Press "Enter" to skip to content

Feb. 2 – Unsettled Trip (Part 1)

“Lisa.”

At the familiar, and still hated, voice, Lisa stood up from her cleaning work. “Sir.”

“You are to assist the Professor again today,” said Canergak.

“Yes, sir,” she replied demurely, hoping that would be all he said. His cold gaze, though, pinned her in place. “Do not think that I approve of what you are doing,” he continued. “It surprises me to learn that you had some other talent I had not yet ascertained. One that must be studied in due time.”

*That* certainly rattled her. So far, even with all the revelations he’d learned about her nature, he hadn’t specifically said he wanted to study her. But now… her eyes narrowed, and her right foot involuntarily shifted back a little.

“For now though, I am willing to watch and observe. Do try to prove me wrong.” He paused. “Go and get Professor Vartanian, and bring him to the lab.” With that, he turned on his heel and went down the passageway.

Hands shaking a little, Lisa picked up her bucket and brush, and set them aside in the kitchen, out of the way. Then she went to the elevator and rode it up to the floor where the professor’s office was. Peeking in, she saw his seated at his desk. He looked up at the sound of her shifting feet. “Hello, Lisa.”

“Hello, sir. Mr. Canergak said I am needed today.”

“Hmm. Time for Myn’s session already?” Professor Vartanian looked at the clock on his desk, shrugged, and set aside his work. With a nod at Lisa, he led them both into the car, and pressed the button for the basement.

As they rode down, Lisa fidgeted a little, unable to completely hide her perturbed look. As she shifted yet again, the professor looked down at her. “Something wrong?”

“Mr. Canergak said he wants to study my… talent… in due time,” she unhappily replied.

The professor wrinkled his nose. “I imagine he’ll be poking and prodding at me before too long, then. Though I imagine your talent is more a natural gift, isn’t it?”

Lisa nodded a little. She wanted to say more, but the car had arrived in the basement, and she saw Canergak waiting at the entrance to the lab. The administrator nodded to them both, and led the way through the steel door, and then the passageway, into the lab. Lisa hurried forward to see Myn. As the cat’s eyes focused on her, she said softly in Feline, “I’m here, Myn.”

“If you need sleep,” Canergak said, “I doubt my presence shall make that easy. I will retire, for now. I expect a complete report, though.”

“Yes, sir,” replied Professor Vartanian as Canergak left. He came to the table, standing across from Lisa. “Hello, Myn.”

Myn looked from Lisa to the professor and back again. Though there was fear in her eyes, the usual distrust that was there seemed diminished.

“Seems we are making some progress,” the professor commented as he opened his case of sedatives and took out a syringe. “That’s promising.”

“The Growler,” Myn said softly in Feline. “It’s still… there…”

Lisa’s eyes widened, and she nodded. “Thank you for the warning.”

“Warning?” inquired the professor. When Lisa told him what Myn had said, he replied directly to the cat, “Hmm. We’ll do what we can against it, but it may be up to you to be rid of it completely.” He pulled up the sleeve of her coat, wiping alcohol on her arm. “Are you ready?”

The cat looked uncertain, but then nodded. Vartanian slipped the needle into her arm and injected the sedative, pressing a cotton ball over the site and setting the syringe aside. He retrieved the burlap satchel from his pocket and placed it in its usual spot underneath Myn’s collar. “We’ll see you soon.”

As Myn’s eyes slowly closed, the professor rolled up his sleeve and readied the dose for himself. “Her progress is quite surprising. It’s good to see her lucid enough to speak with you. I could almost trust her without the restraints.”

Lisa nodded, almost smiling at that progress, as she watched him inject himself with the other sedative and settle back in his chair. She continued to watch, making sure they were both safely asleep. Her eyes kept straying toward the entrance, though, as she wondered when Canergak would return. Finally, despite how rattled she felt, she settled down on the floor by Myn’s table, fell asleep, and sent herself into the Dreamfields.

((To be continued…))

Spread the love

Be First to Comment

Leave a Reply