The Diary of Nick Dolce *ON HOLD*

Entry 1: An Idea

I dedicate this chapter to @wonderstruck013 for being the first comment on this story.

Thank you for your kind words <3

It was the summer of 1536, and just like every other day, I was in Rey's lab with him. He had recently been in the process of developing a life-changing invention, so he claimed, called clones. Simply, what a clone is, by today's modern day definition, is an organism or cell, or group of organisms or cells, produced asexually from one ancestor or stock, to which they are genetically identical. I know, that's a bucket load for a definition, but clones are very complex creatures. I still don't fully understand them.

Over the period of three months, Reynaldo had seen and observed very little success with his idea. I remember the very first time when he cloned something - I think it was a mouse - the organism's internal matter broke apart in his palm, as weak as a dying leaf. The creature gave one small, inferior squeak, before it was once again non-existent.

"Why isn't anything you've done working?" I wondered aloud, standing motionless in front of Reynaldo's wide desk, constructed from the finest ebony wood around at that time. "We've been at it non-stop Rey. Maybe if we just take a break -

"Then the mind dies," he cut across me in a formal tone, pacing back and forth behind his Franz Mayer collection armchair. The exquisite red velvet - a rare luxury item - was attached to the wooden arms by bronze nails, and sitting in it was like sitting upon the tallest pillar of heaven. I had sat in it on several occasions, mainly to fill in for Reynaldo when he was too ill to work. "Nicolas, you've been my friend for two years now, yes?"

I nodded my head slowly, opening my mouth, when he continued on.

"So you must understand that I cannot simply 'take breaks'. If I do, then I will grow as unintellectual as that wall over there," Reynaldo motioned towards the eastern wood paneled wall with his index finger, as if to demonstrate his point. The structure had decreased in strength, bearing scratches and other marks from over the years that Reynaldo's family had occupied it with many young, petulant children. "We are close to a scientific breakthrough, my friend." He paused halfway through the tenth pace, lifting his ceramic grey eyes to mine. "I can feel it deep within my bones. We will clone something!"

"But Reynaldo," I sighed hopelessly, mentally face palming. Subconsciously, I began to tail his paces on his side of the desk. "Thus far, the results for every single test we have done have come up as inconclusive. Surely by now you should know that the rate of succession for such a matter as this is very low, right?"

Reynaldo came to an abrupt halt, sending me crashing into his back. A grunt escaped me as I staggered back on my feet, managing to regain coordination before my behind met the solid wooden floor.

"A true scientist knows no limits," he stated matter-of-factly, folding his arms across his chest. His scruffy mouse brown hair stood in unkempt tufts, having grown a few inches longer during the past few months to the point where his fringe was beginning to conceal his forehead. Dark circles hung underneath his weary eyes, and his long, white knee-length coat was crumpled, as if he had slept in it. "I need to figure out what it is exactly that is causing the organism's internal organs to collapse as they have been. Perhaps you could be of some assistance to me, James."

Reynaldo was the only living person that could get away with addressing me by my middle name. The only other person who'd done so had been my dear mother, Beatrice, who since passed on.