Humanity expierment (work in progress) (Patreon)
Content
Clara let out a slight yawn, regretting not having that second coffee. Her hands holding tightly on the wheel of her retail car, with her eyes focus on the lone road she watch as the empty paddocks just fly by her,the sun just barely making its way up. A slight reminder she was not in the busy traffic city she came from. The twenty-six year old was not looking forward to the result of this trip, having finally scored a chance to be an actual reporter, she got one of a recluse genius. Why she was given this she could only guess, maybe to deal with to how far his location of his residents, maybe it was so see how she will do, or maybe just maybe no one else wanted it because of the individual himself.
Doctor Ian Salvar once the leading expert in his field of genetics and biology but after a very bizarre published paper he was quickly ridiculed for his paper, soon being removed from the scientific community and shunned by his former colleagues. It had been ten years since that event and now did he allow an interview to happen. How this was pulled off, the ginger hair woman did not know. Letting out another yawn her eyes twitch to the cup beside her, sitting gentle in its holder. Wishing that it was full to once again taste that sweet nectar of caffeine and sugar. Returning her gaze back to the road, it itself seeming to be eternal Soon a image begin to approach up to her. A road sign coming closer and closer. Seeing the name of the town she was seeking on it, Clara knew she was on the right track and her morning wasn't wasted. At least not yet. Continuing down the road the sight of a distant town slowly began to appear. Civilisation, how she missed it. To the first glance, the town looked to be like an average middle of nowhere town, at from the distance she was at and she gotten closer dropping her speed in the process did her first thought was only confirmed to be true. The single road that lead into the town seem to be the main road with one or two roads to what Clara could see spreading out from it. The rows of home lay beside it, all seem to be quiet in the early morning. Each while slightly different from the others did seem to Clara built around the same time. Continuing own seeing a small park it lone swing set and jungle gym being the only standing. The police station or a house that was made into a make-shift police station. Her eyes turn back and forth looking over the town, Clara curiosity peek in her. Why would a once renowned scientist move to such a middle of nowhere place? Was it because it was in the middle of nowhere to give him the privacy he wished? Was it the quietness of the town? Or something more?
Reaching the edge of the town did she see it. Like a mountain the giant mansion sat, the sheer size of it compared to the town could have easy fit all the townsfolk in their and still have plenty of room for privacy. Just staring at it, to everything else this was completely out of place. She half expected this in the more higher up places in the city but not here, not in such a small town. Seeing a long road leading to it, Clara stop her at the edge of the turn just gazing at it. Something about it gave a slight chill to it, something gave a unwelcoming vibe to it.
“Okay, so I guess this is the place” Clara states to herself, swallowing the small lump of dread she was feeling. Turning on to the road, Clara slowly drove her eyes fixed on the mansion it size seeming to grow as crept closer to it. With a lone car sitting at the front of the large door, Clara manoeuvre herself behind it, giving plenty of room between her vehicle and the one in front. With the turn of the key, the sound of the engine turn off leaving the young woman in silence. Turning her gaze back up to the building the sheer size was monstrous, the size seem to be much gigantic up close to the distance she first saw. Opening the car door and stepping out her notepad and recorder in hand, Clara just stares at the building still captured by its size. The sudden sound of the large doors open quickly broke Clara attention quickly turn to a lone man walking out. His stature straight and proper, seeming to be older then Clara with his black hair sleek back having some slight greys in it, wearing a formal suit.
“May I help you?” the man ask his tone being straight and firm.
“Yes I'm Clara Williams from the Wide Scope papers!” Clara states introducing herself to the man.
“Ah yes... the reporter that Mister Salvar has been talking about” the man said acknowledging the name, “ I am Thomas Stance, prodigy, caretaker and power of attorney to Mister Salver!”
“Nice to meet you!” Clara smiles making her way to Thomas “shall we start? I did come a long way to do this interview!”
William just look, silent before turning around opening the door for Clara.
“I assure you Miss Williams the quicker this is done, the quicker I may return to my duties!” Thomas expresses as Clara enters inside instantly feeling completely out of place and small in such high end craftsmanship.
“So prodigy, caretaker and power of attorney how did you get all three?” Clara asks continuing to follow Thomas.
I studded under Mister Salver when I was a grad student, he took me under his wing and taught me all he knew, when he was disowned by the scientific community I became the caretaker of this home and I gain power of attorney after last year, this is the reason why you are hear Miss Williams. To write down the final words of a great man!”
“Now now Thomas!” an old gravel voice calls out as the two turn from the hall into a massive dinning room, there Clara entered seeing an old man sitting at the end of the table, his white hair matching his beard, a blanket over his lap as he sat in a wheelchair a sly smile on his wrinkled face.
“words like that would give an old man an ego!”
turning to see Clara his eyes twitch back to Thomas. “Leave us!”
with just two words Thomas left without a word, Clara sanding there.
