Projects > Story-of-the-Day > m7

M3 peers out of their cell as M7 works on the bars.

"M7, our room is labeled TRNP1-Y358C-F2. Is that what the other one was?"

"The last one had an 'F1' at the end, but everything else was the same. We'll be next if we don't get out of here."

"I saw the giant come and take them, one-by-one. They were tortured..."

"Listen, M3. Being scared isn't going to help. Get over here and help me get through these bars."

"I don't think I can fight anymore. I'm going to just let them take me. Hopefully it will be quick."

M7 stopped working and silently surveyed her lack of progress. She spoke to herself, "Okay, the giant's pattern suggests they will come for us tomorrow morning. Going through these bars isn't going to happen. What else can we do?" She looked over the room again, but the cell was obviously designed to resist escape. The walls, floor and ceiling were perfectly smooth and curved. The bars on the wall were the only irregularity, and used by the giant to give them food and water. The smell made it obvious that no bathroom was provided. M3 had fallen asleep, having laid down after hours of working on the bars.

Given any resources, M7 would happily work out a means of escape. But nothing was available. Just plain walls and seemingly impenetrable bars. There were just no options.

M7 came to the conclusion that they would not escape that night. She spoke to herself, "The only way out is when the giant opens the cell. Our only chance is for one of us to distract the giant, while the other escapes." M7 came up with a potential solution, decided to sacrifice herself, and had fallen asleep within minutes to prepare for the next day. The two siblings slept soundly that night.

⁂

"Wake up, M7."

M7 awoke quickly although she had only slept for four hours. There was a slight pang of uncertainty, but this quickly faded to a cool and resolute determination.

M3 continued, "I saw the giant. It's getting ready for us. I just know it."

M7 studied her brother's face, "I know how to escape."

M3 looked shocked, "How?"

"When the giant comes, you wait in this corner. I will do my part and you jump out and run. Look for cover."

M3 was about to ask for details, but the ground began to shake as the giant approached.

"Just get to that corner, M3. It's time."

The giant pulled the entire roof off the cell and reached its hand in. M7 jumped on the hand, and yelled "Now, M3, go!". M7 started biting into the giant's flesh. The giant's hand with M7 attached went flying up. M3 was stunned, but quickly scurried out the top of his cell. He looked around at the huge rows of cells and saw a dark crevice at the end where he might just be able to fit. While running, he heard large sounds from the giant. M7 had obviously done well. The crevice appeared to be deep, and opened up into a dark area. M3 took several steps in before he thought of his sister. He turned around. Here he peeked out of the dark crevice. The giant had strapped M7 down to a large flat table. The giant had a large sharp knife. M7 had not escaped.

⁂

The giant, a graduate student named Stephanie, put on a Band-Aid after securing the mouse. She thought to herself, "I'm down to n=1 for these F2s now. I should come up with an escape assay for these TRNP1 mice..." She took a sip of her coffee and started the dissection. M3 watched.