Writing Challenge Day 5: Fire
Day Four -- Masterpost -- Day Six
Callum prided themself on being able to handle anything that was thrown at them. It was a skill that had proven useful time and time again over their years on Hope Remains. It certainly had kept them alive for much, MUCH longer than they'd ever expected.
This situation, however, had thrown them for a loop.
Balthasar, the blind, technology illiterate man (or king or warrior or whatever else title people had apparently given the guy) was serenely sitting near a microwave in one of the least used spaces of the ship. They couldn't see what it was that he'd put inside, but they could hear it rattling around while the appliance was turned on. Callum couldn't even move from their spot in the doorway, they were so dumbfounded. They must have made a sound, because Bal turned his head to where they were standing. "Ah there you are, Callum," His voice was as calm and measured as it always was, despite the imminent danger. "I've managed to get this machine to work with the voice activation like you instructed. Such marvellous things that you're capable of."
The combination of his words and the slowly growing brightness in the window of the microwave got Callum moving. They smacked a hand on the ejection button hard enough that a crack could be heard from within the plastic. The door swung open wide, with small flames flickering to life inside. Cal swore, not even bothering to substitute it for their friend's sake.
"Ahh, so this is what happens when you put metal objects inside. No wonder you warned me about it." Bal commented as Callum cursed again and ran for the nearest fire extinguisher. It took a bit of fighting, but they eventually wrangled the device out of its holder.
Even before they started to speak, the man had gotten up to move out into the hallway. "Back up, this isn't toxic but it's not fun to inhale." With the press of a button and the pull of a lever, Callum successfully started the spray before the flame could leave the microwave. In seconds, the area was covered in white particulates that smothered the fire and ate the oxygen that could get it to start again. They coughed reflexively, trying their best not to get any inside their own body.
While all of this was happening, Balthasar had picked a white particle out of the air and rolled it between in fingers (though how a blind man could manage to do that was a mystery unto itself). "Fascinsting. How does this material work?"
Callum turned around and stared at him for a moment or two before sighing. "You know, there are better ways to experiment than setting things on fire."
"Yes, but if I had not then I wouldn't be about to learn how you are able to stop a fire without using water."
You really couldn't argue with a man who knew what was about to happen long before you even did. Callum had a vague feeling that Bal might be messing with them, but...
"Fine, alright I'll tell you. Let's just...get away from here." They'd call a cleanup crew here later. Maybe make the excuse that there was faulty wiring. Not like anyone would argue with them.
Balthasar smiled and took the hand that was given to him as Callum led him to a different part of the ship.
