As always:
Thanks to "Boheminxen" for editing.
Thanks to "Doc" for story consulting.
Author's Note: This story takes longer to develop, and therefore the erotic features appear later. If looking for something quick, I do not recommend this.
*
I barreled through the metal double doors into the Research and Development building and ran down the hall. I had my white lab coat draped over one arm with a couple file folders in that hand while I was desperately trying not to spill my coffee in the other as I plowed through the last door, the door to my laboratory.
"Shit." My head went down and I immediately threw away my coffee and then wiped the burning liquid from my hand on the convenient napkin known as my pants. "Sorry I'm late everyone." Being that I'm 45 minutes late for an 8:00 am start time, I now wonder why the snooze buttons exist on alarm clocks. I looked up and saw only 6 of my 25 volunteers still here and those were students of mine trying to either suck up, hope to increase their grades as I offered extra credit, or, as I believe is the case with senior Shelly Sheridan, to annoy the crap out of me for giving her a B+ on the last test, hurting her chances of receiving an A in my class and directly impacting her precious 4.0.
Shelly immediately started up. "Being a professor of psychology, you should have a better grasp of time. But I suppose that's why you're at a mid-level college rather than having your own practice somewhere." She just oozed an angered sarcasm.
"Thanks for the insight Shelly." I composed myself while I put on my lab coat, more to hide the coffee stain than anything else. "We might as well get started. I need each of you to fill out a waiver form while I explain why we are all here."
"Blah, blah, blah." Shelly mocked. "We're here because the university thinks you're some sort of whiz kid at 29 years old and you want us to be guinea pigs for some experimental memory drug. And because you couldn't get enough volunteers for your whack job experiment, you gave lower grades to students like me to ensure we'd come and get the grade we deserved in the first place. Is that about right?"
The other students were looking at me to see if this normally docile nerdy brunette with glasses was going to push me over the edge. "Shelly, you don't have to be here, but if you can hold your tongue, the pill I have for you is an all natural memory enhancer." I began to sound like an infomercial. "You take it, sleep for an hour to let the vitamins and herbs take effect and all you have to do is read something once, and you'll remember. If you had this a week ago, you would've deserved A on the last test." I held up the little green pills and with a smile, I glared at Shelly. She shut up. "All right, everyone sign the forms?" I grabbed a paper from each student. "Great, everything appears in order."
"Professor Carter?" Eve, a flighty red-haired senior, who I have no idea why she signed up for this as she has decent enough grades raised her hand in the air.
"You don't have to raise your hand Eve. Now what is it?"
"Sorry, um, this can't hurt us, can it?" Eve was biting her lower lip.
"No, as I said, this is all natural. Nothing even remotely harmful went into this."
"Professor?" I turned my head to the two sophomore boys here; John and Lucas, twins who have long black hair and are pretty much stoners.
"Yes, boys?" I really didn't care what Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum had to say. How did these two pass their first year? I wonder if their parents have incriminating photos of the Dean. <3
"Now with this extra credit, we're going to pass your class, right?" Lucas spoke, but both of their mouths hung open in anticipation.
"Yes, gentlemen." I use that term very loosely. "With the extra credit you receive today, you will pass. Barely, but it's still passing."
John and Lucas high fived each other. "All right!"
"Ethan, sir?" Kennedy another one of my seniors who has auburn hair and my resident klutz - really she trips and knocks over everything - called out. I'm amazed she has the coordination to play softball.
"Professor Carter please, and what would you like to know Kennedy?" I have to remind her to not call me by my first name every day. I've never gave her a reason to, but she does anyway.
"Okay, um, how long will this last?" She began twirling a pen in her hair.
"Well, once you take the pill, it should knock you out quickly. Once I notice all of you are sleeping, I'll set the alarm for an hour. Afterward, I will have a document for you to read followed by quick round of answering of questions about what you read. The whole process should take about two and a half hours, depending on how fast you read." I put the waivers in an envelope and glanced over at the students one final time. I noticed everyone had a question but a shy freshman girl named Lydia, a platinum blonde who really kept to herself. "Any other questions?"
