Violet (Prologue)

Prologue

23rd November 1994

Dr. Sanford waddled frantically down the empty hospital corridor, his pristine white lab coat flapping wildly as he did so.
“Oh, where is it?” He murmured anxiously to himself. “Where is it?”
His eyes lit up as the words ‘Maternity Ward’ emerged on the wall through his thick, round glasses. He urgently charged down through the labyrinth of hallways and doors, pushing various nurses and doctors out of his path with a nervous gesture of his hands. His heart sunk when his phone began to ring.

Sanford fumbled madly through his cavernous pockets and picked up his brick of a cell phone. Hesitantly, he brought it to his ear; he knew all too well who would be on the other end of it.
“Hello?” He muttered, barely audibly.
“Is it done?” A deep, hostile voice emerged in response.
“N-no Mr. Bradshaw, I’ve only just found my way to the maternity ward” Sanford began sweating profusely.
“Well see to it that the job gets done, you’ve been given a chance to redeem yourself Dr. Sanford. I suggest you take a hold of that opportunity with a firm grasp.” He sneered; his words were like poison escaping his lips. “Administer the drug, and leave.”

Sanford went to say something, and then hesitated.
“Sir, I’ve been thinking, these are newborns we’re dealing with, not lab-rats. I-”
“It would serve you well to know your place Dr. Sanford. You know full well that we are passed the point of animal-based testing. It is time for us to take the next step; to progress.”
Sanford sighed, and hung his head.

“Yes sir.” He groaned, turning off his phone and picking up his briefcase.
After a great deal of searching, he finally found himself at his destination: A private room belonging to a ‘Ms. Michelle Winter’. He reluctantly pushed open the door. He hated this part of the job.

The room was completely silent except for the heavy breathing of the woman in her bed. Her face dropped when she saw Sanford.
‘You’re not Nurse Kelly’ She snapped, holding her baby closer to her, already defensive of this ‘intruder’.
“No. No I’m not nurse Kelly.” He replied bluntly. He had had this conversation with countless mothers in the past few weeks. “I was sent here on an errand. By Mr. Bradshaw” He added grimly. Michelle’s face dropped. She had been dreading this. She clutched her baby closer.
“You leave my Adam alone.”

“Miss Winter, you have already made the deal. Mr. Bradshaw made it very clear, we give you the money you need to keep you on your feet, and in return we can ‘borrow’ young Adam here. We won’t hurt him; we just need to borrow him.” Sanford’s sly tone made Michelle wary.
“Borrow him for what?”
“Oh, just a little experiment. I assure you, It’s completely safe.”
“And is it legal?” she added, hoping to unsettle his argument.
“It’s completely safe” He repeated, gritting his teeth together slightly. He slammed his briefcase on the table and popped it open. Row upon row of small syringes lined the case, each filled with a deep, purple liquid. He took one out labelled ‘Adam Winter’ and held it lightly in his hand as he approached Michelle.

Sanford thrust his hand towards her and ripped the baby out of her grip, a tear dropped from her eye.
“What will it do to him?” She whimpered.
Sanford’s face remained expressionless as he held the sleeping baby nestled in the crook of his arm.
“The specific effects won’t become apparent until his late teens.” He said, pushing the needle slowly into Adam’s right arm, and releasing the purple serum into his blood.
“Just watch for the purple iris.” He added, handing back the baby and making a swift exit out of the hospital.

Michelle sat stunned in her bed, holding Adam close to her, trying to pick apart Sanford’s riddle. ‘watch for the purple iris’.
She began to weep uncontrollably.
“What’s going to happen to my baby?” She moaned through streams of tears.

Sanford strolled down the hospital, no longer anxious of the deeds ahead. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and called Mr. Bradshaw.

“Who’s next?”