Hakan liked his job. He thought he was lucky to land such a good job. He’d studied science majoring in genetics in Uppsala and like most of his graduating class had wondered what he would do when he graduated. But then he saw the job add for a research assistant requiring animal husbandry skills and thought “what the hec” I’ll apply. He got the job not because his marks were good but because he had grown up on a farm and new stuff like how to calm a horse, unlike most of his class. Hakan always loved animals and enjoyed being with them. So at 6.30 am each morning regardless that it was -15°C he swiped into the security perimeter of the National Genetics Lab, walked a short distance to the out buildings and entered the “nursery”. He was always the first person at the “nursery” and the animals looked forward to seeing him. Hakan new this because whenever he opened the heavy doors the animals chirped, moowed, and cackled at him.
His favourite was Cornelius. Cornelius was a rooster. Not any old barnyard chook but a handsome if not slightly opinionated rooster. Cornelius was the crowning glory of the National Genetics Lab. He had successfully been developed with a human chromosome. This resulted in Cornelius having an IQ higher than a lot of people Hakan had known. Cornelius could count and read equivalent to a 16 year old. He had a detailed vocabulary however his vocal chords prevented his speech from sounding better than your average 3 year old. Hakan thought he sounded like a person who had a cochlear implant and was just learning to speak. Hakan loved chatting to Cornelius.
Cornelius was named by Hakan. The National Genetics Lab had sent an email to all its employees asking for suggestions to name this special rooster. Hakan had spent days thinking of witty, quirky and fun names but the name came to him when he was eating his breakfast. He was staring at the Cornflakes box and noticed for what seemed like the first time a picture of a rooster on its cover. To his astonishment Kellogs had spent half the box explaining this handsome rooster was called Cornelius. Hakan loved it – the name of the rooster had to be Cornelius. The Chief Scientist, a very thin but quick witted women named Ursula Gustaffson liked Cornelius as well. So the rooster was named.
So at 6.30 am Hakan opened the door on the nursery looking forward to hearing and seeing his friend Cornelius only to be greeted with an empty cage. This didn’t worry him at first as he thought Cornelius may have opened the cage himself. He shouldn’t be able to do this but Hakan had learnt that Cornelius could do many things that a rooster ought not do. He started calling his name. Lucy the cow started yelling at him for waking her slumber and that started the mice. The mice! Well they were a story unto themselves. Always chattering in their high pitched way and there were so many of them. But after Hakan had wondered around the corridors a few times he started to feel a chill. It was the chill of fear. He realized Cornelius had been abducted.