Everyone replied with some sort of "no", with Lydia just shaking her head slightly. "Okay, let us begin. The chairs you're in lean back like a recliner, so get comfy and take your pill. If you need water, there is one located on the right side of your seat in the cup holder. I'll wake you up in an hour. Sweet dreams everyone."
Each person took a pill, laid back in their chairs, and rapidly dozed off. I set the alarm clock for an hour and passed out a boring dissertation paper a former student of mine wrote. I had pulled one randomly and had copied it. I opened another file folder and started to grade papers I had my freshman class do on Sigmund Freud. As I read a few, I became grateful that none of these students were English majors. I started to succumb to slumber.
Four Hours Later...
"Professor? Professor Carter? We gotta get going dude."
"What time is it?" I groggily raised my head and stretched out my left arm, which was uncomfortably laying on something, and I wiped away some drool I accumulated with the other.
"About 1 o'clock man," John informed me.
"C'mon John, we better hurry if we're going to make our appointment with our dealer, I mean, um, tutor," Lucas added.
I looked at the clock and noticed my arm had been lying on that damn snooze button. "Wait boys, did you read the packet I put on your tables?"
"Yeah, we did," John started.
"That was some boring shit," Lucas continued.
"What can you tell me about it?" I pressed.
"Wait, did you want us to read all of it? Because we only got through about a half a page," John said and Lucas nodded in agreement.
"That's fine. Can you tell me what you remember about it?" I was on the edge of my seat, eager with anticipation. I don't know what the paper was about and I didn't want to know. I didn't want to influence the student's answers with leading questions. If my calculations were correct, they should be able to quote verbatim what they read.
"Uh, something about love and seeing, I think," Lucas responded.
"No, it was about having a love of construction sites," John interrupted. "We didn't think we were going to be tested on it. Can we look at it again, like an open book test?"
I failed. "No, that's alright. You two can go now and you still get your extra credit," I sighed. "See you in class Monday."
"What? We still have to go?" Lucas looked more disappointed than I am.
"Yes boys, the semester isn't over for another week. You still have to attend class." I began to rub my temples, wishing for nothing more than peace and quiet.
"Aw man," The two said in unison as they left.
I took a deep breath. Best get the girls up. I can't wait to hear Shelly go off about my time management again. "Ladies," I said in a loud voice. "Time to wake up. Rise and Shine."
The four of them began to stir and stretch and then finally focus on me. I gave them a beaming smile and tried to be as upbeat and chipper as possible as I delivered the bad news. "Things ran long today, so I am sorry to inform you that it's a little after one in the afternoon. If any of you need to leave, you're free to go and thank you for participating. But if you have the time to read the pages in front of you, I would appreciate it," I asked with hope, assuming none would stay.
The four all seemed to look around, smile at me, and started reading. "Of course, being so late, you don't have to read all of it." All four of their heads jerked forward, eyes on me. "Just read the first two pages and we'll go from there." Their heads went back down to complete the task assigned.
It didn't matter. I already knew the outcome. The formula was designed so anyone could recall information. I was actually counting on my two stoners to be the ideal candidates. They would've been perfect. I could parade them up to the board of trustees and say "Look what I can do with this." I would point at the boys and they would start rattling off Stephen Hawking's 'A Brief history of Time'.. "Ta-da!" The board would clap, give me handshakes, and most importantly, give me more grant money to continue my research. Life would've been good. Oh well, back to the drawing board.
As I watched them, they all seem to be periodically looking up at me, smiling. I would make eye contact and reciprocate the act. I know it's kind of warm in here, but I thought the girls would blush at this and smile wider before their heads went back down. Even Shelly did this, which I suppose is better than listening to her incessant bitching. Suddenly, all four girls were staring at me. It was eerie. All at once their heads lifted and they gazed intently at me, smiling. I swear I could hear the twilight zone theme off in the distance.
