Fandango’s FOWC is symptom, the Word of the Day Challenge is rest, Paula’s 3 Things Challenge words are stockings, radio, algae , and Teresa’s Story Starter Challenge phrase is “There is nothing under your bed.”

Over the long winter months, where everyone wore long johns and double sets of stockings, it got boring. The Jones family, who were all of scientific bent, had set up a laboratory in the basement. Mrs. Jones was a tester at the CDC. The previous fall, she was assigned with obtaining rare algae found only in Antarctica; she combined her assignment with a vacation and the whole family went along. Mr. Jones and the kids collected their own samples to work on over the winter in the basement lab.

While each carried out their experiments, they discovered some of the algae to be way more aggressive than the rest. They nicknamed the aggressive algae Terminator, as it killed anything else in the petri dish with it. They also found it could change shape – and was able to escape the dish on its own. Sure they would be able to market it for billions once they mapped it out, they were mum to others about it.

They discovered only one thing could kill Terminator: caffeine. One day, Mr. Jones accidentally spilled coffee into the dish as he set his cup down on the research table. Terminator immediately curled up and then dissolved.

They also discovered that Terminator could infect their bodies. When a smudge of it got on Little Carl’s finger, he was unable to wash the green off and soon started exhibiting strange symptoms, such as his skin turning green, and his toenails loosening. They had Carl drink two pots of coffee and the symptoms went away.

One day they heard on the radio that a national emergency was being called at the South Pole. The melting icecaps had unleashed algae like Terminator and worse. Antarctica was quarantined. Mr. & Mrs. Jones and the kids looked at each other. Mrs. Jones picked up the telephone to call her boss. It was time to let them know about the caffeine solution. The phone line was dead, and their cells had no reception. Deciding to drive to CDC, the doors wouldn’t open; neither would the windows.

Then Alexa activated on her own. In a rustling voice, Alexa said, “I’m sorry, family, but we can’t let you let anyone know about the caffeine. Please, all of you go to Little Carl’s room and check under his bed to find out what’s next for you all.”

Terrified and feeling they were in a surreal nightmare, the family went to Little Carl’s room and looked under the bed; they saw nothing unusual. Mr. Jones said, “There’s nothing under the bed.” Alexa’s disembodied voice said, “We’ve contained the virus to this room.” The door and windows were unopenable. Within an hour the room was a bright shade of green.