💯 STORY CHALLENGE (5/100)
Sacrifices on the Altar of Science
A man discovers that “in over my head” describes much more than only his love for his partner.
“You will love this, Babe,” Madelyn whispered.
Her breath tickled Marc’s ear and roused his desire. He wondered what surprise she had prepared today. After blindfolding Marc, Madelyn led him down the hallway of her enormous penthouse in silence.
“Can’t you give me a hint, Mady?”
He grinned and tried to stop, but Madelyn slung her right arm around Marc’s waist and gently pushed him forward. This close, he could feel her warmth and anticipation. Mady smelled gorgeous tonight.
“Today, you will witness my most significant scientific breakthrough.”
“Oh boy!”
She chuckled and kissed him on the left cheek.
“Don’t dread, Babe. We are going to celebrate after this.”
They took a left turn, and she opened a heavy door. Wasn’t this Madelyn’s private lab?
“Where are we going?”
“Shhhh.”
She kissed him and put her right index finger on Marc’s lips while pulling him into the cold room. When they had arrived at the right spot, Madelyn freed him of the blindfold. Marc’s eyes needed a moment to adjust, and he blinked a few times in disbelief.
The giant room-high windows stood open, cool air streaming in. The night was beautiful up here. Despite the light pollution in the city, he could see the stars. He also noticed the lack of handrails to prevent them from dropping 74 floors.
However, what really disturbed him was the arrangement on Madelyn’s workbench. His view wandered between the workbench and the woman he loved. She didn’t seem that gorgeous now. Instead, her eyes widened in anticipation as she gestured at the arrangement with manic exaggeration.
“So, what do you think?”
She smiled, equally cute and frightening. Madelyn looked as if she had stolen the grin of Batman’s arch-enemy.
“I think you’ve finally lost your mind,” Marc said.
He immediately regretted his words and took a step back. This wouldn’t go down well. Madelyn grinned at him, exposing her teeth, but that smile never reached her eyes.
“That’s hurtful, you condescending prick!”
She glared at him through slightly squinted eyes. No makeup could hide the quickly reddening skin around her cheeks, temples and neck.
Marc had known her angry moods, but today she frightened him to the bone. Her posture reminded him of a lioness. Her muscles tensed; Madelyn seemed ready to jump and devour him. He was the idiot that had gotten between this lioness and her cub. Or rather her kitten, he thought with a smirk — big mistake.
“You find this amusing?” she asked, “I am nearing a scientific breakthrough, and you, you have nothing better to do than laugh at me?”
“This is not was this is about, darling,” he answered calmly.
Marc raised his arms in a disarming gesture and carefully took another step back. He tried to find the easiest escape route without arousing Madelyn’s suspicion.
“I only wanted to make sure that you are certain this is the right way to proceed with your experiment.”
“Certain?” she snapped, pointing an angry finger at him, “Was Marie Curie certain? Was Einstein?”
“I am sorry. I only meant ….”
“I mean to revolutionise science, Marc! I will redefine our understanding of gravity. When I am done, Newton will be nothing but my prelude.”
“But there is a life at risk after all.”
“Small mindedness. What is one life compared to the betterment of billions? This is a necessary sacrifice on the altar of science, Babe!”
“The people of Nagasaki and Hiroshima would probably have had an opinion on that!”
“This is not comparable,” she said, her left eyelid starting to twitch uncontrollably, “the problem is that you cannot stand my success. You like my looks, money, and the luxuries I provide you. But my genius makes you feel inferior!”
“Listen to yourself; this is madness!”
She grabbed the tiny, scruffy, grey-coloured kitten from her laboratory desk. The sad thing looked panicked and somewhat comic with that jelly toast tied to its back.
“Today,” she announced, “I shall finally answer the question if toast always falls on the jelly side or cats always on their feet!”
© Jay C Wells, 2022
💯 Story Challenge (5/100)
Thank you for supporting my creative journey! Please check out my other weird, wicked and witty fiction stories on Medium if you enjoyed this tale. Support my writing journey by subscribing to my email list or joining as a medium member with my referral link.
I build this story around two lines from one of Christine Graves’ fantastic writing prompts: “So, what do you think?”, “I think you’ve finally lost your mind.” (Ravyne Hawke)
Are you interested in the 💯 Story Challenge? Check this story by Zane Dickens in Microcosm to learn more.
Paul Mansfield finished his 💯 Story Challenge on May 21st. Follow the link below to read his story №100. It is a very compelling finisher.
