MK's Frankenstein

In an elaborate Victorian style building, a fierce lightning storm is brewing, yet the sunroof has been opened. Inside the building, it is revealed to be an elaborate lab outfitted with a network of crude electrical wires and tubes containing glowing green liquid. A handsome blonde scientist looks over his complex notes on his table with his signature “Victor Frankenstein” on them one more time before turning to a photo of a beautiful woman with kind smile.

“This is for you mother.” he whispers while touching the photo before turning a crank which

lowers what looks to be an operating a large metal slab covered by a white sheet revealing the outline a tall, muscular male figure chained down. Once the slab is submerged into the pool of the green liquid, the scientist takes a deep breath before turning a switch. At the top of the open sunroof, various lightning rods are prop up and it is clearly seen that the wires are attached to them, and the opposite ends are submerged into the green pool. Just after he puts on a pair of dark goggles and pulling his rubber hood over his head, a cascade of thunder bolts is caught by the lightning rods charging them up, then the electricity makes its way down into the green pool causing it to illuminate so brightly that a huge beam of light can be seen from outside. The scientist looks away while curling up wincing and groaning as the pool below bubbles and seemingly boils. Once the electricity ceases and the blinding light is gone, the scientist looks down at the now still pool which is now blue and it slowly bubbles more and more until something literally catapults out of the water screaming and then lands a few feet away flopped onto its side breathing heavily in a panicked way. It is male figure still concealed in a white sheet and bound in chains, but it managed to wriggle itself free by breaking apart the chains and tearing itself out of the sheet before staggering to its feet and revealing itself.

“It’s alive.” the scientist gasps while all this happens, but his awe quickly turns to horror when

the figure turns to look at him.

It is a creature covered in what looks like stitches and varying shades of skin making it appear like a ragdoll made of actual human parts with now frayed black hair with a single streak in it, one gray eye and the other dark brown. The creature looks at his own hands in both confusion and fear before looking at itself in the mirror, then let out a blood curdling scream before turning to the scientist and reaching out pleadingly.

“H.... H-Help me.... Help me. ” he begs, but the scientist scrambles backwards and responds by

picking up what looks like a stick and swings it around.

“GET AWAY FROM ME!! GET AWAY, YOU HIDEOUS MONSTER!!” the scientist hollers.

The creature looks at him in shock but still pleads “Please- AHHHHH!!” the scientist repeatedly whips him while chasing him out. As the creature attempts to get away, it bumps into things clumsily and even causes dents in stone walls before knocking over a bookcase indicating its strength. It also manages to get hold of some kind of brown cloak which it uses to shield itself against the scientist’s blows until it finally runs out of the door and into the wilderness right in the middle of a heavy downpour. Once he is far enough, the creature falls to his knees and breaks down crying while wrapping himself with the cloak. He is interrupted though by the sound of screeching up above the trees. He looks up while listening, then climbs the tree to follow the sounds. He discovers a screeching mother ural owl shielding her little white hatchling from the relentless storm. The creature looks at the mother and hatchling with sympathy before shielding the mother owl and her youngling with his large arms.

The next morning, the creature remains in the protective pose even in his sleep and the storm has passed. He is awakened by the chirps of the little hatchling. He notices that the mother owl is laying completely limp and does not respond to her hatchling’s chirps or nudges. The creature nudges and strokes the mother owl’s head, but upon realizing that she has passed on, he looks at her frame with pity. Later that day, the creature has set up the owl’s resting place by burying her and covering her grave with stones, then topping it off with a single daisy. He gives the mother owl’s grave one last look before stroking the head of the now orphaned baby owl in his front pocket and turns around to walk away.

After some months pass, the hatchling has grown to be a beautiful albino ural owl and flies through the skies carrying something. She lands softly beside the creature who has become very haggard and dirty from living in the woods, and his cloak now being tattered and moldy, along with now sporting overgrown dirty hair and beard to match though his eyes are still as gentle, and kind as ever as shown by how he lifts a log up to help free a fox.

“Back from hunting already, Ghost?” he pets her as she hoots affectionately “Huh?”

Ghost pushes what looks like a slab of meat towards her companion, and he picks it up examining it.

