Lovers of Myth
Time is Ticking

Day twelve of thirty on her deadline and the scientist was practically pulling the hair from her head. She had gone through every technique she could think of, though she wasn’t allowed in the room alone with her beast so she couldn’t test his boundaries. Maybe he just didn’t want to talk in front of the guards.

Or the three other scientists that accompanied her every time. They threw in their harsh opinions as if they were speaking of an object and not a living being. Good lord she had almost turned on one of them for his demeaning comment on the being's appearance the day before.

Yet when she even mentioned being able to handle this on her own they scoffed and looked toward her all horrified. They swore she wouldn't be able to handle the workload, but soon after that, they were handing over all their paperwork for her to do.

She felt sick of hearing them, complaining about how much overtime they had to do because of this project. She was new, but she wasn’t stupid. These people had become desensitized to the horrid things happening around them. To see a living being as worthless made her want to hurt them. Perhaps she was missing the irony of her own feelings.

Just the other day an ancient being that took on the appearance of a child, not any older than fifteen, was trying to enjoy his social time. A guard made a joke that crossed a line apparently, and everything fell downhill. So far he was the only deity allowed out of his room since she took this job.

It was clearly a mistake, however, since they made quick work of ruining their relationship with him. She had been standing right there, just a breath away, and had done nothing but witness it all. The way the boy stood up for himself, how angry the guard got, the abuse.

Sure the boy was an ancient being, but Jesus he wasn't hurting anyone. Still, he was taken down by armed guards who shot to annihilate him. Once he was dragged off the bloody mess was cleaned up. The liquid was a dark green, but she knew it was like blood to the being.

All she could do was be dumbstruck, her white flats splattered with his stolen life force. When she could finally leave the scene she ran for her office, throwing up and crying over the atrocity. She wanted to throw in the towel, but every time that thought died a quick death amidst the mental images of her blood contract.

Instead, she waited until the next morning and headed for the childlike being's room. It wasn't her case, but she didn't care. Before she lost her humanity in this place she would do what she could to show these beings some kindness. The guards didn't care that she wasn't the normal scientist, letting her in without issue. Apparently, the deity was a low-risk prisoner since she was allowed to go inside alone.

Slipping a bag out of her coat she kneeled beside him, his still form lying against the cold floor. He looked dead, but she remained cautious as she sat the bag beside him.

"It's honey bread. My mother's recipe."

It wasn't perfect since she had to use the shared kitchen here, but it would be sweet. Her mother had never been able to make it for her. She still loved making it and thinking of what the woman might have been like. Better than her father, perhaps.

"I hope you can forgive me for not stepping in to stop them."

The being opened one eye as she stood and turned to leave the room. As soon as she was gone he sat up and looked over the bread. In his realm, such things were like gifts to gods from their followers, but the woman most likely meant nothing of the sort. Still, he would remember the gesture.

What a life, something she would never want to pass on to another generation. As the minutes turned to hours the soft but spirited scientist could only stare down at the papers scattered across an old wooden surface she used as a desk. The association was supposed to bring in more furniture for her. This office was meant to be her bedroom, her everything. They were taking their sweet time doing so though, raising her irritation with them all.

With a sigh at the emptiness around her, she looked back to the overwhelming amount of documents. Every one of the files contained a name, different stats, and needs. With every being in the facility came a booklet full of what they could use them for. Weapons mostly, but she couldn’t see it like that. Besides, none of them were successful experiments in the eyes of the higher-ups. None of them would listen to commands or agree to fight for humans as mindless soldiers.

Even their DNA was useless. It melted all the equipment, making it impossible to see if it could be a cure for any diseases. At this point, this place was simply a prison for their mistakes. She wondered sometimes what would happen when investors just stopped investing. What crazy people were piling their money into this nonsense anyway?

Her father, a scientist with little to no emotion, would have scowled at her like she was being a foolish child. She was being too empathetic to the subjects, allowing her heart to guide her mind. How could she ever help society with her tears, he would say. She needed to cut it out and stop thinking of them as humans. She needed to stop caring.

That's what he did. He shut down his humanity. Her mother died in childbirth and her father was a robot. Do the job, do it right. Be perfect. Do more, he would say. Then he would yell and hit her over and over again. With every misstep, she took the brunt of his radical punishment.