“You must be Clara Williams my... interrogator for this event!”
“Is that what you see as? An interrogator?” Clara asks Making her way to the old man, turning on the recorder as she did.
“Is there any other word that would describe what you do?”
“Reporter comes to mind!”
“Oh but what is a reporter but a fancy way to gain information of a subject they seek?” Ian smiled.
Clara return the smile, this man still had all his wits about him, his intelligence still firm even if his body was wasting away. Quickly scanning the room seeing picture of painting across the walls all of which being various animals all doing one act or another.
“I see your mind is still as sharp as what I heard about you!”
“Flattery will get you not far in this harsh world we live in!” Ian state that smile still on his time worn face.
“But get an open to more... don't you agree?”
a simple chuckle from the the old man seem to lighten the mood.
“So shall we start?”
“We already have my dear!”
The statement taking Clara back for a moment before collecting herself quickly.
“So Doctor Salver, Graduated with honours, specialising in genetics and biology becoming one of the leading minds of your field, published countless of papers, winning various awards through your career only to be thrown away... disgraced and shamed and now, after all these years of being a recluse you finally agreed to an interview. So one must ask, why now?”
The smirk that once printed on Ian face soon vanish his life works explained away in a single sentence.
“Was the key of the whole chain of words meant insult me Miss Williams?”
“Well it has been so long since your... how would you say... exile?”
“Exile?” Ian repeats in mere scoff like the mere word insulted him, “those fools didn't even understand what I was trying to explain, to make them understand, my... 'exile' Miss Williams was not by my action but the foolish arguments of my so-called peers!”
“Oh yes, your paper the... Humanity Experiment was it?” Clara asks quickly, looking down at her notes before turn her gaze to the old man. “Have to say it was a... beholding piece of work!”
“You have read it?”
Clara nodded.
“A lot of the scientific jargon went over my head but I got the base of the paper, how humanity itself was a mistake of evolution, an error course that needed to be corrected. As a fellow human Doctor... I find that quite insulting!”
“Yet another who failed to see the vision I see, look at humanity and see what we have done as a species, raged wars among each other for land, for being different, we have enslaved our own, look down upon other, greed and lust driving us to have more to take more! We have failed as a species and this must be corrected!” Ian stated passion and vigour in his voice and in every word he spoke.
“I do find it ironic you speak of greed and lust as if you are above it and here I sit in a mansion that multi-millionaires would look upon with envy, you speak yourself too high then others, you yourself Doctor have the same faults you very clam to despise!” Clara mentions the acknowledgement of her words seeming to have affected the old man.
“And that very irony I cannot argue, one I see in many I see in myself. But in others I have witness!”
A curious look appear on Clara's face.
“What do you mean?”
“Do you like the pictures I have?”
“Urgh...” Clara stutters the question, throwing her off, “I guess... though I do find it strange it's all animals!”
“Yes you see these creatures, doing what they do, you don't see a lion killing another lion for a percentage, you don't see a zebra betraying another for an extra food, they do what they do... live, eat, mate and die like everything else!”
Clara's eyes turn to the various paintings of all the different animals painting this and Ian's words give the young woman a cold chill down her spine. Quickly turning back to Ian who seemed to be smiling seeing the uncomfort on Clara’s face. Collecting her posture Clara attention flicks to Thomas returning into the room with two cups in his hands.
“This is something humanity believes they’re above and I wish to correct this fault and bring a new world to this planet,” Ian states as Thomas places the cups of tea in front of him and Clara. “Sadly this vision I have will be something I will never see!”
“And this is the reason why you agreed to an interview? A last decree?” Clara asks, turning to the cup beside her, the strong aroma coming from the tea whiffing towards, the smell being quite unique and if the smell of it was anything of the taste then the cup was one unique experience for her taste buds.
“More clarity than a last decree, to reform my position on everything that is said about me and show my… colleagues… that I still hold my head high and with no regret!” Ian expressed taking the cup of tea and taking a sip with that smile still on his face.
“With no regrets? How a very human thing of you I doubt animals regrets their actions” Clara states a smile returning to her face seeing the smile on Ian vanishes, with this victory Clara takes a sip of the tea. The taste hitting her, a taste she never had before, strong, delightful and something else. A taste she couldn’t put her finger on. Feeling the warmth of the liquid going down her throat a strange feeling flutter down her chest, like a daze her head feeling light-headed.
“So...urgh… oh…” Clara sputters her hand shaking lifting to her head.
“Is everything okay Miss Williams?”
“Fine I…” Clara states pushing herself up, reaching the arc of her stance, her legs collapsed underneath her, falling to the ground with a thud, Her mind getting foggy, her vision even more so. Turning her up, eyes flickering Clara black out her last sight being the image of Ian sitting in front of her.
---