Life Is Weird, So Am I!! Episode 7: A 'Void' Tragedy

"Oh no..... It's gone... I can't find it anywhere!" .... .... The biggest headache I've had in years was waiting for me that morning, as I went to my class teacher to collect the research papers from her, the ones pertaining to the void genome. The reason I was hurrying about it so much is that they contained the location of the storage laboratory, where the genome was located. The research papers were supposed to be top secret themselves.. and I have no idea how my class teacher managed to get them, but I wanted them back as soon as possible. But as I approached her cabin, I saw her, her head in her hands, looking really tensed, and other teachers from the department frantically looking for something. "No no no no no, anything but that!" I kept on praying, assuming it was those research papers that were lost, or 'stolen' and teachers looking for them. "Yes, we are very sorry. Even before we could commemorate your success on such a unique gene, the blueprints were stolen by a fellow student from the adjacent class. What are his intentions, or why did he act like this, or where the blueprints are, we don't know..." The teachers told me. My heart sank. I looked up at my class teacher... With eyes filled with tears and fear. I had never seen her so down. "Ma'am, if you may please come with me..." She got up and proceeded to take the lead. I started walking too, keeping a bit of distance from her. At this point, I was consumed with anger. Forgetting she was my teacher, I turned to her and started talking to her in an informal way. "Do you even realise what you lost?" I asked her, with my hands shaking with anger. "I realise those blueprints are important. I'll make all arrangements to prove that this is your work." She replied, almost giving in her to her tears. "Do you think I care about the genome? The credit? I can let him take it all... But the void genome is not what it seems...... Ma'am." The 'ma'am' came out late, as I remembered the demon that lurks inside that genome, and I had finally snapped out of my anger. I looked at my class teacher. Behind her, I saw Maya approaching us, as she had figured out something was wrong. Bad timing as it would be, Maya saw my teachers shaken face, but as she was about to ask what had happened, my class teacher, in a shaky voice said: "Then what exactly is the void genome?" A series of things followed and I managed to convince my teacher to take a day off college, so did I and Maya. I took them both to the laboratory, which is located in the rural, quite far away from the city. "I knew it," I said as I saw the empty vial container. Whoever stole the blueprints also came here and stole the genome vials. I asked both my teacher and Maya to sit down in the chairs nearby and proceeded to pull down all the hanging whiteboards with "illegible scribbles and lines" on them. It took me a while to find my long ruler. Pointing at some wordings on the first whiteboard, I said: "The void genome is not simply a gene, when incorporated into the DNA, let's the person with the gene to read people's minds by looking into their eyes." A short pause and I pointed at a different line now. "The void genome lets a person read the darkest secrets, the deepest hidden thoughts of everyone around him/her. It's up to the user. They can collectively listen to everyone's fears and internal monologues, or focus on the person and read their everything. Every damn thing. And you're right. The person with the void gene can 'hear' the wordings people talk inside themselves." Maya looked at me in fear. "So then, if that's what's been stolen..." I continued the sentence. "It could be put to both good or bad use. I'm doubting it'll hardly be good considering the genome was stolen, so whatever the thief is up to with that genome, I'm sure he's already consumed the liquid in the vial, which contains the genome.." Deadly pause. Awkward and creepy silence. "The void genome lets a person access all sensitive data of any person they want. If the person who stole this is a sadist, I'm fearing the worst to pass." "I originally created this genome to communicate with super introverts. I've seen a lot of people suffer because they don't have a person to talk to. Even if they gain a trusted friend, sometimes these introverts are hesitant to tell them everything. I developed the void genome to only know that they were hiding so that I can become friends with them and help them get over their fears. But I never realised until now, how dangerous this genome can be if put to the wrong use. Blackmailing, breaching of insecurities, especially to women, mental and emotional harassment... " I collapsed. My legs gave away. Before I could realise it, I was crying. And I was angry at myself. By the type of person I am, I proceeded to punch myself in the face, just when Maya blocked the punch and slapped me. "Snap out of it. There's nothing wrong in creating something expecting only the good. You developed that genome for a good reason and that is all I care about!" I had never seen Maya like that. That slap, made me snap out of the madness I was in. Then, my class teacher asked the most important question. "Is there any time limit before the genome starts acting up?" She asked, a faint ray of hope she was expecting was a huge time limit. Unfortunately, "It takes only half an hour to completely assimilate into the DNA and the gene starts expressing." I replied. "The liquid in the vial is the inactive state. After consuming it, the hydrochloric acid in the stomach digests the liquid, which when comes in contact with the bile juices, actives the genes, which then incorporate themselves into cells undergoing mitosis, and replicate rapidly." I didn't really need to explain the mechanism... But it had already slipped off my tongue. "Convenient." Ma'am replied. "You're a genius, Jin. If only I were a bit more careful with those papers..." "It's fine Ma'am. Not all hope is lost." I replied. She looked at me, as though expecting more. "What did you say?" Maya repeated, as though seeking confirmation. "Not all hope is lost." I repeated myself. "And that means..... " Maya slowly murmured. I went to the vial storage, and a few steps to the right pressed the wall, which actually is a button camouflaged as the wall. A part of the wall rotated 180°s, and another vial storage apparatus arranged to wall showed itself. Inside it was one single vial of a greenish liquid. "The void genome inside the vial looks purplish... And this!" I took the vial out and held it in front of them, giving them a clear view. "This is the antidote of the void genome." Just hearing this, Maya and my teacher eased out, and both of them have a huge sigh of relief. "I seriously would have fainted if it weren't for this news." Maya seemed to have eased out a lot. My class teacher didn't speak anything, but looking at her, we could tell she was at ease now. "I'm not an idiot. I expect the worse to come by and prepare for it. Incase. Just in case should the void genome be misused, I had its antidote ready. Just one vial though." "Great job!" My teacher said, looking down at the floor. "Head high up, Ma'am. I'm your student. Even though it's only been a few weeks, I admire your teaching style and you, as a person!" That brought back the smile I'm used to seeing on her face. "Thanks!" She said. Momentary silence. I proceeded to put the vial back into its secret storage, just in case we were being watched. I know it's lame. If we were being watched, they would already know where this antidote genome is hidden. But what he wouldn't know, is the button is actually a sensor that senses the antigens in my blood. Not fingerprint, but antigens. A unique, uncrackable lock. "This antidote is our new hope!" I said as I rotated the wall back... "And I call it, the R.A.I.N Genome!" [Vial: a small test tube of the capacity of about 5cm^3 (5mg), usually used to store the end products of research, that are rare and highly reactive, or are not to be accessed without proper authorization]