This is it! the doctor thought, rubbing his hands in glee at the spectacle before him. Seventeen years of countless animal experiments and the time had come to make his mark on future history.

Dr. Leonard ran his hands along the metal casing of the machine, feeling a wave of pleasure pass over him as every new atom touched his skin. Looking over to a worried intern in the corner he chuckled to himself. All I need is a blast of cold wind through the studio and he’ll beleive I’m the mad professor.

The doctor was a short man, and his lab coat close to touched the floor. His wife had always said that this is why he had such a need to make his mark on the world— well, she had before she left him. She just couldn’t understand why this was so brilliant. She said it was immoral, and that she couldn’t be happy living under the same roof as a man who was more devoted to his work than to his wife.

Happiness is overrated.