Jim pounded more slowly now.  The endorphins were wearing off, and his hands finally began to hurt.

He couldn’t stop watching her–watching them–lay there, likely dead.  His tears ran dry and his wail fell silent as he let his forehead come to rest on the bloody glass.  He shut his eyes and hoped to wake up from a nightmare.  Opening his eyes, he was surprised to see the pink cloud rapidly ascending to towards the ceiling and then towards the two vents that were specifically designed to be used if there was a mishap.  Not entirely the same as waking from a nightmare (though a close second), he saw the light over the door turn green and heard the familiar click of the door unlocking.   Not waiting for anyone or anything to stop him, he opened the door and rushed to where Tara lay.

He reached for her suit and in touching it, he collapsed in immobilizing pain.  The chemical agent was out of the air, but not out of the suit, it seemed.  He kind of wished he hadn’t destroyed his hands as he stared up at the ceiling, becoming the sixth victim of the mishap.  What can only be described as the friendliest looking firemen imaginable suddenly appeared.  To Jim, who laid there in agonizing pain, they looked like a cross between his childhood mother and Kurt Russell from Backdraft, shaky cheeks and all.  Jim counted at least fifteen of them as he was lifted onto a gurney and rolled from the room.

The last thing he saw as they wheeled him away from the danger was the glove-wearing rescuers cutting Tara and the others out of their protective suits.