The door suddenly opened. Lily looked down and say a small, hunched man standing before her. The man was young, but completely bald with a malformed head and bulging uneven eyes. Lily tried to hide her revulsion.
"Um, excuse me. I didn't mean to disturb you, especially so late at night. But I am lost. Can you direct me to the University?" asked Lily.
The man said nothing, just continued to stare at her blankly.
"Perhaps you have a phone I could use? I seem to have lost my cell phone, " said Lily.
The hunchback shrugged his shoulders and walked into the house, leaving the door open. Lily supposed that was his invitation to enter and nervously followed him inside.
The interior of the house was very ornate and beautiful, but was very old and beginning to show its age. Cobwebs and dust sat across everything. Lily was beginning to question whether anyone even lived in here. Then the hunchback opened a door in the kitchen. The steps leading down to the basement were well-lit and very clean. Still, Lily felt a bit apprehensive about going into a stranger's basement. Who knew what was down there? It could be some kind of perverted sex dungeon!
"Um, thank you. But I was actually looking for a phone. I think I will be on my way," said Lily.
The hunchback nodded eagerly and pointed down the stairs.
"Igor! What the devil is taking you so long? I need your help - immediately!"
Igor rolled his eyes and walked down the stairs. Curious, Lily followed him down the stairs.
As she descended the spiral staircase she was surprised to find a large laboratory in the basement. Strange lights buzzed across stranger machinery. A hodgepodge collection of glass tubes and beakers sat on a large bench, connected in a seemingly random pattern. It looked like something out of an old black and white horror movie. She half expected to see Dr. Frankenstein working on his monster in the corner.
As if on cue a man in a white lab coat appeared. He rushed forward and began to berate Igor, ignoring Lily.
"Just what were you doing up there, Igor. You know I am about to begin a very delicate experiment and we are shorthanded as it is. I need your help and we don't have much time, " said the man.
Igor stuck a gnarled thumb in Lily's direction.
"Ah, I see. So we have a guest. Who might you be my dear and what brings you to our little hideaway?" asked the man.
"Um, I am Lily, sir. I am a student at the University. I was on my home and I got lost, so ....."
"A University student, you say? Well, maybe fortune does smile on us tonight. We are woefully shorthanded tonight and I could use the help of an educated assistant in my experiment," said the man happily.
"Um, no. I think there is some kind of misunderstanding. I didn't come here to help. I was just lost and I thought maybe I could get directions or use your phone. I must have misinterpreted your assistant...."
"Ah, yes. Igor. A good man. Very dependable, a hard worker. But mute. And not all that pleasant to look at. Well, I am afraid Igor may have led you astray. I do have a phone, but I cannot let you use it. At least not until the experiment is over. Can't spare the power, " said the man.
"Power? But landlines don't use..."
"How about this, young lady? I'll make you a deal. You help me with my experiment, acting as an extra set of hands as it were, and I will let you use my phone. I'll even give you a ride to the University if you like. What do you say? " said the man, holding out his hand.
"You got a deal, " said Lily, shaking his hand. Tonight was getting weird, but it also seemed a little fun and exciting. "Pleased to meet you, Doctor...?"
"No need for formality. You can call me Victor. Now, come on. We don't have much time and we still have a lot of work to do," said Victor as he rushed around the lab.
Lily struggled to keep up.
"Um, Victor. What exactly ARE we doing? I mean, what exactly is this experiment supposed to be?" asked Lily.
Victor paused.
"Ah, yes. How silly of me. I haven't explained anything yet, have I? I can be so absentminded. It's the isolation, you know. When your only companion is a dumb mute you can get a bit nutty. Well, you see my experiment is all about...."