[ WP ] A scientific study proves that all humans have been breathing a mind-altering gas from birth . It has been in the air since the beginning of recorded time . People have been in a constant state of being high . Until now . Specialised gas masks are handed out and people have begun to act strange .

`` All of them?'' 
 
 Doctor Isaac Krenovsky nodded with a solemn solidness that made Sara bite back her follow up question. They were standing in what they had come to call the planning room. It was a tiny, dingy little office that remained the only place in the complex that was n't filled with upset designers, crazed religious lobbyists, visiting politicians or generals, or any number of other whackjobs trying to influence their work. Some of them wanted masks right now to protect them from the evil drug in the atmosphere and damn the consequences, others wanted the secret hushed up and pushed for the entire lab to deny their own research. 
 
 It was amazing how fast people jumped to the extremes in a crisis. 
 
 `` All forty eight of the last test subjects.'' Krenovsky continued, sitting down hard onto the ancient office chair beside Sara, `` We even tried removing all the dangerous objects from the room, the last five strangled themselves using the mask itself.'' 
 
 Dr. Sara Helvin frowned and stared at a particularly faded coffee stain on the desk that she had claimed as her'spot' in the project. She was mostly forgotten, assigned there as the resident psychiatrist by the founder and then seemingly forgotten. Still, Krenovsky and a few others would come to talk to her from time to time, wrestling with the ethical implications of what they were doing. Attempting to fundamentally alter the psyche of an entire nation is n't a task without consequences... such as the death of 48 test participants. 
 
 `` I do n't think we can continue the testing.'' Krenovsky places his head in his hands, `` Not after... you did n't see the tapes, Sara... it was.... I....'' 
 
 `` I've watched people drive themselves to that place before, but this...'' Sara reached over and let her hand rest on Krenovsky's shoulder for a second, `` I know you'll blame yourself, but know in your mind that this was n't your fault. I never anticipated the reaction to be so strong and that's my part to play in this. We're dealing with a toxin, just one whose effects have permeated every life, removing it wo n't be easy or kind on any of us.'' 
 
 Krenovsky lifted his head up and wiped his eyes. Then he tilted his head as he saw a look in Sara's eye change. 
 
 `` What is it?'' 
 
 `` I...'' Sara began, then stopped, then began again, `` I think I may have an idea. Could you convince the group to allow one more test. Only four people. Maximum crisis control, I'll bring in some friends from a psychiatric hospital to assist.'' 
 
 Krenovsky almost wanted to shout'NO' right in her face, but the look she had, like she'd caught the edge of a great and beautiful picture amidst a pile of junk stopped him. 
 
 `` Alright.'' Krenovsky laid the word out like a heavy tablecloth, `` But this is the last test for me. If something happens... I can't..'' 
 
 `` I understand, Doc.'' Sara smiled, `` Just trust me.'' 
 
 *** 
 
 Three days later the whole lab watched as Sara's four test subjects sat with their masks on answering questions from team after team of researchers. Their IQ had apparently jumped to unheard of highs. One of the four had already been gifted at the start and now they judged his mathematical aptitude to be twice that of Hawking. 
 
 `` What was different?'' Krenovsky finally found Sara standing near the back of the room, her eyes sad but confident. 
 
 `` These four are my worst cases.'' She answered. 
 
 `` Worst of what?'' 
 
 `` Chronic clinical depression.'' Sara breathed the words, `` All four have functioned while depressed to depths that caused most people to attempt suicide. These four did n't. They rationalized their own existence. Each of them found a thing, just one thing to give them a reason to stay alive. It powered them through a life without any emotion.'' 
 
 Krenovsky gaped and could n't decide whether to stare at Sara or at the four miracles wearing their masks and environmental suits. 
 
 `` It's sad... but it made sense.'' Sara laughed in dark and cynical tones, `` Depression like this... and knowing that the beneficial toxin exist... it was the only real thing that made sense.'' 
 
 `` What?'' 
 
 `` These four have some immunity to it.'' Sara waved her hand at the group, `` They've never been able to process the high to its full extent, so we labelled them as depressed. We gave them other drugs to get that high back, but here, here they are just stepping off the train full of addicts and taking a good look around, realizing they were n't broken or crazy... they were *real* and it was the rest of us who were broken.''
