Mactans, Elle - Generation 1 (part 1)

Hello, Diary!
You know, considering that I won a house, you'd think I'd be smiling in this picture. But noooo. It's the "official" picture they're taking of all the winners, so since it'll be in the newspaper and all, Murphy's law. I look like a robot. Peh.

But - I DID win a house! Unbelievable. The last thing I "won" was a one-month membership to a health club. But I know they give those to everyone just to try to get you to join. Anyway, the town seems nice enough. It's fairly small, because it's new. How on earth is a town new, you may ask? I asked the same darned thing! Turns out it's one of those things you read about lately where corporations are buying huge parcels of land and making towns. I guess it makes sense, but I don't get all of it, that's for sure.

Anyway - it seems like a nice place. These three people stopped by to welcome me - they all won houses, too! Let's see - that's Cythia Ackart that I'm talking to, and then the two hotties in the background are Tommy Roanhorse and Jason Kennard. Shame they're married. I'm not sure how serious they are about it, though.


I went ahead and fixed us all cheese subs for lunch. My cooking skills are a bit - lacking - but they looked impressed. Good thing nothing actually had to be cooked, or I might have been in trouble. I could feel Tommy checking me out, too. Always good to know that you still "got it", even if the person doing the looking doesn't plan on doing anything more than looking :-)

After lunch we all headed back outside. Nothing like a water balloon fight in the summer to cool off!

Heh. Cynthia wasn't quite quick enough and Jason managed to pelt her. She was a good sport about it, though. I really like her - she's sweet.

Later that night, some other people invited me downtown with them. I was hoping to meet someone, so I figured networking isn't a bad thing, right? Right!

More proof that I "got it". Hey - when you're hot, you're hot!

OH! I almost forgot to mention - I met a guy! His name is Gabe, and he's SOOOOO cute. He's really, sweet, too. This is NOT a picture of Gabe. Gabe's a little taller than me, red hair, and a body that's just dreamy.

Must... work... off... dinner. Cripes. I never used to worry about maintaining my figure. Ever since I've moved here, though, I've had an obsession with working out. Oh, well - getting in shape isn't a bad thing, and once I get a job I'll probably have other things to occupy me. But I AM getting a killer set of abs out of the deal.

Funny that you should say that, my dear. Ah, yes. The subject is generally friendly, somewhat shallow, has exhibited behaviors of kindness, and appears to not really have a mean bone in her body. She also seems to be intelligent, so the affects of YP-890 should be easy to spot. The increased desire for physical fitness is definitely a manisfestation of the drug. -R. Agsded

Dear Diary,
I don't know what's been wrong with me, lately. I've been feeling very depressed, and not myself.

I've also been having splitting headaches, and feelings of... blind rage. It's weird, and a bit scary.

I wonder if I ought to go see a shrink?

I don't like feeling this way - like I could hurt somebody.

What is WRONG with me?!?

Subject appears to be resisting the control protocols. Interesting. Subject was instructed to invite over the man she met her first night, Gabe Hanby. He'll do as an initial trial. - R.A.

I'm waiting on Gabe to get here. I remember calling him, but it was so strange. It was as though I was watching someone else do it, as opposed to doing it myself, if that makes sense? And my head is just throbbing right now.

It's so... surreal. I remember being excited waiting for Gabe to get here. That little spark of "what if", when you first meet someone, you know? When you're wondering where things might go. But now - now I just feel empty.

Gabe doesn't understand why I seem so distant. So cold. So - angry.

And he's not going to put up with it. Or that's what he said - that he doesn't have time for game-playing.

I don't want to play games, either. I like him. He likes me. That's enough, isn't it? No! It's not enough. He shall learn! He WILL pay!

What am I saying?!? What am I thinking?

We kiss, but it's bitter-sweet. I don't know what's the matter with me, but I'm not right. I think Gabe knows it, too.

What! This is not the results we expected. The subject is fighting the effects of YP-890. The control protocols must be strengthened. Subject was given the terminate protocol for the target and did not carry out instructions. This is not acceptable. - R.A.

All I can do is think of Gabe, and wonder at what is going on. I'm scared to see him, but I'm yearning for him for some reason. But that's strange, too. We don't really know each other. I don't understand. But I find myself calling him again, inviting him over. And he accepts.

I'm drawn to him. I don't understand it. And he's drawn to me.

