always hated tearing it open.
“You’ll want to work quickly,” the preacher said. “You should be fine if
you hurry.”
“Okay,” Luke said.
“God will protect you, of course.”
“Thank you.”
At the next door, marked ‘Authorized Personnel Only,’ the preacher opened
it but did not follow. He offered a quick prayer and shut the door behind
Luke.
Luke sighed, opened the paper towels, and threw away the wrapper.
He dragged the trash can to the spill. A green, shiny slime covered the
floor. It didn’t resemble anything he’d seen before. It was totally
different from the usual plant grime.
He knelt, muttering to himself and started scooping. He tried to avoid
direct contact, but his right hand touched the slime.
It was sticky. He had to yank his hand away. He wiped it clean and kept
working.
An hour later, he finished. The preacher blessed him again as he exited.
Back at the sink, Luke scrubbed thoroughly. He began to feel feverish. He
hoped it wasn’t serious. He didn’t want to miss the exile.