inspiration by Alavahr
Disclaimer: In another universe, a seriously disturbed Egon works in his
lab...
This is not my usual type of fic. Comments, anyone?
Egon was working up in the lab, as usual, on another esoteric experiment. His new device was coming along swimmingly, or so he thought. He reached for the screwdriver to adjust some of the settings.
I wonder how big of an explosion this machine would make?
He dropped the screwdriver, and clutched at his temples. "No!" he moaned, "Shut up!"
He took a few cleansing breaths, and held perfectly still for two minutes. Silence. Good. Retrieving the fallen tool, he went back to his labors. He lost himself within the inner workings of the machine for a good hour.
It's been a while since the last explosion, hasn't it? I think we're about due for another one.
Gasping, Egon ran to the window, and threw it open, taking in great lungfuls of the smoggy air. He gazed down at the alleyway, below.
If the explosion is big enough, the windows will shatter. The glass shards will tumble down into the street, refracting the light as they fell. Wouldn't that be a lovely sight to see?*
"Yes," he whispered.
All that has to be done is to turn the gain up as high as possible, and overload the circuits. An easy task, for a genius.
Egon turned from the window and contemplated his machine again. "Yes, a very simple task. Would only take a minute, at best." But he didn't move from his perch at the window. "It seems like such a waste, though."
It's never a waste; the results are well worth the effort.
And Egon had to admit that it was true. He remembered all the accidents he caused at home in his makeshift lab in the garage when he was a child; the spectacular fire that burned down the garage as he mixed two chemicals to make a volatile reaction, and standing outside watching his handiwork as the fire department came to smother the blaze.
College was a little different, they would ban him from the lab if he blew it up too often, but even so, he was responsible for quite a few "accidents" here and there. He once shut down an entire floor, now that was an exhilarating experience!
Here with the guys, however, he could relax and let himself go. When the mood struck him, boom, up the lab went. And the more bells and whistles he could put on it, the better. Sure the guys teased him, calling him a "mad scientist" and all, but he could never figure out why they never questioned his being a genius, yet making mistakes even the rankest amateur would avoid. Not that it mattered, of course, as long as he got away with it.
He sighed, and looked at the pristine walls and windows. The room was just repaired not six months ago; he was slipping, normally, it would be only four months between accidents. Better late than never.
What if the bathroom were taken out as well? All that fountaining water...
"Yes," Egon nodded, "that would go well with the falling glass."
Willing his limbs to move, he grabbed his screwdriver, and began to adjust the gain as far as it would go. Rummaging through his chemical racks, he found the materials he needed, and started mixing; setting the resulting concoction in front of his machine. As an afterthought, he turned the table slightly, so that the chemical mixture was in a direct line with the bathroom.
Nodding with satisfaction, Egon tiptoed from the lab, and put his ear to the bathroom door. Wouldn't do to blow up one of your best friends now, would it? After ascertaining that the bathroom was unoccupied, he tiptoed back to the lab, and searched for the electrical cord. Plugging it in, he rushed to the opposite corner and waited.
The machine hummed to life, then started to make a squealing sound that rose in pitch and volume. Egon's heartbeat quickened, and his eyes grew wide, the pupils dilated with excitement. A smile quirked up his lips, as the machine began emitting sparks. Smoke began to rise, and he could feel the difference in air pressure that signaled an imminent explosion. He flung his arms wide to welcome it.
And then there was light, and the light was good.
"Yes," he said, "very good."
The flare of the explosion nearly burned his retinas, but he didn't care. The kinetic force, although not directly aimed at him, was enough to fling him into the wall. He was deafened by the loud noise, but he knew it would only be temporary. The last thing he saw, before he slipped into unconsciousness, was the water jetting out of the pipes in what was left of the bathroom, amidst the sparkle of broken glass raining down around him.
And it was good.
THE END
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