David L. Kuzminski - Bullets and Lasers

Chapter 1

The tenth of May seemed bright and sunny without a cloud in the sky. The people of Conway didn't

have a care in the world. Their world was nearly perfect and peaceful all the time. The last murder in

town had happened nearly three decades earlier. Generally, the most excitement was a brawl between

two neighbors. Then "the cloud" appeared and settled in the heart of the small town. Upon first seeing the

cloud, everyone within it thought it was merely fog.

***

Police Sergeant Steve Talbot noticed the change almost immediately when his dispatch radio went

silent. It wasn't the dead silence of occasional static. It was as if it wasn't turned on. When he heard the

sudden silence, he also noticed that the station was becoming dark inside as the sunlight was blocked

from the windows.

"Hey, Paul, you want to hit that light switch? Looks like fog rolling in outside."

Paul crossed over to the switch and flipped it several times without response. The room remained

dark. "Must be a power failure," Paul said.

"Someone must have hit a transformer. You'd think that people would slow down on seeing fog,"

Steve said.

"Don't we have an emergency backup system?"

Steve stared at Paul for a moment as he wondered why the backup system wasn't coming on. He was

about to say something when the radio came alive with static once more. "I guess the generator's on a

timer. Try the lights now."

Paul flipped the switch. One light came on in the center of the room, burning dimly.

"Well, that's better than nothing," Steve said, "I'll see if I can raise someone on the radio. You try the

phone. Call the power company."

Paul went over to a phone and picked it up while Steve began calling out on the radio. After trying

several phones, he said, "The phones are all dead."

"I'm not getting any answer from any of our cars, either. I hope they're on top of the situation without

us. I'm going to check on our prisoner. Listen for any radio calls."

Steve ambled into the back of the station where only one more light bulb burned to show the way, not

that he needed it. He'd been with the force long enough to know the layout of the station even in total

darkness. Steve looked at their prisoner, a vagrant who'd been caught stealing. The man seemed happy

enough to be in his cell if only because it meant that he'd be fed regularly. Steve felt that was the case as

the vagrant hadn't even tried to escape when he was spotted stealing eggs from a henhouse.

The prisoner asked, "Something wrong?"

"Not really. Just a power outage. Probably caused by some driver hitting a transformer in the fog.

We'll just use emergency power until it's fixed."

"Oh, are you sure that's all it is?"

Steve asked, "Why?"

"I saw things that didn't look right just before you came in. Did you see anything weird?"

"I haven't seen anything weird. You on drugs?" Steve asked.

"No. I don't use them, either. Hell, I can't even afford drugs."

"Right, that's what everyone tells me."

"It's the truth! Anyway, keep your eyes and ears open. There's something strange going on around us."

Steve checked the cell door, then left to return to his desk.

***

George Smather glanced out at the thick, hanging fog, then said, "I don't think we should expect that

shipment anytime soon if the roads are all like this."

Arnold Smather carefully came up behind George with sound as his only guide. "Awful slow morning.

Sure wished the shipment would arrive before we get any customers. I hate trying to unload lumber while

seeing to half a dozen customers at the same time."

"This fog will sure hold everyone back. Might as well relax. We'll have plenty to keep us busy later."

"I didn't think we had any fog predicted for this morning. Nothing's going right today."

***

"Welcome, Myrna. Doing your shopping early?"

"Yes, Ty. You know my schedule. I open the bridal boutique in the afternoons except on Saturday

when I open all day. Anyway, it's not my busy season. Especially with this sudden fog. That won't come

until school gets out and the seniors begin to get serious about each other. So, what's fresh today?" she

replied.

"Well, we had one truckload of fresh fruits already delivered this morning. They looked pretty good to

me," Ty answered.

"Ty, everything looks good to you. It just doesn't look good on you. You ought to put on a clean

shirt."

Ty glanced down at himself and saw the stains she was talking about. "I reckon I should. Don't want

to look like a slob in front of my customers. Thanks for telling me."

"If they can find you in this fog, Ty. I almost walked into you."

***

The gymnasium and swimming pool of Conway High went into darkness as the power went off and

the fog blocked the sunlight from windows. Classrooms similarly went dark for the same reasons. So,

too, did the front office where the Principal and his administrative staff were located. For a few moments,

no one was even aware that the fog swirling inside through windows opened for ventilation was changing

things in a way that physics deemed nearly impossible.

Coach Victoria Larson shouted, "Okay, everyone out of the pool! I can't see where you all are. Right

now! I don't want someone diving on top of someone else! No one's to use the diving board until we can

all see where we're going! You heard me! Everyone out of the pool! Now!"

