Chapter Nine: The Experiment
Yo-Yoji couldn't help but feel a bit jerk-ish in his decision to abruptly judge Dr. Yufredo, especially as he continued his sorrowful tale. "I was a fool," he said bitterly, "drinking their elixirs, following their rules, acting the part of a devoted participant, never questioning the Sun's morale. That was my greatest flaw, I think - I was unquestioning. A fool. A unquestioning, foolish, lovestruck fool." He stared at his palms. Yo-Yoji wished he would stop looking so sad - it was uncomfortable.
"After I left," he continued, "I wanted to meet you - the three young keepers of the Secret to immortality...what a title! I was awed by your bravery, you determination. I desperately wanted to see what the Secret had done to you three...had it changed you?, I constantly wondered. Had it deepened your understanding of the world, or twisted it into incomprehensibility? Turned your mind to mush or to magnificence? I needed to know. I was going to send you a letter once you popped up on my list of potential customers, Max-Ernest, dear boy. But I, admittedly, was a little intimidated. So young, yet holding the Secret of the world in your hands! I was awestruck. So I waited, wondering if perhaps you would visit my offices. And here you are." He beamed.
"But...dude, aren't you curious about the Secret, still?" asked Yo-Yoji a little accusingly. "I mean, what else would you want to know?"
Geoffrey smiled a little and said, with perfect seriousness, "No. After countless years of searching for it, I'm a bit sick of the thing, truthfully. But its effect on children was what interested me - not only for my own benefit, but for an...experiment." His eyes twinkled with a newfound spark. "One I'd like you to participate in."
Cass stepped back, taking her friends with her. Yo-Yoji could see the fear glitter for a split second in her eyes before being replaced by a steely glint. "Experiment?" she asked firmly. "We're not going to do any of your experiments. We're just here to learn what the Secret really means. That's it."
Geoffrey Yufredo's smile grew tight. "It's completely safe, Cassandra," he explained a bit condescendingly, "So safe that even a survivalist like you wouldn't find any loopholes in it. I will not hurt you. Just ask Noah-Ann, my assistant. You met her out in the waiting room - she underwent that same experiment, and she was fine. You worry too much, children." He snapped his fingers, and the lights clicked off. Suddenly, Yo-Yoji felt a pair of burly hands wrestling his own clammy hands behind his back painfully. He yelled and delivered a wild kick to where he thought the owner of the hands might be, but the thug twisted his neck back to his former position in such a pain-inducing way the rest of his body dutifully followed. Still gasping from the pain, Yo-Yoji could hear the yelps and rustles as his friends were battled as well, until all was silent.
With another click from Yufredo, the door closed shut. "Far too much," intoned the doctor softly.
Author's Note: DUN DUN DUNNN! Okay, before I continue my rant of randomness, let us take a moment to commemorate the loss of the AWESOME ninth chapter, which sadly was ripped away from me at the LAST STUPID SECOND when I clicked "Submit Document" in Doc Manager. :,( It was much longer than this, and more detailed, but oh well. I don't want to think about it too much lest I SUBMIT TO THE PAIN AND GO THOROUGHLY INSANE. (Rhyme!)
Anyway, DUN DUN DUNNN! Yufredo is EVILLY sinister! Not SINISTERLY EVIL, just evilly sinister. There's a difference you know. ;^)
Actually, I didn't want Yufredo to be a bad guy. I actually wanted him to persuade our beloved characters into the experiment with much coaxing, but then I decided that would be too out of character and kind of went along with the "evilness" of him. But don't worry, I won't make him a typical bad guy character! I WILL MAKE HIM COMPLEX! MWA HA HA HA HA HA HAAAA! I've been thinking about entering Ms. Mauvais in, but I'm not sure if that would flow smoothly with the story. Hmmmm...
Signed,
PancakesWithMilk
P.S., I don't mean to sound snotty or spoiled, but please, can you faithful readers (or maybe no-readers-at-all) review? I haven't had one since I started, and I'm already on Chapter Nine, and I would REEEAAALLLY like some! Please? *begging face...whatever that looks like* Thanks! That's all I wanted to say - but also, how do you like the name Noah-Ann? I've always liked doubled names ever since I read about Max-Ernest... :^)
THE EXCITING PART HAPPENS NEXT! YAY, NO MORE BORINGNESS!
