The Wrong Mechanism, a five minute freewrite

Stop! she yells and grabs hold of his hand as he pulls down on the lever. That's the wrong mechanism, you bloody idiot.

Marls blinks at her, and she can almost hear the cogs of his mind working through what she has said.

What? he asks, stupidly.

You were about to pull the wrong lever, you fool. Do you want to blow us all to hell.

Another pause while Marls thinks, then: No, I don't believe I do.

No, of course you don't! She pushes him out of the way before he can do any more damage. Just stand over there and don't say anything. And for heaven's sake! don't touch anything, neither!

Marls shuffles off to the far end of the room, his hands stuffed into his pockets, as though that's the only way he can stop himself from causing more mischief. Lina shakes her head and then looks at the four levers and allows her eye to follow each mechanism. Her tongue sticks out of her mouth as she thinks it through and then pulls (hopefully) the right lever.

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