A pathogen created by a bunch of sixteen year olds.

It was years ago when we released a monster into the world and thus transformed everything around us from majestic to complete ruin. It destroyed everything that encompassed us, especially the minds of those infected and for what purpose did we commit such a grave sin? It was because we dreaded the IGCSE exam that at the time was crucial for our future. We did not want to experience the disappointment and self-doubt that would be derived from the failure albeit uncertain. So instead of risking our own future, we risked the world's in an unreasonable and selfish act to protect ourselves from mere papers and letters.

***

 The cacophony of the relentless chatter of tourists and the sound of the wheels of their suitcases rolling across the well-polished floor was almost intolerable to our ears but we sucked it up as we looked around wearily.  The deafening sound of aeroplanes as they took off and the airport announcements erupted throughout the massive hangar yet we remained, looking at one another. Although it may seem like it, we weren't there for a trip to a foreign country but instead we were going to subject this location to a foreign substance. The Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok was our first target. 

     "Are you sure about this?" Greg, the most hesitant one in our clique asked dubiously, his eyes shifting restlessly around the bustling airport.

    "Yeah, you don't want to do the exams as well right?" Mark, our other friend, replied.

    "Yeah…But this may cause an epidemic. We don't know what the concoction we have brewed up is capable of."

    "We have already tested it with a few mice and it only gave them a minor fever. Don't worry too much about it."

    "Well…some drugs have different effects on different species so it might be worse for humans."

    "So you're saying that we should reconsider after we've come this far? All three of us consented to this and you want to chicken out at the last moment?" Mark scowled, clenching his left hand into a ball and striding towards Greg to close their gap.

    He's going to strike him if this continues, I thought so I intervened. I stretched my arms apart and pushed them both aside, wedging myself in between them to stop them from getting near each other. 

     Although I tried to be as neutral as possible, I actually agreed more with Greg. We didn't know what this bacteria could do to people but we had come too far to stop. We were on a tiger's back and we were no longer able to abandon it.

    "We don't have the time for this. We're in a tightly secured facility; we mustn't do anything to jeopardize the plan." I scolded them both before glancing at Mark's still clenched fist.

     "Mark, unclench your fist. Don't resort to violence here."

     After I said that as brusquely as I could, Mark slowly uncurled his fingers until his bare palm was visible to the both of us.

      "And Greg, we spent a lot of money for the equipment to make this so we can't go back now."

      As I said that, I glared at my bag where I had stored our pathogen with a burning passion and purpose. Seeming to have noticed how serious I was, they became obedient and nodded. But then I was struck by a dilemma.

    How the hell are we going to spread this pathogen? Should we just throw it onto the floor and hope it enters the body of passersby? No…we don't have any gas masks to protect ourselves from inhaling the fumes and even if we did, we would be extremely suspicious to the guards. So…should we use a needle? No, that also was not plausible. We would be arrested on the spot if we injected a random stranger with a mystery cocktail so now what?

     As I was deep in thought whilst simultaneously trying my best not to incur in my friends the idea that I had done an embarrassing oversight, my eyes were drawn to a balcony on the second floor. That was when vibrant fireworks shot out of my mind although this idea was not very different from the former. Let's call this operation "Drop and Dash" because that was exactly what we were going to do.

    Stepping on the marble floor from up above on the second floor balcony, we looked around for a group that was nearby. 

    Preferably a large group near the edge of the balcony where we could easily drop our bomb and run for it before the fumes could diffuse further into our nostrils. Of course, none of us wanted to get a fever(?).

    "There!" Mark cried out like a child who had just won his first basketball match against his brother as he proceeded to point to a group of men that wore identical black suits almost resembling the darkness of a crow's feather. 

     Bingo, I thought, satisfied. They fit the criteria. They were a large group of about seven and they were only a few centimetres away from the bottom of the balcony we were standing on. They were perfect.

     I unveiled our science project, a purplish liquid stored in a fragile glass capsule then inched towards the railing of the balcony and unceremoniously threw it down into the middle of the crowd. A deafening shatter could be heard and the shuffling of shoes as we rushed back home before any of them could stop panicking and get a grasp on the situation. Needless to say, the area was thrown into chaos as fumes rose from the shattered vessel.