Chapter 12: Close Examination
As promised, Heisenberg left Iris to her own devices that night, to toss and turn in his bed, staring up at his damp, stained ceiling. Her stitches pulled whenever she tried to get comfortable, her head panged with every movement, and her throat screamed for water but she dared not leave her little sanctuary. She'd had enough company for a lifetime tonight, and didn't want to ruin it by accidentally bumping into Heisenberg in the kitchen.
As light forced its way through the ever present dust on his narrow window, Iris got up and, as promised, removed the sheet from his mirror, folding it and shoving it back in its rightful place. She took a good look at herself, meticulously examining every aspect of her body so as to no longer cringe at the sight of it ever again. This was her now, get used to it.
Her feet and hands were stained black, as if she was a wild artist going crazy with charcoal. Her eyes weren't as awful in the day, reflecting the light of the room. She looked less like an alien and more like a simple animal. Both inhuman but one more familiar to Iris in a way that felt at least a little bit comforting.
She wondered if she could just hide in Heisenberg's room all day, cowering in her robe, but the need for water and actual clothing was too great. She tiptoed across the hallway to sneak into her room, only to see the entire thing cleaned out, a leather bag containing all of her stuff, neatly folded to her shock, on the kitchen table.
Damn he really did feel bad.
Damn was she stuck sharing a room with him now?
Grabbing one of her dresses and scurrying into the bathroom she settled into her morning routine like a zombie. Get dressed, hair in bun, wash face, smooth dress, tidy hair, leave. She floated out of the living quarters on autopilot, ready to spend the day with her head in the clouds, making Hauler helmet after Hauler helmet.
A deep cough and the smell of dried herbs and meats quickly snapped her out of it.
Duke.
Iris childishly lowered her head, eyes hidden by her fringe, it was one thing having Heisenberg see her like this, it was his fault after all, he was the creator of such a monster. But Duke had known her since she was a child, she wasn't ready for that.
"Ahhhh little Iris, I've been anticipating your arrival" Duke always had an air of regality about him that always made Iris itch. Years of training in Castle Dimitrescu taught her to bow, cower in the sign of greatness like this, but Duke would never allow such behaviour.
"Oh don't be so shy now dear! Let's see you come on!" She rose her head up like a guilty dog, Duke was smiling warmly as always, cigar fused to his fat fingers. "Lovely change Iris lovely change, you suit this new power wonderfully."
"Thank you Duke."
He flashed another warm smile, lifting a large pack in one meaty hand with the strength of a titan as the weight of the thing had Iris's back bowed from strain.
"That's for Lord Heisenberg, and these are for you!" With a flourish, two black pieces of clothing were draped on top of the load Iris was already struggling under, "Like last time no worries about payment, a gift my dear! You've been through a lot after all."
"T-Thank you Duke" She stuttered, backing away to shove everything back into the kitchen.
"Now I'll see you soon my Dear, maybe by then you'll have your strength back!" His rich laughter interrupted by spluttering coughs from the smoke of his cigar carried throughout the halls even after the lift doors magically shut.
In the silence of the kitchen, wheezing from having to hauler the damn order all the way back to the Living Quarters, Iris took a good look at her latest gift from the Duke.
She should really return something in favour. But imagined he wouldn't appreciate a helmet, or whatever crap she could solder together in the little spare time Heisenberg allowed.
The gifted clothing were two smart, black dresses. High collar and long sleeved. Something that Iris had seen women in the church wearing back when she was young. The buttons were shiny, and there were silky ribbons to tie the waist as tight as she wanted. She'd never had anything so nice before, and found herself stroking the ribbons teary eyed.
"Save that sappy shift for Mirana we gotta move" She'd not even heard her Boss come in, wearing his coat and wielding his hammer as if ready to start a war in the middle of the kitchen.
"What? Where?"
"Miranda. Told her this morning whilst you were still out, she wanted to examine you that second but I stalled her for a bit, thought you needed some rest after well, y'know."
Although touched by his attempt Iris was still not ready to be under the critical eye of what was once her God, her whole world. She dropped the dress to stop her hands twisting wrinkles into the soft fabric, the iron Heisenberg owned was a horrible, rusted thing.
"W-What do I do? What do I say?"
