The Storm

Henry came over to the computer monitor and looked over Wade's shoulder. When the camera came to Brett, in the hall, it just looked like a photo. No sign of movement what so ever. The camera view of the back yard finally came up; they could both clearly see that the man lying there was not moving. His head was tilted to one side, and the eye that could be seen was staring out at nothing. "I think it's too late for either of them." Henry whispered. "Yeah, maybe," Wade replied, "but I want to check them out anyway, if I can." "Ok," Henry sighed," But, like I said, I quick reading and close the door, for now, right?" "Right." Wade agreed. Henry unlocked and unsealed the heavy door. "Ok, on the count of three, you pull the door open," Henry instructed quickly. Wade didn't know if he liked Henry giving him orders, but he didn't want to argue with him right now. "As soon as the meter beeps, it has a reading. When I yell, "close," slam the door shut, ready, one, two, three, GO!" On three, Henry had thrust the meter forward, even before Wade had gotten the door open a crack. But somehow it all worked out. The meter beeped only after a few short seconds and Henry quickly pulled it back; as Wade slammed the door shut again. Henry quickly locked and resealed the door before even looking at the meter's reading. Henry let out a long breath, and then looked at the meter, quizzically. "What is a normal background radiation reading, again?" Henry asked softly. "I would feel safe with anything less than 0.025 R/hr, 0.040 for no more than a few hours of exposure, per day." Wade said. "Why, what's the reading on the meter?" Henry just handed the meter to Wade and went back to his cot, but didn't lie down. Wade looked down at the reading on the meter and his jaw dropped open. The meter showed a reading of 250.151 R/hr's. "Oh, my God." Wade gulped nervously.

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