“There’s no way YOU carved this out of your prey.” he smells it “And it doesn’t smell like your usual prey. Ghost, where did you get this?”

The owl sunk her head between her shoulders while shuffling her talon sheepishly.

“Ghost, last time you took from people, it ended with them coming at you with guns. You shouldn’t take what isn’t yours. Now, she me where you took this.” he said to her.

She nodded while hooting and took to the skies guiding her beloved caretaker through the woods to clearing where a huge cabin with a smoking chimney. From the open window, he can see a huge plate of meat cut like the slab Ghost brought him. He also notices a man walking around. They followed him stealthily through the woods to the other side of the cabin revealing a field of turnips which two women are attempting to harvest while an old man with a cane stood around

“Maybe if we try pulling together...” one woman said to the young man, and they grabbed one together “Ready? One... two... THREE!!” they try to pull together.

The old man taps the ground with his cane and frowns “It’s no use, my dears. The ground is too frozen. It’s gripping the turnips like iron vices. We will have to try again tomorrow when it’s warmer.”

“If it’s warmer, papa.” one woman lamented.

“And we need these turnips SOON. The deadline is in three days and if we don’t have them harvested, washing and boxed, there goes our salary, Agatha.” the other woman reminded them “Damn this early cold...”

“Now, now, Safie. We’re not out of time yet.” while carefully feeling the ground with his cane as

he walked.

“Maybe I can dig some out with the shovel?” the young man suggested. “But that will ruin the turnips, Felix.” Safie groaned.

“Ruined turnips are better than none, my love.” he tried to reason. “They’re also not as profitable if at all.” Agatha pointed out.

“Now, now. It’s supposed to be warmer tomorrow and it will only get warmer by noon, my children. The best thing you can all do is do what you are able to do today and wait for tomorrow.” Albert advised them while approaching the three of them still feeling the ground with his cane.

“Very well, papa. I’ll gather the wood.” Felix sighed and went off.

“Agatha and I will get the water. Or should one of us-” Safie began.

“I’ll be fine, Safie.” Albert interrupted her “I’ve been alone for longer periods of time and managed. Both of you go while I watch the house.”

With that, Felix, Agatha and Safie left as Albert went into the house. Ghost cocked her head around curiously as the creature stroked his messy beard “They don’t seem dangerous... still, it’s best to be cautious and return the meat while the only one there is that blind old man.”

Ghost protested with a harsh hoot and pulled on his sleeve with her beak.

“Ghost, these people have it hard enough. Besides, this meat isn’t ours.” he scolded.

She took a deep breath before giving a long relenting hoot.

“That a girl. Stay here.” he firmly instructed.

The creature crept up to the cabin making sure that the only person there was Albert. As he did, the chickens and goat took notice of him curiously, but resumed their business as he went up to the open window where the plate of meat sat. From there, he could see and hear Albert play some kind of wooden and threaded instrument beautifully while sitting next to another instrument that looked like a bookcase with several black and white keys. The song sounded familiar in an almost dreamlike sense, but the creature had no time to admire the music. He had to return the meat, then leave, but just as he was about to put the piece back...

“Hello there, stranger. May I help you?” Albert asked smiling while looking in the creature’s

direction, but not directly at him.

The creature froze with his eyes bulging “... How did you know I was here?!”

Albert laughed “I’m blind not oblivious. I’m guessing you’re a tall fellow hence why even while tiptoeing, I could your steps. And... I could smell you. You’re homeless, aren’t you?”

The creature took a whiff of himself, grimaced then blushed “I’m sorry for intruding. I meant to return your meat to you. My friend Ghost took a piece not knowing any better. She’s an owl you see.”

“That’s very kind of you, but you didn’t have sneak it back. You could have just returned it directly. I can tell you’re harmless.” Albert smiled.

“You think so? Why?” the creature raised his brow.

“Even the chickens are calm in your presence, so I am too. If anything, by the tone of your voice, I think you’re afraid of ME.” he pointed out.

The creature looked away for a moment “I... haven’t had the best experiences with people since I... woke up. And since then, every time a person sees me, they either hit me or run from me. That’s why I stay in the woods.”

“Why?” Albert asked with his smile now gone. “Because... I’m ugly.” he admitted.

