Raising the Dead, in Spite of the Natural Order: A Cautionary Tale
Chapter 2
*****
"Iga! Get down here, I need you!" I shout into the voicepipe. An odd fixture to be sure, but it's an old house. They crisscross too many rooms, but I always keep the one in the lab open to Iga's room. I suppose I could just use the phone, but I appreciate the direct simplicity.
I get back to work on arranging my electrodes until she arrives. I know it's late, but when I get focused and make progress, I'm like a hummingbird and can't slow down.
She finally stumbles into the lab, buttoning her shirt as she enters. Her hair is a mess, and a sheen of sweat is across her brow.
"I didn't wake you, did I?" I ask. I'm sure I did, but it's worth it.
"Oh, no, wide awake. I was just in the middle of-" she clears her throat, "What did you need me for, Victoria?""
I just grin and flip the switch. All at once, the body, or rather, the amalgamation of bodies, rises, and takes a step forward, and then another. The wires trail behind it, but it maintains it's balance.
Iga's eyes fly wide, "It's... walking!" she smiles at me and we both jump like excited little girls.
She walks up to the triumph of science, and it looms over her, naked and in excellent proportions. Not that it's excessively tall, but Iga is rather petite.
"Wow, can it-" Iga's words are cut short as the monster, if we'll call it that, takes another step and the taut wires pull it off balance. It tumbles forward, on top of her, burying her face in it's ample breasts.
I gasp and rush forward to pull it off of her. I forget to turn the power off and it's attempts to walk forward only result in it grinding it's chest into her face over and over as she tries to fight it off. I realize 'world's first involuntary zombie motorboating' isn't something typical to think of as an accomplishment, but I can't help but appreciate the novelty.
We finally pull the monster free, and I power it down. We both laugh as we relax. Well, mostly I laugh.
"So how much can it do, now?" she asks as we put the body back on the slab.
"Not a lot just yet. Just basic motor functions," I explain, "But the body itself is in good shape. Just look at it. No signs of decay or rigor mortis. If it wasn't for the stitch marks, you'd never know it had been dead tissue just a few hours ago."
"Do you still think we can initiate higher functions of the brain?" she asks.
"I still need to do more tests, but I see no reason why not, at this point. I don't know if it'll be completely intact, we may not keep things like memories, but considering the experimental nature, that may be fore the best. The problem is finding the right one, but I'm onto something that might be promising."
"Oh? Do tell," she says as we roll the body back into the freezer.
"A women's chess champion died the other day, drowned in a hot tub. If the damage to the brain is minimal, it might be the perfect opportunity," I realize how ghoulish it all sounds when I say it out loud, but I'm too excited to care, "If I'm correct, she'll be at a morgue just over state lines."
"Thinking of making another little trip?" Iga snickers, "Should we make sure to bring Eli?"
"Of course, we need all the help we-" I pause, "Oh, you mean because of that awful woman. Ha. Ha. Seriously, there's no way there's any other weird perverts running morgues like that. We just need to be more careful this time."
"Why do you want to make this perfect woman of yours? Don't you worry that if it works, she'll wake up and steal your boyfriend?" Iga teases.
"Nonsense. My poor little Iga, don't you know anything about boys?" I pat her on the head, "What they truly appreciate is brilliance, and this will be a display of that. Being physically sexy is one thing, but having the genius to create that is another! If anything, it's Eli that'll worry about men taking an interest in me after I show the world our discoveries. Not that I have eyes for anyone else."
She snickers at me again, "If you say so."
"Where is Eli, by the way, have you seen him?" I ask, pulling my gloves off.
"Yeah, he's up in my-" she coughs a little, "I saw him in the hallway outside my room as I was coming down."
"Great. I need to share my excitement with him," I grin, meaning exactly what it sounds like.
"I'm sure he's all prepared to hear about your discoveries," Iga says in a sly tone.
"What makes you say that?" I tilt my head to the side.
"Nothing! Just I'm sure he'd like to share your excitement," she laughs a little.
I shrug as I hang up my lab coat, "By the way, have you heard any weird noises coming from the voicepipes? Scratching, rustling, thumping, a weird one that sounds like heavy breathing? I think we might have rats."
"Old house, old tubes, probably just some loose joints," she assures me.
--
"Heeey sweetie," I say as I slide into bed and curl my arms around Eli, having found him lying on his side, reading. I walk my fingers from one hand up his bare chest like little spiders.
"Did you wash your hands?" he asks, rather unromantically, without looking from his book.
"Is that any way for a man to greet the woman he loves?" I poke my finger on his chin.
"For most men, no," he claps the book shut, "But most men don't have women who are downstairs crossing lines that humans weren't meant to cross."
I ignore him and try to slide my hand under the sheets like a mischievous child. A hand which he quickly grabs by the wrist, then wags a finger at me with his other hand.
"You know my rule. No D for you, until you've cleaned up properly," he boops me on the nose to emphasize his point.
I groan and slide out of bed and walk to the bathroom, "You're so uptight!"
"Oh, yes," I hear him from the bedroom as I soap up my hands, "I'm uptight because I don't want any horrible corpse pathogens crawling on my gentials."
I make sure to wash up to the elbow to appease his hygienic demands. I walk out and display the front and back of my hands for his inspection. He gives an approving nod and I immediately pull my shirt off, over my head, and quickly shimmy out of my pants, working out of my undergarments as I slide under the covers.
I cuddle up next to him and give him a quick little kiss, then curiously rub my fingers over the top of his chest, "You're a little sweaty, are you okay?"
"Hm?" he seems a little surprised, "Oh, no, I'm fine?"
"Now that I think of it, Iga was a bit sweaty looking when she came down. Is it too warm up here?" I ask, worried for my baby's comfort, "The heater could be acting up again."
"No, it's fine," he laughs a little, "I can't speak for Iga, but I guess I was just thinking of you," he gives me a little wink.
"Aww, that's the cheesiest, stupidest crap ever. I love you," I nuzzle up against his shoulder.
"Mmm... you actually smell really good tonight, baby. Not sure what it is, maybe i just like your sweaty smell," I nibble a little at his shoulder.
"Got me, I, uh, don't think I've done anything to make myself smell better. I'm surprised you can smell anything after being around all the chemicals down there, " he leans down and kisses me, "So what was the big breakthrough down in the lab?"
