I awoke within the late noon into a home of silence. I rise and groom myself, hurrying downstairs to see if the doctor was home. I trail to his room; no sign. I head to the library, where I assume he spent the rest of his night, as I've mentioned, the doctor doesn't sleep. When he does, he usually has a fever or has fallen asleep on his work in which case I heave him to his room. Within the kitchen before the dreading moment of looking down in the basement, a spot a note upon the table.

Urgent calling. I should be back within the noon. Clean the basement as it seems new work is going to be arriving! Don't lollygag at the note or bother cleaning up the library. Snap to Will Henry!

-P.W

His scrawled handwriting makes me sigh, for a scientist his handwriting is less then neat. Though that's not surprising, due to much of everything else around here, he is completely unaware of the houses condition. Except for the basement of course. Oh the basement! I re-read the line about new work.

"New work?" Instead of fear, I'm extremely curious as to what and just who is the Doctor is dealing with tonight. Then the fact of the matter settles in; I have to clean the basement. Since the time of the...even thinking the word...

I shiver at my train of thought. I have been to the basement since then, yes for how could I not with the doctor? But never alone... I head upstairs, quickly grabbing my hat. I smile fondly at it before placing it on my head. To believe this was the very first gift from him... He hasn't given me another such gift but I consider gifts his offering of his favorite scones or how he has since then ingauged me in what he would say is mindless chatter. I run downstairs only to come ahault to the basement door. The fears of my childhood resurfaced; 'What if, by all miracle, a spawn of that abomination of nature had survived? Scamping around the floors, crawling and climbing on the celling above?'

But the thoughts that joined my childish nature was that of the doctor, an example of how I had grown, in some small way, like him. 'That's ridiculous! It wouldn't be able to stay hidden even within the dark; Its grown size for one. It hasn't fed in, how many years has it been since one of those...things entered our home? Two? Four? It had not stole me away therefore it would have starved to death.'

Memories of times when the creatures were so close to doing so drifted and I prided myself on how I killed the damned thing! I fix my clothes (having changed out of my sleeping wear), gave my cap a quick tug and marched downstairs as a good foot soldier would!

"Seems the doctor has been down here..." I hum, observing the specimen jars down from the stand and on the lab table, along with newly written self-notes from the doctor. I walk over to the desk, skimming most of his notes;

Emanuel has sent this 'Paulo fossoribus', Latin for 'little diggers'. It is a small but very visible parasite that burrows into its host to reproduce and eat themselves free. The host can be male or female, a particular organ or sex is not needed. Though the Latin term is the first name for this parasite, it is inaccurate for the parasite does not stay small. The Latin's also call them 'Tricksters' for their small state tricks most into thinking they stay small but though in the comfort of their victim, as they grow and feed off of them, they can become the size of a child and after ripping free from their 'birth' can be eight sizes larger and up to 6-11 feet tall. Since the infant of this species is egg sac sized, thinking the growth of them could exceed such an amount is unthinkable. When in these states, it must find a victim within 3-5 weeks or it will ultimately die for it hasn't been feed the nutrients to survive. It enters or is forced through a victims mouth or open flesh wound. Adult diggers store the egg sac or microbit within a small pouch in their three split mouth/jaw for of course the infants cannot walk.

"Three split jaw? Diggers?" I question aloud. "6 to 9 feet!?" Dear god, are we examining an adult?! Where in all that is natural will be carrying this thing! For it will fall of a regular cart and with that height it will maybe weigh 400 pounds!

"Will Henry! Will Henreeeeeeeeeeeeee! Where are you!" The doctor! Damn and I have yet to fix the lab! "Coming Sir!" I hurry upstairs and spot Dr. Warthrop, muddy and full of dirt.

"S-sir!" I hurry and grab a cloth and wet it. "Im fine im fine Will Henry..." The Doctor pants, running his muddy fingers through the already mud streaked hair. I hand him the wet cloth anyways, so he could at least remove the filth from his face. But even through the muddled streaked face I can see him smile big with a crazed smile and I can practically see the flame of his excitement that I'm sure he steadily hide on his, Im guessing run home through the streets. "The lab is prepped and ready yes Will Henry?"

