💯 STORY CHALLENGE (18/100)
Sacrifices on the Altar of Science, Chapter 2— Love, Science, and Betrayal
Maddy, the mad scientist, is back, and her experiments are just getting out of hand.
A creaking floorboard gave Madelyn away. She cursed herself silently for not using her newest invention. Her cat paw boots guaranteed a stealthy approach in every situation. Alas, you are test subject #23 and cry like a baby because your feet are burning. At least Marc was happy no cats got hurt.
“Maddy, is that you?”
His tired voice sounded muffled. Most likely, he had pulled the blanket over his head again. She never understood why he tended to do that, so she switched the lights on to find out.
“Argh! Not the lights again, sweetheart. Please!”
Seeing him clutching that blanket to his face reminded her of the first alien movie. She had to giggle. Marc was so sexy when he got all grumpy because she woke him in the night. Clumsily he searched for his watch on the nightstand.
“Oh, dear! It’s four in the morning. Where have you been?”
She sat on the bed next to him, petting his head like a puppy’s. Marc’s cat, Newton, dashed away as soon as she approached. That cat liked bearing a grudge.
“Oh, you know. World domination and all that.”
Marc sat up immediately and glared at her.
“Please, Maddy, tell me you didn’t try to drown the world in your oak-based yoghurt again!”
“It’s called voghurt! With a V,” she shouted angrily, “Because it’s vegan! Do you ever listen?!”
Madelyn watched him facepalm and suppressed another giggle when he slowly started rubbing his face, unwillingly looking all rubber-faced. All the while, Newton watched her carefully from behind a small dresser. She poked her tongue out at the cat.
She kissed him on the cheek and hugged him. Marc immediately relaxed a bit. All that tension in those muscles. Someday, Maddy had to link him to a few electrodes.
“My newest experiment failed anyway.”
“Oh no, babe. I’m so sorry.”
He returned her hug, his mood changing 180° within a second. Maddy indulged the moment. She truly loved Marc, despite his lack of vision in the merits of her scientific endeavors. But now was not the time for love; after all, he was in a perfect position to inject him with another of her inventions.
Newton hissed, possibly a sign of feline precognition, but Marc never knew what was coming for him.
“Ouch! Wh-what … wa-as …,” he babbled, already all drowsy.
Gently, Maddy supported him in lying down on the bed again. He looked so cute, all red-eyed and already heating up from the fever. At that moment, she experienced something strange. She doubted herself for the first time in her scientific career.
Marc loved her as dearly as she loved him. She didn’t just feel certain; thanks to one of her inventions, she knew for sure. He wouldn’t hold a grudge like that pantywaist cat, would he? Their love was stronger than her betrayal… or so she hoped.
“I love you, baby,” she whispered, carefully cleaning the sweat from his forehead with a wet cloth she’d brought, “Everything is going to be all right. I made careful calculations, and ….”
She didn’t only doubt herself but had to cry when the spasms started, and he foamed at the mouth unexpectedly. They were not intended for this experiment.
© Jay C Wells, 2022
💯 Story Challenge (18/100)
Why is Newton the cat bearing a grudge against Maddy? You will find the answer in Maddy’s and Marc’s first story:
Like so many times, Christine Graves inspired me with a prompt, offering the following lines of dialogue: “It’s four in the morning. Where have you been?” — “Oh, you know. World domination and all that.”
You can find out more about the 💯 Story Challenge by Zane Dickens here.
My pick from the 💯 Story Challenge
I always like to finish with a pick from the 💯 Story Challenge. What would be more fitting than FJCMontenegro’s story about a scientist and his experiments? Or is it just a “Coincidence”?
