“Owwwww, I can feel the toxins in the air, it’s like lemon juice on a paper cut. It burns!” Claire exclaims while itching her scalp.

“Let’s be quick, this can’t be safe for you to be exposed to.” I say.

The two of us rush to the elevator, but we aren’t very fast. I’m slow because my suit is hard to run in. She is slow because she is carrying her tools and is in pain.

‘We should have left sooner.’ I think to myself.

The environmental hazard sensor still reads dark orange which means that indirect contact isn’t deadly, yet. But the sensor is not infallible.

Usually in a situation like this the ventilation system would be able to clear out any toxins and there would be little to no threat, but right now it seems like the ventilation system has also failed.

…

By the time we reach the elevator I can see the start of black blisters forming on her neck, ears and all of the rest of her exposed skin.

I have experience chemical burns before, several times in fact, and while they don’t hurt as bad as a fire burn, they itch as hell, and can cause serious health issues if you are not decontaminated and sent to the infirmary shortly afterwards.

I am lucky to the toxins with my hazard suit, but she isn’t as lucky. As soon as we get down the elevator we are going to need to head to the nearest decontamination station, and get some medical supplies.

“Shit, get the door open, let’s get out of here!” I say.

“Don’t you think that’s what I’m doing!” She replies.

She takes out something that looks like a bulky screwdriver with a few dials on it, as well as a pair of safety glasses from her toolbox.

She looks at the glasses, and mumbles, before putting them back into the box.

“Look the other way, and keep watch.” She orders, her voice sounds a little hoarse.

I comply with her orders, and a bright light reflects off of the wall tiles. The light practically illuminates the entire stretch of the halls.

Accompanying the light is the sounds of hissing and crackling.

I keep my eyes on the hallway in front of me.

About a minute later the sounds and light cease.

…

*crack*

*snip*

*cough*

*snip*

*wrrrrr*

*cough*

“How’s it coming?” I ask while not taking my eyes off the hallway. Even though the aliens are dying from the fumes, I can’t let my guard down.”

*Grunt*

*cough*

She grunts and mumbles something that I take as an affirmative.

*cough*

She really doesn’t sound good.

...

*SCREECH*

Another minute passes before the door opens with a horrible loud screech.

I spare a glance behind me and see that she has collapsed, her blistered skin is beginning to flake. Her brown eyes are bloodshot, and she is sweating buckets.

“Shit, lets go!” I ditch my trash bag and crowbar and start trying to carry her down the ladder.

It’s very difficult to find a way to carry her and climb down the ladder at the same time. Eventually Claire is able to get a good grip around my neck and we descend down the rungs of the ladder.

Three floors down we hit an obstacle.