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“Get your breathing gear on,” Dr Dune ordered, watching the bubbles. “You’re thinking the same as me.”
“Yes, I am. Magma heated the lake and killed the fish, but also leaked a little into it. I can smell hydrochloric acid alongside sulphur, but the water isn’t clear enough for me to check for flow.”
“You don’t need to, here,” Dr Dune said.
“Shit!” I exclaimed as I walked around the other side and crouched down. “Volcanic glass and fragments.” That only occurred when red hot lava hit cold water and fragmented.
“Congratulations, Dr Balfour-Cherlyn. Your theory has just been partially proved. There is indeed volcanic activity here. You lot collect the glass and rocks and keep taking those temperatures every five minutes. Dr Wain, I’m leaving you in charge. Dr Balfour-Cherlyn, please accompany me; we’re going to search for a fissure and any other evidence,” Dr Dune said as she ordered the team.
“I’m coming too. Nobody should be moving alone,” Carmine interrupted. “Both of you may become engrossed in science and overlook the surrounding danger.”
Dr Dune snuck a glance at me and Carmine before nodding.
“Somehow, I sense he’s more worried about your health than mine, but we’ll take him,” she mumbled to me.
After searching for about an hour, we found nothing. But we were surprised to discover the small lake had only dropped five degrees since we found it.
“There’s an active flow underneath,” I murmured, and Dr Dune nodded.
“Dr Wain, I’m leaving you in charge; keep monitoring everything, but do not risk yourself or the students. Here, take my keys in case you need to make a fast exit,” Dr Dune ordered, handing them over.
“Sorry,” Dr Wain said to me, and I looked up, surprised.
“For what?”
“Because I laughed at you three years ago, and you were correct. And I’ve made fun of you since, even up to yesterday, thinking this was a crackpot theory. Even now, I can’t believe this is happening, but it is. Dr Balfour-Cherlyn, I owe you a huge apology,” Dr Wain replied, and I could hear the genuine remorse in his voice.
“Who knows, I might have reacted the same,” I admitted.
“Somehow, I don’t think you would have. You do not appear to have a mean bone in your body,” Dr Wain stated with a smile. “Be warned, Dr Flight made Dr White aware of what’s happening here. They both still don’t believe, but Dr White has called in your parents to remove you from here.”
“Dr White’s done what?” Carmine hissed from beside me.
“Phoned her mother and father, and they are coming running. Something about not further disgracing them,” Dr Wain said, looking sheepish.
“Let them come. Those assholes will deal with me first,” Carmine stated and glowered.
Wow, he really didn’t like my mother and father.
“Let’s go; we need to get this material down to the lab and get it checked and verified,” Dr Dune interrupted as she walked towards my car carrying the cases.
???
I was neck-deep in running tests when there was a commotion. The results had confirmed volcanic glass and high levels of acid and sulphur in the water. I rubbed my forehead and looked up, and my stomach sunk. Standing there like their shit didn’t stink were my parents, and they both aimed their dagger stares at me.
“Susan, we can only apologise for Molly,” Father was saying.
“What are you apologising for, Dr Balfour?” Dr Jones-White demanded, crossing her arms.
“Molly’s completely unsubstantiated theory that was disproved three years ago. A volcano in South Dakota,” Mother snorted.
“I’m unsure of what Molly manufactured to get a team out here to—” Father began to rant.
“I’ll stop you right there,” Dr Jones-White said. “You clearly have your facts wrong. Dr Balfour-Cherlyn did not state there was a volcano in South Dakota.”
“I beg to differ—”
“Excuse me, I was talking,” Dr Jones-White verbally slapped my mother. “Molly didn’t theorise there was a volcano. What Molly did was report on volcanic activity she’d been recording for seven years and requested an investigative team be brought here. For her efforts, everyone ridiculed and laughed at her, leading to Molly being fired.
