Here Lies a Dark Past: Experiment 39

Chapter three

James was awoken peacefully for once. He yawned and stretched his back before slowly sitting up. Small rays of sunlight dappled the wooden floor below his bed, and warm sunrays welcomingly stroked his back. No one was in bed- not even M/c. He licked his jaw from hunger before getting out of his bed, and quickly headed downstairs.

Making his way into the kitchen, the cement walls made the place look more glum, despite the small window on the ceiling. The wall across from the entrance he was standing in was coated in stickers. James heard some scuttling. He realized it must have been M/c running off.

"Hello, James, you seem to be in a good mood today, strangely," Morie said.

"Well, I do know for sure I'm hungry. Watcha got, bud?" James asked.

"I'm making pancakes, the usual," Morie answered with a smile.

Morie smiled, for real. Something must have made him very happy.

"What's got you in a good mood this morning, handsome?" James said, trying to flirt with Morie as he always did. 

Morie sighed. "James, what did I tell you about trying to flirt? You're my buddy. And I have no clue, I'm just... happy."

"I'm glad you're happy!" James chirped before walking over to the table, sitting down, and waiting for his food.

"No experiments again?" Morie asked, putting down the plate of pancakes in front of James.

"No." James rejected.

"What have you been doing? I know you've been up to something," Morie said.

James started to quiver inside. "You'll find out, the doctor never tells his secrets," he stuttered nervously, not touching his food.

"Not even a doctor's best friend?" Morie asked with a raised eyebrow and a warm smile.

"OKAY fine! I've been seeing someone!" James shouted before realizing what he said and sinking in his chair.

Morie's smile faded a bit. "James, I'm not jealous at all, we're only friends. But are you sure you'll be alright, not getting caught by authorities?"

"I'll be fiiiine," James said. His stomach felt less fluttery so he could devour his food.

James gulped and took a deep breath. "I'll be taking him on a date tonight at the restaurant downtown. 5 PM sharp."

Morie looked down at the ground. "Are you still working on the experiments?" Morie asked.

"I... I don't know, Mo. It just feels... wrong all of a sudden. I think I've killed enough citizens, right? I already have enough shadow felines, maybe I can breed them?"

"James, don't call me 'Mo,' it's Morie. And I think you can still conduct your experiments with what you have. You have plenty of Shadow Felines, and more DNA to test... however that works," Morie said.

James nodded.

All that day, James kept his eyes on the clock. He wished it would come closer to the time he went to see Carter. He was still wondering if Carter possibly loved him. He figured there was no way, they had just met. When 4 o'clock rolled around, he left the factory, but in a long-sleeved blue shirt and black bowtie. Walking through the woods once again, he wished he didn't have to walk so far and so long.

He poked his head out from the hedges, looking around at the city. To his surprise, there weren't near as many pedestrians. James saw the small coffee shop from across the street, with it's old brown bricks and narrow structure. He sniffed the air- he could smell the coffee just from there. He slowly emerged from the bush, looked around for incoming vehicles, and then dashed across the street. He leaned his back against the building, looking up into the sky. The sky was already spilled with a yellow and pink glow.