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In the Autumn of 1888, A young Scientist, Dr. Antonio Fernandez-Carriedo began a series of experiments, a study really, that he hoped may alter the notions of good and evil. How could the poor man have known...these studies would change his very soul.
“Antonio, really, he is far beyond help. You really must give up on him.” Gilbert moved closer to his friend for a moment to try and urge him to listen to the words he was speaking.
“Gil, he still has a soul, as worthy of saving as yours or mine. He’s just...he’s just trapped in a dark world. Madness is a cruel prison, nothing more” Antonio paused and looked down at the figure on the table in front of him. “I believe that I can...no I
know
that I can help him”
“Antonio, only death can help him now”
“No, there must be a better solution. My theories..my studies they point to a solution” Antonio turned his head away from his friend and back down to the figure. He grabbed the cold arm and lifted it closer to his face, pressing it to his chick.
“Antonio, your theories are dangerous. More so than he is. Your colleagues...oh if only you heard the things they say about you. Say you are trespassing on hallowed ground when you experiment like this with human nature.”
“Cowards” Antonio responded, setting the hand back down to the table. “All of them are cowards. They simply fear what they do not understand.” he stepped closer to Gilbert and set a gentle hand on his shoulder. “How can we call ourselves a civilized people if we are not prepared to help him...and for that matter, every other wretched soul like him”
Gilbert sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “I admire your determination, Antonio, truly I do. But I question your philosophy. You’re truly gifted...but I fear you may not be using this gift wisely” He sighed as he turned away from Antonio and walked out of the hospital ward.
Antonio returned to the side of the table and looked over the patients face, holding his hand tightly in his own again. “I will find the answer, I swear it, I will never desert you and I promise that. I promise that until the day I die” He whispered, tenderly kissing the man’s forehead and moving away. He paused to look back at him.
“Goodnight, Father”
Antonio sat at his desk in his lab, looking over his notes over and over again. “I need to know” He grumbled as he flipped a page. “There must be an explanation as to why man loses his senses. Where does intelligence give way to madness.” He growled and slammed his fist down on the desk, standing up and pacing back and forth.
“God please guide me here. Show me the path to success! I need to see what other men cannot, the go where others refuse to. If you can just give me that courage, I will follow and I will go” he called out as he looked up at the ceiling above him, hoping for an answer, a sign. Something! Anything to help him see what he was missing.
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Antonio looked over his notes a few times as he thought about the best way to say this. These people were not easy to please and he knew that full well. But right now he just needed to convince them that he was ready to begin this experiment. If they would give him one man for his experiment then he could save hundreds maybe even thousands of lives. When he got into the operating theatre he carefully set his script down on the podium they had set up when they temporarily converted the room. He grabbed the box of his experiment off of the table and carefully set it up for the demonstration. When he heard the doors open he smiled. Romulus walked through the doors and bowed his head to the Spaniard. “Good afternoon Antonio. How are things working out for you?” he asked. “Get everything all ready for today?” Antonio nodded. “All ready. Whenever they get here I have the full presentation ready. I’m just a little nervous. It is a lot to ask for” he chuckled and shrugged a bit. “The worst they can do is say no. Though that would put a very large dent in my research. I would really prefer they said yes” he chuckled and smiled at the Roman. Romulus chuckled. “I guess we should welcome them all in then shouldn’t we” he bowed his head and moved to open the doors to let in the board. They walked in with their noses held high and Antonio could only feel his anxiety raise. These people were his biggest chance. The world’s biggest chance. He just had to convince them that this was the best way. That this wasn’t actually all that crazy of a request. “Alright everyone take your seats, Dr, Fernandez will begin soon,” Romulus assured them as he watched the crowd around him roll their eyes practically in sync. He sighed and stepped to the side. He was supposed to vote on this too...all he could think of was the expectations Antonio must have. Just because he was marrying his son, that did not mean he approved of these methods or this idea. “Distinguished governors,” Antonio began “I have looked into the very future and seen miracles you would never believe. I’ve seen marvels only science could find. I believe we can use these marvels to shape the future of mankind...and today I have the ability to show them to you” “Please get on with it, Dr.” Stride glared at Antonio as the man only laughed. “Right, forgive my manners, Dr Stride. Each of us is the embodiment of two distinct and opposing forces - one dark and one light, one good and one evil - each fighting for supremacy inside of us. Constantly at war. It is clear to me now that we have the power to divide this primitive duality of men into its separate components. We can separate what is functional from what is dysfunctional and we can control these elements forever. My experiments with various animals have lead me to believe that this separation is more than theoretical, it is achievable. I must now be permitted to test my theory and my formula on a human subject” “What?!” Practically the whole crowd yelled out in response to his final sentence “To be prodded and tested on like some laboratory rat?!” Lady Beaconsfield exclaimed and looked offended as if he’d asked to have her own child. “Yes, madam! Yes gentlemen. I ask that I be permitted to select a patient to prove my theory, for the betterment of mankind! A volunteer I would hope” Antonio responded with a confident smile. “Ah yes, a volunteer labrat” Bishop rolled his eyes as he looked at his colleagues. “A man, sir, who society has already given up on, who has been deemed as hopeless. An inmate of this very prison!” “Antonio!” Romulus called out. “And you would prefer this surgery on this pitiful creature's brain?!” Lady Beaconsfield looked appalled by the suggestion. “No! As I have already explained to you, my formula comes in the form of drugs, carefully combined and administered through a hypodermic injection!” “What?!” In sync again
“My friends there are doomed and broken souls and thousands of asylums that are left to rot with no better plan, no options. In the name of compassion and science, I can save so many of these men's lives if you give me one person.” “The church would never allow such a thing!” “This is sacrilege, lunacy!” “Blasphemy!” All the voices ran out from different people as they continued to discuss how they disagreed with his plans. “You’re playing god here, there is such a thing as ethics and you seem to run rough. You’re a doctor not some saviour and I judge from your behaviour that you can not tell the two apart!” Stride called out, causing nods from the crowd. “Mr Stride I am simply a scientist and I have a code, to which I remain true! I don’t presume to the stature of morals! I leave pretension like that, sir, to you” Romulus stepped forwards. “You know, Antonio that I have always encouraged your enterprise and have been hopeful that you would succeed but in the face of these powerful arguments, I see no choice but for you to concede” “I know my fate is yours to choose but if they win, the world will lose! I am on the brink of great success please, I beg of you, you must say yes” “Doctor Fernandez that is enough! This is a hospital and we are here to save lives!” Beaconsfield cried out “Do you expect us to compromise all that we stand for indulging in your dangerous games?” “Cowards! Fools!” Antonio called out. “Antonio!” Romulus stepped forward again. “That is enough, Mr. Stride please” “Distinguished colleagues your verdict please, those in favour please say aye” A chilling silence filled the room as the arguing came to a stop and Stride gave a sigh. “And those opposed, nay” the room filled now with nays as the board practically in sync made their decisions. All but Romulus that was, which stride noticed and hushed the crowd. “Romulus?” “I abstain” “So with six votes to none, one abstention, proposition 929 of Antonio Fernandez-Carriedo has been rejected, thank you for your time, Doctor” Antonio looked at his experiment in the box with a deflated expression and sighed as he rolled his head back. That was it then. He lifted the box and carried it away from the room. He made his way outside and decided to take the long way home as he tried to think of what he could possibly do now.