Victoria could only hear her students splashing about as they swam toward her voice. On the other

side of the pool, she heard Coach John Weaver telling the male students the same thing. His whistle went

off a couple of times and then died in mid-whistle.

John cursed, "Damn! Excuse my French, ladies. Hey, Victoria, my whistle just dissolved!"

In astonishment, Victoria asked, "It what?"

He hollered, "I said my whistle just dissolved."

"Coach! I've got a problem!"

"Hey Coach Weaver! I've got a problem, too!"

John asked, "What's your problems?"

"Coach, my swimsuit just disappeared!"

"Mine, too!"

"Same here!"

There was a scream from the women's side at the same time. "My suit! It's gone! Someone took my

suit!"

Coach Larson hollered out, "Whoever took the suit is to return it immediately!"

More screams followed as more girls realized that their synthetic suits were gone from their bodies.

Victoria reached for her whistle only to discover that it wasn't hanging from the cord around her neck

any longer. She hollered, "Quiet down! Ladies, just shut up and move over toward my voice! John!

Keep your boys on the other side! We have a problem over here!"

John hollered, "I think we have the same problem!"

"Ladies, find your towels and wrap yourselves in them. Don't run! This area is slippery. You'll fall if

you try to run! Walk! Don't run! Find a towel and wrap it around yourself. Once you do that, go to the

locker room and get dressed!"

John hollered, "Guys, get your towels and head for your lockers! Now! Move it! Move it! Move it!"

Victoria followed her class into the girls' locker area and carefully made her way in the dark. Every

few steps, she bumped into someone either naked or clutching a towel as cover. She could hear others

bumping into each other and the walls as she made her way toward her office where she hoped to use a

phone to call the office.

Victoria reached her office and entered only to find it not as she left it. Walking through the doorway,

she nearly tripped as her feet came in contact with metal rods littering the floor hindering her. When she

finally reached her desk, she felt about for her phone only to find a mess of tangled wire and metal pieces

in its place. Shouts and crying filtered inside her office as the girls met with frustration in finding their

lockers or opening them in the dark.

Victoria opened a desk drawer to fish out her flashlight only to discover some batteries, wire, bits of

metal, and a lamp bulb in its place. Unsure of what was going on, Victoria stumbled back out of her

office into the general locker area. Making her way through the girls milling about, Victoria knew she

needed to reach the office if only to find out what they might be able to tell her of the situation.

***

John discovered his flashlight was missing. In its place were batteries, wire, metal bits, and the bulb.

He felt around inside his desk drawers until he found some matches he had confiscated from a young

would-be smoker. He lit one and used its light to glance quickly about his office. The room seemed

totally out of sorts. The photos on his desk were no longer in the plastic display he kept them in. His pens

were missing except for a few metal bands and a puddle of sticky ink. Other items were missing entirely

from his desk. He dropped the match before it could burn his fingers and lit another so he could continue

his inspection.

"Hey, Coach! Mind if we borrow some of those matches to get into our lockers? We can't see the

combinations out here."

John said, "Here's a book. Be careful with them. Find out for me how many of the boys lost their

suits."

"That's easy, Coach. We all did. One moment we were standing by the pool, the next thing we knew,

we were naked. I couldn't help but notice when it happened to me. What do you think happened,

Coach?"

"I don't know. Look around while I light another match. Tell me if you see anything plastic...Or

synthetic. Those are all missing."

"Sheesh, Coach, you're right! Almost everything plastic is missing."

John said, "From the way things are lying about, I'd say that the plastic just dissolved like your

swimsuits did. Those swimsuits were all synthetic."

"I wonder if the rest of the school is like this?"

"I'm going to find out. Here, pass these matches around. Tell everyone to be careful. If anyone doesn't

have anything to wear, tell them to keep their towels handy. At least most of those are all cotton."

***

Victoria entered the main office to find the principal was busy talking with his staff about the phones

being dead. Victoria said, "Well at least you have phones. Ours just fell apart, but we've got worse

problems, sir. I had the girls leave the pool when the lights went out. After they did, their swimsuits

dissolved on everyone of them. They're in the locker room now trying to open their lockers to get

dressed. Have you any flashlights? Mine's missing."

"Their suits dissolved? Are you serious?" he asked.

"As serious as a heart attack. It happened to Coach Weaver's class as well. Far as I know, they're in

their locker area getting dressed now, too."

"Glenda, give Coach Larson some flashlights. Be sure you return these, Coach."

Victoria said, "Sure thing, sir. I'll see to it personally."

