The Lamarck Theorem

I'm Not Dead

Pain exploded through my head- but I didn't feel myself loosing consciousness.

I opened the eyes that I didn't know I had closed and saw the guy that shot me on the ground with blood coming out of his chest, a pistol and the shattered vile.

What the heck?

My heart was racing and I couldn't comprehend any of what just happened. It wasn't real. It couldn't be real.

I touched the spot that the bullet hit. I didn't feel a gaping hole or blood or even a scratch. But I did feel pain.

I winced and came back to my senses. A bullet just hit my head and there was a guy on the ground with a bullet in his chest. Okay. I'm confused. Why am I not dead and how did that bullet get in his chest?

I looked at the gun and the guy. Did he shoot himself after he shot me? No. I would have heard the gun fire a second time.

Then I remembered the vile, the liquid and my last thought.

"No. Nonononono. This can't be real. This can't be real." I clutched my head.

I wasn't a Superhero. They were fake, made up, fictional. But I wasn't a normal person anymore. Was I?

"But it is, sweetheart," I heard a voice on the floor say.

"Omigosh!" My eyes widened and I jumped in surprise. I looked at the guy. I would have told him not to call me that if he weren't dying. "I thought you were dead."

"Not yet," He said. "I hope you realize you just inhaled a serum meant to be diluted into the water supply and given to millions of people. Do you even know what that stuff does?"

"I thought it was poison."

"Well, you thought wrong." He said. Sheesh. Sassy on the deathfloor much? "It would have caused people to evolve based on their thoughts. I had hoped that it wouldn't have reacted so quickly."

"Wait, you meant to kill me but now I'm bulletproof?" I looked at the vile in astonishment. "Why are you even telling me this?"

"Seems like it. And someone should know. Look up Lamarck if you want answers." He sighed.

"Lamarck?"

I was speaking to a corpse.

I couldn't breathe at first. Five seconds later I was hyperventilating. I just saw someone die.

Calm down. Calm down. You need to get out of here.

There was a skylight and a door that led to the security room. Judging by what he said, I could- no. I walked into the security room and erased the tapes from the past hour with gloves.

I woke up the security guard.

"Hey, Uncle Gus," I tried to shake him awake. No. He's not dead. He can't be. "Uncle Gus?" Fear creeped into my voice.

"Hmmmm..." He stretched his arms and yawned. He and Marcy were the only security guards. I didn't know where Marcy was. "What is it?"

"There's been a breach." I said.

"What???" His eyes went wide. "Jessie, are you okay??? What happened?"

"I was almost shot after a guy told me to poison the water supply. But I smashed the vile and he ended up shooting himself. I'm okay. Where's Marcy?" I partially lied.

He pulled out his walkie-talkie. "Marce, do you copy?"

"Roger," She was okay. I let out a sigh of relief. If anything had happened to my aunt, I would kick the guy's corpse.

And no, Gus and Marcy aren't married. Gus is my grandma-on-my-mom-side's brother and Marcy is my dad's sister.

"Can you hand me the phone, Uncle Gus? I think I'm gonna take off early," I said. It was a crazy day.

Biggest understatement of the century.
........

I clocked out of the Plant, hopped into my car, and drove home as fast as I could.

I went to unlock my front door with my unsteady hands and my mom opened it. She enveloped me in a hug and pulled me inside.

She finally stopped suffocating me and took my hands. "Uncle Gus told me what happened. Are you okay, Jenny?"

"I'm fine, Mom. I'm just shaken up, that's all," I told her. "I just need a hot bath and some hot chocolate and I'll be golden."

"Don't forget to wash behind your ears!" My mom shouted as I walked upstairs.

Lol. I actually smiled. I love my mom.
..........

The water was warm and steamy by the time the tub was full. Water. Hmmmm. It would be useful if I couldn't drown, wouldn't it?