An Object Of Study

More Lab Rats

"Jules, you are awesome. I had totally forgotten about this. Especially since Drake and Byers are missing." My jaw dropped. "What? When did that happen?" I asked when Robbie handed me a can of Aspen. "Sometime last week… both of them. I don't know how this could happen. They were both very careful and they never roamed around alone, and especially not after darkness. But they were the only ones to leave their units at all. Hinds, Gates and Anderson don't come out anymore, for no reason."

Fuck… so David had found two more victims. Everyone of us could be as careful or paranoid as possible, but they all would trust 'Walter', always, only to end their lives in David's hands. But he had said that he wouldn't need more lab rats anymore, so why had he done this? I opened my can of beer and took a long sip.
Of course… how could I be so stupid? He had kept me busy the whole week with 'samples'. It was obvious that those must have come from somewhere. And I also had worked on something with male DNA as I could recall now. Fuck… fuck fuck fuck… he had killed them to teach me things… I felt like a piece of shit now.

"Jules? What's wrong with you? You look like you have seen a ghost." Robbie asked and put her hand on my shoulder. "Nothing… it's just… I wish I knew why this happens… and WHAT happens. I mean, we had no information about dangers on this planet, did we? At least I can't remember that they were saying something about it at the briefing." "Neither can I. But these damned big fishes are the best proof that there ARE dangers here. Maybe the scans didn't say something about that. I mean, how reliable are those long distance scans? For real?" she growled and also took a long sip from her can. I only lifted my shoulders in silent apology.

"So I think this… comes too late?" I said with a sad tone and tipped on the little data drive with my finger. Robbie clicked with her tongue and clinked her can with me. "I don't give a shit anymore, Jules. I'm gonna die here either way, and I'm pretty sure it won't be because of starvation. I only hope it happens before my beer supply runs dry." She growled and ex'd her can.

~~~~

I felt bad… more than bad. I hadn't killed Drake and Byers myself, but I had been the reason for it. We hadn't been friends, in fact we had hardly known each other and I had said that I wouldn't give a damn about any of them, but… they had been humans, for Christ's sake. Somehow there still seemed to be something like an invisible bond between us few humans. What the heck was David only doing? What was this strange project he was working on? And why did he need my ovary for it? And why was it more useful after he had flooded my body with Adrenaline and Testosterone? If I remembered correctly those were mainly male hormones. How could they be useful in a female sample?

My head was slowly spinning with all these thoughts. Why did I even think so much about it? David wouldn't explain it to me either way… at least I was sure about that. Maybe he would, when I asked him. But I didn't want to think anymore now. It was still afternoon and I needed distraction.

"Mother… open movie library, please." I ordered and flopped down onto my bed. For what reason, Fantasy sounded perfect for me now. I looked at the titles, but somehow nothing really jumped me… although… I spotted a name I had heard of from Robbie. Tolkien. Maybe this was worth a look..
"Mother, play Lord of the Rings, part one, please." "Aye, Jules. Enjoy the movie." she answered and started the movie… and it dragged me in immediately, so much indeed that I binge watched all three parts of it… and slept like a log after those ten hours. Or had it been more?

~~~~

"Jules? Jules!" "Please, Dad… five more minutes… pretty please…" I mumbled, still in the realm of dreams. I was so tired… hadn't I just fallen asleep five minutes ago?
"Wake up, Jules." a strict voice commanded and my blanket was pulled away. I rolled up into a ball with a small unwilling groan, my arms sheltering my head. When did Dad become so mean?
"Don't make me show my less kind side, my pet." Pet… Dad didn't call me a pet. But David did. David! Fuck! If he was here, then I was late… and he was angry. I was instantly awake. Shit shit shit SHIT!!! I literally rolled from my mattress to fall to my hands and knees to appease him.

"Forgive your pet, Master David… please… please, I'm sorry…" I whimpered and didn't dare to look up to him. "You were still awake late at night, Jules. Why?" "I… I watched some old movies, Master… and they made me forget everything… even to be tired… I'm sorry that I overslept, Master David. I didn't mean to make you angry… I beseech you, please don't punish your pet…" I stuttered, whimpering and pleading, with my head deeply bowed, touching his naked foot beggingly.

"I thought I could reward my pet with a free day for good work, and this is the outcome. I'm disappointed, Jules. And you know what happens when I'm disappointed." No… o God, no… I had disappointed him. The one and only thing I never wanted to happen. "Mercy… please." I whimpered and fell down before him, clasping my hands around his ankle, and pressed my hot, trembling lips on his foot. I knew this word wasn't part of his vocabulary or his concept, but it was all I could do.

"Your pet didn't mean to… please, Master David… such a thing hasn't happened to your pet in decades. You know it wants to make you proud… please, you must know that." I whined and begged, kissing him again and again.
"It's deeply astounding every time again how much you want to live, Jules. Maybe I need to reconsider your worth for my project." What?! What the heck did that mean? Was he really thinking about it to fully degrade me to lab rat level now? And if so, what would that mean for me, except that I would end up as trout food in the lake?

"Please… please don't do this to your pet, David. Don't let it end like Drake and Byers, I implore you. Please… please… PLEASE!" I cried, pressing my lips onto his foot to stay like this for all eternity, if need be. I felt him shift his weight above me. "You'll be most useful like this, my pet." he growled and I felt something hit my arm with a 'pfft' again. He sedated me? Why? What did he…? I was knocked out before I could end my thought.