April 23, 2007
There has been a three month medical delay which nearly costs Garrett
his life because of cortical edema. The delay was caused by the deliberate withholding of information by the neurosurgeon's secretary
and other professional apathy at many levels. Garrett finally has his surgery in Sacramento. The tumor is given to Dr.
Von Haptel who has flown over from Germany and rented a small house in Grass Valley. He has hired helpers, and in
a specially constructed laboratory, proceeds with the project.
As Garrett expected, the observable phylogeny of the developing organism,
which Von Haptel now calls the "parasite", begins to recapitulate the evolutionary process just as with a
human fetus. The growth rate is accelerated almost twenty times by Von Haptel's nutrient solution. But it does have such a
pale and sickly look. Time passes.
February 2, 2008
The parasite has grown into a mature man in mockery of Garrett, an
inferior, unwholesome, moribund-looking clone of the original. The arms and legs are thin and spindly. The chest and shoulders
hollow. The complexion is opaque and bluish. The areas around it's bloodshot eyes are blackened as if by bruising. The gums
are red and swollen.
The creature seems manifestly evil and stares intently at anyone who approaches.
It has a vicious look of all-consuming envy and hatred. It moves very little and never speaks. The creature has strong
powers of auto suggestion. Von Haptel doesn't understand this when he finds himself suddenly driven to invite Garrett over
to view the progress.
Garrett arrives and is taken very much aghast by viewing this nemesis and
dire enemy for the first time. The creature glares at him in a way that makes Garrett reach for his pistol.
Von Haptel raises his hands in protest, "I
can only imagine how you must feel, but please don't cheat humanity of such a discovery. I'm only beginning to understand
this phenomenon. With the right medical team on this, we may learn to cure everything that goes wrong with health. This is
the ultimate dichotomy, like good and evil, the very essence of health and illness itself. We are very fortunate to be able
to pursue such research. There are many in the world who, for religious reasons, would deny us the liberty to do
so."
Garrett reluctantly agrees and heads home, but problems
ensue.
The next night Garrett nearly cuts off his fingers while he's slicing vegetables
for lamb stew. It's almost like he wanted to do it and somehow stopped himself at the last second.
Two nights after this he nearly doesn't make it back from a kinky scenario
with a very dangerous woman who was recommended to him by imprudent Hell-raiser friends quite some time ago. Just what is
it that could suddenly make him decide to visit, and then foolishly relinquish so much control, to such a deadly female?
Garrett suspects outside influence and calls Von Haptel before heading over
to the laboratory. The minute he enters he feels a strong urge to approach the parasite. He naturally mistrusts this impulse
and advances carefully. The creature gives Garrett a very sour look and then with surprising ferocity tries to attack
by furiously stabbing with a butter knife through the turkey wire enclosure. Von Haptel stuns the creature with an electric
jolt.
February 14, 2008
The parasite, using telepathy, tricks the night orderly into releasing him
and then kills him by strangulation. He then escapes in the orderly's clothes and automobile, drives to Sacramento
and gets a newspaper. He reads about a big luncheon for stewardesses. In need of a little nookie, he decides to join
the ladies.
Apparently the parasite isn't as puny as he looks, because he manages
to lock the ladies into the banquet room and rape seventy three of them in ten minutes. When the police arrive he bellows
savagely and throws chairs. Several police officers shoot him. It takes thirty four bullets to bring him down. The final shots
effectively tear off his head.
Police, from eye witness accounts, later describe the parasite to news media
as resembling a "robotically mobile steam-driven piston pump mercilessly raping woman after woman as they screamed and tried
to fight him off."
The next day Garrett and the doctor meet at the laboratory. For "further
forensic study" says Von Haptel. He wants to take a tissue sample back to Germany and start the whole project all over again
with better security.
"Forget it, Herr Dr. Frankenstein. I agree with you about the liberty to
pursue research, but consider the liberty of the seventy three women who were raped. There's too much unpredictability here. Remember,
that creature was the evil part of me, and it's up to all of us individually to stop that part of ourselves. I don't
want the responsibility of what else might happen if this research were to continue with my tissue sample." Von Haptel
looks dismayed.
"Don't fret. As a pathologist you can get plenty of tumor samples and without
the help of Burke and Hare" says Garrett. Next he makes makes
two phone calls. Later that night the creature's body goes up in flames at the city morgue crematorium.
May 21, 2008. Reno Nevada
With a controversial news article on terrorism, Garrett begins his career as an impromptu journalist. Because
Valdison is pro-active about world peace he looks with disdain upon most of humanity. Says Garrett "The average person on
Earth is merely a sleepwalker living is a fantasy world of drugs, mythology, sports, and virtual reality." His journalistic
impulse proceeds from a desire to change this tepid and limp wristed approach to living through education.
