Undersea

Chapter 2: The Death of Grandma Part II

Sarah stood unsure of what to do in an alien world with its ideas and she and grandma with their's. She felt now more then ever something less than sacred about the entirety of Undersea; as if the city had decided that being born from the hands of man had given it all the purpose is would ever need.

Sarah shuddered as she weighed her thoughts in the eternity of her heart, frozen in that moment where one decides, unable to move just yet from the heft of her mission, her learning, and her heart. As she stood she caught the rustle of movement at the top of the stone steps.

"Ah!" said a tall thin man stepping into the muted street light at the top of the stone stairs. "I thought there might be more eels to catch!" The lights brightened to daytime levels. "Tell me," he said, holding his hand out to Sarah who hung back on the street below, "what is it you find so interesting about my experiments?" There was the sound of boots crunching on the ground behind Sarah.

"Come child!" said the thin man on the stairs after eyeing Sarah more closely, "let us see if we can get to the bottom of this!"

The man spoke in a smiling tone and now bowed deeply to Sarah in a sumptuous way. There were small gold stars on his jacket, or rather small gold starfish, worn on his shoulders the way a general might. He certainly looked like one, standing on the top step looking down at Sarah: a man used to control and like many such men, not used to being kept waiting by a child.

Sarah did not move.

He cleared his throat. The smile he kept, pasted beneath a thin nose and a pair of intelligent brown eyes now impatient. His eyes flicked to the man behind Sarah. A heavy hand rested on her shoulder and eased her to the stairs. Sarah felt a tear slide down her face and she bowed her head in defeat. She was guided up to the tall man on the steps.

"It seems we have yet to be introduced," said the man holding out his hand again, the smile still on his face. "I am Dr. Octavian Salvador LaRosa, though you may call me Sir LaRosa if you please. Chief scientist of the Laboratory and a decorated member of the Council of Seven." Sir LaRosa indicated the starfish on his shoulders.

"Sarah," said Sarah.

"Sarah," repeated Sir LaRosa after a smile and a handshake. "And the old women must be...?"

"My grandma."

"Ah," said Sir LaRosa, nodding his head as if he understood, "your grandma, of course!" Sir LaRosa let half his smile droop and turned up the other half in a sort of grin. A kind of grimace remained. "No doubt you are wondering her whereabouts?"

Sarah looked up at Sir LaRosa's face.

"Have no fear child, have no fear!" She is safe with me and the experiments have been saved from tampering! Though I know not why anyone so young as you would seek to be caught up in this affair!" Sir LaRosa's mouth moved into a frown. "Surely you yourself, young Sarah, where but a naive accomplice to the raving madness of an old women?"

Sarah made no sign as to what she was.

"Ah, it is the old that often lead the young astray," said Sir LaRosa shaking his head. "I have half a mind to reunite the two of you, but I think it best you wait and see her unmasked for what she is! We've such a responsibility with our young ones", mused Sir LaRosa, "a fact I have been especially reminded of tonight. We can not afford them to be misled by the uneducated whims of the elderly who should know better." Sir LaRosa shook his head. "Ah, ah, it pains me to think on the disaster narrowly avoided tonight and on the personal disaster you narrowly avoided at the hands of that weak-minded old women! But come," he said with a sweeping motion of his hand, "it is no doubt long past the beginning of your sleep young Sarah, nay it is nearly at the time of waking! Your parents will no doubt be worried. Your grandma will be safe with us, and from herself for that matter. During her questioning she was quite adamant about a good many things strange to our ears, so we gave her something to make her sleep. In the morning I would like to invite you and your parents to a special hearing in front of the esteemed Council of Seven over which I preside. We will give your grandma her 'day in court', as the saying goes I believe, and you shall see her error, young Sarah, and the philosophies of her person shall be laid bare by the unquenchable truth that is rooted in our knowledge! For the good of the city!"