With the meager energy she could muster, Lara tried her hardest to not let the statement get to her. Tried not to think about the disgusting passage of gratification that had so easily raffled over Ravn's face.
After the confrontation, she called the day off to go home. Spending hours to herself helped as much as being there. When night had rolled around, sleep wasn't a thing granted. She tossed, turned, and before long, gave up.
What did Ravn want with her? What was he capable of doing? It was all because of 507. If he hadn't responded by challenging her, none of this would have happened. If she had stuck to her basic duties and not given him a second thought, this also might not have happened.
With her aunt working until later tonight, Lara had plenty of time to adjust to what a regular day was going to be like for the next couple of weeks.
And it was lonely, boring and bleak. All she managed to do was wander around. It was an after thought, but she almost felt compelled to go back to the facility.
As the hours droned and another night greeted her in its hopeless sense, she sat on the couch with a head nestled in Jessica's lap. Her gaze dozing on the television, sweet caresses ran down her scalp and through the length of her hair. Closing her eyes, she deeply inhaled the temporary peace.
"Aunt Jessica?"
The older woman rumbled a response in her chest, though she appeared far more interested in whatever show was on.
"Why did you pick Lara?"
A confused, warm stare left its hold and settled on Lara's forlorn creases. "I never told you?"
"No."
"Oh." It was quiet between the two for a minute. Her aunt's attention to the T.V, she seemed to be contemplating or throwing together what she wanted to say. "I didn't name you, darling."
Lara's head bounced. "What? Then who..." her voice fading on the question she couldn't finish, she further frowned.
The gently rested face of her aunt peered down. "Your mother."
Baffled, Lara began to reiterate, "My..."
Letting out a sigh, Jessica smoothed strands of hair behind Lara's ear. "Before you were born, she had a name for you. After you were born, not even a few hours old, Anne told me why she wanted you to be called Lara."
Voiceless, Lara hoped her eyes could telepathically express how much more she wanted to know. How dire it was for her to know.
Jessica chuckled. "If I remember correctly, she liked your name because one of its meanings is happy."
Happy.
Why would she name her after an emotion that Lara would struggle with ever since her mother left?
She looked towards her aunt, who was lost in thought with her chin up and lips tracing silent words as if to recall a distant memory.
A picture perfect scene that urged a smile to Lara's face; she was happy. No one made her feel more cherished or at peace like her aunt. And maybe that was it. Maybe that's why her mother left. She knew she wasn't capable of giving Lara what Jessica could. Maybe her mother felt like she could never be the mother Lara needed.
For some reason, her heart cracked. Sadness and understanding of a whole other kind enveloping her, she bit away sorrow.
Is that true, mom? The title foreign, a thick knob coiled in her throat.
If it was, Lara had to strive to understand her mother's reasoning. It was hard, it wasn't fair, but she had to. She might never know why, nevertheless, she was happy.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Awakening to bright sunlight wasn't the greatest feeling in the world, yet it wasn't near as disheartening as yesterday. She had to go in, no denying it. Except, there was the issue that her aunt would be leaving this evening, and Lara planned to be back in enough time to see her off.
Bursting through the entrance with an air best described as resilient; she stood among people traversing to and from their destinations. Trotting it to the station containing the check-in sheet, below hers sat a list of responsibilities she was assigned to do. Just like the days she took off from school, the workload doubled.
Blown away by unending chores, she gaped. There was no way she would complete any of this in a day. Fortunately for her nerves, the first task was tending to aquarium eight, the one that housed a portion of the dolphins. Her eyes depleting the remaining list, she landed at the bottom of the hundred plus problems.
Unfortunately, tending to Beta-507 was second to last with Percy at the bottom requiring some medication she wasn't paying much if any attention to. Perhaps she could cut the day in half and have someone else finish the rest? As selfish as the idea was, it was tempting.
Lara grumbled and turned from the board. She couldn't run from the creature forever.
Polishing cabinets, mopping floors, removing the vomit of woozy children affected by swishing water; dispersing medication and treats while saying hello to every living creature within the facility - goldfish included - and tidying the three labs they had, a lengthy day dwindled with the majority of her chores surprisingly accomplished.
Finally, it came the task of handling 507 before she'd have to care for Percy. Impatient to see her unpredictable friend, she tallied the minutes she could diminish dealing with the merman.
Speaking of which, both Percy and 507 had a lot more in common than she realized...
Oh well. Percy was still easier to manage.
With bated steps, she started off for the restricted area. Passing resentment underway, why was someone as low on her caliber even allowed near their clandestine projects? Unless this place was a rouge decorated in plastic and metal expenses to compensate for their lack of proper staff and the like, she couldn't fathom it. Were they honestly as well off as her co-workers proclaimed?
