Helen had only recently started working at Science Laboratories as a lab assistant so some common knowledge around the place she did not yet know.

When an explosion shook the building and an alarm started blaring while she was in the break room, she looked in concern to fellow break-enjoyer Dr Barnes.

"Did something just explode?"

"Oh, something is always generally exploding," the mouse scientist explained airily. "I don't really pay much attention unless its followed by something more serious."

There was another explosion and the lights went out. Emergency lighting kicked in a second later.

"Okay," Dr Barnes admitted. "Two explosions and a power failure is more likely to be serious. But usually these things are localized. We should just enjoy an extra long break and wait for things to play out."

Another alarm went off and a klaxon started klaxoning.

"CONTAINMENT BREACH"
"WARNING"
"KILLER DAHLIAS"
"CONTAINMENT BREACH"

"Dahlias? Like... the flower?" asked Helen.

In the emergency lighting, Helen noticed that Dr Barnes looked mortally afraid.

"Dr Barnes?"

"Those fools in Botany! We warned them that they couldn't be controlled! If they're out again... Nowhere is safe!" Barnes grabbed Helen by her lapels and shook her. "RUN YOU FOOL, ITS EVERY MOUSE FOR HERSELF!"

And the scientist ran out into the dark hallways of Science Laboratories.

"I don't understand!" Helen called out after her. "Botany is plants and dahlias are flowers. How can there be a containment breach for flowers?"

There was no answer forthcoming.

Helen wandered out into the dark hallways, hoping to find someone to explain this to her. Or maybe to just leave work early.

Ssssssssss

Helen paused. There had been a rustling. Like something being dragged over concrete. But she couldn't see anything by the emergency lighting. And she didn't hear it again, not with the alarms still blaring.

She kept walking.

She was new to her job and barely knew her way around when the place was brightly lit. She wound up getting turned around and confused and wound up right outside the Botany Department. Where, alarmingly, a big blast door had been blasted open.

"Botany is plants, right?" she whispered to herself. "I'm not confusing it for something else?"

Ssssssssss

There was that rustling again!

"Hello?" asked Helen. "Is someone out there? I'm a bit lost in the dark so help would be appreciated..."

"Little pink chew toy."

Helen didn't recognize the voice. It sounded raspy and wet all at once.

"Uhm if this is hazing, I don't appreciate it and I will cry!"

"Chew toy."
"Chew toy."
"Chew toy!"

Something grabbed her by the shoulder and Helen screamed.

--

"So did they eat you?" Shelly asked.

Her roommate was soaked in some kind of saliva, her clothes were all chewed on, and she smelled not unlike a compost heap. She'd stumbled back to their shared apartment hours later than usual and spun a wild tale of an attack of killer flowers.

"It sounds like you're leading up to saying they ate you," Shelly continued as Helen frowned the biggest frown at her.

"Yes. They ate me a little. So I will not be going to the flower festival with you tomorrow."

"That's more than fair."

---

Day 9 of the 30 art challenge.

A lot of characters could have been afraid of things. Like Dr Careful. He doesn't like a lot of what happens around him. But he's already fallen down some stairs for this art challenge so he gets a break.

Helen though. Helen is new to Science Laboratories and doesn't fully know how bonkers things can get. She is good to be given a frighten.

I was originally thinking she'd be afrightened of some tentacles worming their way out of a door that says 'keep sealed' but then I thought. Why have a Botany Dept filled with mad scientists and not use it for chaos?

---

Helen Sobczak owned by me
Art by me, for a change
Done as part of Jyinxx's 30-Day Art Challenge.