The loud crack of thunder boomed through the empty stone hallway, echoing down the corridor and into the laboratory. Vibrations shook the walls, disturbing ancient journals and books littering the crowded bookshelves and causing strange surgical tools to clink together on the metal table that held them. The air in the room was heavy and dry, as though it had been undisturbed for hundreds of years. The echoes ended, leaving only the sound of muffled dripping from a leak in the ceiling as the rain pelted the roof, the storm outside far from abated.
A large slab rested on a table like a cot, whatever lay on top covered by a crumpled white sheet almost as an afterthought. Wires and drips emerged from underneath the sheet like roots, attaching the hidden subject to all sorts of unusual machines spread around the slab.
Suddenly, the heavy wooden door flew open and a man dressed in a lab coat appeared, sillouetted by the light of the lantern he carried in one hand. He walked hurriedly over to the slab, lifting the sheet to take a tentative look.
"Hmmm... Yes..." he thought to himself, gently lowering the sheet. Briefly glancing at the machines' various dials, he dragged himself over to the bookshelf, mumbling incoherently.
Another crack of thunder resounded, but the man did not respond to it as he searched through a journal, his eyes scanning the pages intently.
"Wait!" he suddenly exclaimed, and thunder boomed outside again as he rushed over to the slab.
"How could I have missed that..." he grumbled as he adjusted some of the dials on the machines.
Thunder crescendoed as he moved around the laboratory, making adjustments. The rain pounded against the roof, and the water coming in from the roof began to make a tiny stream, running into one corner of the room.
The man in a lab coat ignored everything, chuckling to himself as he fixed his mistakes.
"They thought I was mad..." he said, moving over to a ridiculously large switch on the wall. He pulled in down with great abandon, just as yet another boom of thunder reverberated throughout the room. The stone slab crackled with electricity, sparks flying out onto the cold stone floor.
"They said it couldn't be done!"
Sparks continued to fly from the area around the slab, and electricity caused one of the machines to flash dangerously. The man laughed.
"They said 'don't play God.'"
Returning the switch back to it's upright position, the man rushed over towards the slab. The deep rumble of thunder drowned out the crackle of electricity.
"And now, I'll show them. I'll show them all!" He let out a loud cackle as he threw off the sheet, revealing...
... a plate full of chocolate chip cookies.
"I've created the perfect cookie!" He exclaimed, laughing.
The thunder was only a low rumble echoing throughout the halls as the man continued to laugh maniacally.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
