A Different Virus - Laura's Story

Chapter 134

We played in the water for hours. I started building a sand castle and Diane came to help me. Ace sat on a towel nearby as he let the sun dry him off. He watched us for a while before commenting, "It might have been a good thing that you didn't do much today."

Diane turned to look at him, "And why would that be?"

Ace tilted his head as he considered it, "Do you realize that you went almost an entire day with no run and you don't even seem restless? I had a hard run this morning, sparring practice, and I am already starting to feel restless."

I realized that Ace was correct. The morning after a normal blood donation, Diane needed a morning run, but she hadn't had one today and we hadn't done much either. Diane considered it for a moment before shaking her head, "One more reason to never repeat that experiment. I will be going for an evening run though."

Ace looked amused at her reaction, but did not reply. I grinned and put a stick on my castle as flagpole. It would have to be a life or death emergency to convince her to give blood two days in a row again. It was a lesson she had learned the hard way, but it also served as a warning for any other fired people if we ever managed to get our blood to glow.

I smothered a laugh as I watched Diane's reaction to the new building project being undertaken. Ace was somehow managing to keep a studiously blank face. Either Diane had managed to annoy Kerry far more than either of us had realized or Diane's comment struck a nerve with the nurse.

Regardless of the cause, we were currently watching the first few trial runs being done in our new elevator. Yes, Sanctuary was now the owner of the one and only working elevator that any of us knew about.

It had been less than a week since Diane's failed trial with the chill and Kerry had put that time to good use. Roland had been more than happy to accommodate her request and bring the materials that our architect had specified.

In actuality, the elevator looked more like an elaborate pulley system than anything else. The main elevator cage sat on the ground. It wasn't very big, it had a plastic lawn chair in the far end and enough room for a wheelchair and maybe two people if they crammed tightly together. A very thick cable ran up the face of the cliff to the fifth level and over two pulleys to where the counterweight platform sat.

When empty, the main elevator sat on the ground or would slowly descend if it had been up higher. To work it, the person would get into the elevator and someone of greater weight would have to climb into the small counterweight cage. It would slowly raise the elevator up. Both sections had a brake lever to stop for someone to get off. People on the fifth floor were quite enjoying the easy descent as they just entered the small counterweight platform and let it drop them slowly to the ground.

I noticed that Kerry had a smirk as she watched Diane's incredulous and disbelieving expression. Diane shook her head, still having a hard time believing what she was seeing, "Where was this a week ago..."

Ace broke down and chuckled, "A week ago we were not aware that we needed such a thing. You helped them realize that we have no backup plan if someone was unable to climb the ladder."

Diane made a face at his logic and at the reminder of the event that she wished would just be forgotten. Another blue eyed guy climbing a nearby ladder obviously overheard their conversation as he turned to grin at Diane, "I hear via the rumor vine that Kerry is expecting you to use that thing whenever you donate blood."

Diane raised an eyebrow, "And how did you hear that rumor?"

The guy chuckled, "Everyone on the fifth ridge heard it right from Kerry."