It was a dark and stormy night, probably. Joe was working in a basement lab with zero windows and hadn’t been outside since he went out for a Halloween themed doughnut at coffee break. But it was October the 31st and it was gone eight o’clock, so if it wasn’t Read more…
Joe woke some indeterminate amount of time later feeling simultaneously freezing and in a terrific amount of pain. He tried to sit up with an excellent impression of an unfolding broken step ladder as he realised that various parts of him were now pretty well locked up. He eventually managed Read more…
Joe stood next to his bottle and for what seemed like the millionth time looked around the lab listlessly for some kind of purpose. Having now exhausted almost every sane option and one or two insane ones, no new ideas jumped out at Joe. He absentmindedly picked up his phone Read more…
Joe peered at his lab now only illuminated by the glow from the computer monitor still showing the message “Network connection missing” and counted slowly to 5. This was partially a technique for calming himself down to just a slight simmer of rage but also he thought that he’d wait Read more…
With his head gently resting against the keys of the keyboard, Joe began to run through all the same things he had already pondered on to aid his escape. Joe considered that he might fit through the air vents if he stripped off and covered himself in oil. He was Read more…
With a sigh, Joe’s head slowly fell against the door with ‘bonk’. He peered through the little window at the cleanroom antechamber on the other side. In theory, the antechamber is designed to stop this very thing from happening. Cleanrooms are designed so that the little antechamber acts to step Read more…
Joe snapped out of his glazed expression of panicky realisation, turned back to his desk and snatched up his phone to contact security to get them to come let him out. Unfortunately the induction seminar 12 months ago was barely a distant memory, and he now had no idea how Read more…
This week part one of a seven part short story about the life of PhD student Joe and a day/night in the lab.