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Strawberry Swirl


by Katie Norton


Keisha selected a strawberry swirl cupcake from the waiter's tray, so pretty, from the hottest, coolest, newest patisserie.  Moist strawberrylishious cake, swirly pink frosting, sprinkles.  Keisha was one lucky lady, scoring a bizdev gig at recession-proof GlowCo, where they hosted luncheons, such as this, celebrating GlowCo's move to the former Tymak Pharma buildings.  Tymak, acquired by a French conglomerate, had moved to China.  GlowCo, designers of gotta-have it computer gadgets, now occupied the sunny, oak-studded corporate campus.  Blackberry buzz, from Stan.  Find the prior real estate documents, load them onto the electronic data room for the Project Snowflake review.  Toting the cupcake back to her desk, Keisha began to scan the computer, eating bites of cupcake as she searched.  BINGO!  She quickly found Memo re Leases.    12 building-campus . . . developed in 1973.  The memo listed dozens of hazardous chemicals dumped on the property by Tymak.  Building 5, the Animal Husbandry Building, used for animal experimentation.  Dogs and monkeys . . . subjected to radioactive rays . . . their burns treated with Tymak's experimental products . . . toxic waste.  The ground floor contained laboratories and cages . . . basement contained the incinerator to dispose of bodies.  Campus map attached.  Keisha realized that her desk was in Building 5.  The basement.  Animal husbandry!  Keisha dashed down the hall, gagging, stylish heels tippity-tapping, faster, to the ladies room.  She made it just in time to see the remains of a Strawberry Swirl cupcake swirl down the toilet bowl.
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