Dan leant back in his chair, glancing out the window at the trees whose branches cradled the starry night sky. His research had given him hope. This person seemed perfect for his studies, with no one mentioned that would come looking if he went missing. He bit his lip and stood. His pet had already left awhile ago, probably to lie under the heat lamp Dan had installed in his room. He thought about meeting his new patient and smiled, leaving his office and heading towards his bedroom. This one will be a success, he was sure of it.

He entered his room and undressed, glancing over at his pet, who was already curled up in the corner under the heat lamp. Some days he missed having someone in bed with him, as his pet no longer joined him in his bed. He sighed and went over to his dresser, staring at himself in the mirror. He was quite handsome, and looked a lot younger than he really was. His hair was honey-coloured and he had startling green eyes. His complexion was only marred by the dark shadows under his eyes. Dan didn't sleep well. He was always thinking, thinking about his work and about the future. He looked back down to his pet. Such a beautiful creature he was. He smiled as he watched the slow breathing and heard the hissing, seeing the long tongue flicker out of his mouth every now and then. His pet would sleep through the night, and Dan was slightly jealous. He would have to work on his insomnia...

He returned to his double bed, crawling under the sheets and staring up at the dark roof. Tomorrow he will be meeting Jacob. Tomorrow he will be able to work again. He closed his eyes at the exciting thought, rolling over a sleeping lightly.