AAOOOSC! Mini Stories!

The heavy, thick door creaks open, letting sunlight slip into the dim room. A good-sized teenage boy with light brown hair combed to the side with lots a volume, wide green eyes, and a curious expression slips through the doorway. He adjusts his black hoodie, which is paired with black jeans and shoes. He shuffles deeper into the mysterious room, casting his inquiring eyes on it.

The room is rectangular made out of cement. There are shelves lining the walls in rows, bearing numerous scientific equipment in a messy fashion. A large countertop lines the lower half of the room also decked with various machines. There is another desk in the middle of the room, surrounded by piles of papers; its top is covered with more papers and files spewed all over it. Behind the desk, absorbed in his laptop is another teenager; he has messy brown hair with a bandana underneath his thin bangs, small gray eyes., and a lab coat over his attire.

The visitor clears his throat. “Um, Kailer?”

The scientist, Kailer Yamamoto, flicks his eyes up from his laptop’s screen. “Ah! Mr. Clague--!”

He holds his hand out in front of him. “Kale.” He drops his hand. “Why do you keep calling me that?”

Kailer lifts himself to his feet, revealing his red polo shirt underneath his coat. “Because it makes me sound more formal; living up to the ‘scientist standard.’”

Kale stares quizzically at his bandana. “Yeah, sure.”

“Hey.” He adjusts his bandana with knitted eyebrows. “Don’t judge the bandana.”

“Okay, whatever.” Kale shakes his head. “Why did you call me here?”

Kailer’s eyes light up; he throws an index finger in the air. “Right!” He slides up to him with a smirk. “You told me you made another discovery with your supernatural abilities?”

“Yeah.”

The scientist steps back. “May I see a demonstration?”

Kale flicks his hand out in front of him. Right away, a stalk of wheat materializes into view; yet its texture is sleek and metallic with a caramel hue.

Kailer’s eyes are filled with awe. “Fascinating!” He wanders around the stalk, not tearing his eyes from the supernatural object hovering above the owner’s hand. “What is this stalk of wheat made out of?”

Kale shrugs. “I really don’t know. I just produced my wheat as usual and I got a different colored wheat. But I’ve played around for a bit, so I know the jest of it.”

Kailer reaches his hand toward it. “May I hold it?”

“Sure.”

The scientist gingerly takes the stalk with both hands. He gazes down at it as he takes it to his desk. “Hmmm...even surface...fairly pappy...” He sits down in his swivel chair without breaking his gaze. “...it’s like the texture of...dark chocolate…” Kale approaches him as Kailer applies pressure on it. “Extremely firm.” He nods his head, peering up at him. “Outstanding physical properties, I must say.”

“I agree,” Kale replies with a smugly smile.

“Now--” Kailer holds the stalk of wheat into the air. “--it’s time to test its chemical properties!” He then launches from his seat and dashes over to the countertop.

Kale steps over to him as he excitedly sweeps the clutter out of the way to make room as he sits on a stool. He quickly pulls a scale down from the shelf above and places the stalk on it.
Then he reaches to the pile of clutter he pushed over and pulls out two pairs of safety goggles.
He hands one over to Kale. “Safety precautions.”

Kale slips it over his head.

Kailer pulls his goggles over his eyes, then paws the shelf above once again, retracting a culinary torch. “Here we go!” He pushes the trigger; the top of the torch immediately emits a blue flame with a golden tip and a wispy woosh!

He lowers the tip gradually to the stalk’s tip. He scrutinizes every detail to see the reaction the stalk’s substance.

After a few moments, it is noticeable that there is no reaction. He nods his head in approvement then glides the tip down to the stalk to see it a different part would react differently. Yet the results are the same.

Kailer nods his head, then flicks off the flame and pulls the goggles to his hair. He peers up at the stalk’s owner. “Absolutely amazing! This stalk of yours is incredibly sustainable through high temperatures!”

A smirk pops on Kale’s face. “I know, thanks!”

Kailer presses his finger against its stalk. “And it’s still cool to the touch!” He looks back up at him, noticing his chilled demeanor. “Why aren’t you as amazed at this as I am?”

“Because I already know what it can go through…,” he replies with a shrug.

“Huh.” Kailer narrows his eyes on the stalk. “Well, let’s attempt the next test: water!” He then leaps out from his seat.

“Ummm...” Kale whirls his head to spot him scuttering toward a sink, which is situated in the corner of the room. “...I don’t think that's--”

Kailer speeds back to his stool with a flask of water. “I got approximately--” He squints at the measurements printed on the side of the flask.

“Kailer, Kailer--” Kale taps his shoulder, gaining his attention. “Don’t put water on it, it’d be really bad.”

“How come?” He knits his eyebrows in confusion. “I hadn’t even put it on yet!”

“Because I have…” He has wary eyes. “...and the result wasn’t good. I told you, I played with it for a while. Don’t put water on it.”

Kailer narrows his eyes at him. “I’m the scientist here, Mr. Clague, not you. Now hush your hounds, I know exactly what I’m doing!” He whirls back to face the stalk.

Kale rolls his eyes with a huff. “Okay…” He then spins around on his heels and ambles away.

With a small smile, Kailer tilts the flask over the stalk and lets a drop of water splatter against the stalk.

From the surface of the lake, where the laboratory is located underneath, large bubbles form with a muted BOOF.

The interior of the room is now blackened with scorch marks, along with the heavy odor of smoke.

Kailer is completed covered with soot. He lets out wheezy coughs before lifting his goggles over his forehead. The outline of where the goggles were placed is apparent.

He eyes the ashes that are now on the scale. “Oh, bloomin' heck!”

The door behind him across the room is heard opening. Kale comes into view with his hands stuffed in his jeans’ pockets in a cocky mein.

He halts behind him. “So, how did it go, Dr. Yamamoto, the scientist who knows exactly what he’s doing--?”

“I’m still the scientist here!” he coughs out with a mad stare at his exploded experiment.

With a chuckle, Kale spins around and begins making his way out of the room. “Remember, Kailer: you may have the knowledge from your apparent education, but do you have the learning from life’s experiences, such as taking other’s advice?” With that, he exits the room.

Kailer frowns at his smoking scale. “Yes…,” he mutters, “...yes indeed.”


The End.

Notes