He died a couple of years after she left home and she never looked back. His funeral was skipped over as she had him cremated. She had mixed his ashes with glitter and dumbed them into a vat of animal waste outside an abusive animal testing center near her childhood home.

Was it right? No, but neither were so many more important things in the world. She shook the past off and sat up to breathe in. Time was running out on this being, though she doubted the association could really kill him. Still, there were fates worse than death. Isolation, like some of the creatures here were dealt as punishment for simply existing.

A plan needed to be implemented, and it was clear her colleagues would be no help. What would happen if she got the beast to talk though? Would they turn him out as a war machine? Make him kill for them? Would the creature even do such a thing? He never showed any signs of being dangerous, so how would they make him murder people? Who would they target?

In her search for the truth, Ivory ended up on the third floor at Mr. Kelson's door. Her hotheaded boss. Raising her hand to knock she froze as yelling erupted beyond the barrier.

"What do you mean you let him loose? Your men shot him? He was the best damn chance we had here! He was the only fucking monster that trusted us even a little bit god dammit!"

Slamming sounds echoed through the wooden barrier. She thought of retreating, running back to her office, but refused to move. Or maybe she was frozen against her will. Either way, the door flung open and she was right there.

In a soft pink sundress, she stood before her boss with deep blue eyes looking up cautiously. Her lips parted and his angry eyes softened a bit as they moved down to her mouth. She should say something.

"Sir I..."

His face softened a bit more as he took a step back. He had meant to hunt her down sooner and apologize for his rude behavior. It seemed like he was on edge more and more these days.

"Come in Ms. Dullahan. We should talk."

She nodded, entering his office. It was nice enough, all stone walls and smoothed out stone floor. His desk was large, chairs cushiony and soft. No bed in sight though. She realized then that she had never been in this room.

"You don't stay here?"

He motioned for her to sit down, his hand lingering on the back of her chair before he moved. She noticed the hesitation in his movements but feigned ignorance. Sitting behind his desk he finally spoke.

"I am one of the only ones with permission to leave. I must be able to talk with the investors after all."

She nodded.

"I heard the guards stay underground in a barracks of sorts. I guess it's understandable that someone has to be the communicator between us all."

He quieted, elbows on the desk as he clasped his hands together and looked her over. She had been a quiet one since she started, refusing to form relationships other than strictly professional with the other scientists. She must feel lonely.

"Do you miss your old life, Ivory?"

It bugged her that he was using her first name. They were not on necessarily friendly terms. Maybe she just felt bristly because he ran this place in some ways. She shrugged, catching his gaze.

"Sometimes. Mostly I miss the fresh air."

He nodded.

"Does the gated yard not give you some peace?"

With a smile, she spoke in a light tone.

"As much as it would a bird in a cage I suppose. Still, it is better than most of the beings trapped here are given so I won't complain."

He raised an eyebrow. Cursing inwardly she knew she messed up. No one sympathized with the deities. At least not her colleagues. Surprisingly, though, Mr. Kelson agreed.

"Most nights I dream of being trapped here, in cold stone. It's not an easy position for me to be in. Normally I wouldn't say this, but you seem different from the others. Your humanity is still intact. I knew the moment you stepped foot in here it was a mistake, but I couldn't stop it."

She wanted to know why they wanted her here so badly. She was far younger than the others and nowhere near as heartless. She didn't fit the bill.

"Mr. Kelson, why did they hire me?"

No use beating around the bush with this one, he thought. He knew she would ask sooner or later. It would be good to have some honesty between them.

"They knew your father's reputation and assumed you were made from the same cloth. I am only in this position because my father was here before me. My family is in a blood contract of sorts, which is why I refuse to father children of my own. The same goes for every mortal in this place. I wish I could have saved you from such a choice, for that I ask forgiveness."

She was baffled, completely taken aback. He had never spoken to her in such a way. To be this honest? He must really trust her, but why? A gut feeling? She quickly sat up, wanting to use this opportunity to her advantage.

"I don't blame you, Mr.Kelson. Neither one of us can truly walk with the freedom of an average person now. I just want to know one thing."

He nodded.

"Anything."

She looked him right in the eye, her hands on his desk now as she leaned forward with anticipation.

"What is my beast meant to do?"

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