Burnt Sienna (Hemlock Grove // Roman Godfrey AU)

Cleaned Up Your Mess, So Help Make Mine

Moments later, I woke up to Roman sprinkling water on my face. I held my head as I glanced at Maria's lifeless body in front of me. Oh no! She was the only way I could know more about it all. What happened to her? I looked at Roman who looked at Maria and said, "Sienna, why did you kill her? What will you do now?"

"No, no, no. I didn't-I-I didn't do this. No! No!" I screamed as I started to cry in terror. Did I actually kill the only source from which I would have gotten information from? Had I just killed a human being? With a gun? I looked at my clothed, peppered with crimson splotches. I had Maria Stauffner's blood on me.

"I don't remember doing it. I don't. I didn't do it. Did I?" I yelled looking at the corpse in front of me.

"What can I say?" Roman answered simply.

"What am I going to do? I wanted to scare her. Try to pry information out of her. The gun was only if she actually advanced to kill me. I thought she would have," I questioned loudly as panic set in. I began to hyperventilate. Roman seemed calm through it all.

"I'll call Pryce," he said.

Pryce arrived minutes after and keenly observed the scene with his eyes. "Sienna, is this your doing?"

"Dr. Pryce, I swear, I don't remember. Roman came, I blacked out. There's a gun in my hand that I fired and she's dead. But I don't know."

"Worry not. I will take care of this ordeal. You- go clean up and be at my office. Do not tell anyone of this. Am I clear?" Pryce commanded as he looked briefly at Roman. Then Pryce looked at me, this time with some sympathy in his eyes.

"Y-yes," I said as I ran out of that place. I went to my car, started it, and went home. Peter was luckily not there, so I had to give no explanations. I took off the clothes, put on new ones, and soaked the blood-stained ones in cold water. After harsh scrubbing and washing, the blood was gone. But the image of Maria's corpse lying there and the gun in my hand had marked my memory all too deeply.

I gasped, trying to stop the tears from coming again. The last time I was this terrified was at that abandoned house where the demon messenger came. What will happen now? Will I go to jail? My fears pounded inside my head. This was getting unbearable. Yet, I somehow managed to collect myself temporarily and drive to the White Tower.

When I got to the parking lot, every single trace of Maria Stauffner was gone. Completely gone. Roman- not there. Blood- not there. No one would have believe if I said a murder took place here half an hour ago. I didn't have any curiosity as to what happened to the body. Instead, I went up to meet Pryce.

Pryce met me at his office, bearing no signs of what just happened. It seemed any other regular day here. "Come with me," he said.

Pryce took me downstairs, to a place I had never seen before. It was another lab, except this one had glass displays and inside them were all sorts of creations- human-like creations. I was appalled. I was not an expert in the biomedical field nor was I a law-enforcer but one glance at this place told me that this was definitely not going to be a legal laboratory.

"This is my secret project. Sienna, you are a bright one. Sensible and responsible. From your first day here, I was pleased with your work ethic and determination. I had no doubt you would bring potential to what I am working on. And now the time has come for me to tell you all about this. And you will agree to assist me."

"Dr. Pryce I am honored but," I said.

"But?"

"But does anyone know about this? I mean, apart from whoever works here. Does Mr. Godfrey know about this? You are using his money."

"Sienna, yes, I am using his money. But look at how much I contribute in making the Godfrey Institute profit as much as it is. All the breakthrough discoveries have been part of my work. You understand how insensible Roman can be. No, not a lot of people are aware of this place, and that is exactly how I intend to keep it."

"Also, you will work here from now. I will not take no for an answer. I cleaned up your mess. You owe me this. You should be grateful I have not sent you to prison."

I was trapped but I kept mum. What could I have said. So I just nodded, letting Pryce know I agreed to the terms and conditions he put forth. I dare not look at what was on display again. Even the thought of it made me want to throw up. And Pryce's deal contributed to that. How did it even make sense? Do something illegal to counter something illegal I had previously done? But I asked no questions. I simply nodded. In my head, I was appalled. I knew, I knew Pryce was heartless. He only cared about his work and himself. He had used me. I supposedly shot Maria with his gun. And now, I was being forced to do this because Pryce cleaned up a mess I don't even recall making. Maybe it was the high of the fear and too many conflicting events that were distorting what happened. But I couldn't say a word.

Next day, I began working my normal shift hours at the normal lab and late hours in Pryce's secret one. It was horrifying to say the least. There were humanoid samples and other deformed creature-like things that look like they are from some other planet all stored in tall glass cylinders. They were observed and documented. Pryce was trying to make life happen- in his own lab. I thought of how unethical this was. But as I said, I had to stay mum. I couldn't tell anyone.