The Lights Went Out... [Short Story]

The Lights Went Out... Part 2 [Short Story]

We finally reach York, and I'm at the professor's's house.

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Its not really a house, more like a cottage. A little cluttered, the grass could use some cutting and the rubbish wasn't going to clean itself. I step up to the door and knock.

"Hello?!" I call, after not getting an answer, "anyone home?"

Still no reply. I knock harder.

"HELLO?!!" 

I am now shouting at a wooden door and feeling very silly, but then again this professor is my last hope. Suddenly I hear the door click and open.

"Yes! Yes! What do you want?!" demanded a rather small grumpy old man. He was short and hunched back with white hair and a lot of wrinkles. 

"Well?Do you plan on standing on my doorstep all day or are you going to tell me what you want?" Yes he was a very grumpy old man.

"Are you..? umm.. I mean.. I was wondering if you may be Professor Hensowrth?"

That certainly got his attention. I can tell by his change of  posture that he's suddenly nervous and has began fiddling with his fingers and the hem of his top.

"W-what made you think that? No I don't know a Prof. Hensworth, nor have I ever met a professor by that name before, now if you may excuse me I have a lot of work to do, so goodbye!"

He tried closing the door, yet failed as I jammed my foot in it. I will not give up, not now. 

"Pro-Professor.. Please... Your my last hope... I have nothing else, do you understand? Nothing! There are... other ways of making you cooperate you know? ....im not afraid to use those methods, I  WILL use them if i have to! DONT THINK THAT AFTER COMING ALL THIS WAY YOU CAN JUS-"

"Okay... okay....... I get it,  just.. come inside, we'll talk there"

I stop in mid-rant and look at the professor, I mean I really look at him. He looks tired, defeated almost, slumped against the wall with a hand on his face. I almost feel sorry for him, when I remember what he did all those years ago in the laboratory. I'm ice again, unfeeling and ruthless, as always.

After sitting in a comfy chair for more than 15 minutes alone with only tea and biscuits, the professor finally comes back. In his hand he holds a book, a journal from the looks of it. 

"What is that professor? You kept me waiting a long time, I hope it better be something useful..."

"That's enough with your cheek, young lady! This is a Journal from your mother... She wanted me to give it to you when you grew up, but obviously no one would have thought the project would be found out and disposed off the way it was, the explosion took us all by surprise, so I've kept it with me the whole time just in case of.... well here i guess you should read it..."

I take the Journal form the professor and place it gingerly on my lap. For once I am speechless. The professor leaves me alone in the room, for which I am grateful. I am very apprehensive about this and not sure what to expect....

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I have tears rolling down my face. I am crying for the mother and father I'd never truly known. My mother writes a lot in this Journal. Turns out I was quite the spoilt child. There a few pictures of me as a baby. My mother, Eileen Johnson, was a Paediatrician, and my father, Tony Johnson, was the director of the hospital my mother worked in, so i turned out pretty well for them both. 

The professor cam back in and hands me a box of tissues. He soon explains to me how he worked under my mom and how he also knew me as a baby. When the project started they didnt have many subjects to work with, so they began kidnapping other babies and children. My mother and father had no idea what the project was about but always supported the proffessor from the sidelines.

when my parents died of a Car crash, he was sent out by the project to get me as a 7 year old girl to be tested on. They held his family at gunpoint as hostages and made him do something he'd never dreamed of doing. My parents entrusted my life to him, should anything ever happen to me, and he used that privilege to get me into the project. And has been living in guilt ever since.

"Well there you have it, the whole uncensored past.... It's not much, and I don't know how this will help you in life now that you know the truth..." grumbled the proffessor. He wa right. I felt just as lost as i did the day of the lab explosion. I feel stuck with nowhere left to go.

"If it helps you in any way... you can stay here and try and live your life.. It the least I could do... I guess.. " The professor shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. For all his grumpiness, I could tell he's a good person on the inside. 

"Sure.. I'd love to stay here..." I replied without a second thought, the professor mumbled something as he picked up the tea and biscuits, but I swear I saw a smile on his face as he left for the kitchen.

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End of another chapter. I think I'll write the rest tomorrow..

Please tell me what you think of it so far! Don't forget to Vote, Rate and Comment!! 

-Fatma El