Certain passages of subject's record has been marked for deletion from her copy. I think it would be unwise to allow her to pore over all of her writings. Conditioning and control protocols are not functioning as they should. Precautions are being taken until we have subject functioning correctly. - R.A.

Good morning, Diary!
Today is a new day! And I have a new job! I'm working as a paramedic. How cool is that? To be able to help people, and save lives? I'm very excited. It pays well, and if I perform well, the local hospital will pay for night classes!

Only - I lost my job. I didn't even make it 'til noon. I started getting my headaches again, and I just couldn't function. It was awful. I made so many mistakes. Luckily, nobody died because of me - but I don't blame the hospital for firing me. I'm such a failure.

Gabe came over when I told him about it. It was so nice. he just held me, and for a while I could believe that everything is all right.

Dear Diary!
No luck in getting a new job, yet. Things are pretty miserable. Money is running low and I don't really know what to do. This was a bright spot, though. This little guy stopped by the house. He's beautiful, and he was friendly, too. No collar, and he's kind of skinny, so I'm thinking he's a stray. I went ahead and put some food out for him. Maybe he'll start hanging around :-)

Dear Diary,
I don't know what to do lately. My headaches are nearly constant, and I'm getting compulsive about certain things. I've become such a neat freak, in addition to a gym rat. Well, not that I can go to a gym, but I still work out at home all the time.

Dear Diary,
Cynthia's turned out to be a good friend. I think, sometimes, if it weren't for her, I'd go stark-raving mad.

Dear Diary,
It's starting to get cold out. Just a nip in the air. Interestingly enough, this woman stopped to ask for directions. We got to talking and seemed to hit it off fairly well. After about 15 minutes of talking, I mentioned that I was looking for work. She said her brother was looking for a secretary and that she'd have him call me! Yay!!!

Dear Diary,
It's been so many days since I met the girl with the lawyer brother. Watching the snow fall is just a reminder that time is passing by and still nothing is happening, except that I feel more and more alone.

Thankfully, Gabe keeps me grounded. We've been spending a lot of time together, and he's been such a rock. I don't know what I'd do without him. I think....

that tonight's the night.

And I think that he might be the one :-) Maybe everything will work out, after all!

Oh - and did I mention that the lawyer called? And that I have a job? And I haven't had a headache in weeks. Please, oh, please, oh please, let today go well...

Gentry, Corbin - Generation 1 (part 1)

Ah, yes. Today is the first day in which I will be observing my subjects. Most exciting! The rest of this entry (and in subsequent entries), I will merely re-produce the words directly as reported by the the individuals, though I will occasionally comment upon a happening.
- R. Agsded, head scientist of the Cherokee Harbor Project

It seems sort of weird to be writing in a journal, but for some reason I find it comforting. I will try to set forth things in a bit of an orderly fashion, in case these writings are someday of interest to my family. I suppose the first question to address is how I came to be sitting on my lawn in the rain.

Well, I had a bit of bad luck in the city. First, the newspaper I worked for was bought out (This and the following events as regards to setting up the experiment were engineered by Canopy Sim-Corp. - R.A.), and even though they assured everyone that it was a friendly acquisition, of course they made cuts immediately. The copy-boy was one of the first to go. Which is okay - except that I was the copy-boy.

That was all right. Well, not really, but I started putting out resumes immediately. Unfortunately, nobody was hiring. I had used up most of my savings and was beginning to get a little desperate, when I was contacted by the mayor of a town named Cherokee Harbor.

As it happens, it's one of those new-fangled "privately owned" towns that are springing up, and as a promotional gimmick they had a sweepstakes in which they were giving away parcels of land. Evidently, I won the largest parcel. Unbelievable! This sort of thing never happens to me. I quickly decided that as strapped for cash as I was, the most expedient thing to do would be to liquidate all of my furniture and use the money for the trip and also to try to get set up as soon as possible.

Oh - as extra luck, I also called and spoke to the Cherokee Harbor Gazette's editor, and they actually have an opening. So I had a job waiting for me when I got here. Unfortunately, my luck ended there - I had barely enough money to get a few odds and ends of furniture, let alone a home.

So - here I sit in the rain. But - it's MINE - and the future is ahead of me!

The subject's resilience is amazing. Even before the XCT-009 has fully taken affect, he has a good portion of drive. Excellent! Although maybe it would have been more telling if he were lazy. Perhaps I should enquire about genetic manipulation. - R.A.