It didn't add up why a volunteer like herself was put in the midst of man's current conquest. She should have felt lucky, she supposed. When and if the news broke, she would be apart of the scarce group that had known all along. She should have felt giddy, excited and exhausted from the thrill, but no. All that riddled her bones was deflation and wariness.
As bad as she hated to say it, this merman was a person, too. And it felt wrong to simply regard him as a subject. The whales were treated more humanely.
This whole thing didn't sit right. And there was an impulsive notion discussed between the underlings that even higher officials hadn't a clue of 507's discovery yet. Could it be that not a soul outside of this building was aware? By the inadequacy of government and specialists sticking their noses in or swarming the facility, it spoke volumes. Especially since something as innocent as a new species of bug got a ton of press.
Lara's nose brushing steel, she reared back. A blinking, blue light overhead, she had made it to her goal. Gauging the panel where she would have to input an access code, she debated on going through with it before conceding.
Tinkering with the pad, she squinted and griped under her breath, "This better be worth it."
Cold, sanitized air filtered around her in the wake of greyed lighting. Stepping forward, she waited for the gate to close in its signature creak and seal.
Although she wasn't sure on how she would get trembling hands to comply with what needed to be done, food wasn't going to serve itself. A reluctant breath in, she geared it for the section wrapped in another series of petty, security chains protecting specialized feed.
Working through the wired metal, she managed to access the keypad. Jamming in another code to reveal grotesque looking, freezer-dried clumps of meat, the smell alone made her want to vomit.
Searching for a bucket, she found one lined on a shelf in tow with some others. Thrusting on gloves, she began hurling the barf-inducing meal within its contents. The bucket hanging slightly off the ground, Lara worked up the staircase, surpassing where the feeding door was located.
Sure, it was a bit unorthodox to skip the panel specifically meant for feedings, but she still had to clean the dock, secure its entry, and regrettably, she was feeling too lazy to deal with moving around too much or entering anymore pass-codes than necessary. It would be just as efficient to feed him by tossing in his food once she reached the top of the tank.
Coming to a door preventing escape from inside the enclosure, she thumbed in the code. Chiming open, she cautiously tiptoed with a glance to the waters lying feet below the outermost edge.
It was perfect.
Lifting the weighty bucket above water, she tilted its corner bit by bit to empty the glop out in a slippery, gutsy mess.
Her stomach churning, she was halfway finished when she had to shake the last particles loose. The bottom sticking to tough chunks, she rearranged her footing to lean the butt of the container closer to her face.
Gliding when her foot collided with a small puddle, she abruptly jolted to right herself. Collecting skewed limbs, the bucket had traitorously flown from her hands to stagger in a floating tease in the water.
A tad miffed with the blip, thankfully, it didn't land too far. Positive she could retrieve it if she was careful, she bent on her knees and stretched an arm to grapple for a corner. The mild paddling motion causing it to drift further, her heart pounded as she openly scorned its deception with a buried growl.
She was so close.
Inching upwards, she laid on her stomach for support. Her hips teetering the edge, she swooped the surface to draw it back. The action proving worthless, she did succeed in splashing herself in the face.
How was she going to explain this? They had cameras. She would ultimately be fired when they saw her display of professionalism.
Arms rocking back and forth, portions of her shirt were drenched in icy liquid. The bucket taunting in its sly, beckoning movement, she'd purposely avoid using it from now on.
That was if she could get it. Too stubborn to abandon pursuit for a dumb bucket to win, teeth clamored as she moved again. In the same whim, a vague, floppy sensation explored her stomach.
Forehead bunching in bewilderment, something besides the juvenile plight felt disturbing. Needling in on why this feeling persisted, she ceased.
Oh, yes... Beta-507. Remembering the problematic, questionably dangerous creature that currently lived in the water she was ignorantly sticking her hands in, Lara gasped and promptly went to hobble off the ground.
However, in the frenzied waltz to safety, she unluckily missed a spot and - wait for it - slipped. Gracefully slipped, mind you. That would be the story. No ifs, ands, or buts.
Dismayed, she didn't mean to lose her grip. She hadn't realized that the palm she was using to brace her body had been set in the puddle she previously slid in.
She didn't mean to fall right into the pit.
She didn't talk or think about her fear of water much; how terrified she would become at measly standing at the edge of a pool or the shallow, ocean shore.
It was uncanny how she wound up in a position that required her to be around the substance most of her days. It was different though, contained behind strong glass, it didn't bother her.
This did.
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