Cure

Chapter Six

"A scientist is still a scientist," I spoke toward Alador through clenched teeth showing him the resentment in my eyes.  All I'd been able to see at this moment are the pigments of red developing in the corners of my vision from my rising anger. "You're probably just like the rest of them. You only care about your mission. You could care less how these experiments have been draining and harming to me." I mumbled and he gave me a convincing soft gaze with an apologetic look in his eyes.

"I may be a scientist, but I am also a father." He began looking off to the side with guilt. "I have a younger daughter and older son I've been separated from. I think about them every single day." He admitted and I felt myself soften from his honesty. His heart told me what I needed to know. 

"You're still just a kid. You shouldn't have to go through this." He told me genuinely. "But they are trying to help you help other people. My scientific research is what's bringing us closer to finding the cure you've been wanting all this time. I promise, Luz, that this will all be worth it in the end." He made the promise and I could see in his eyes that he was being truthful, that he meant it.

The next day however there were rumors that he'd run off with his older daughter taking his research with him. I hadn't known the truth about the group then so I began to resent him for leaving when we had been so close. Little did I know at the time he had done this to save the world, not harm it. And months later I'd unknowingly run into his younger daughter. A girl who would grow to become so important to me.

I'd come across in a small town I'd been passing through. The group had been right behind me and I knew they find me again soon. Seeing the girl, I knew she was hurt because I could smell her blood. She looked to be traveling alone. I know I promised myself never to help anyone. I've been operating without emotion because it's easier to survive that way. Then I wouldn't get hurt again, but this felt different. I don't know why but I've been following her for a few blocks. I hadn't felt this in a long time. This need to help someone was almost foreign at this point.

Logically, I shouldn't even have started to follow her in the first place. Especially since she's bleeding and my control can only go so far, only managing to restrain myself so much in the past. I don't know what came over me but I saw her go down a dead end and I had to save her. I guess maybe I still am human after all. I'm not going to say it was easy, fighting those monsters off only to have to fight myself off as well once I'd stopped them. But I took her to a safe apartment complex nearby and I fixed up her wound. 

Her heart rate came back to a safe level and I believed she'd be able to recover. She'll be weak no doubt, but she will be alive. I forget what that feels like, being human, being fully alive like she was. I'd been ready to go my own way, apart from her, but then they found me and I had to get us out of there. Because now I had brought her into this, put her in danger, just simply by her being near me. I promised I'd help her find her family because of this. We were going in the same direction anyways. I'll protect her because of what I pulled her into. 

She'd fallen asleep, I took her to my house and I don't know why. I keep doing things unlike myself. This all started because of the guilt I felt but why was I still going through with it? We could have parted and gone on our separate ways. I'd be free of her and she'd be free of me. So why was I still there? This girl had been...strange...and stupid. How she made it this far with running on emotions as she was I'll likely never come to know or understand.

I soon told her my name one night and she looked at me the next day. I heard her heart rate spike when she did this. But when I turned to look at her she became awkward and I wasn't sure what had caused her heart to act that way. Usually, heart rates picked up in fear or excitement. Maybe it had been her fear of heights that caused such? I don't know why my mind is so stuck on it though. It was best that I stayed focused and not let this girl get into my head so much. Though in the end, she'd manage to do quite the opposite of leaving my mind.