A night at home

[Wilhelm A. Heizeltroff]

Wilhelm snarled as he stormed into his living quarters. His cane sounding more like the pounding of a hammer on the floor as he made his way across the living room to his chair near the windows.

Through those windows he could see out over most of the area around him and clearly see the skyline of London. While normally the view was one he enjoyed he barely looked at it before pulling a rolling cabinet to his chair. Yanking the doors open he pulls out a bottle with no label. The liquid inside was a deep golden amber so reminiscent of his so well known scotch but a single sniff told you this particular drink was quite stronger then normal.

Pouring himself a generous portion into a short glass he took a deep gulp. Without looking away from his glass he threw his cane across the room, bouncing it off the wall and leaving a visible dent in the plaster.

"Gods forbid it work! Five bloody decades of work and I'm close enough to taste the spoils and of course critical failure in the last step. That pathetic excuse for a man just couldn't survive two more days. Of course not. Useless cur should have never left his bitch-mother's womb!"

Wilhelm takes another deep gulp, the liquid lighting a fire down into his gut before spreading like fire. Shankar comes into the room with an equally surly expression. "If you wish to destroy your rooms then expect to find another man-servant to repair it Master Heizeltroff."

Wil glared at Shankar but merely shakes his head a moment later. He knew that Shankar was just making it clear he wouldn't repair the damage. Again. Wil's temper of late had been so violent it was surprising that Shankar hadn't found a contractor before. After a moment he waved his hand, clearly dismissing Shankar. With a roll of his eyes Shankar quickly slid away leaving Wil to deal with his temper by himself.

Soon after found Wilhelm staring into the fireplace, the glass in his hand refilled with the nameless liquor. Still the rage and hatred could clearly be seen in his eyes. He'd been so close and his most successful experiment to date had died that afternoon. The man had managed to somehow cut his own throat before the final treatments could begin.

Wil stood and made his way over to the windows. Staring out them he contemplated his life. Seventy years he'd been alive though he didn't look, or feel, a day over 30. Fifty of those years had been dedicated to a single work. Perfecting the human form into the ultimate version. Stronger, faster, more resilient humans that could be used for the perfect soldiers. Smarter, longer lived men and women to further the science and arts of mankind. He'd been so close to the perfect soldier. The last subject had survived months of experimentation. Just one last set of treatments and, if successful, his name would never be forgotten. Instead the bastard had managed to find some way to cut his throat.

Wil had walked into the room to find his most prized subject laying on the floor in a thick, expansive pool of blood. Immediately foul play was suspected but it took even less time to find it had been suicide. The body had been removed and tossed into the furnaces and the room cleaned but still Wilhelm was furious. Over two thirds of his life was wrapped in this project and losing his best subject to cowardice had sent Wilhelm into one of his rarely seen rages.

Throwing open the window Wil grabbed up a small glass orb on the windowsill. Using his full force he hurled the orb as far as he could. It landed on the roof of a nearby slum, shattering and immediately bursting into flames. Wil watched the prostitutes and thieves that lived in the build running out quickly.

Wilhelm watched for the next several hours until the building was nothing but a smoldering ruin. Watching the flames lick at the sky and hearing the calls of all those trying to save it had somehow calmed the rage within his breast.

Finally he moved back to his chair and dropped into it with a heavy thump. Replacing the bottle he sighed as he looked into the fireplace. Perhaps it wasn't the experiment that had angered him so but the way he'd been feeling lately. He had outlived all of his relatives and even some of his new found friends were bound to eventually fade from old age. He was tired of his life but he would not give up until he had completed his task.

Sighing heavily he leaned back in his chair and let sleep take him. Hoping that night at least he would be freed of the terrible nightmares which had been haunting his night.