***

By the time Victoria reached the gym the flashlights were falling apart and strewing batteries and parts

about as they clattered on the floor. She knew then that her flashlight wasn't missing after all. What she

had seen before had been the remains of her flashlight. She wondered how she would explain not

returning the flashlights when Coach Weaver asked, "Who's there?"

"Me, Victoria. I just got some flashlights from the office, but they're no good anymore. They fell apart

on me."

"Everything plastic and synthetic is falling apart. If you have any matches anywhere, you better find and

use them since that's about all that's working right now. The power is off. That means the pumps, lights,

and phones aren't working, among other things. There's no water in the showers, either. Whatever is

happening to everything is kind of hard to say, but I think this fog is causing all this. Could be some kind

of acid in the fog that's just eating all the synthetic stuff. Eating it fast, too."

Victoria said, "Christ! I'm glad we had on our cotton sweats. Most of the girls aren't going to have

much more to wear than towels if that's the case! You have any spare clothes in your area?"

"I wish I did. I've got a few boys wearing only their towels. They had synthetic clothes before. Now

they have nothing. Most of the boys couldn't even pull on their underwear because the elastic was

missing. It wouldn't stay up on them," he replied.

"The front office seemed okay but their power and phones are out."

"I'm going to check around the school. I'll let you know later what I find out," John said.

"I better get back to my girls."

Victoria entered the girls' area and made her way through the mass of crying, and sometimes hysterical

girls to reach her office. She rummaged through her desk until she found some confiscated matches. She

lit one and looked at the office briefly before using the light to find more matches. She gathered them up

and made her way out to where the girls were sitting or standing.

"Here, some of you take these matches to light up some of the locks so others can open their lockers.

Use them sparingly. I don't have many," Victoria said.

"What about flashlights, Miss Larson?"

Victoria replied, "The flashlights went the same way as your swimsuits. Listen up everyone! Coach

Weaver said that everything plastic and synthetic seems to be dissolving. Don't be surprised if some of

your clothes are missing, especially if they're totally synthetic. So just put on what you can still find in your

lockers. I can already tell you for a fact that you're not going to have any panties to wear even if they're

made of cotton. Coach Weaver told me that the elastic in the boys' underwear went just like the rest of

the synthetic stuff. Without the elastic, they won't stay up. You'll either have to find something to tie them

in place or do without."

Moments later some of the lockers could be heard opening as girls used the light from the matches to

quickly unlock their combination locks and get to their clothes. Within moments of that more than one girl

was to be heard moaning about something that was missing.

One girl cried, "Damn, I don't have a thing to wear! This time I really mean it!"

Victoria hollered, "In that case, keep your towel around you. Most likely we'll call...uh, most likely

we'll send you home as soon as we can arrange some transportation for you. Just be calm and be

patient."

***

John opened the first classroom he came to. Inside, he couldn't see much more than he could in the

hall even though the windows were open and just a bit of light managed to filter through the fog that was

even inside the room. He struck a match and glanced around though he couldn't see far. The teacher was

speaking from the front of the classroom while the students in front were all still seated. Considering the

circumstances, John felt they were handling the situation rather well. He recognized the teacher by voice

and said, "Miss Haskin, may I speak to you out in the hall now, please?"

A few moments later she was standing in front of him after he closed the classroom door.

"We've got problems. Synthetic materials are dissolving. Both gym classes found themselves naked in

seconds and other synthetic items are dissolving just as quickly. Your class could be next since it started

just minutes ago in the gym."

Miss Haskin said, "John, whatever made you think up such a silly joke? There's...ohmigosh! Excuse

me, please."

He asked, "What's wrong?"

"My underwear...I'm sorry, John. I better go to the lounge."

She began to walk away but stopped suddenly when a scream came from her classroom. Ignoring her

own plight, she turned and hurriedly followed John into her classroom.

A girl cried out, "My clothes! They're gone! Who took them? I want to know who and how you did

this to me!"

"My bra! My panties! Who took them?" another girl shouted.

John shouted, "Shut up everyone! No one took anyone's clothes. There's something in the air...in this

fog...that's dissolving them into vapors! Just stay calm and don't start any fights! Miss Haskin, would you

escort some of your young ladies to the gym where they might find a towel or something to cover up

with?"

"Yes, Coach Weaver," Miss Haskin replied tremulously.

John asked, "Do any of you boys need to go with me to the other side of the gym?"

"I'd rather go with Miss Haskin!" one boy shouted, creating some laughter.

"If you're volunteering to wear a dress the rest of the day, I think it can be arranged for you to go with

Miss Haskin," John said, generating some more laughter.

