DARK MYSTERIES(COMPLETED)

Chapter 7

       ~ THE PAST~
“Honey, what do you think you are doing?”  A man asked as he entered the kitchen to meet his wife cooking. He was in his early thirties and he was quite fit with no sign of protruding belly and he stood at an average height. He had well groomed raven black hair and a bit of stubble on his chin and he was currently wearing a red robe.
The question was directed to his heavily pregnant wife who was by the gas cooker, making their breakfast.
“I’m making breakfast.” She replied, giving him a look as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
She was met with a disapproving scowl on his face.
“Come on, Joe.” She whined. “It’s just cooking. Besides, it’s only a light breakfast I’m making.”
He shook his head and moved towards her, collecting the spoon from her hand  and ignoring her protests.
“Light or heavy breakfast.” He said  as he gently nudged her away from the gas cooker. “ It doesn’t matter.  I think we’ve discussed it before. I’ll cook and take care of the chores until our boy is born. I want you to get as much rest as you can.”
“What makes you think it will be a boy?” She smiled at him
“Instincts.” He grinned back at her.  “ I’m serious, Esther. No cooking or cleaning till our baby is born. Leave it to me.”
“But that would just make me lazy!” She pouted.
“No, it won’t.” He replied
“Joe…”
“I don’t want to hear it.” He interrupted.
They stood in a staring contest. Ever since they were dating up till when they got married, she knew he could be obstinate, especially when it came to her safety and well being. Part of her found it annoying, but another part couldn’t help but find it adorable and romantic. Her knight in shining armor. She giggled at that thought.
She sighed in defeat.
“Fine, you win”. She grumbled
“Was there ever a doubt?” He chuckled victoriously before leaning down to kiss her nose, making her giggle. “ I always win.”
“Except in the bedroom” She winked at him.
“That…. Is….That doesn’t count.” He stammered in embarrassment as he looked away from her and into the pot.
She smiled at his bashfulness as he continued cooking. He just unintentionally made her swoon with that last comment. Not many married women got complements from their spouses. But Joe was different. He would always find one thing to say or do that made her tingle. From flirting with her as if they were still teenagers to giving her affectionate hugs from behind when she least expected it. She frowned a bit as she looked at her swollen belly.
“ Joe.” She said.
“Yes?” He replied, turning to her.
“Do you still think I look beautiful in this state?” She said, still staring at her belly.
“Suddenly self conscious, are we?” He teased.
“I’m serious.” She retorted rather loudly. “ Since I reached this month in pregnancy, I can’t help but feel like I don’t look appealing to you.”
“Esther!!” Joe could not believe his ears. “ What brought about that? ”
“I mean look at me!” She gestured to herself. “ I look so fat.  And so.. so unattractive!! I can’t even stand in front of the mirror and feel confident again. What if after the delivery, I don’t get my shape back!! ” She burst into tears.
‘Ah’ Joe thought with a smile. The situation finally dawning on him. ‘ Mood swings. That explains everything’ 
He had already gotten to her usual on and off moods that sadly came along with her pregnancy. One moment she was laughing at something he said, the next moment she was screaming at him for one petty error, then the next, she was crying for no reason. Things a man must endure in this life. Oh well.
“Come here, baby.” He spread his arms and she walked into his embrace still sobbing.
“Shh.” He cooed  gently as he stroked her hair. “It’s alright, it’s okay. I don’t care what shape you are. Pregnant or not, you will always look appealing to my eyes and you will always be the most beautiful woman in the world.”
“Are you telling me this to make me feel better or because you mean it?” She giggled into his chest. Her tears slowly fading away.
“Both” he laughed. “ Esther, I don’t care what other people say or think about how you look and you shouldn’t either. Remember that, okay?”.
“Yeah, I will." She sighed happily. Then looking at him, she added. “ Joe?”
“ Yes?”  He smiled at her.
“ The food is burning.” She deadpanned.
“CRAP!!!!” He yelled.
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“Negative.” Joe sighed in frustration as the result of his experiment came out in disappointing fashion as usual. He was currently in his lab at the back of his house with some tiny animals in cages and glasses. He had just mixed some liquid and injected it on an infected rat. To his annoyance, the rat died immediately. He had been on this case for days and he desperately needed to do something .
“Come on.” He groaned as mixed some other liquids again. “ Mankind’s weapon against illness depends on this. This is what I’ve hoped for all my life. No more illness for me. I’m sick of seeing my wife getting worried.”
He poured the mixture into a test tube filled with water and waited. The water began to change color and  Joe  crossed his fingers in hope. Finally the liquid became stable and it turned ….green.
“Oh my goodness.” Joe gasped. “ Could this be? Only one way to find out.”
He took the test tube and moved over to a glass filled with another infected rat. Tipping the test tube over slightly, he poured some drops over on the rat. The rat moved around frantically and began to convulse.
“Please, Good God. No.” He sighed sadly and was about to turn away when he noticed something.
The rat stopped convulsing and began to breathe at a normal rate. Soon it started to move about in a healthy fashion.
“ SUCCESS!!” He leaped in joy and danced around the lab “X-SERUM IS BORN!!”.
Soon he came to his senses as a sudden thought came to his mind.
“Of course.” He muttered. “ Side effects.I need to test for side eff..”
He was interrupted as his phone rang. He sighed at the caller id and picked it.
“Hello Luke.” He said.
“Joseph, my man” A loud voice came from the receiver. “ I just wanted to check on you and see how you are doing.”
“I am doing well, thank you.” Joe replied. “ And you?”
“Oh, I am alright.” Luke replied.
“And I bet you are still on your feeble attempt on trying to discover the ultimate cure.” He added sarcastically.
