"This is tedious" Ana Arkham, my roommate told me with a yawn escaping her lips. I look up from my book, then to my left where she was sitting. Her face was the very live expression of boredom, if a picture was needed for a dictionary, she could be there.
We were at the corner of the library. The library was almost empty, except for the souls that had nonexistent social life. I tried to study for a test for Monday. Ana, just closely admire him studying or whatever he was doing. He had a pile of books to his left and right, the left pile was taller. He was a couple of tables in front of us; the subject of her admiration was Jonathan Crane. He had his back to us, so we didn't really know what he was doing.
"Tell him to turn around" she stretched her arms above her and doing circular motions with her head, I heard how her neck bones crack. "Yeah, why not? I'll go to him and say, hey Crane turn around so my friend could stalk you" I said sarcastically rolling my eyes in the process. But I guess she didn't have common sense, did she? She was clapping her hands silently like a seal, smiling like an idiot. God did you forgot to put something in that brain?
"Look Ana, he is just a guy, a human, he is not an alien" her smile faded into a scowl, her lips in a pout. She looked like a duck. I just pressed my lips firmly trying to suppress my laugh. She just inhale sharply, she lay down over the recently polish wooden table. Her left cheek crushed under the weight of her head. She let out exhale sharply, lifting her blonde hair out of her face. "I tried, he only ignored me" she inspected her reflection and stroke her fingers over it.
A streak of her blonde her block her view. "He only talks to intelligent people like you, I don't even know in what day I live in" I nodded. It was true she wasn't the brightest person in the planet. But when it came to the latest gossip and fashion trend, she was a guru, Maybe she belonged to the social elite, and not in an academic research team. I nibble the eraser of my pencil, trying to come up with something smart. "He ignore you, cause he was busy, I don't know" Great what an intelligent answer.
"He is not Clooney or Newton" she raised her gaze from her reflection. "Newton?" she asked blinking her eyes in confusion. I pursed my lips again into a tight line. I wanted to laugh again, but I wasn't going to do it. First she was a friend of sort I think and secondly I was in the library, they probably banned me forever. "A genius like him, I guess" I whispered scratching my neck, stupid turtle neck. Then I pointed at him, I knew it was rude but who cares, he had his back to us.
"Ah" she sat up straight; she nodded with enthusiasm as her blonde curls went up and down. She stopped and gave me a very big grin. "Anyways, why are you interested in him? I mean he doesn't seem your ̶ type" I inquired. Her types went from jocks to clowns. And Jonathan Crane didn't classify in any of them. "I don't know, he is pretty cute" she sheepishly smile. I took a deep breath. She was pretty, had a lot of confidence, and a lot of friends. We were at the very end of the spectrum. Her eyes lively cobalt blue, mine were a dull brown like mud lifeless. Her hair was blonde and very curly, every time they move up and down and return to their original position. Mine was a very deep brown almost black, very straight, like a stick.
I exhale deeply, why I was even thinking about that, comparing myself to her was useless. Wait that's not even a reason to be stalking him, was it? "I have an idea" I didn't know how it happen, but I choke with my own saliva. I started to cough, catching everyone's attention except him. "Sorry" I apologize, bowing my head to the scarce students that were there trying to study. I catch my breath. "What?" I wheezed. Oh boy! It would be a very bad idea.
"Be his friend" she lifted her pointing finger. "Two, you introduce him to me" her grinning to me, like she was teaching me something very interesting. "And three, we fall and love, get married and live happily ever after" I lifted my left eyebrow, that was three things. She put it so easy; my common sense shouted at me that it was the stupidest thing it ever heard. "Ana, I am not very talkative, I can't even talk with a rock" But her smile was still there. Didn't her cheeks hurt? "Beside we don't have anything in common" I said pointing at my Chemistry book then at his, from far it seemed to be all Psychology books.
