The Conductor

“Alright, Tyler. What is this object?”
“A…A hand.”

“Very good. And this object?”
“A…an eye.”

“And this?”
“Nose…”

“And this?”

He stared at the picture with confusion, and then groaned slightly in frustration.

“A heart. One of the vital organs that keeps us alive.”
I placed my hand over the left side of my chest.

“It resides inside the chest, around here.”

He mimicked me and placed his hand over his chest.

“Why is it beating…?”
“It’s pumping blood through your veins.”

“Oh…”

He smiled slightly.

“It feels weird…”

I returned his smile with one of my own.

“Shall we continue?”

He moved his hand away from his chest and looked up at me.

“I want to review something else.”
“Like what?”

He shrunk a little in the chair as if he was going to be scolded.
“…Geography.”

“Alright. However, we will begin with human anatomy first thing tomorrow morning.”
He nodded eagerly.

I pulled down my globe from the shelf and placed it onto the table.

“What land mass shall we review today?”

| x | x | x |

“March 15th

Tyler has been alive for four weeks now. He shows healthy bodily functions and mental behavior – as of now, he has the intelligence and the mindset of a ten-year-old child.

Innocent.

Imaginative.

Curious.

However, he rapidly absorbs and retains the information given to him.

Sooner or later, he will mature into an intelligent young man who I could have many stimulating conversations with.

But I am content with the companionship I have now – even if it resembles more of a teacher-student relationship, maybe even a father-son relationship.

In due time. In due time.”

I put down my pen and closed my notebook, hiding it in the bookshelf – I’m not a scientist, but I feel that it is important to document almost everything possible about Tyler.

I undid my tie and threw it to the ground before I unbuttoned my shirt.

In the corner of my eye, I could see a figure peeking slightly through the doorway.

“What are you doing up, Tyler?”
“I…I couldn’t sleep…”

I turned to face him – he looked slightly ashamed.

“Why is that?”
He inched his way through the door, only in his underwear – he likes to sleep with only them on for some reason –, revealing the stitch marks that were still very prominent.

“Nightmares…”
“About what?”

His lip quivered.

“I can hardly remember…I just know that they’re very painful…”

I sat back down in my chair, studying him as he spoke.

“What kind of pain?”

“As if my insides are being ripped out…”
He placed his hand over his stomach.

“A terrifying man…standing over me with a smile…ripping my insides out…”

He shuddered and sniffled, bringing fists to his eyes to wipe away the tears that were forming.

I stood up from my chair again, walking over to him before picking him up and placing him onto the bed.

“Go to sleep. I promise that no man is coming for you.”
“…Sleep with me?”

I was taken aback slightly by his request.

“I’ll feel safer if you do…I promise that I’ll go to sleep if you do.”

So, I found myself lying in my bed with Tyler curled up at my side like a child.
There were a few whimpers from him until I decided to wrap an arm around him.

He was silent for the rest of the night, and I had a dreamless sleep for the first time in two years.