Atomic Family by Ciera Horton McElroy

Author:Ciera Horton McElroy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blair

DEAN

His office is a mess of manila folders and stacked memos. A steaming cup of coffee sits beside the typewriter, likely left by April. There are also the remaining geological reports, cross-referenced from Oak Ridge.

He has barely sat down to review the material when there’s a knock on the door. Dean jumps, then shouts, “Come in.”

Jim Shepherd sticks his head inside.

“You on break yet?”

“Too busy for a break,” says Dean. “And it’s early. I feel like I just started.”

Jim strolls into the office, hands in his pockets. “Wahl’s got his arm up my ass pushing for this report for Works Technical by end of day. No one ever mentioned how many write-ups there’d be, am I right?”

When Dean says nothing, Jim frowns.

“What, what’d I say?”

“Nothing, I’m just tired is all. Things at home.”

His mind spins. There are so many aspects to consider. Will he lose his job? If so, will they have to leave Oakleigh, uproot Wilson from his school and life here? He’d surely be stripped of his security clearance. There could be investigations within the AEC, the FBI.

Jim nods. “Come on out, you old man. Smoke break at least. You can bum a cigarette off me. How’s that?” When Dean says nothing, Jim narrows his eyes. “What? What is it? Something’s been off with you for days.”

“Nothing.” But Dean’s eyes flicker to the report neatly clipped on his desk.

Jim picks it up.

“Imminent danger?” Jim says, scanning the page. “Dean, what is this?”

“Nothing.” Dean folds his hands and leans forward against the desk. Jim’s brow furrows in concentration. “It’s not your department. You shouldn’t read it.”

“We have the same clearance code.” His face darkens as he reads. Dean says nothing, and the seconds slide by. “You going to Hal with this?”

Dean nods. “At one.”

“Are you pulling my chain right now?” Jim laughs hesitantly, then stiffens when Dean doesn’t laugh back. “You can’t be serious.”

“More than I’ve ever been.”

“So, you’re what now? A conscientious objector?”

“God, no—Jim, I’m just concerned.”

“Fuck that.” The report drops to the desk.

“It’s not what you think,” Dean says.

Jim takes a cigarette pack from his pocket. He lights one languidly and eyes the feather of smoke.

“Do you know what’s happening in town today?” He taps ash over the papers and sits in the faded plaid chair across from Dean. “I heard from Allen, who’s losing his mind about it. God, you shoulda heard him on the phone. There’s an antinuclear march, and you know who’s running it? Our wives. Because they’re hearing from people like you in the press who’re saying—how did you put it?” He picks up the front page and reads, “The immediate environmental consequences of unmanaged nuclear waste may prove to be catastrophic.”

“Well, it may. It will.”

Dean remembers the crane lowering the waste into the unlined trench. Recalls watching the polyethylene and Mylex suits fall to meet the earth.

“And what do you think we’re doing here but trying to avoid just that?”

“We’re making things worse, Jim. I know that. You know that. Half our lab knows that.

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