Raising the Dead...

Raising the Dead, in Spite of the Natural Order: A Cautionary Tale

Chapter 1

*****

"The switch, Iga! Now!"

There's a loud clang of the switch, and electricity arcs through the specimen. It twitches a little. Then more. Then the joints move and it begins to jump around in place, held still only by the cables and straps keeping it there.

"It's working... It's working!" I exclaim, "It's alive! We've done it! We've created life!"

I laugh, amused and relieved that I'm not crazy, and that it really can work.

"It's an improvement. But, I mean, it's just pig's foot, I think you're getting ahead of yourself," Iga says.

I peer over at my short, brunette, lab assistant, "First of all, it's a pig's leg, don't minimize. Secondly, just look at it! There's no sign of necrotic tissue, and it's actually moving. We've completely revived part of a dead body - and a mammal, mind you - and it's moving and everything. You'd never even know it died!"

"Well except that the rest of it isn't there."

"I mean, yeah, obviously. But apart from that," I furrow my brow, "Don't kill the mood."

She holds her hands up, relenting.

"I want to move onto human trials, now. We're almost there. We can do it," I laugh again, and a few blonde locks fall over my face, "We can create real, human life."

"What, like reanimate a corpse?" Iga asks, like it's some sort of surprise that I want to play god. Er, I mean, push the boundaries of science.

"Not just one. We can take superior parts from different bodies. I want to make a perfect specimen," I clasp my hands together, just imagining it.

"You've got a pretty great specimen upstairs already, sure he won't get jealous?" Iga teases me.

"Nonsense. Loyalty is his best quality," I assure her.

"I don't know, I could think of some others..." she says, a little wistfully.

"What's -that- supposed to mean?" I ask, not so sure I like her tone.

"Nothing! Just thinking aloud, forget it," she says, laughing a little.

"...Besides, I didn't mean that I'd make a man. I want to build a woman. I superior goddess that I can mold in my own preferred image," I grin to myself, just imagining my creation.

She opens her mouth to be difficult again, but is interrupted by the opening of the large iron doors at the top of the stairs to the lab, followed by a click and the flooding of lights through the room.

"Doesn't science require better lighting than this?" my handsome boyfriend asks from the door.

"Hi sweetie!" I call up to him, "It sets a mood. We're making some dramatic discoveries, here."

"Hiiiii, Eli..." Iga says to him, smiling and waggling her fingers in a wave.

"Right," he laughs - I don't think boys always understand the intricacies of science, "Anyways, I was going to make grilled cheese. You girls hungry?"

"Yes, I think we've earned a break. We'll be up shortly!" I tell him, and he turns to go. He's so great.

The way that Iga watches him go, I don't find quite so great.

-

"What's so special about this hospital, in particular? That we had to go two counties over?" Eli asks me, struggling to put on the scrubs I gave him in the confines of the van.

Iga's head slowly snakes around from her spot in the passenger seat, and I have to reach out and turn it back.

"It's an old one, sweetie. Behind the times, that means poor camera surveillance," I reiterate my plan.

"But... someone told me that we were just looking to see what was there," he grunts a little as he changes, and I have to correct Iga, again.

"I said we were checking to see if there was anything worth taking," I point out, "That doesn't exclude us from taking anything. Besides, we don't want to be found out, either way. This is sort of frowned upon, you know."

"Seems like it would make sense to do an excavation," he leans in, finally in 'costume', "won't someone notice that a body is gone from the morgue?"

"Yes, but it's a risk we need to take. Buried bodies are embalmed today, and the fluid makes them useless for my experiments."

"Okay, fair enough," he says, leaning his head next to mine, "But I want to point out, that stealing dead bodies is well above and beyond the call of duty for the average boyfriend. I expect compensation later," he whispers, a little too loudly, "Anal."

I crack up a little and give him a playful shove, "Hush. Not in front of Iga."

"It's okay, nothing new to me," she says, nonchalantly.

"Wait... what does that mean?" I quirk an eyebrow.

"Nothing in particular," she shrugs in a way that makes her seem more suspicious.

Iga finally gives me the signal that the coroner has left the room. After watching for more than an hour, we can be sure that there's no one else in there. Time to move.

The three of us walk over as casually as we can, disguised as hospital staff. The door is locked, but nothing that can stop the power of science and petty crime, united. It only takes a moment to get inside.

