A Substitute for a Natural Death (Short Si-fi Story)

Chapter 1
It was not an emotion that he was common with. Anger, depression, apathy. All of these came so easily, but guilt was the one that always eluded him. It’s hard to say if he ever felt that way, but it’s certain that any other normal person would have. But he was normal, just not to anyone but himself. He was so normal that the people he encountered were an ancient civilization filled with odd customs and abnormal formalities. He had no use for such folly.
His research was his world. Other scientists would not dare emark on the journey he was on. They were too afraid of the repercussions of their actions. They were weak and never understood the true scope of his work. Most knew him by Dr. Finis and those who were considered lucky knew his first name, Nelson.
Dr. Finis was a tall gentleman sitting right around 6’ 4”. His face was gaunt, with his eyes sitting so far back in his skull that they were always covered by a shadow. His nose was a protrusion of magnitude that held up his rather thick wire-frame glasses. His head hosted a few greying hairs, with the majority of it being bald. A few liver spots could be seen dotting his skin, but wrinkles were, for the most part, completely absent. He was imposing, but never really felt threatening.
Whenever he entered a room, a few would turn their heads, but it was nothing to be noted. He had the demeanor of someone going about their day-to-day job. He did not try to draw interest, but if conversation in the room ever came to him, he was quick and ready with a response.
To his colleagues, Dr. Finis’ work was on the razor’s edge of what could be classified as evil and good. He’d been studying for years on the effects of his machine and would occasionally mention it to one of his fellow researchers on lunch or break. His voice had a way of filling up a room even when he did not want it to. Those around knew that it was “masterfully quick” and would “result in almost no pain at all.” His tone of excitement was always the worst to those around him. He seemed almost gleeful at his advances and hesitant to consider any down sides to his work.

-End of Chapter One- More to come! :D