Of Monsters and Humanity: The Genesis

Chapter 32 - Terra

Forty-one days before.... 

Am I too early? I thought to myself.

Glancing at the clock, I realized that I was an hour early.

Fantastic.

Regardless of my being disgustingly early, I had a plan. The entire night prior, I thought this plan out. I knew what I wanted to say, but I wasn't exactly sure on how it would all pan out. Besides, Dr. Balcom was very unpredictable.

After I drove up to the mansion, I handed the valet my car keys like I usually did, but before I completely took my hand away, I asked, "Do you know where Dr. Balcom's office is?"

He blinked for a few moments, looking a tad taken aback, before he instructed me that it was upstairs. "That's all I know," he said.

I thanked him and headed into the mansion. Walking around aimlessly trying to find the staircase, I admired several works of art, and most were of the building itself. Paintings I had never seen before displaying scenes of great torture and grief lined the walls like the ones I saw regularly to get to the Observation or Viewing rooms.

Eventually, I found a large, spiraling marble staircase in a part of the mansion I had not yet ventured through before. Hoping that it was the right way, I advanced up.

It was funny to be upstairs, to think that it was once a house before. I tried to imagine the rooms without desks or bookcases in them. They were once the bedrooms of other people, maybe of a stately family with lots of wealth. I wondered if someday I would be able to afford a house as grand as this, and if I would have a family to fill it.

Down the hall, I saw large french doors (larger than the rest) flanked by two SWAT officers. Since the room looked like the largest one upstairs, and it was guarded, I assumed that I found the right place.

When I was close to the doors, the SWAT officers stood in front of the doors.

"Could I just speak to Dr. Balcom for a moment?" I asked politely, hoping that my voice didn't give away how nervous I was. My eyes shifted to their guns. They were large and mechanical. I swallowed.

"No entry unless you've made an appointment," one informed me, his voice gruff and low in pitch.

I looked away. Shoot, I should have made an appointment, and I very well could have.

Just as I was about to insist that it was important, the doors swung open and there stood Dr. Balcom. He tilted his head to the side and smiled when he saw me. "Ah, Terra. Come in."

The SWAT officers glowered down at me before they moved and allowed me through. I took extra note to keep my arms at my side and avoid touching them or, especially, their guns.

Once I was inside, I looked around. The room was tall and elegantly furnished, and I expected nothing less from him. A large mahogany desk sat in front of a window--the large circular one that could be seen from the outside, and ornate bookcases stood all around the office. There was a small sitting area with white love seats and a white marble table in front of his desk.

The room was open, airy, but still thick and heavy with the elaborate architecture, art, and furnishings.

It was showy like he was.

I heard the doors behind me close, and footsteps walk swiftly across the dark wooden floor. "Please, have a seat," he said, gesturing to the love seat closest to me as he sat down on the one across.

I did as he instructed. The cushions were stiff, and I didn't enjoy them, but I smiled politely anyway.

"What can I do for you today?" he asked, leaning back and making himself comfortable.