“Ugly? Is that all?” Albert asked while getting up and taking his cane. “I’m VERY ugly.” the creature explained sadly.

“Well... Most homeless people do tend to look indecent and sometimes, to the point of looking frightening at first glance. No offense.” Albert walked over.

“You don’t understand. I’m a monster. If you could see me, you would be horrified by my face.”

he insisted.

“Then let me see you. If I may?” Albert asked while raising his hand.

The creature’s face went pale “No! Don’t! When you do, you’ll hate me!”

“Nonsense! Even if you are as ugly as you say, that’s no reason to hate or fear you. Being ugly is harmless. Now let me see you. Please?” Albert requested.

The creature relented and leaned forward allowing Albert to touch his face. He hummed upon feeling the worn hair and beard, but then froze for a moment when he felt the creature’s face. His fingers moved around slowly noting the stitch-scars.

“Good Lord... I’ve never felt so many surgical scars on one’s face alone...” Albert gasped with his

eyes wide.

“I have them all over my body too. Even... my hands.” he sighed with shame as he raised his

hands allowing Albert to touch them.

“It’s like... parts of you were... removed then stitched back onYou poor man. What happened

to you?” Albert asked.

“I don’t know. I don’t remember. I don’t even-” the creature cut off from the sound of a pail being

dropped and a scream.

The creature jerked around in terror seeing Safie and Agatha screaming at the site of him and Felix behind them dropping his wood. The creature hunched over while looking away and pulling his hood over in shame while whimpering.

“MONSTER!!” Felix growled as he raised his axe.

“Wait! Nobody panic! He’s not dangerous! He’s just a homeless man with scars!” Albert commanded, but his words were ignored as Agatha and Safie rushed inside and pulled him away from the window.

“Get away from my family!!” Felix shouted as he approached the monster brandishing his

firewood axe.

“I-I’m sorry! I’ll leave!” the creature went on while taking a few steps back, but then Felix swung his axe missing him before chasing him into the wood “FLY, GHOST!!”

Ghost did as she was told as Felix chased the creature through the woods while swinging his axe around.

“How dare you attack my father while he was all al-AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!” Felix got cut off from his words when he took a wrong turn and wound up falling down a ditch rolling and then hitting the bottom with a horrible sounding ‘crunch’ followed by a holler of pain.

The creature panted in both relief and shock as Ghost took a moment to perch on a nearby tree branch and look down the ditch from there. Felix who lay down on the ground face down trembling and twitching.

The creature also look and was about to leave but Felix’s whimpering froze him in place “. Help

me. ”

Ghost looked at Felix and then at her friend.

“Help me... please...” Felix begged weakly.

The creature closed his eyes recalling the moment when he asked that person for help the day he woke up and how he was greeted with getting violently whipped and forced to flee into the woods during a storm. He winced at the memory and opened his eyes with his mind made up.

Back at the cabin, Albert was angry “Why did you let Felix do that to a poor defenseless homeless man?!”

Safie and Agatha looked embarrassed as Albert scolded them, but they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Please open the door! He’s hurt badly!” the creature’s voice exclaimed.

“What?! Well, you heard him! Open!” Albert commanded and Agatha opened the door to see

the creature holding a groggy Felix bridal style with the blade of axe stuck in his right thigh.

“OH NO!!” she cried.

“What is it? What happened?” Albert asked.

“Felix got his own axe stuck in his thigh, Albert!” Safie explained.

“It was an accident. He fell down a ditch and onto the blade. I had no choice, but to break off the handle so I can bring him here safely.” the creature explained while still holding Felix.

She frowned while taking “Well, let’s pull the rest of the axe out.”

“NO!!” the creature stopped her “The blade has cut right through his femoral artery and right now, it’s only thing keeping him from bleeding to death! It needs to be surgically and carefully removed he’ll die!”

“But the towns aren’t safe with the plague around! How are we supposed to get a doctor here or Felix to a hospital?!” Safie continued to panic.

“I could do the surgery.” the creature offered, and they all looked at him. “You’re a doctor?” Safie asked.

“I... I don’t know. I don’t remember.” The creature replied.

“But you do know how to do the surgery, don’t you?” Albert asked.