"Well-"

"No matter no matter!" he looks at me with shocked eyes. "Well? What are you still standing there!? Snap to boy snap to!"

I jump up and hurry back downstairs and start sterilizing the tools, placing the specimen jars back on the self and fixing the doctors notes. I hurry back upstairs panting and assuming the doctor would be in the kitchen. I assumed wrong as I most often did with the doctor. I enter the doctor's room. "Sir?" I ask quietly peaking open the door. No one. I look over at the disheveled room, papers thrown askew, his sheets bundled and pushed to the bottom of the bed. I take in the smell of surprisingly not dust, but the doctor himself. He has been working from his room as of late but the smell has-

"Will Henry! What in the world are you doing boy?!" I jump up almost tripping into the room. "S-sir! You scared me half to death!" I pant, grabbing my heart through my shirt. I look up to meet his narrow brown eyes. "What were you doing Will Henry?" his even tone comes. "I-I was j-just...looking for you sir." I stammer and stutter.

"For?"

" 'Four' sir?"

"No no no fool for what were you looking for me?!" I jump again and gulp. "The lab i-is prepped and r-r-ready sir!" I feel a slight touch on my head but when I look from the floor the doctor is already walking away.

"Tea and scones Will Henry! Don't just stand there snap to Will Henry snap to!" he calls back, walking to the library. I hurry over to the kitchen, almost tripping over my very own feet. I finish and try my hardest to rush over to the library with the tray of tea and scones but not spill over either.

"Will Henry?" I almost jump out of my skin and drop the tray at the unfamiliar voice belonging to the stranger that sat across the doctor by the fire. "Y-yes...sir that is me.." I gulp, trying to steady my voice as well as my own being.

"Emanuel, this is Will Henry." The doctor hums, and I spot his fix hair and clean bored face. "The famous! Word of you has spread young man! 'The great doctor and his fearless loyal companion!'." I flush and shake my head. "I wouldn't exactly say it like that..."

"Such modesty! Wouldn't get that from you Pellinore." Emanuel teases, his freckled sprinkled cheeks and big smile making him look so young then his slight pepper and salt hair will lead one to believe. The doctor says nothing but narrows his eyes half heartedly. I place the tea and scones on the table between both men. I keep my head down.

"Is there anything else you need sir?"

"Nothing else. You may go." I nod and turn on my heel to leave. "Ah question young man!" says Emanuel, stopping me. I turn 'round again and look at Emanuel in curiosity. "Yes sir?"

"May I see your arm?" I blink in confusion but roll up my sleeve to my right arm. "No no, the scarred one." I stiffen and I realize he wishes to see the scar that Anthropophagi left. I downcast my head again and roll up my left sleeve, revealing the hideous scar of rows and rows of teeth that had embedded in my tender skin at the young age of 12, almost 4 years ago. The scar was jagged, as were the monsters teeth, and in the football shape in which the teeth were set. My entire upper arm is covered in the scar and I no longer wear short sleeves, not even within the torching summers. "You are a lucky boy Will Henry..." I swallow the swelling ball of tears in my throat. "That I am sir." I say slowly, not letting my voice crack. "To believe such a small young man you were and fought that thing off. Pellinore you have a brave and clever boy here."

"That is why he is here." comes the doctor's even reply. I nod and roll down my sleeves. "Is that all?" Emanuel pats my back.

"Yes yes, you go and rest. I am sorry for bringing up such painful memories."

'You don't know what painful memories are...Just like the reminder, that was only a scar, not the open beating wound...'

"Its fine sir really. Goodnight doctor, goodnight sir Emanuel." I quickly go to my room. I lean against my now closed door and release the shaking breath that cooped up in my lungs since my scar viewing.

"Lucky..." I shake my head and scoff, dragging my feet to my bed. 'Then I'd be the first to be the luckiest orphan...'