"Never mind, sir."

Two girls streaked past him. "Are there any boys who need something to wear? Speak up now," he

asked.

Two more girls suddenly bolted through the mist to the door. Then everyone heard another girl say,

"Oh god! It's happening to mine!" just before she got up from her seat and ran for the front of the room.

"I think we're doing this wrong. I want all the girls to get up now and head for the girls' locker area and

for all the boys to remain here," John said.

Before he finished speaking, three more girls covering themselves with their hands suddenly bolted

past him through the fog. A few more girls soon passed by him, but their outer clothing appeared intact.

He waited briefly for the girls to leave.

"Okay, everyone here, remain calm and don't start anything. So far I'm proud of all of you for

behaving rather well under these circumstances. Please don't disappoint me or your parents by behaving

any differently. I have to check the rest of the classrooms. A teacher will get back with you in a while."

"Sir, will school be dismissed because of this?"

John stopped short of the door. He replied, "No, we'll notify the parents to bring clothes for those

students whose clothing dissolved. School will continue for the rest of the day with only a few

interruptions."

"Darn!"

John left the class and headed for the next classroom. He was about to open the door and enter when

screams came from the next classroom beyond it. He hurried to its open door where the teacher, Miss

Childer, almost ran into him as she burst from the room with nothing on.

"Excuse me! John! Thank goodness it's you! Take care of my class for me! Please?"

More screams came from inside the classroom. John stepped aside for Miss Childer and then entered

the classroom where, despite the swirling fog, he was able to see two girls trying to cover themselves

with open books.

John said, "Any girls in here who don't have clothes left on them are to head for the girls' locker room

now."

He stepped aside as six naked girls dashed through the swirling fog for the door.

"Don't run!" he said too late.

He heard more screams from the room next door. "Boys, remain in your seats and a teacher will be

back shortly."

He hurried to the room he passed before. The door to it was open and he said, "This is Coach

Weaver at the door. I want all women to head for the girls' locker room now. Boys are to remain seated

inside the classroom. I don't have time to explain what's happening now, but it's not anyone's fault."

He stepped out of the way just in time to let more naked girls and their teacher, Mrs. Cobb, get out of

the classroom and head for the gym. Realizing that the girls' locker room would be getting crowded, he

said, "Mrs. Cobb, tell Coach Larson to take over the gym as well. Post someone at the door to the boys'

locker area to keep anyone from peeping in or out."

John hardly finished speaking when more screams emanated from classrooms farther down the hall

toward the office. He hurried toward those classrooms. He reached one of them at the same time as the

Principal. The two men just narrowly avoided colliding with each other.

"What's going on, Coach Weaver?"

"I wish I knew, Principal Bone. My best guess is that something in the fog is dissolving everything

synthetic and it's been working its way forward toward the office. I'm sending all the girls and female

teachers to the gym for now."

Principal Bone said, "I'll get this room and send the girls to the gym. You get the next one."

***

John reached the front doors just beyond the office. He could see that the fog appeared to be

everywhere. He wondered just how thick it was outside. He couldn't see any of the other buildings in the

town. He walked along the hall and nearly lost his step when he reached a ledge instead of more hallway

and classrooms. He stared off into space with something between fear and curiosity.

"Oh god...We're in deep shit...No one's going home today...or bringing any clothes here," he muttered

to himself.

John hurried away from the edge. He stopped at the office where two female administrators were busy

trying to make clothing for themselves out of paper they stapled together.

"Ahem! Uh, ladies, sorry to intrude, but I need one of you to stand outside near the front doors and

keep everyone away from the West Wing."

"We're busy now. Can't you tell?" Minnie replied.

"We're in worse trouble than your lack of clothes. We're in space! There is no West Wing anymore! I

want you to go stand near the front doors and keep everyone away from the West Wing or they'll get

hurt, I think. I've got to find the Principal again. Please, don't let anyone get by you!"

"John, you're getting upset. We're not in space," Minnie said.

John entered the office and rounded the counter. He grabbed Minnie by the arm and pulled her along

with him saying, "If you won't believe me, then you're going to take a look at it yourself! I haven't got any

time to waste trying to convince people that I'm not crazy!"

"Let go of me this instant, Coach Weaver! Let go or I'll have you charged with sexual harassment!"

"Shut your mouth, Minnie! Just follow along and worry about clothes later! This is more important!"

Minnie stared wide-eyed at the sudden ending of the hallway and school building, forgetting her near

nudity. She finally said, "Oh god, we are in trouble. I'm sorry, Coach Weaver."