Like she was deaf at the moment of my little speech. She rose from her seat. Smiling at me, she put her hands at each end of my face. "You can come up with something, you got the brains" she poke my forehead. Swiftly, she started to walk out, if she wasn't dumb, she would made a very stealth ninja or stalker. I had my mouth open, I quickly closed it. What did I get myself into?
I strolled through the empty halls of the chemistry building. Brainstorming, Ways to Talk to Jonathan Crane. Note, change the title. It sounded like I was about to stalk him. Yeah, officially I was losing it.
I could say hi, no too evident. Maybe asking him for the time, wait everyone had a cell phone at least. Bump into him, nope he would think I am very clumsy. Drop my book, nope that made me look pathetic.
I yawn, my shoulders and my neck were killing me, they were sore. Between the research and Ana's nagging, my stress levels were approaching my breaking point. I wanted my cozy bed and a big glass of warm milk. I pull myself to my lab.
I rub my eyes. I was really losing it? That nagging or maybe the gas of that stupid flower, maybe it was the lack of sleep.
Maybe it wasn't a person? A ghost? I shrugged it off. I was approaching slowly. The last hypothesis was wrong. It was a he, a very tall he.
Yeah, a he named Jonathan Crane.
A hallucination?
Maybe it was a dream?
Why would even dream about him? I am not the one obsessed with him
Maybe he was waiting for my mentor, Doctor Grant. My common sense told me not to worry about it and kept it cool. Maybe he overheard all the conversation, but I never mention his name. I was just being paranoid. Iris kept it cool.
I act normally.
I stood straight in front of the lab door, trying to locate the keys of the lab in my lab coat.
"Are Doctor Grant's doctorate student?" I found my keys; they slip out of my grip making a loud sound hitting the marble floor. "Yes, I am" I said picking up the keys from the floor. I could feel the heat of embarrassment coming from my neck. "What can I do for you?" I said a little agitated trying to find the right key. I should at least paint the key, to find it easier. Yeah found it, thank you god.
"You're analyzing the compounds from a blue flower, isn't correct?" he inquired, I didn't want to look at him. He probably was looking at me, like a good psychologist trying to read me. I gulped the imaginary apple on m throat, I better looked at him, and I told myself. The first thing I become aware of were his very light blue eyes. They remind me of the clear sky. His face was contemning and calm, meaning he wasn't studying me, was he? I just nodded. Stupid I was just staring at him, what it felt like hours. I quickly turned around to put the key into the hole.
"You don't talk much do you?" My hand stopped midway. "I do, but I don't see why, someone like you would be interested in a flower?" I said; oh know who was the smart ass.
I frown; this girl will make it difficult to put my hands over that flower. We can just kill her; she has the keys anyways Scarecrow pointed out. He was right, we could kill her. But it would make a mess, and I wasn't in the mood to clean it up.
"Dr. Grant mention me, that it changes the mice behavior" She was right I didn't have any good excuse to why I was there questioning her research. I heard the click of the lock. Her body language shouted she was nervous. The clicking sound of the keys, against each other; I observe her hand, she shaking up like she was in a cold winter. Her shoulders were hunch and she was looking at the floor. What an easy prey.
"Hm… It alters their nervous impulses" her voice was firm. She didn't sound fluster like before. One moment she was like a little freighted child, now she sounded so confident. I doubt she was nervous at first. Interesting, maybe she can make a good lab rat Scarecrow observed. Maybe she was just bipolar. "How so?" I inquired.
"Well… wait a minute. You're not trying to steal my research, are you?" she asked, glancing at me with a raised eyebrow. I am Scarecrow laugh. I just need her to get more information about the compound, and then I can kill her I thought.
"No" I said trying to hide the smirk on my face. She just nodded with a small smile. Was she stupid or something? How can she just, trust a stranger? Easier for us Scarecrow said.
"If Dr. Grant told I guess is alright" I said shrugging my shoulders. I knew it was stupid from my part, but what use could the compound had for him anyway? It didn't cure anything for that matter. It just killed mice, drive them mad. And they acted very weird, when I turned on the lights. But that was it.
