Cynthia Vasquez's Questionnaire

I live in Tampa, Florida. I live here simply because it’s where I grew up; however, it has the added benefit of a common lizard population. When moving down the street it’s common to find a small lizard moving about. The home I personally live in is a small studio apartment. I have turned much of it into a lab space. I live there with my best friend since childhood, Russell; he keeps me company in the darkest of days. I have lived here for a little under 10 years. I chose specifically the house I live in once more due to the local lizard population; however, it was also within my price range and provided me enough room for experiments, sleeping, and cooking.

I earn my money with my research. I still am riding off my success from full analysis of lizard DNA. This, however, does not mean I do not have other financial outlets. I make small amounts of money through my current research, Lizard-Human creation. A small amount of people have been allowed to know of my current work. Though I am uncertain of their reasons, I vetted each one and trust them to keep it secret. They donate me money occasionally, typically just enough to keep me afloat. I believe they are keen to see the end of my research.

I will create a new species to roam this Earth. The lizard, unfortunately, does not provide the intelligence and capabilities of the human body, but the human body lacks the ability of regeneration and adaptability of the lizard’s. To solve this a hybrid must be achieved, and I will be the first. I would go as far as much research requires me to. If that means to kill, then I will kill. If this means to experiment on an unwilling subject, then I will. If it means I must face the cold grip of death and wrench myself from its hands by sheer force then consider me undead. Nothing can stop me. Once I have a stable structure the world will know the species. This does not mean that we could not co-exist, but I must first establish our presence by force.

The most important event of my life was meeting Russell. If it were not for him I do not believe I would have been able to find my conviction, nor do I believe I would have found my will to live. When we met I had nothing. After meeting I had only him. It took years for me to have anything in my life that mattered outside of him, but throughout the journey of getting these he has stayed by my side. He has assisted me in my self-experiments and has pushed me to do things that I would otherwise fear.

The closest person in my life is Russell. He has been by my side ever since childhood. He taught me the power of the lizard’s body. Without him I would never have come as far as I have, nor would I have survived as long. I believe that he was the reason I found a will to survive and move forward regardless of anything that happened to me.

The next person that comes to mind is that wretched old man. I have erased their name from my memory out of pure hatred. Never once did he care for the poor girl he found. He only cared about his own mindless self indulgence. The world was done a favor when I killed him.

The last person would be my father. He never cared about me. I have never understood why. I would say I am unlovable but the one before would never have done what he did to me if that was the case. Perhaps I was just unwanted. Why they didn’t get rid of me when I didn’t have life is unknown to me. Anyways, I survived and am living well; I don’t know his condition but I doubt he gets the same pleasure.

My childhood was nothing but hell. Everyday I woke up reminded that I was unloved. I was starved and lived off the scraps of what I could scavenge. My father and mother were both cruel. All punishments were enforced by father but mother was a cruel mistress who turned a blind eye. I had also not attended school, I was considered home-schooled, though I'm truly just self-taught. The government nor any school did a thing to help me. To them I didn't even exist, nor did my family. We were just another blemish of the masses that would eventually begin to destroy itself. Though, once sixteen I had managed to escape hell, I had instead landed in Tartarus. At the very least I had Russell. Russell has always been my only reprieve from the cruel world. If not for him I would not have escaped from either place; I would most likely have starved by my father's hand.

I have never been in love nor will I ever be in love. I have simply no need for it. My life is dedicated to the furthering and the betterment of my research, no partner could help in these goals without providing unnecessary complications; however, my former statement could be amended. I may find love one day, but that is in a time in which I am done. I will only ever consider love once my research is complete, as I will no longer have significant downsides of having a partner. Currently, the only person that I could be considered to love is Russell, but I assume the question was about romantic love, so he wouldn't count.