Chapter 12

Chapter tweleve: Echos From The Past

Location: The Tower

Labyrinthine laboratory

Time: Mid day

Atmosphere: Quiet and Serenia,

In the heart of Dr. Laurel's labyrinthine laboratory, memories and regret swirled like a tempest. The once vibrant scientist now navigated the corridors of her grief, surrounded by the cold hum of machines and the flickering ghost of her former self.

Dr. Martinez, her once-optimistic partner, could only watch as the woman he loved spiraled into the abyss of despair. The sterile lab, once a haven for scientific breakthroughs, now echoed with the haunting specter of a tragedy too profound to fathom.

Amongst the sterile glow of monitors and the ceaseless flow of complex equations, Dr. Laurel found herself caught in a relentless tide of memories. Every formula she crafted, every experiment she undertook, bore the weight of a guilt too heavy to bear – a haunting reminder of a night that shattered their world. Grief counselors, trips down memory lane, and even contemplation of a fresh start

**18 Years Ago**

"Mom, Mom". Nora called rushing into her Dr Laurel's office.

'Yes dear". She replied, she was seated in front of her desk, working on the final analysis for the project 'The New Evolution' that was going to be launched in a few days time.

"Mom, I feel so bored sitting at home every day, would you come and play with me please ". She requested innocently.

"No dear, I can't play with you now cause am really busy, so would you be a good girl and go back to your room". Laurel instructed, her eyes fully focused on her computer screen.

"But mom, I don't want to go back there. It's really dark and boring in there can't you just find a little bit of time to maybe go out with me instead or maybe we could just go out instead or.....

As Nora continued voicing out her thoughts, Laurel was already getting fed up with her persistence. The tension from the work coupled with Nora's endless request made Laurel really angry and she scolded her

"Leave my office right now, you little brat. Haven't I let you know as of now? I have a lot of work to do, and I can't go out or play with you. So keep your mouth shut and go to your room." Nora stopped, as though her legs were stuck to the ground. She was unable to accept it was her mom sitting before her, instead of a wanton beast.

Tears gushed down her cheeks as she furiously stomped out of the office.

"Nora, Nora," Laurel called after her, however it was past the point of no return. The young girl had angrily taken off.

All that made a difference to Laurel was wrapping up the presentation she needed to introduce in a couple of hours. She wasn't going to allow anything to divert he attention, not even her little girl.

A few days after the launch of the death project, Dr. Martinez, Dr. Laurel, and the other scientists were celebrating the successful launch when Dr. Jane rushed into the room, trying to catch her breath. They couldn't understand the poker-faced expression on her face until she broke the bad news.

Nora was dead, burnt to death by the ship's power core, which generated intense heat waves. No one knew how the child ended up in the core room in the first place, but Laurel knew better. She had broken the child's heart, and she ran away. Dr. Laurel couldn't bear the news as she entered a state of shock.

"Laural, Laural," she could discern a distant voice calling her name, yet she remained too stunned to even venture opening her eyes.

Dr. Martinez scurried about with fear, trying to locate the stabilizer he relied upon to regulate his wife's condition. This was not the first, nor the second occasion she had succumbed to a state of shock.

"Got it," Martinez exclaimed triumphantly, clutching the stabilizer, a diminutive syringe brimming with potent chemical components. Hastening to his wife's side, ensconced in a state of shock, he administered a measured dose of the serum.

A few fleeting minutes elapsed, and Dr. Laurel finally woke up from what seemed to be an unending nightmare. Seated upon her bed, she delicately sipped from the glass of water her doting husband had procured earlier. Inhaling deeply, she found herself with a newfound serenity.

The palpable silence emanating from Laurel weighed heavily upon Martinez, engendering an unease feeling. Concerned for his wife's well-being, she had steadfastly refused to utter a single word since awakening. Unable to endure the silence any longer, he mustered the courage to break the ice.

"Do you feel better now?" he asked, trying to break the ice.

"I dreamt of her again," she avoided the question. "Our daughter, she came to me in my dreams. She looked at me with so much hatred and disgust. Till today, she still hasn't forgiven me."

"It's not your fault. You didn't want such a thing to happen to her," Martinez tried to console her, but he knew it was pointless. Since the day Nora died, Laurel blamed herself for her death."

"On that fateful day, she approached me, expressing her desire to play and spend time together. Regrettably, I failed to give her the attention she deserved. Disregarding her pleas, I dismissed her as insignificant. The final glimpse I caught of my daughter was filled with an overwhelming sense of hatred. It seems she never found it in her heart to forgive me, and truthfully, why should she? My own flesh and blood vanished for days, yet I neglected to search for her, foolishly assuming she was merely hiding, eagerly awaiting my discovery. My preoccupation with other matters clouded my judgment and hindered my ability to care."

"When I finally located her, it was too late. Uncontrollable tears streamed down my face, as the pain became unbearable. Following her funeral, I entered into her room, yearning to sense her presence for one last time. To my dismay, I stumbled upon a letter resting upon her table, wherein she poured out her hatred towards me, expressing her desire that she had never been brought into this world." Laurel's composure crumbled, tears cascading down her cheeks. Martinez held his wife tightly, offering solace and attempting to alleviate her anguish, knowing that his capacity to heal her wounds was limited.

He, as well, wrestled with guilt, recognizing that he bore responsibility regarding their little girl's untimely demise. Where it counts, he understood that Nora would hold onto an unforgiving disdain towards him, as he was nowhere near innocent in her tragic passing.

At the point when Dr. Laurel got the staggering news, her reality broke. She faulted herself for not being there to safeguard her little girl. The responsibility consumed her constantly. She scrutinized her decisions, contemplating whether she had pursued the ideal choice that evening. Tormented by guilt, Dr. Laurel became distant and secluded.