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mrlovewelllovestoday · 13 days

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Monsters Rhapsody: Frankenstein

(This is a prequel story to the my own rendition of Frankenstein’s Monster, and the journey he takes after the original story to become Agent Francis Stone.)

-Chapter One-

What makes a monster? I’ve pondered this question most my life. In stories, a monster is often used to provide a protagonist with an overwhelming obstacle, in the form of something frightening or unnatural. My life has been as frightening and unnatural as one can be. Filled with nightmares, pain, terrible things. Some of which.. I may never forgive myself for. Am I a monster? Maybe I am.

My story has found ears across the world. The tale of a man, driven mad with ambition, that creates an aberration of nature, wrought from the parts of several dead men that he abandons and later wreaks havoc upon his life in a path for vengeance. Rather than destroy its creator, it requests simply to have a mate created for him to stave his loneliness. However, in his fear of what a pair could bring, the man destroys the mate before it’s life begins. In recompense.., this creature destroys everything he holds dear. His friends.., his family.., his love, til his creator’s thrist for vengeance matches his his own.

He followed me north, seeking to end me. Further north than most men have ever gone before he was taken in by a ship seeking to discover a trade route to the east. It was upon that ship he died. I lit for him a funeral pire before walking into the snow and frost to seek what I thought would be the conclusion of my story. However.., I was soon to discover, this was merely the first chapter of my life.

I walked for miles into the cold of the pole until my limbs lost all feeling and the last of my energy was sapped away. My vision grew dark.. and I collapsed into the snow. For the first time in my life, I began to dream. I dreamed of a world filled with beings, one more different than the last, all treated with kindness and fairly by their actions. And as I drew near to them, a darkness overshadowed me and struck fear into the masses.. I ran and ran from it.. but as fast as I ran, The closer it drew to me and just before it consumed me..,I opened my eyes, waking in a cold sweat. Alive…

My vision was still muddled but clearing, my throat dry. I weakly reached about to get my bearings. I was able to feel furs laid about me. Warmth from a fire in a nearby pit. My lodgings appeared to be a hut made of tanned leathers. A small woman with black hair and skin of amber color came up and brought a bowl to my mouth. Still weak I took what was offered to me as much as I could swallow. At first I wasn’t sure what it was, but it was warm and soothing. I came to realize it was some form of broth as my tongue started to soak. When finished, she left the hut and I was alone once more. With what strength I had I used to sit myself up.

No sooner I did when the woman returned with two men amber skinned as she. One old and wrinkled and the other young and and thin. The younger of the two approached me first in an attempt to speak with me. He spoke a small handful of languages before I started to understand him. He then introduced himself as Inuksuk, meaning Best Path. He was sent by his tribe some years ago to Europe to gain education so as to assist their trading and dealings with the outside world. The elder was their chief, Amaruq, Grey Wolf. He said they had found me while hunting and at first, thought I might be a grassman or some other strange creature due to my size. Others thought perhaps a giant bear. However, Path upon closer inspection found I was faintly breathing. He and Grey Wolf took pity on me and had me brought back to their tribe. I laid unconscious for three days before I began to stir. They were very curious about who or what I was and where I came from. I lied and said that I simply didn’t remember. That my time in the snow must’ve effected my memory. In all fairness, I wasn’t sure they would’ve believed me, and if I had told them who I really was, I worried they would attack me. I’m sure they knew I was aware of more than I let on, but being polite, they decided not to pry.

Later in that day, Grey Wolf presented me to the group, and offered me a place to stay with them and in return I would assist their community, to which I agreed. I hoped that I could restart there and make a new life for myself, as cautious as I was to live among men, I still sought companionship. Some found me fascinating; The children mostly. They would sneak about and watch me like a animal in a zoo. Others looked at me like the rest of the world always had, and wondered if I was cursed or maybe a demon. I avoided them best I could and did the chores I was asked. Of the tasks they had for me, they took advantage of my strength. Toting wood, cutting ice, even hunting from time to time. I did find serenity in the day to day. Though I would never be fully accepted, and many didn’t enjoy my company, Path however would often join me in my tasks. He would speak with me about his travels and what he learned. Where others in the tribe would find his talk of the outside world unbearable, and though I admit he would tend to ramble on, I never the less was happy to for his company. It had be so long since I had someone to talk with, or even listen to.