"As much of the truth that we can allow. You saw the Black God, but got scared off, don't say it touched you and don't so much as think of that incident in the surgical room. As far as you know you've got a new look and no powers whatsoever. No wait that won't work. Say you're a bit stronger, can lift the shopping easier. Something simple, boring." Iris took note, composing a script in her head that she hoped would sate the woman's curiosity. She could say she'd gotten a bit stronger, had more energy, things that were already true anyways, just a result of exercise and actually eating meals rather than supernatural interference.
Her attention was drawn back to the dresses, Duke must have known.
"Give me a moment to dress." Her Boss huffed and readjusted his hammer impatiently but made no motion to stop Iris from running to the bathroom.
In the cracked mirror about the equally cracked sink, Iris admired herself in a short, well-needed, moment of vanity. Black of the dress matched that of her eyes and hair, making her skin look even more striking. The staining on her hands blending into the fabric of the sleeves. She wished she had a ribbon to wrap in her hair, one that matched those tightening her waist, the old hair-tie, stolen from another maid who knows how long ago, would have to do.
"Hurry up!" Heisenberg's exasperated tone rang through the speaker system, she followed his grumblings up to the garage, where he was playing with scrap metal in the field, creating a small tornado of sharp, rusted spikes, chasing the few Lycans that graced the area.
"Be nice" She muttered, the man feigned deafness but the tornado did slow down slightly, Iris would take it as a win.
The journey to Miranda was in silence, the village, as grey and dilapidated as usual had no life in it, she didn't think it was a Sunday, although it was getting late surely some people would still be outside.
"Where is everyone?" A hushed whisper, as if a simple word would break the silence of the village, and anger whatever evil was hiding beneath.
"Hiding. Must've gotten word that I was coming."
Perhaps, Iris had never seen a Lord grace the village during her time there, but her Grandmother had told her when it did happen, people tended to stay scarce in fear of their wrath. At the time, a stupid teenager, Iris thought she was being dramatic. She guessed not.
Up a winding path, further into the wilderness that surrounded the village, Iris felt a thick, unnatural fog descend. Shadows in the corners of her eyes twisted like vines, not too dissimilar to those of the Black God. Miranda must be close, and she wasn't sure if this show of power was a threat.
"Heis-"
"Shut it." An arm grabbed at Iris's shoulder, firm on her back pushing her forward. Not so much a comfort but a cave, stopping her from being stupid and running back to the safety of the factory.
In the distance, a black figure seemingly appeared out of nowhere, Iris felt herself stop suddenly as wings unfurled from the creature's back, only continuing her steps by the forceful arm pushing her. Power seemed to reverberate amongst the trees, the air, the ground, they must be impossibly close to the Black God, it must be lurking in the ground, just under their feet. No wonder Miranda wanted to meet here, although the entire village was her domain, the power concentrated here was immense.
As they reached Miranda donned in her usual ceremonial mask and robes, with the addition of a large metal halo, and five pairs of jet black wings. When Iris bowed to the ground in front of the woman, even Heisenberg joined. This show of power was not something to be ignored, they had to appease the monster first if they wanted to slay it eventually.
"Rise."
"Mother, Thank you." Heisenberg's voice was soaked rich with devotion, Iris was stunned, she'd never taken him for an actor.
"I am always happy to assist my dear children in their research." Her voice seemed to echo, the mask disappearing to reveal clammy pale skin and icy eyes. Iris wondered if this power had an effect on Miranda herself, or if this slightly sickly appearance was the real her.
"Now come child, let Mother Miranda assess your gift." She raised a pale hand, Iris took note of shiny long nails, a memory of cracked, bright pink nail polish rushing to the front of Iris' mind. She wondered where Miranda managed to get a manicure here.
Heisenberg pushed her lightly, urging her to follow Miranda who'd turned, heading towards the abyss of a cave's mouth, wings suddenly gone, as if they were always an apparition of Iris's mind.
At the noise of Heisenberg's boots crunching on the forest floor, Miranda stopped again.
"I will examine her alone."
Iris willed herself to keep calm and continue to follow the woman into the cave, not daring to turn back to her Boss lest she run to him crying, begging to go home.
