There I was sitting in the instrument lab of Sampson University, running the sixth of what would be ten trials. There was a hell of a storm outside, but you wouldn't know it from here in the fishbowl. You can lose track of time, as well as any semblance of connection to the outside world, in this brick room in the center of the building, filled with all manner of instruments used by the chemistry department. The room is officially named the advanced chemistry instrument lab, but everyone calls it the fishbowl, due to the one giant window representing the dominant portion of one wall facing the hallway.
It's an interesting feeling to sit alone in a room surrounded only by the moan of vacuum pumps and the hum of electronics, for hours at a time, nothing changing but lines on a screen. So it was quite a shock when suddenly that comforting drone stopped as the lights flickered out. I waited a long moment for the power to return, but quickly lost interest in sitting in the dark, so I decided to check on the storm. I made my way carefully through the thousands of dollars worth of equipment, ineffectual without electricity, using my phone as a flashlight to guide me to the door.
By the time I had almost reached the door, I saw another light through the huge window of the fishbowl. I stumbled forward and pulled the door open before the light could disappear around a corner.
"Hey, who's there?"
"It's Sophia. I think a branch probably fell and hit a line," responded the crisp voice of Sophia Clark. I have known Sophia for all of my college years. We had freshman chemistry together first semester and have shared a passing acquaintance for the subsequent four semesters. She was the perfect model of a stereotypical pre-med student – highly intelligent, pompous, and socially aloof.
"Did you look outside yet?"
"No, that's why I'm heading to the door," she replied harshly.
"Well, I'm going too. You don't mind the company, do you?" I replied, trying to mirror her tone.
"That's fine, I guess," she responded with an edge that showed me I had managed to ruffle a few of her feathers.
When we made it to the door, the street lights were out, nothing visible but the snow blowing against the glass. I pushed it open to get a better look and was greeted with a wall of wind and snow that caused me to quickly close it.
"That's not good. The weather wasn't supposed to get this bad tonight, was it?" I asked.
"I hadn't heard anything about it, but it could be. Why aren't the generators kicking in?" The edge was absent from her voice this time, replaced with curiosity.
"Sampson doesn't have any generators, Sophia, we're too cheap for that," I responded matter-of-factly.
"I've been here long enough, I shouldn't be surprised about the corner-cutting," she sighed. "But the storm shouldn't last that long, should it? I have to finish studying for A&P tonight and I can't without power."
"It could pass, or it could get a lot worse. I need to get to my car," I said, trying to sound calm, not like someone who panics at a little bit of snow, but the weather had me worried; I'd been in a blizzard before, so I knew they were not something to be taken lightly
"You can't seriously be thinking about driving in this weather," she demanded.
"No, I have an emergency bag in my car, and it could be useful if this turns into a full-blown blizzard. Can you make sure the door doesn't lock behind me and keep your phone's light pointed out so I can make my way back?"
"I can do that," she responded.
As soon as I stepped outside, I knew this storm was not going to be over anytime soon. The snow was falling heavily, the wind blowing hard, and I could barely see the outline of my car parked only twenty feet from the door. I finally made it to the car and popped the trunk, grabbing the terracotta-colored duffle bag I used as an emergency kit and slinging it over my shoulder. I closed the trunk and began to make my way back, but a particularly large gust of wind, combined with the cumbersome weight of the duffle bag, caused me to lose my balance. I toppled, all of my weight landing on my right knee, pain shooting through it as the bag slipped from my shoulder. I shifted and got to my feet, my knee protesting as I tested it gingerly. I grabbed the strap of the duffle and hobbled to the door, dragging it through the snow behind me. Sophia opened the door just as I reached it, and I pulled the bag through.
"What happened to you?" she asked, as I limped away from the cold of the windows.
I laughed awkwardly. "I, the great polar explorer, lost my footing on the walk back." Embarrassed, I changed the subject. "There's a lot more things in here than you'd think," I said, hefting the bag. "It's in case you get trapped in your car, or a building, during winter. I'll show you, but let's get to one of the interior conference rooms; they'll keep heat in longer."
"We can't," she said. "They're locked this time of night."
"I know, but I happen to have the key," I replied, and handed it to her. She raised her eyebrows. "You know, Sophia, some of us do more than just study. I work as a grader." I responded with a chuckle again.
"Can you blame me for being suspicious? You and your friends have a reputation for getting into trouble," she said, and I couldn't blame her because we did.
"Yeah, I know, but I have respect for the science building. I mean, I spend more time here than I do my dorm. It's like a second home to me," I responded, feigning insult, but she merely shrugged.
We headed to the conference rooms and she unlocked the door. The room was not large, only about ten feet by fifteen feet, and that space was dominated by the large polished wood table in the center.
I heaved the bag onto the table and pulled out a battery operated lantern, switching it on to fill the room with the soft blue light of the LED. The interior of the building had a much more comfortable temperature, and we took off our heavy coats.