We go through the available bodies, one by one, on stretchers or in the freezers, for anything in good condition, and good appearance, that we can use. They don't have to be good overall, they just have to have a good part, here or there. A nice face, some long legs.

"A real butterface over here, but check out the tits on this one, you guys," Iga exclaims in a loud whisper.

"They are pretty nice, I think we could use this one. What do you think, Eli?" I ask.

He holds up his hands, "I came to help carry stuff and drive the van, not to judge tits on corpses. Leave me out of this part."

I sometimes forget he's not a scientist.

"Okay, that one with the tits, and this one over here is something we can work with, too. I think that's all we can fit in the van," I decide, "Get them into body bags and we'll wheel them out through-"

I'm interrupted by a loud clearing of someone's throat. The coroner is standing right there in the doorway. We forgot to have someone stand guard.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demands, picking up the phone on a nearby desk, presumably to call security. A bit frumpy, with thick glasses, and her hair's a rat's nest, but not unattractive, really.

"I know this looks bad, but the fact is that we just need some bodies for a science experiment, and we couldn't get any through ethical means, because of the nature of said experiment," Iga explains, but it doesn't sway her.

"And... you thought no one was going to notice that they were missing?" the coroner asks.

"Well, at least until we were long gone, that was the idea, yes," I say, quite honestly, "But clearly, we were wrong. So this plan's a wash. Let us go and we can all just forget about it. No need to call security or police."

She studies the three of us for a moment, eyes settling on Eli a little too long for my taste. Then she hangs the phone back up.

"Perhaps you have a point. After all, they're all dead, you aren't really hurting anyone by using them for experiments," she says.

"My thoughts, exactly!" did I really get through to her?

"So maybe I could let you go with some... but here's the thing. A missing body means a lot of paperwork on my part, and in this case, thinking up a clever explanation," she taps a finger on her chin, "If I let you have them, I need some form of compensation."

"We can do that! How much do you want?" can't believe this might work.

"Oh, I don't want money," she says, biting her lip, "I want some sugar."

"You want... what?"

"I want a kiss," she grins.

"Look I don't really swing that-"

"Not from you, silly. Him," she casts a hungry look on Eli.

"No! Out of the question!" I shout, protectively.

"Fine, have it your wait," she turns and picks the phone back up.

"Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa, wait!" I panic a little.

She just looks back at me, questioningly.

I glance to Eli, then back to her, "Fine."

"Do I not get a say in this?" Eli pipes up.

"Please, baby? This would really help out," I ask him. Can't believe I'm asking him to kiss another woman for me. Whatever. It's for science.

He sighs a little and nods in acquiescence, "Okay, for you."

"And no peck on the cheek stuff," she adds, "I expect hands on the ass, playing with hair, and I want tongue."

My jaw clenches, "Fine."

She takes off her glasses and sets them down. I just stand there, hands clenched as he embraces her. Staying true to her request, he does get a handful of ass, and runs his fingers into her messy hair. I can see when his tongue dives past her lips, and can clearly see when she starts to suck on it.

It's hard to watch, but impossible to look away. I'm overwhelmed with jealousy, but also... maybe... aroused? No, that can't be it, I'd never be turned on by watching him... Goddammit.

She really gets into it. He does, too, a little. At least, more than I'm comfortable with, even if my body is responding to it. But her, she full on starts grinding her body against him. I can't tell if this is some sadistic play to piss me off by making out with my boyfriend, or if she's really that hard up for some affection.

If it's the latter, then I guess I can't be that mad. Not everyone can get a man like Eli. He's handsome and sweet and helpful. He's even doing this for me. So I can see where she'd want some attention, the poor thing. She'd never have a hope of getting this in another way. Still a manipulative tramp, but I can sort of sympathize.

It finally finishes, and they part. Both of them are a little flushed, with lips a little puffy from the long kiss.

"Okay," she stumbles back a little and picks up her glasses, then waves her hand in a shooing motion, "Deal's a deal. Take what you want.

She goes back into her office, and we're all left in a little stunned silence for a moment, before we gather ourselves and pack up the bodies.

It's a quiet car ride home.

"Good thing he's such a good kisser. Didn't think we'd need that," Iga pipes up, halfway home.

I just give her a surprised, questioning look.

"I just mean from watching. Clearly, he's a good kisser. I think that was obvious. That's all."