Zane slipped on his gloves.
Gardening gloves.
He stuck his hands in the dirt, scooping up soil and moving it aside to place the seeds. This was his fourth time trying this experiment, trying to figure out the right proportions of water and sunlight and how long to grow them to produce the sweetest carrot.
He looked around the greenhouse at the other botanist students. Carter elbowed him. "What are you thinking about, man?"
Zane shook his head. "Nothing, sorry. Pass the water?"
Carter handed him the pitcher. "Nothing you say? What, you got a girl back home?"
Zane rolled his eyes. "This isn't World War II."
"Still." Carter placed more dirt over his seeds. "Do you?"
Zane was silent, and scooped up more dirt, surprised to feel its texture through his glove.
Carter continued. "Come on, what's her name?"
Zane dumped the dirt out quickly, and saw the slowly growing hole in the palm of his gloves. His eyes widened and he began to cuss colorfully, running out the door.
Carter called after him, "I'm guessing her parents aren't religious?"
Zane kicked open the bathroom door and rushed into a stall. Pulling off the tattered glove, he started wrapping toilet paper around his hand tightly, applying pressure.
When both hands were wrapped, he exhaled, a fact dawning on him.
The vaccine stopped working.
YOU ARE READING
Flawed
Actiona bunch of teenagers with superpowers are on the run from scientists, their powers are ruining their lives and everything is falling apart, but that's normal, right?