“Except this time it came out successful."  Joe smiled cockily.
“What?” Luke gasped. “ It worked?”
Joe could detect a tinge of glee in Luke's voice but said nothing about it.
“Yes it did.” Joe continued. “ But I am still testing to see if there are..”
“JOE!!” He was interrupted at the  frantic voice of his wife from the living room. “THE BABY!! IT’S COMING!!”
“My goodness!!” Joe cried out then turned to the receiver. “ Luke, we’ll continue this later. My wife has gone into labor.”
“Really? I’ll meet you at the hospital.” Luke dropped the call.
Joe drove like a deranged lunatic on the way to the hospital lucky and thankful that he didn’t run into anyone or , even worse, encounter the police. Soon his wife was admitted into one of the labor rooms and being a doctor himself, decided to handle the operations. It was his hospital after all.
Delivery process was hell and try as much as she could, there was no progress in the situation. After much efforts, she began to grow weaker and her breathing was slowly depleting. Joe and the midwifes around knew what this meant.
“Doctor?” One of the nurses looked at him in fear.
‘This is not happening.’ Joe thought in fear as he held his wife’s slowly growing cold hand. ‘Esther, please stay with me. Please.’ 
Then the thought hit him.The serum!! It was his last shot at saving the life of the woman he loved. He stormed out of the room, running into Luke along the way.
“What’s going on?” Luke asked.
“My wife..” Joe began and Luke could see fear in his eyes.
“Where are you going?” Luke asked.
“I’m going back home to get my last hope.” Joe said and walked away.  Reaching the exit, he turned to face Luke and added. “ The cure.”
With that he left Luke standing there, gaping in surprise.
“The cure really exists?” Luke muttered in disbelief.
Joe came back as fast as he left.  With the cure in a syringe and a determined look on his face, he made to enter the room but Luke put an arm to stop him.
“Joe, I know you can do crazy things sometimes but are you sure about this?” Luke queried.
“ I’ve never been so sure in my life.” Joe replied.
“It’s risky…” Luke began
“It’s worth it.” Joe pressed and pushed his arm out of the way before entering the room.
Reaching his wife, he saw that she was still struggling with life and the midwives had despairing looks on their faces. He held her wrist and made to inject her.
“ Doctor.” One of the nurses said as she detected the syringe in his hand. “ What is that?”
He glanced momentarily at her before a steely scowl came on his face.
“It’s Hope.” He said and without hesitation, injected his wife. They gasped as she suddenly screamed and started shaking frantically.
“Doctor, what’s happening?” The nurses were in shock.
Joe didn’t answer as his wife continued to shake. Soon she relaxed and he felt her hand becoming warmer. Before anyone could say anything, she started screaming again and soon a cry was heard as a nurse pulled a baby from her womb
“It’s a boy.”  She smiled as she cut the cord before handing him to Joe . Joe smiled as he held the sleeping bundle in his arms before looking at his wife who was sleeping peacefully.
Moments later when everything was back to normal, Esther woke up to see her husband smiling at her.
“Hey” She muttered weakly.
“Hey” He replied, caressing her face. “ How are you feeling?”
“Tired.” She replied. “ The baby?”
Joe reached into a crib and carried his sleeping son, before handing him over to her.
“He’s handsome.” She smiled and looked at Joe. “Just like his father.”
Joe smiled and kissed her forehead.
“So what do we name him?” She asked.
Joe thought for a while and then replied. “ He was able to survive before entering into this world. And I know he would  continue to  be a survivor no matter what comes his way. I can feel it. His name will be Daniel.”
Esther smiled as she kissed the forehead of the infant
“Daniel.” She whispered.
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“WHY CAN’T YOU MAKE ONE FOR ME!!” Luke screamed and pounded the table in Joe’s office.
Joe sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose to prevent an incoming headache. Weeks after the birth of his son, Luke was on his neck constantly about the serum.
“Listen, Luke.” Joe began. “ I’ve told you several times. I am still working on it  to see if there are side effects.”
“Don’t give me that bull.” Luke dismissed. “ You didn’t hesitate to use it on your wife. It turned out perfect and she was fine. Your son is healthy too. If my calculations are correct. That serum could possibly enter his blood.”
Joe was silent.
“Unless..” Luke’s eyes widened in realization. “ You already knew that, didn’t you.”
Luke bent his head and chuckled darkly, surprising Joe with his sudden change in mood.
“You know I hate being denied what I feel is rightfully mine” Luke whispered eerily, his face still shielded from Joe’s view.
“Especially if it benefits my kind.” He raised his head and Joe got the shock of his life. Luke’s eyes glowed a dark red and the skin around his eyes began to contort.
“OH MY GOD!!” Joe stood in fright and made to pick his phone but Luke was the faster of the two. He grabbed Joe’s wrist and twisted it, snapping it. Joe’s scream was interrupted as luke gripped his neck and hefted him up.
“You see, Joe.” Luke whispered. “ You chose the hard way. This could have been the height of a very good friendship between us but your selfishness prevents that.”
“Luke..don’t.” Joe choked out against Luke’s grip.
“However” Luke continued.“ Your boy is the perfect alternative. And as for you, let me be merciful and put you out of your misery!!”
A snapping sound was heard as Luke twisted Joe’s neck. His body hung limp before Luke dropped him on the  ground roughly. He stared at his lifeless body before he left the office.
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                                       ~ THE PRESENT  DAY~
Luke folded his arms behind his back as he looked outside the window of an abandoned building overlooking the school. He smiled as he saw Daniel and Jake arguing with two boys on a politics matter.
“ Daniel, my boy.” He chuckled. “ I can’t wait for our second reunion. Unfortunately, this time your mother will play an interesting role in this.”