|
|
I don't believe there existed a time in my life when I had felt more dreadful as when that girl said....that creature's name...
I walked over to her and looked once more at where her wound had been
inflicted. It was a veritable collage of many bruises, ranging in condition,
appearing as though they had been collected on more than one occasion,
but the majority seemed to be recent.
I glanced at my hands...What had he done?...What had I done?
I placed my fingertips, covered in a healing salve, on the injured shoulder.
She groaned in pain, and I retracted my hand at once. "I'm sorry!" I didn't
wish her anything more of the anguish she had already suffered. "I'm...sorry..."
I completed her treatment as quickly as I could without harming her.
She was an innocent victim of his abominable cruelty, of his insatiable
lust for
pleasure...and thus a victim of my insatiable lust for knowledge.
And there she was, kissing my hands - kissing my lips! - in gratitude,
the latter of which left me rather stunned. I prayed it was not more than
appreciation, though I feared otherwise.
I bid Miss Harris good morning and slipped out of the laboratory...but not before I overheard she and Poole conversing...
"May I show you out, Miss?"
"I'll stay just a moment more, if y' don't mind..."
He must have looked at her with a bit of uncertainty, for she laughed...
"I'll be on my merry way soon enough, don't worry...It's just nice to be inside this 'ouse, lookin' out, for a change..."
My mind was racing at an almost frenzied velocity as I made my excursion to the apothecary...I pitied that girl, but I really was unaware that she felt...
How did she feel? If I told her, showed her my secret, perhaps she'd
flee, in fear, I thought....No, she would misunderstand, and word would
spread....I could not risk such an event taking place. And beyond that,
where would she -- where could she flee? I couldn't shield her from
her grim
reality, no matter what I attempted.
I could not tell her, nor anyone else. And I would not hurt her any more than I already had...
"...re-examine your priorities..."
"...things outside of your work..."
My work.
And his play.
It had to stop.
I very slowly came to a halt and reversed my direction. I was going back to the laboratory.
~~~~
The flask gave a slight "clink" sound as I placed it on the far edge
of the table near the syringe and the small supply of chemicals in possession;
its
replenishment was the object of my trip to the pharmacy. Perhaps I
would not have to make that expedition any time in the near future...
I had thought of destroying all of my supplies, yes, but there was one
who might have needed them...I had to believe his darkness was more silently
abysmal and frightening than any I had known, and if I could find a
way to continue the experiment in a safer method, or one with a bit more
control, I
would certainly do so, for his sake. But I needed to end this, for
at least a period of time.
I paced to the doorway, where I turned and took a last glance around
that accursed little room before shutting the door. I felt a certain satisfaction
as I
heard the click of the key in the lock, but something tugged at a part
of me with regret...
Without another moment's hesitation, I strode into my room and tucked
the key in the bottom of the third drawer in my dresser, before I could
further
contemplate that last thought...I slammed the drawer shut, causing
the crystal vase resting on the top to shake. I'd relocated the vase containing
the
blossoms from my beloved, although they seemed to have lost some of
their original air of delight...Perhaps they weren't receiving enough sun
in my
room...
As I placed a hand upon the vase to steady it, a shriveled petal fell to the floor. It floated downward silently, spiraling occasionally, and I made no move to snatch it up, but simply watched as it descended...My lily...expiring...because of neglect...?
That verified my decision. I gently took one of the lilies from the vase....I would not let my flower fade...
"What would you like, Dr. Jekyll?" asked a cheerful Thomas West, after I'd arrived at the flower shop, "And did she enjoy the orchids on her birthday, if you don't mind my asking?"
"She certainly did, Mr. West!" I grinned, recalling the moment, "She
was unmistakably glowing at the sight of them. I had been meaning to thank
you,
as it was your recommendation that persuaded me to make the purchase!"
The florist smiled, delighted. He is a good man, truly, and has a wife
and four children...Unfortunately his store isn't near the size of his
family, and
they live less than comfortably...
"You are quite welcome...But what is the occasion? For this floral gift,
I mean..." He asked quickly to avoid my praise, however well deserved it
may
have been... "It may help you make your choice."
"I simply wish to show her I love her."
"And there's no better way!" he assured me, snipping of a large portion
of the stem from a plant (or what I believed to be a plant...) with orange
at its
end.
"It is something..." I sighed, gazing out the window at the bustling
street... "I have not been doing as often as I should have, I am afraid...So,
it is an
apology, I suppose, as well as a declaration of my affection."
"Hmm..." he nodded in thought.... "Well, firstly, did you have anything in mind?"
"Actually, I was curious as to whether you had anything similar..."
I placed the lily on the counter with great care, "...to this..."