After what it look like an eternity, a clear my throat catching his attention. I quickly glance down. Was I embarrassed? Psh no, I was tired; I just wanted him to go away. "They get all anxious and tried to bite me, well that the only thing I could think now" I said. I gaze up; he looked like he was in thought. "Even though, a high concentrated dose, conduces them to kill each other or simply leave them brain dead"
"Brain dead?" he inquired, he looked like an amused kid, telling him a very dark secret. But as soon as it appeared, it disappeared. His face looked nonchalant. I need to learn to do that. "Yeah, well I guess comma, for a better description" I said, he look at me like I was dumb. "Hey, I am not a dictionary person"
He just smirked. Did he knowledge, I was a dummy? "That would be all thanks" he said, I wanted to shout at him. He walked passed with an arrogant air. I wanted to take my heel and throw it at his head. Wait no, Iris that would destroy the plan my common sense shout. "Whatever" I turned around opening the door.
"Did you talk to him?" Ana shouted at my right ear. I jump, knocking down the plate off my lap. The milk and the cereal, hit the black rug, making it look somebody just had vomit there. "No" I lied, getting down on my knees to pick up the little pieces of cereal in the plate. I was tired and famish. If, I had said yes, she would have interrogated me all night long. And I was going to die of starvation.
"Come on Iris, talk to him" she whined, I stood up taking the plate with me. I placed down into the white marble counter top. "I said hi, again and again he ignored me" I spin around. She looked distressed, I guess she really like him. I don't care she made throw my cereal. Besides, how could he not? She looked like a hooker.
She was wearing a very low cut shirt, showing her superior assets. That clearly shouted, look at me! Her pants were very tight; her skin must be sticky and sweaty. It accentuated her wide hips. "Maybe he was busy or he is gay" I snicker, man I would be a great comedian. She narrowed her eyes, looking at me clearly with pure hatred.
She impatiently started to tap her heels against the wooden floor. "Maybe he was thinking?" I asked myself. Maybe he was really gay. Or he totally ignore her existence? Then something hard hit the back of my head. It was her, she was smiling. I felt dizzy for a second. God, are you punishing me for being bad?
Note, put laxative in her milk. She hit me, Iris Bernoulli. "I recommended you to talk to him" she whispered on my ear. I shiver in pure disgust. I didn't like people to invade my personal space. "What the hell? You do it" I shouted at her retreating figure. Shit my cerebellum was disconnected for a second maybe is dislocated. "Bitch" I murmured nursing my pounding head.
"Okay Mr. T you're up" I giggle. I scoop up, the white mouse from its cage. I walk to the glass gas chamber. It was a simple cube, the air vents were below the cage. A tube was attached to the left; the tube was connected to another chamber. Below this second chamber, it was a burner and a little fan, where I incinerated the flowers.
I carefully placed the mouse into chamber. I closed up the chamber tight. "Mr. T, don't be nervous it just an experiment" I tapped the glass. I paced to the second chamber. Then I deposited the blue flower, over the plate glass. I took off my gloves, to light the match.
The flower quickly catch on fire. The fumes started to travel along the tubes into the main chamber. I observed as the mouse, started to run frantically running into the glass walls. Then it came its screeching, by each minute it passed the screeching came louder and louder. I could feel my eardrum explode. "Interesting" A male voice said. I twirl to my left to see Jonathan standing there.
I quickly jumped back, knocking down an opaque bottle. As it fall in small motion, I catch a glimpse of the label Hydrochloric Acid Concentration 65%. Holy mother of god I thought quickly picking it up. It was uncapped. "Did I startle you?" Jonathan asked me, his head was tilted to his right. He had a smirk on his face. I grimace; officially he thinks you're stupid my common sense shouted at me.
