Undersea

Chapter 2: The Death of Grandma Part II

Sarah blinked in the stillness of the night and wondered if her eyes had not deceived her. Again she blinked, fear rising in her throat, hoping her eyes were playing her for a fool. They were not: grandma was gone.

Sarah stood still: a young child born above the waves; unsure of what to do in that alien world with its ideas and she and grandma with their's. Ideas so foreward, and yet she had thought recently there was something off about them. Something less than sacred about the entirety of Undersea; as if the city had decided that being born from the hand of men had given it all the purpose is would ever need, and Sarah stood unsure of what to do, for while all these things were true there was the simple fact that grandma was nowhere to be found.

Sarah shuddered as she weighed her thoughts in the eternity of her heart, frozen in that momement where one decides, unable to move just yet from the heft of her mission, her learning, and her heart. As she stood she caught the rustle of movement at the top of the stone steps.

"Ah!" said a tall thin man stepping into the nighttime dimness of bioilluminate street lamps that cast their muted light upon the top of the stairs. "I thought there might be more eels to catch!" The street lights where brightened to daytime levels and there was a pause. "Tell me," he said, holding his hand out to Sarah who hung back on the street below, "what is it you find so interesting about my experiments?" There was the sound of boots crunching on the ground behind Sarah.

"Come child!" said the thin man on the stairs, "let us see if we can get to the bottom of this!"

He spoke with a smile as he addressed Sarah, the kind older ones give when telling children obvious things they do not understand. He bowed deeply to Sarah in a sumptuous way that did not rule out patronizing undertones. There were small gold stars on the jacket he was wearing, or rather small gold starfish, worn on his shoulders the way that maybe a general might. He posed like a conquerer, standing on the top step looking down on Sarah; a man used to control, and like many such men, not used to being kept waiting by a child.

Sarah did not move.

He cleared his throat and dropped his outstretched hand. The smile he kept, pasted beneath a thin nose and a pair of intelligent brown eyes now impatient. His eyes flicked to the man behind Sarah. A heavy hand rested on her shoulder and eased her to the stairs. Sarah felt a tear slide from the corner of her eye and she bowed her head in defeat. Meekly she allowed herself to be guided up the steps to the tall thin man above.

"It seems we have yet to be introduced," said the man holding out his hand again, the smile still on his face. "I am Dr. Octavian Salvador LaRosa, though you may call me Sir LaRosa if you please. Chief scientist of the Laboratory and a decorated member of the Council of Seven." Sir LaRosa indicated the starfish on his shoulders.

"Sarah," said Sarah.

"Sarah," repeated Sir LaRosa after a weak smile and a limp handshake. "And the old women must be...?"

"My grandma."

"Ah," said Sir LaRosa, nodding his head as if he understood, "your grandma, of course!" Sir LaRosa let half his smile droop and turned up the other half in a sort of grin. A kind of grimace remained. "No doubt you are wondering her whereabouts?"

Sarah looked up at Sir LaRosa's face.

"Have no fear child, have no fear!" She is safe with me and the experiments have been saved from tampering! Though I know not why anyone so young as you would seek to be caught up in this affair!" Sir LaRosa's mouth moved into a frown. "Surely you yourself, young Sarah, where but a naive accomplice to the raving madness of an old women?"