#2446: Spike Proteins

[Cueball is sitting in an office chair at a desk with an open laptop in front of him. Megan stands behind him looking over his shoulder. Beret Guy is in front of the desk, walking away and looking back at the two while holding a hand to his shoulder, where he got the vaccine shot.]

Beret Guy: Got the vaccine!

Megan: Congrats!

Beret Guy: Time to go make spike proteins.

[Cueball continues to work on his laptop while Megan is looking on.]

[In a frameless, narrow panel, Beret Guy walks back carrying a large object in his arms that looks like a spike protein. But it is about half as long as he is tall, fluffy and dripping wet, flexing slightly along its length, with the Y-shaped head pointed forwards, away from Beret Guy]

Beret Guy: OK!

Beret Guy: Here’s my first try.

[Beret Guy drops the spike protein onto Cueball’s desk with the Y-shaped end on the desk up against the back of Cueball’s laptop. The movement is shown with several lines and a sound follows when it hits the desk. The head of it takes up the entire desk area not covered by the laptop, while the tail overhangs the desk. Cueball is grabbing the lid and base of his laptop with both hands, pulling it partially closed and away from the spike protein, and Megan reflexively leans away.]

Spike Protein: Plop

[Beret Guy turns to leave, with an outstretched finger pointing skyward. The overhanging part of the spike protein has sagged, and it is dripping some wet material over both the floor and desk. Cueball is sitting with his hands on the partially closed laptop, Megan stands normally again.]

Beret Guy: More!

Cueball: Ewww.

Megan: Why is it so wet??