[ WP ] `` I dunno ... .let 's push the button and find out ... ''

Fred and Jim woke up to another day in the shelter, the lights were dim, the halls were dark and dreary. Next to the men's bunk bed was a small bedside table with an alarm clock. The time was 5 o'clock a.m. and the alarm was sounding, ripping them violently from their dreams. 
 
 Fred, a short, stocky man who always slept on the top bunk, snapped at his partner, `` Shut that damn thing up will you?'' 
 
 With soft grumbles, Jim obliged. Jim, a tall, lanky man, sat up on the side of the bed and rested his elbows on his knees. He rubbed his eyes, hoping for a quick day so he could get back to his dreams, his escape. 
 
 Jim was the quiet type, he did n't like to argue, he just wanted to do his job until his contract up, then he could be out of this place. Fred on the other hand, despite his small size, had what some people like to call `` little man syndrome.'' He was loud, confrontational, and loved to push Jim's buttons. 
 
 For six months, Fred and Jim did their jobs. The jobs, as described in their contracts, were simple; described in only two duties: sit at their designated computers all day, inputting code and sending them off to God knows where. The code was all written down on papers, so the code simply had to be transferred into the system. Neither man was explained why this was necessary, but the brass said that it was of the utmost importance and they were doing their country a great service. It's not like they had to the authority to ask questions anyway, they were just privates; they follow orders, and that's it. 
 
 Their other duty was even more mysterious. Inside their office was a button. It was n't even an impressive button, just a small red button with a sign above it that read, `` Danger! Do not press under any circumstance!'' They always thought that it was strange to place a button that can never be pressed if it was so important not to press it, but again, they did n't ask questions. 
 
 They slowly got out bed and got ready for their day. They ate their breakfast from the supply cache of dry goods. They had enough rations to live in this shelter until the end of their contracts. Afterward, they went to their office to start inputting code. 
 
 As they approached their desks, they both glanced at the button on the wall. After six month of no contact from the outside world, Fred's rebellious side felt increasingly tempted to press it. `` You know, why should n't we press this stupid button, I bet nothing will happen.'' 
 
 Jim sighed, `` Not this again. We were ordered not to press it, let's just do our jobs and stop talking about this.'' But Jim knew that would n't satiate Fred. He had to have the last word, which always led to an argument of varying degrees. Jim continued, `` There's a war going on outside, they need us to input all this code, and if we push this button when we're not supposed to, it could undue everything.'' 
 
 `` Fuck the code!'' yelled Fred. Jim was taken aback. `` Six months! Six goddamn months of typing this fucking code! We've had zero contact from anybody outside, we have no idea if this code is even doing anything. Six months of this isolation, I do n't know if I can handle it for another six months. I need something to take the edge off, and it's not like you're the best conversationalist!'' 
 
 Jim had never see Fred like this before, he's seen him angry, but never like this. `` Just calm down --'' But Jim was cut off. 
 
 `` What if this button is our way out. You have to feel the same way. You ca n't actually like sitting at that damn desk everyday day typing code that may or may not be completely pointless.'' 
 
 Jim hated to say so, but Fred actually had a point. The last contact with anyone was six months ago when they signed their contracts and were ultimately locked away in this prison with its guise of being a shelter. Perhaps he'd made a mistake by signing the contract, there was a war going on outside, but was the safety really worth this cost? This monotonous, unrewarding work weighed down on him as much as it weighed down on Fred, and he had been bottling up his emotions for six months. 
 
 `` We ca n't press this button,'' Jim said weakly. `` We do n't know what it will do.'' Jim knew he's already used this argument dozens of time, but it was all he had, and he knew that Fred's patience was wearing thin. Jim was going to say something else, but the thought immediately fled his mind when he saw Fred making his way to the button. 
 
 `` I'm pressing it,'' said Fred with reckless resolve. `` We're gon na find out today what this damn thing does once and for all.'' 
 
 Jim did n't know what came over himself, but he threw himself at Fred. He shoved him away just as he was about to press the button. `` C'mon man, I do n't want this to escalate --'' but he was cut off by a swift punch to the jaw. Fred threw a solid right hook, for someone so small. Jim, though being in the army, had never initiated a fight before. He did n't understand why he felt so apprehensive about this button. Jim was thrown to the floor, Fred jumped on top of him and began pounding his face. He could feel his mouth slowly filling with blood with each punch. 
 
 With effort, Jim threw Fred to the side. He then jumped on Fred and began pounding his face. He was n't as strong though, and was quickly thrown to the side. Sore, Jim just lied there. Fred got to his feet and gave him a complimentary kick to the stomach then the face. Fred seemed satisfied, he turned around and began to walk toward the button. He was mumbling to himself. 
 
 It took every ounce of energy Jim had to rise up, he must have looked like a zombie with all the blood on his face, dripping onto his clothes. He charged at Fred, Fred turned around right as he connected. They both crashed to the floor, Jim payed back the kicks with some more punches. They ought to look like twins at this point, their faces were distorted by blood and were swelling up. 
 Jim entered a state of mind that he did n't know he was even capable of. He thrust his hands around Fred's neck and applied pressure, a lot of pressure. Fred's eyes started to bulge; they were turning pink, then red, then purple; his skin began to change color as well. 
 
 It was a strange experience. Jim was actually trying to murder Fred. Murder. All over a stupid button. For a second, Jim felt as if he had left his body, his body was numb. He realized how petty he was being. He realized that this was all brought on by fear, fear of the unknown, the fear of change. They were told not to press the button or it could jeopardize everything, but there was absolutely nothing to substantiate the claim. At this point, Jim had a change of heart, his mind reentered his body and he regained control of himself. He knew what he had to do. 
 
 Jim released Fred. Fred began to cough, he turned to the side and spit up and small puddle of blood, then coughing some more. Jim, with the last bit of energy he had, stood and peered at the button. `` You win Fred, I'm gon na press the button.'' He took a few a few steps before Fred spoke up. 
 
 Panting, but satisfied by his sarcastic tone, Fred said, `` Are you sure? After all, we do n't know what it will do.'' 
 
 Jim, completely defeated said, `` I'm not... I dunno... let's just push the button and find out.'' 
 
 Jim pushed the button. There was a silence, they both waited for a few seconds, nothing happened. They sighed breaths of relief, but at that moment the lights began to flicker slightly, then a lot. There was a quiet rumbling that turned into a roar. The lights went out, everything was shaking. They both regretted the decision to press that damned button. Why could n't they just have sat at the computers and input code like they were supposed to do? Now they were going to die. 
 
 Then silence. 
 
 Fred and Jim awoke in their beds to the sound of the alarm clock. 
 
 `` Shut that damn thing up will you?'' 
 
 Jim sat up and rubbed his eyes. Time for another day in the shelter...
