*MADE IT TO THE FINALS OF ONC's SHORT LIST*
One makes, one nurtures and one extinguishes - thus, a balance is maintained on Tellus.
But what happens when the scales topple?
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Ati determined to skip her training for the next day. She didn't have any interest in meeting Ryker after the disrespectful interaction they had had the last time. Instead, she opted to go meet Arkah to discuss whether they had found anything more about that creature.
University was the least of her worries as she knew that with the count of attacks escalating, a state of emergency was soon to be declared. Already people had stopped leaving their houses anymore. University could wait. Her revenge, on the other hand, could not.
Her thoughts wandered back to Waffle as she flifted towards the forensics lab.
"Well, this is a pleasant surprise," Arkah greeted her smilingly, and it would be a lie if Ati said that it didn't have any impact on her.
Shaking hands, Arkah led her to the office which was as normal as an office could get. Clinical looking, a plain wooden table with chairs made out of the same wood and cushioned seats, a window overlooking the other departments of the lab and blank walls with merely a clock on one of them.
Ryker's cabin was far better, her inner voice compared but given the circumstances, she shut the voice up as she could only feel anger towards the man to praise anything related to him.
She realized Arkah had asked her something when she had been busy chastising her inner self. "Hmm?" she queried.
"I asked how have you been?" he smiled politely.
"Oh, I have been fine. What have you been up to?" This small-talk was getting awkward.
"Nothing but the usual," he replied. "Uh-huh," Ati looked around.
Why was it this difficult to interact with him while with Ryker, the conversation just flowed? Why in all the moons was she comparing everything to that insolent man?
"Did you find anything? About the creature, I mean?" She inquired.
"Well, yes we have, but it is discrete information. All I can share with you is that the creature is none from this land. Probably from the eastern countries. We're betting they're an experiment gone wrong. My team is looking forward to the results of a few more tests that we've run, which can confirm more than the vague data we've managed to gather."
Ati's excitement deflated. She had to get more information than that. She tried again, "are all these attacks by the same creature which was responsible for Waffle?"
"Um, no and yes. That's all I am entitled to say."
Her eyes widened, understanding the deeper meaning behind his words, "that means there are more than one?" She gulped, "are there any probabilities for them to attack the humans too?"
He smiled sheepishly at that, "you sound like a ten year old, enthusiastic about her favourite subject." Sighing, he admitted, "although I wish to discuss all of this with you, my conduct doesn't permit me to. You'll have to wait along with all the citizenry until we make any official statement to the media." Ati huffed, "and here I was thinking that being the first case, I would be special for you." She batted her eyelashes at him, making him laugh heartily.