A group of young men would come about and harass Path on occasion. His position in the tribe was undeniably pivotal, but as he wasn’t very large or strong, He was often the target of their taunting. Ever so often, they’d try to get physical, but he would always seemed to slip their grasp. I had been living with the tribe for a little under 5 weeks when one night, unfortunately, the gang were able to surround my friend. The tallest of them snatched Path up by his collar. However, in his confidence must’ve blinded him ti the fact I wasn’t far from the scene. As he took Path up by his shirt, I reached out and lifted him in kind by the scruff of his neck, tossing him aside. I was surprised to find each of their group had weapons prepared. One with a club struck me across the back, snapping it in half. I simply turned to him and glared. He ran in terror before his fellows followed in kind.

Path thanked me, apologizing for his weakness, to which I reassured him there was no need as I walked him back to his hut and shortly retired to my own for the evening.

While asleep, I found myself in the same nightmare, only lasting half as long. The same world of different peoples accepting and kind before the fog draws near. However, in the dark clouds that pursued me I saw a pair of eyes glaring through with a face forming out of it. Just before it became clear I woke once more, but this time, to the sound of screaming.

The entire tribe was in an uproar. The chief called me to the center of the gathering and as I approached I was met with darting stares. Grey Wolf asked if I had been awake in the night. I told him I wasn’t and that I had just woken to the commotion. Path translated to me that some of the others opinions seemed to find me dishonest. Apparently the aggressor of the young group last night was attacked and killed by what was seemed to be something powerful. They took me to view what remained of the boy. Oh, what a terrible sight to behold. His left leg and right arm where missing, flesh and sinew torn from the joints as if they were simply pulled apart. Whatever had done this was exceptionally strong. I also upon a closer examination found some strands of white hair that beneath the fingernails of his remaining hand. Grey Wolf had no true accusations against me but conceded that if this were a bear attack, there would be bite marks and his entrails would have been ravaged. And the look of horror frozen in his face was puzzling. But if the hair weren’t from a polar bear, what kind of animal would be capable of such an attack. He and Path then took me where the body had been found. Blood sprayed across the snow and pooled in the place where he was found. I also found impressions of footprint that, while human in shape were larger than any the tribe had seen. Almost larger than my own. Many men in the tribe felt the prints must have been my own, to which I denied. That night, a gathering was held to decide my fate and while Grey Wolf did his best to quell their rage, the majority won out. The next morning I took what supplies Path and he gave. I embraced my friend, and thanked him for all he and Grey Wolf had done for me. They whispered a affirmation over my journey, and after I took my leave. Once more into the frozen wasteland.

I was alone again. My hopes dashed of ever belonging replaced with the same burning heat of resentment. That resentment became anger, and the anger to remorse. I had walked for a day and a half before I came to a small mountain and the mouth of a cave beneath it.

As night fell, I took shelter inside and built a fire before taking some of the smoked meat Path had packed for me. I chewed it slow before I heard a low rumble out slide in the snow, followed by some primal scream. That’s when in the billowing light of the cave I noticed the arm and leg stashed aside the far wall and a pile of random animal bones. The ponderous thud of footsteps grew closer before the shape of the beast entered the glow of firelight. A large humanoid creature with white fur, black skin and extended canine teeth looked at me with bloodshot eyes filled with rage. It beat its chest in dominance as I raises the my feet astonished at this discovery. This had been the creature that had murdered the boy and left me framed for the crime.