A ghost of a smile graced her face at the thought, never in a hundred years would she think she'd call that hulking pile of metal home.
The further she followed Miranda into the cave, the less natural it became. Dirt floor and damp rocks made way to thick black tendrils coating every surface, then tiles, a metal door, a room with electric lights and papers littered on top of every surface. Heisenberg was more like his "mother" than he thought.
"March 3rd, 2017." Miranda suddenly began speaking, clearly and loudly into a black box, circling a large table covered in surgical instruments, bottles of various liquids, and some jars of Cadou. Iris bristled at the clutter, and hoped to whatever God that wasn't contaminated by thick black goo that Miranda would not attempt surgery in this place.
"Subject is female, in her early twenties, European Caucasian." Miranda rounded the table to stand in front of Iris, when so close she noticed that the woman wasn't much taller than her, "Infected within 24 hours before assessment. Subject claims witnessing of Black God, but no physical contact." Her glassy eyes seemed to focus in on Iris, as if she'd forgotten she was more than an object.
"Describe your vision. Karl can be… dramatic." That was one way to put it.
"I woke up in a cave, it was dark, I saw… the Black God. I think. I went closer to it but… got scared. I woke up then."
"Did you touch the God? Did it touch you?" Iris shook her head.
"Answer with words."
"No Mother Miranda."
"Interesting." Her voice clipped, clinical, Iris wondering if she'd said something wrong, maybe she should've acted happy to have seen it, praised her blessings, it was hard to act the religious fanatic when surrounded by technology the other villagers couldn't even dream of.
"Subject confirms lack of physical contact. Infector, Karl Heisenberg, recorded the subject being unconscious for five hours post-surgery, this correlates with other reports of lesser infected who claim to have witnessed the Black God without interacting."
Miranda grabbed Iris's left hand, a camera that she'd seemingly materialised out of nowhere clicking as she turned her wrist back and forth, categorising every inch of skin.
"Feet too?"
"Yes Mother Miranda" Iris said, removing her shoes at the woman's stern look. More clicking.
"Undress" Iris suddenly regretted wearing her lovely new dress and its many, many buttons.
Cold hands pressed firmly into healing stitches, Iris's stomach rolled as the Cadou that had been relatively undetectable moved and squirmed at Miranda's touch.
"Average size and reaction for chest cavity placement. Deep breath" Iris obeyed, "No apparent interference with lung capacity, ok". The recorder clicked off and was discarded roughly onto the bench. With a sigh Miranda gave Iris another once over before gesturing to her discarded dress. Iris got dressed as fast as possible whilst also portraying polite reverence for the woman, a far more difficult task than she'd imagined.
Whilst buttoning up, Miranda was fussing with a silver rectangle that Iris's mind recognized as a "MacBook", muttering to herself.
"What a waste of my time. Another dead end."
"I'm sorry."
The woman seemed startled that she'd dare speak, Iris froze like a deer, she'd gotten too bold in the factory.
"No need. All research is useful for my endeavor. You merely did not provide anything new." Her eyes went far away for a moment, a surprisingly human look, "You should feel blessed girl. Not many witness the power of the Black God, those who do for too long often go mad. My first, Moreau, is a result of this. He did not wake for days after my gift." Iris filed this information for Heisenberg later.
"Sometimes I wonder if the average human mind just isn't ready for such greatness… That's why, sometimes, …alternative approaches are required." Miranda's voice was softer now, eyes downcast, lost in thought. Iris could probably tip toe out of the room and hightail it back to the factory and the woman would be none of the wiser.
"Anyhow," maybe not, "You must leave. Report any and all changes to me that may relate to your gift. Karl will have the correct phone number. I must leave soon."
"Leave? The village? I will pray for you Mother, for safe passage in the outside world." Iris bowed low, hoping her little act of "pious little villager" worked.
"Thank you child. The outer world is a dangerous, unforgiving place but sometimes…"
"Alternative approaches are required."
Another oddly human look, her eyes less piercing, Iris noticed the dark bruising, her pallor, she wondered if the woman ever slept.
"Yes… Good Night."
Another low bow and whispered blessings to Miranda, and Iris was out of there, darting through the cave until she was greeted with fresh night air and the pitter patter of rain.