This is a little later in the day of my arrival. Thankfully, it's stopped raining, and some of the neighbors stopped by to welcome me. I'm a bit ashamed of my home - or lack thereof, but nobody seemed to mind. So far everyone has been really friendly to Patton and me. Patton's my dog - you can just see him standing next to the girl in the shorts.

Everyone seemed to appreciate the fact that I made them peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and we had fun talking and playing water balloons.

One of the ladies, Cythia, was VERY friendly. Rather shockingly so. She gave me a kiss goodbye. I liked her, but was rather taken aback by the suddenness of it.

Blast! That's a subject from the Ackart control family. After looking into the problem, it seems that a lab assistant reversed the behavior protocol, and so she was attracted to the test subject as opposed to being repelled. Problem has been solved and assistant disciplined. - R.A.

I think I'm going to love this town. Shortly after my neighbors left, a guy called and said he'd heard I was new, and he invited me downtown to play pool with a group of people he was friends with. I decided to go ahead and go - and that wasn't even the best part. One of the waitresses was really cute - April Lewis. I got her phone number and I'm going to call her later in the week.

I wasn't the only one making friends. Patton played with a neighborhood dog that I call "Killer". 'Cuz he's just so fierce looking. Man. I hope all this rain doesn't warp what little furniture I do have.

Today is my first day of work. I didn't sleep much last night - I was a bit too excited, for starters, but not having a bed kind of put a damper on things, too.

But after work, Patton and I both passed out. He's working as a vermin chaser, so he was pretty zonked, too. I'm just so exhausted. Sleeping on the ground is awful, but, well... that'll change soon.

Interesting. Subject is still positive and optimistic even with his financial hardship and lack of creature comforts. - R.A.

Oh. My. God. Look at what I found today! Somebody had thrown this at the town dump. I know it's not much to look at, but it's a BED. An honest to gosh bed. That's my grandma's quilt - but now I have a bed. Sleeping is going to be sooo nice tonight. Oh - must say thanks to my boss - he loaned me his truck so I could pick it up and bring it home.

Subject is still in good cheer. His mood seemed rather forlorn this morning as he left for work, but apparently he is still looking for ways to better himself. - R.A.

Oh!! I also found these little beauties at the dump. It's not much, but they actually grow simoleans. Who says money doesn't grow on trees?

I was right. Best. Sleep. Ever.

Patton's such a a goober. He's got to learn to shake hands for his job, but I swear. I love him, and he's a sweetheart, but sometimes I think I can hear the rocks rattling around in his brain-pan.

Here's a pic of me doing what I do pretty much every night - homework. I'm taking night classes for work - hopefully they'll pay off.

Happy Day!! I got a promotion today, and a bonus! With the bonus, I've got enough money to ask April out. She's such a sweet girl. We've been talking on the phone almost every night, but I've been holding off on asking her out because I want to take her somewhere nice.

And she said yes! Tonight is the night!

I'm a bit nervous, but well - here goes. This girl has gotten in my blood.

And there she is! I'm a bit disappointed that she didn't change out of her work uniform. Well - I'm not going to think about it. She's here, and that's all that counts.

I think she's happy with the restaurant, too. Everyone at work said that Londoste's is the nicest restaurant in town. Thank goodness I've been saving up my money. She's worth it, though.

She's so beautiful. Her honey blonde hair and brown eyes just make me melt inside.

After dinner I asked her to dance, and I think it went pretty well.

I also gathered up my courage for a dip, and decided to try my luck with a kiss.

Nothing on earth prepared me for how sweet her lips are.

I borrowed my boss's truck again and went back to the dump. They've got a lot of old lumber there that's warped, or been gnawed on, but it's free. It's taken me the better part of a week...

but I finally have a roof over my head. It's not much, but it's something. And this is just the beginning. BUT, most importantly, I feel like I can honorably propose to April now. I just didn't feel right about it when I didn't even have a shelter.

Subject has been tireless about finding lumber and putting together the beginnings of a home. Quite amazing, really. -R.A.

Well - here goes. Down on one knee...

Subject's heart rate is extremely high. Hands were perspiring. Every indication of stress in all bio measurements. -R.A.

Looking good, so far. I think that's a happy look.

And - she said YES! Yes, yes, yes. I am the happiest man in the world!

Oh. And as if it couldn't get any better - a guy from work gave me an extra microwave his wife had from college. It's old, but a hot meal is going to be nice!

Oh - AND I got another promotion. The only way to go from here is UP!