chapter 1: the discovery

Carole Williams loved science. It had been a passion of hers ever since she was a little child. She’d spend hours a day trying to create a project that would serve a good purpose to the world, but she hadn’t quite managed to achieve one.

Her passion for science led to her to train for a teaching role at a school and she quickly proved popular with the class. They felt that Carole really knew her stuff knowledge-wise and how to use the equipment physically wise. While her personal ambition hadn’t quite been fulfilled Carole was happy enough with her life and job.

That was until the day of the announcement….

“You wanted to see me boss” Carole reported to her Supervisor Melanie

“Yes Carole I did, please take a seat”

Melanie sat down in her office chair and looked a tad regretful and long faced

“As you know the school has been struggling with funding problems in recent months and sadly all the departments have been told that they need to trim the staff. I’ve thought long and hard about this decision, but I’ve decided that you are one of those I have to let go, I’m so sorry.

Carole tried to put a brave face on the decision but as she left the office to pack her stuff her mind was burning with rage. She had never particularly liked Melanie because she felt that her style displayed too much authority and didn’t let anyone whether it was teacher or student express themselves in any way. But now that she’d been fired for nothing more than budgetary reasons, she now had a burning hatred that was as bright as the Earth’s sun. She believed that Melanie had really fired her because she was jealous of how good she was at teaching and performing science.

Had she looked back she’d have seen Melanie crying her heart out at having to make that decision. She believed Carole was her best teacher and she was simply too expensive to keep on…

As she got into her car to leave Carole shook back her light brown hair and glared at everyone around her. If Melanie didn’t respect her then surely no one else around here did so either.

“I’ll show you all what I’m capable of”. I’ll create an amazing piece of work and gain all of your respect”. She thought angrily to herself

Then she set off for home and at this point she was just desperate to get home and relax.

Such was her desperation that on this particular night she took a shortcut onto a singular road instead of taking the usual motorway. She was halfway down this road to her home when she looked up and see what appeared to be a shooting star.

“I wish there was a way that I could rule this planet and become something more than I am now” Carole thought to herself hopefully even though she knew it would never happen

As the thought passed through her mind however she noticed that it wasn’t a star at all, it was actually a meteorite and not only that she also saw that it was heading into the area close to her car. The meteorite flew into the big forest of trees and crashed into the woods right next to the road Carole was on.

Carole drove into the parking area at the woods entrance and investigated where it landed. Switching on her torch she waded her way through the thick mossy branches and patches of wet mud which got her hands and clothes quite muddy until at last she reached the crash site. The ground was venting smoke and the meteorite had appeared to burn up into a small rock crater, which was now a brownish red colour because of its fiery entrance. Carole was just about to touch it when suddenly it started cracking and then burst open into small pieces. Carole ducked behind a bigger rock to avoid any injuries.

When she regained her courage, she poked her head out to see what remained, and she was amazed. Revealed on top of the only remaining piece of the meteorite was a small glowing blob of light green goo, which seemed to be a little sentient as it was moving around on its own slightly.

“This is so cool and exactly the sort of thing I need to achieve my dreams, I’d better get this home quickly”

Without hesitation, Carole scooped up the blob using a stick and carried it all the way back to her car where she placed it in her lunch container. She vacated the area, intrigued with her find and what it might do...