"Forget it. Just stay near the front doors and make sure no one tries to go into the West Wing without

warning them. I don't want anyone to step off into nothing," he said.

"I guess I can make something to wear while I'm out in the hall."

"Right. I'll do my best later to remember your sacrifice now and see to it that you get something decent

to wear," he said.

"You will? Thank you, John. Rebecca and I would have gone home except Principal Bone insisted that

we make something and stay here to help out. You know something? I think he saved our lives. We

could have both been out in that fog and driven off into space."

"In the meantime, go ahead and take my shirt. It's not much, but it will give you something," John said

as he took it off.

"Thanks, John."

"I've got to warn everyone else. This is going to really hit everyone right between the eyes. Shit! We

can't even send these kids home!"

"Hold your temper, John," Minnie said as he left her.

***

John found Principal Bone as he was returning to the office.

"Principal Bone, don't let anyone go into the West Wing! It's missing and we're in space!"

"We're what?" An incredulous look crossed his face.

John took a deep breath and explained. "I've got Minnie guarding the front doors to warn everyone

away from what used to be the West Wing. Whatever is dissolving all the synthetics is probably related

to what put us in space!"

He looked doubtful. "You're serious, aren't you?"

John rubbed his eyes tiredly before looking back at him. "Very serious. We're going to have to figure

out what to do with all these kids. We can't send them home."

Principal Bone said, "If you're right about us being in space, I suppose I'll have to agree. We have

some serious problems to figure out. Any ideas on how much area around us is with us or missing?"

"Not in the least, sir. Are you going to call a meeting to discuss this?" John replied.

"Uh, I hadn't thought of that. It looks like a meeting is needed though. This isn't going to be easy to

handle. We'll have to leave someone to watch the kids while the rest of us have a meeting, and I'd hate to

leave any of the teachers out."

"I'm your best choice for keeping the boys in line. Probably Coach Larson should be designated to

keep the girls under control. You can brief us later."

"Yes, we'll do it that way. You tell Coach Larson."

John said, "Oh, I think some of the women teachers are in Coach Larson's area. They must've been

wearing all synthetic clothing. I know I saw Miss Childer and Mrs. Cobb go that way without a stitch left

between them."

"If one or both of them still haven't anything to wear, leave them in charge and send Coach Larson to

attend the meeting. Oh, get a count of how many students are here."

"Right. Good luck with the meeting, sir."

Principal Bone said, "Thanks. For once I haven't the slightest idea what to say or do. This has never

happened to me before."

"Nor me, sir," John replied over his shoulder as he disappeared into the swirling mist.

***

John knocked loudly on the girls' locker room door. A moment later, the door just barely opened.

"Tell Coach Larson, Miss Childer, and Mrs. Cobb that I need to speak with them now. Have them come

here unless you all want me to come in."

"No sir. Most of the girls don't have anything to wear. You can't come in."

"Then see to it that the teachers come here. Now!" John said firmly.

"Yes sir."

He waited by the closed door for nearly two or three minutes before it opened just a crack.

"Yes Coach?" Victoria asked.

"Have you found anything for Miss Childer or Mrs. Cobb to wear?" he asked.

"No, we haven't."

"Okay, in that case you're to leave them in charge and attend a meeting at the office. Stay away from

the West Wing. Principal Bone will fill you in on that. By the way, are you using the gym to keep some of

the girls separated from the boys?"

"Yes, but the pool is free."

The door closed. A moment later, Victoria exited the locker room.

"Principal Bone is briefing me later, along with Miss Childer and Mrs. Cobb. I'm going to assemble all

the boys in their locker area and in the pool area. Most likely I'll be in between those to keep both under

control. Any problems with the girls so far?" John asked.

"A lot of crying and wailing. A couple of fights over clothing that resulting in more people staying in a

towel than there should be. We ran out of matches before all the lockers got opened so there's a lot of

girls with only a towel to cover themselves and some with nothing," Victoria said.

"Be prepared. It's going to get worse before it gets any better," John said as he walked alongside and

stopped off at the first classroom. He stood at the doorway and said, "I want all the boys to go to the

pool area and wait there for me. Do not horse around or shove anyone in the pool. You'll all learn what's

happening as soon as we know more ourselves."

Within another minute, he was at the last classroom beside the office. From there, he followed the last

of the boys to the physical education area.

***

John just barely heard the one boy shove another into the pool. He left his position at the doorway

between the locker area and the pool to make his way over to where the boy was climbing out of the

water with his clothes all wet. He could overhear who was involved before he even reached the boys.

"Patrick, you didn't have to shove me in!"

David L. Kuzminski - Bullets and Lasers

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