💯 STORY CHALLENGE (29/100)
Sacrifices on the Altar of Science, Chapter 4 — Death
Unexpected complications arise while Maddy monitors Marc’s metamorphosis in her laboratory
Suppose you haven’t read my “Sacrifices on the Altar of Science” series before or missed a part, you might want to have a look at the Table of Contents.
Maddy had always loved numbers for their many scientific qualities. Words could be formed into bloated sentences that rambled on endlessly, devoid of precision. Small nuances like word choice or pronunciation could mean differences as vast as an ocean. Maddy had always been terrible at recognizing and using such nuances.
Numbers were precise, exact, and only lied because of human intention. She should have felt confident when she looked at the monitors attached to the enormous metal capsule in her laboratory. The numbers were very encouraging and emphasized that Marc was doing well, but they didn’t do the job for once.
Maddy put a hand on the colossal capsule, feeling the cold metal. She had constructed the device to house Marc’s cocoon. Besides the medical equipment, it contained a nourishing solution that the cocoon absorbed. Previous unsuccessful experiments had helped her to bring the machine and the required nutrients to perfection.
Maddy looked through one of the capsule’s windows at the large, roughly human-shaped cocoon floating in the liquid. Its smooth but uneven yellow-grey surface appeared more enhanced than previous test subjects. But, after all, it still felt like a cold metal box that housed a warm body.
Maddy worried about that man inside. She had always been able to count on Marc when she felt overburdened by social interactions or ethical questions. The realization that Maddy needed his help right now weighed heavily on her. Knowing she had brought this upon them hurt and made her feel lost. She sighed and rested her face on the smooth surface. Why was this emotional stuff so tricky?
“You’ll be fine, babe,” she said gently under the watchful gaze of Newton the cat, “The most intelligent scientist on Earth is keeping watch over you.”
Marc’s feline friend was lurking on a chair nearby after she had driven him off. Maddy told herself she was afraid the scruffy, furry thing would temper with the machine but actually, the cat triggered something in her. Was it guilt?
“I should have thrown you off the building,” she said, answered by Newton’s hiss.
The most intelligent scientist on Earth had to admit two things to herself. First, Maddy had no idea what was going on in that cocoon. Her technology could monitor Marc’s vital signs, and she had been able to take X-ray photographs that suggested changes to his bone structure and anatomy. But she had no idea what was happening to him right now.
Second, this lack of data and the uncertainty freaked her out. What scared her, even more, was their last conversation. Marc had been upset, to say the least, because she hadn’t consulted him before the experiment. When he confronted her, she reacted angrily. She was afraid of the consequences, of losing him.
Together, these factors fed into her imagination that the device housing Marc’s cocoon resembled a colossal metal sarcophagus. That condescending feline scoundrel, Newton the cat, seemed to agree with that interpretation and arched his back whenever she got too close to the capsule.
Her fear felt like empiric evidence of her love, but Marc didn’t think in her ways. He was a man of the heart; she was a woman of the head. But today was the exception. The numbers could not provide her calm and reassurance, only the heart monitor’s steady, monotonous melody could.
And as if to punish her, loud, high-pitched beeps broke that comfortingly dull pattern. Maddy looked at the monitor in shock. Marc’s heart rate and blood pressure suddenly rose to critical levels. The pH meter showed the nutrient solution acidified rapidly, indicating an unknown but possibly critical reaction of the cocoon.
As fast as she could, Maddy punched the button that would drain the liquid from the machine. While she watched the process, she recognised the change in the cocoon’s colour to a darker grey that reminded her of necrosis. Shortly after, Marc’s heart monitor flatlined abruptly.
Maddy experienced one of the few moments she could not act in her life. Tears shot in her eyes, and she buried her face in her hands.
“What have I done?” she whispered.
A loud bang startled her. In shock, she took a step back and fell over a cable, landing on her butt. Maddy felt a mixture of shock, joy and excitement when she saw a familiar-looking, pale hand pressing against the window. Her jaw dropped when she recognized the cracks in the extra heavy glass.
© Jay C Wells, 2022
💯 Story Challenge (28/100)
Aren’t we all trapped in a cocoon sometimes, about to grow into something new? Realising my writing dream is like the journey from a caterpillar into a butterfly. Why don’t you support that journey by reading my other fictional tales, subscribing to my email list or joining Medium with my referral link?
Are you interested in the 💯 Story Challenge? Check this story by Zane Dickens in Microcosm to learn more.
Like always, I finish by leading you to a personal pick from the 💯 Story Challenge. Here is “The Portal” by L.A. Sauvette.