Diego pours red vinegar into the baking soda crater, his hands shaking slightly. The mixture fizzes violently, shooting a thick stream of orange foam onto his clean white shirt. He freezes, staring at the spreading stain.
He grabs a damp cloth and scrubs frantically, but the red dye only smears wider across the fabric. The clock on the wall ticks loudly, marking seconds he doesn't have left for prep. A small puff of smoke drifts from the volcano model.
Diego tries adding more baking soda to stabilize the reaction, but the volcano lets out a low rumble instead. Black soot puffs out, coating his nose and eyebrows in gray dust. He wipes his face, leaving streaks of dirt on his cheeks.
The final test erupts with a loud pop, sending a tiny jet of green slime directly onto Diego’s glasses. He pushes them up his nose, blinking through the sticky residue as it drips down his chin. The classroom lights flicker once.
Diego steps back, wiping his hands on his apron while the volcano settles into a quiet, bubbling puddle. He smiles, noticing the messy experiment looks exactly like the real thing in the poster book. The timer buzzes, signaling time is up.
He checks the timer one last time, then carefully places the volcano in the center of the display table. The room feels quieter now, waiting for the teacher to arrive. Diego takes a deep breath, ready for whatever comes next.
Diego smooths his apron and steps back to admire his work. The red stains on his shirt look like lava flows now. He thinks about how much better this turned out than the plan said it would.
The door opens and light floods in, silhouetting the teacher in the hallway. Diego holds his breath, watching her approach. The volcano sits silent and steady, a perfect mess of science and surprise.