The darkened room was quiet bar the ticking of a clock. A worker sat at a desk looking up occasionally to see if all was well. Such was the time of night.
Without warning, a loud noise was heard from where unknown. The silence was broken, first one then another joining. The unthinkable happening, a chain reaction had begun.
She rapidly pressed a button three times, a call for help, “I’ve officially reached critical mass.”
Help came running, people knowing their role. In time only the ticking clock was again heard.
It only takes one crying baby to set off a hospital nursery chain reaction.
Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.
Ross's Writing Blog 
Judie McEwen
February 19, 2013 at 00:08
Hahaha! Good one, Ross. As a mother, I remember that it only takes the ringing of a telephone to bring one’s noisy children to one’s side, wanting attention.
Ross Mannell
February 19, 2013 at 08:07
Thanks for the comment.
The idea came from an experience of mine when I was a baby. Due to health issues, my mother had to stay in hospital for six weeks after my birth. She would wake in the ward to find me gone. The nurses explained they had to remove me or I would have woken all of hte other babies. It only takes one to start a chain reaction. 🙂
Viki
February 19, 2013 at 03:27
LOL, I remember lurking around the house trying to be quiet not to wake my son up when he was a baby. This was really good.
Ross Mannell
February 19, 2013 at 08:20
Thanks for the comment.
Anyone who has had a baby in the house knows how little it can take to set them off if suddenly woken. 🙂
Karen S.
February 21, 2013 at 05:41
This was perfect, in a happy alarming kind of way!
Ross Mannell
February 21, 2013 at 06:39
Thanks for the comment.
Having seen such a chain reaction start, I felt for the nurses having to quiet them down. 🙂
Tracy
February 23, 2013 at 03:13
That was very clever use. I remember when my 4th child was born she would only whimper and the 3 sleeping children would wake up.
by the time i had them to sleep the cycle would start again
Ross Mannell
February 26, 2013 at 21:22
Thanks for the comment.
It can take just a small noise to set them off. 🙂
Jenny Matlock
March 9, 2013 at 11:38
Oh Ross!
You twisted this on me.
I was picturing something so different in my head.
But my vision of nuclear holocaust was probably less true than the nursery image!
ha!
Great writing,.