"Can I not stare at my Penguin anymore?" Penny turned to look at Grandpa Darlington who was focused on reheating the drug then she sighed turning back to Osvaldo.


    "No one says you cannot stare Mr Osvaldo. But it’s too much. Imagine if I stare at you like that?" She eyed him stylishly and was about to walk away but he pulled her back.


    "Then I’ll be the happiest man in the world Penguin." He said with a straight face, making her heart beat in a certain rhythm again.


    "G... Good for you." Penny blinked.


    "Alright, here it is." Darlington turned back to face both people and then he ced the boiling liquid on the table.


    "This is the solution I and my granddaughter-inw came up with. Go ahead and drink it Osvaldo, let us see how effective it is." Darlington said.


    Os also stared calmly at the liquid. "Have you tried it on anyone?" He turned back to his grandfather who shook his head. We were just stairs that if we tried it on them they would get mad too." Darlington said calmly.


    They had tried it on a mouse and it died. But before it did, it shook violently spitting out blood, and died.


    "Not on any human," Penny said calmly.


    "On an animal?" Osvaldo asked and both people nodded. He narrowed his eyes at them.


    "So... I’m the human experiment." Both Penny and Darlington looked between themselves.


    "That’s not it grandson. You’re the one with the problem, and the drug is made for people who have simr problems as you." Darlington exined to see his grandson nod calmly.


    Osvaldo stared at the liquid with narrowed eyes. He had used himself as hisb rat in the past, but that was because he had nothing entertaining to look up to in his life.


    Right now he had his penguin and heaven knows how hard he struggles to stay sane because of her. He didn’t want to miss a second with her.


    "I’ll go get ab rat." Osvaldo rose from where he sat and started towards the door.


    "But Osvaldo, the drug is not for normal people." Osvaldo paused and turned to look at his grandfather.


    "If theb rat turns abnormal, then we’ll know it works perfectly. Isn’t that right Penguin?" Penny pressed her lips into a thin line.


    "If you’re going to find anyone Mr Osvaldo, they have to be willing to try." She was scared of killing anyone, that is why she had initiated Darlington using an animal.


    Though their lives were precious too, but in a world where their lives aren’t as valued as human lives, she thought to use them.


    At least she’d give them a good burial.


    "You have nothing to worry about Penguin. He’ll be more than willing." Osvaldo smiled and walked away. Penny had no idea why she couldn’t trust Osvaldo’s words, no matter how much she tried.


    Something in her told her he was up to no good.


    "The rat we had tried it on died Grandpa, do you think it wouldn’t hurt whoever drinks it?" Penny turned to Darlington.


    "We’ll have to wait and see. At least we know, whoever he brings decided to do this willingly. So we have no part in whatever happens to them." Darlington assured his granddaughter-inw.


    Normally, he wouldn’t care if anyone got hurt, it wouldn’t be the first time. But his granddaughter-inw was too kind and innocent. She had mourned the rat that died for good minutes. ming herself for its death.


    Darlington sighed at his thoughts. Most times, he wondered if she ever loved the harsh love his assistant had told him about.


    After a few minutes, both Osvaldo and Barnaby walked through the door.


    Barnaby looked like a man headed for execution. His hands were shaking. His knees were auditioning for a salsa dance. And his face? Pale, sweaty, and full of regret.


    He’d just finished setting up the Petersons’ mansion when his young master suddenly cornered him like a mafia boss in a bad mood.


    "You’ll be myb rat," Osvaldo had said in that dark,zy tone of his. His back pressed against the wall as he yed with a hand knife "Tell my penguin it’s voluntary, but make sure she knows you were never ckmailed and had willingly given yourself to her."


    "If by any chance she finds out you were ckmailed. I’ll chop off your head. But slowly, feeding you to animals till you die."


    Barnaby hadn’t even finished blinking when he was dragged off like a stolen goat. Now here he was, standing in the room, already imagining his own funeral.


    He regretted everything, especially that one time he had messed up Penny’s first batch of medicine. He had thought he was being smart. But now? Karma had shown up wearing ab coat.


    <i>What if I grow a third arm?</i>


    <i>What if I lose a leg and it grows back as a tail?</i>


    <i>What if I melt into the floor like those movie viins?</i>


    His mind was spinning like a washing machine stuck on turbo.


    Osvaldo cleared his throat and stepped aside like a proud scientist presenting his prized specimen.


    "Barnaby here has bravely volunteered to be yourb rat, Penguin," he said with a straight face that screamed I’m totally not enjoying this.


    Barnaby nearly choked on his fear. But he forced a shaky smile and bowed dramatically like he was epting a Nobel Prize.


    "M-Master Osvaldo is absolutely right, Miss Penny," he said in a voice that cracked like old wood. "I, Barnaby Dees, willingly and joyfully surrender my body to your brilliant hands. From today onward, I shall be your humbleb rat. May your potions be gentle, and may my limbs stay intact."


    He clutched his chest as if he was about to faint. Honestly, he probably was.