Suddenly it lurched forward, reaching out to capture me. Taken off guard it succeeded, taking my shoulders, trying to pull me in to bite my throat but found my own hands taking its skull and head butting it. It released me, stumbling back stunned from the blow before I leap at it tackling it out of the cave and wrestling it into the snow. We began to tumble down the aid of a hill along the mountain, hitting the occasional rock and snowbank along our way. We came to a stop with the creature atop me and it reached its mouth down as I blocked the attack with my forearm. It took it between its jaws and bit hard. The pressure was uncomfortable as I bled. A gift from my father was a dulled response to pain due to the reanimation process lightly damaging nerve endings. I then struck the beasts gut, side and finally face before it released my arm bellowing in pain. Lifting my legs and wrapped the left about its torso tossing it away. As I took ti my feet it began to retreat from me further down the mountain in the fire of the tribe. He would not be given another chance to attack so I began my pursuit of the white beast.It moved with incredible speed as I followed before a blizzard came upon us and took my vision of him. I had no choice but to find shelter beneath a nearby tree for until the wind calmed. As it did I took off for the tribe as fast as my feet could stride.

I had made quite a distance as the sun began to rise and I soon heard a musket ring out hearing ball fly by the head. I ducked down and looked to the origin of the shot and saw a grey bearded man, dressed in a dark brown coat, pack upon his back, holding out the gun toward me. In no mood to be his target I reached about me and found a small boulder beneath the snow, lifting it, I hurled it at my attacker to which his seemed to gracefully dodge it. However the white beast came from the side and seemed to take advantage of the distraction and sprinted towards him. It captured the man in one hand, lifting him from the ground like a paper doll before he unsheathed a knife, burying it into the beast’s clavicle. It hurled the man in my direction as it reached for the knife, attempting to remove it. The man tried to lift himself but seems to be weakened from the attack. The beast ripped the knife out and raised it above its head in triumph, moving towards the man readying to plunge the knife into him. I found myself unable to abide this murderous display and too off at full speed, thrusting my shoulder into its ribs. As I made contact I heard several snap before it was flung down to the ground tumbling away from the hit. The man looked up at me flabbergasted to which I simply nodded, making my allegiance known before offering him a hand, raising him to his feet. The man was older than I had originally seen. His hair and beard were nearly silver and his face wrinkled with experience. At a glance he reminded me of DeLacy, the blind man who had once shown my compassion. The beast slowly raised itself and turned weakly to face us before it attempted its scream but coughed up its own blood. It continued to fight ti breathe before it once more collapsed. The old man wandered up cautiously to the beast and removed a pistol from his waist, pointed to its temple and ended its suffering.

Finally he spoke to me in English-“Thank you for your assistance, my friend. I must apologize for my actions when I saw you. I wasn’t fully aware of what I was tracking except that it seemed large and strong, so I didn’t wish to take chances.”

I replied-“You could have called out to know my intentions. I am not a mindless animal. So you’ll understand if I’m unwilling to offer courtesies .”

He looked at me bewildered once more,“Then I will gladly offer mine. I am Doctor Abraham Van Helsing. An agent of Eventide. It is our duty to safeguard the boundaries between the world of man and monsters.”

I turned back to see the horizon, beginning to wonder how far the truck to the cave would be. “Safeguards? What is safety in a world that hates you for existing?”

He became a bit defensive,”What is safety for man in a world of powerful and sometimes supernatural beasts? Eliminating those who pose a threat comes with it but it’s not all we do. If you wish, you could see for yourself. A being with your particular talents could be-” I rose a hand to interject,”The world of man wants nothing of me. Why should I offer a hand to those who tossed me aside?” He pondered my answer and gave a look that seemed to have the feeling of pity. “Well, sir, I still appreciate your help. Hope we cross paths again soon. Safe journeys.”

From here, Van Helsing walked off to the white beast and took a saw from his pack, decapitating it. Not long after, he went about his way to the tribe. I imagined that perhaps the head would exonerate me from the crimes and I could perhaps start again to build a life there. But I knew in my heart that all it would bring was trouble for the friends I made in Path and Grey Wolf. I had no plan to make The old chief someone his people distrust. So I decided to journey once more across the ice after returning to the cave for my things, and head south, to find a place to hide away where no man may find me. I crossed down through my fathers country.. and then started my way along the Carpathian Mountains.

(stay tuned for chapter two)

#frankensteins monster #mary shelly's frankenstein #original story #van helsing #monsters

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