hide behind it.”

In spite of the danger we were in, it gave me happy thrill to feel Grant so close to me. In just a short time, it felt like we were already friends. “Okay,” I whispered, and we felt our way back to the curtain and sat down on the floor, leaning against the wall.