He didn't even say sorry. I gritted my teeth hard and clench my fist. "You need to clean that up, if you don't another incident to happen" he rotated back to observe at the rat. His words were filled with sarcasm. Breathe count to ten I thought.
I took the towel in my hand and started rubbing the liquid, glaring daggers at his back. I don't care if he turned around. "You're not very smart, are you?" My eyes narrow in defiance. His blue eyes, mocked as that arrogant smile appeared on his face. I was fuming, when a burning sensation started on my hand. "Oh shit" I said grabbing my hand, quickly whipping into my white coat. "I take that as a no" he said.
I ran off to the sink. The cold water felt so good against my hand. I even forgot he was there. "Are you going to drown your hand? Smart" he said in a mocking tone. Oh I really despise him. I glared at my hand, then at him. "This is your entire fault" I hissed, wobbling in the air my burning hand.
"My fault? I didn't hide your gloves, nor left the acid uncapped. You're incapable, of taking responsibilities, well my diagnosis dictates you're simply an air head" he said in a very professional tone. How dare he? Me an aired head? Like Ana? No way in hell. "If you could at least knock, I wouldn't be in this predicament" I growled furiously looking at him, I noticed the pain in my pain making me grimace.
"Predicament? Did you even know what that means?" he said with sarcasm. I just crunched my nose. God! Can you send a bolt and killed him? I looked up to the column, where the first aid kid was. "I hate you" I mumble. I should have listen to my mother about drinking milk. I was a midget, 5 foot 3. A dumb midget. Great.
A strange smell hit my nostrils. Was that male cologne? Then I noticed strange warmth. I froze. "Hate me? You don't know me Miss Bernoulli" I couldn't move, I felt that warmth dissipated into the thin air.
I felt a sudden wave heat radiate through my entire body. Did he just? Calm down, Iris he was just being helpful. I could hear my heart beating faster. An anxiety attack, perhaps? I gathered my thoughts and turn. He was standing there tapping his foot. "Here" he shoved the kit into my stomach knocking the air out of my lungs.
"Gee, be a gentleman about it at least" I said inhaling sharply. "By the way, what are you doing here?" I place the kit down, and started to rummage around. "I heard a screech and I thought it was― you" he said, I notice his mocking manner. He was starting to irritate me. My right eye twitch in annoyance.
I starred icily at him. "I am not that dumb, to get high in my own experiments" I spat at him; I was looking at the small letters I didn't notice him approaching.
"Seems like it" he said taking my burnt hand.
The air hitch of my throat. I could swear I heard myself like a mouse. His hand was very cold. It felt so good against my burnt skin, yet so painful. I bite my tongue. "Is just a superficial burn. Just put some cream from the blue tube" he indicated, he quickly let go of my hand, like it as something repulsive.
"God" I said, preventing my hand from hitting the metal table. "You're not going to die" he said contemn, stride to the glass. He carefully scrutinize the rat, which seem very agitated. "I hate you" I said under my breath. God, why did you send him? Oh, yes to help that ungrateful woman. Thanks I thought sarcastically removing the cap from the blue tube.
I was so entertained fighting god, which I knew it was useless that I didn't notice Jonathan talking to me. "Eh?" I said looking up at him. "Your… rat… is dead" he said very slowly. He crossed his arms. He look so arrogant. I nodded.
The rat wasn't moving, which meant it was dead or just in comma. I violently tap the glass wall with my knuckles. "Smart move, don't you want to do voodoo too so it wakes up" he snickered, he was standing beside me. "Right… Or Mr. T is just taking a nap"
I put on my gloves. I turned on the fan, which took all the residual gas. I lifted the cover; I introduce my hand poking the unmoving mouse. "It's dead alright" carefully picking it from its tail. I placed down in a towel, rapidly covering it.
Then I walk to the pile of carefully placed storage containers. "Mrs. Fines, you're next" I said tapping at the mouse, which was munching on a piece of white cheese. "You humanize your subjects?" he inquired; I twirl around and smiled at him. "Yeah"