“... I do.” he replied with a nod “If I had the equipment to. And I need an operating table,

bandages, water and-”

“Agatha, go to the storeroom and bring my old bag here. Now. Safie, prepare the other things our friend here needs.”

“Wait, papa, we don’t know this man. How can we really trust him?” Agatha argued.

“Your brother chased him with an axe for just showing his face here yet he brought him back here alive and well with care, Agatha. For that, he’s got MY trust. Get my bag. Now!” Albert commanded sternly and she obeyed.

“Excuse me, Safie, is it? I need you to clear this table because I need it to serve as an operating table. I also need some cloths for bandages and put the stove to heat up. Please.” the creature instructed and she did as she was told.

“Why do you need the stove to be heated?” she asked as she took out some clothes from the

chest.

“To heat up something to serve as an iron. To prevent as much bleeding as possible... I’m going to have to do some cauterizing as well as stitching. Trust me, it’s for his own good.” the creature explained.

“I got it, papa.” Agatha returned with a doctor’s bag which had some dust on it.

“Good, good. Is everything in there in good enough condition to work with?” Albert asked the

creature.

He laid Felix down on the table and opened the bag to check the contents “Yes! I need proper thread though.”

“I’ve got thread in my sewing kit.” Safie offered.

“That will do. Thank you.” the creature said as he rolled up his sleeves revealing all the scars on his arms disturbing the women “... I’m sorry for all this, but I promise to save him and then, I’ll leave. May I please operate in privacy? This is not going to be pretty...”

“Please, save him.” Safie pleaded before leaving with Albert and Agatha.

Once alone, the creature took a butcher’s knife and put it on the fire to heat up. He then washed his hands professionally, sterilized the needle and scalpel, and started tearing up some clothes to make some makeshift bandages. He used the scissors to cut off and remove Felix’s pant leg carefully. As he worked, Ghost stuck her head through one of the open windows.

The creature looked at her “I don’t know why I’m doing this... but I do know what I’m doing and there’s no turning back now” he said as he picked up the scalpel and Ghost crouched down

peeking only slightly inside.

A few hours later, the creature and his owl companion sat outside together waiting for Felix to awaken after undergoing surgery for hours. Albert walked outside towards them feeling the way with his cane.

“Is he awake?” he asked as he got up.

“He is. And other than feeling like an ass, he’s fine. He wants to see you now.” Albert informed

him.

“N-No. Seeing me is what got him hurt. I don’t want to cause-” the creature hesitated.

“My son got hurt because he panicked. The only thing you can be held responsible for is saving him. Now come in. Ghost may come too.” Albert insisted.

“How did you know she was with me?” the creature scratched his head.

“I heard you talking to someone, and you mentioned having a pet owl named Ghost, so I’m assuming she’s with you.” Albert led the way as Ghost cocked her head before perching onto her companion’s back.

The creature pulled his hood over his head for good measure not wanting to scare anyone again as he entered the cabin and followed Albert to Felix’s room where he sat up in bed with his leg bandaged in a splint with Agatha and Safie next to him. All three of them had ashamed expressions on their faces. There was a moment of awkward silence before Albert cleared his throat.

“Let’s start off on the right foot this time, shall we? I’m Albert DeLacey. You’ve met my son Felix and this is his sweetheart Safie and my daughter Agatha.” the old man introduced them all.

“This is Ghost. I’m afraid I don’t know my name.” the creature replied as Ghost perched on the

chair and hooted.

Albert turned slightly “Ah, yes. You mentioned not remembering anything beyond waking up in your state and then living in the woods since.”

“But you remembered how to perform the necessary surgery on me to save my leg... after I acted like an ass.” Felix commented sheepishly “I can’t apologize or thank you enough for everything. By saving me, you saved my family as I need to be healthy and able-bodied to do farm work.”

“We are all very sorry and grateful to you, sir.” Safie bowed humbly.

“You’ve clearly been through enough. We had no right to jump to conclusions over your appearance.” Agatha added as she bowed too.

“It’s alright. Everyone reacts the way you do when they see my face.” the creature replied not

looking directly at them.

Felix rubbed the back of his head and frowned “It’s not alright. You’re clearly a good man who went through something bad. You deserve better. You deserve... to have dinner with us.”

Ghost perked up at that offer and turned to the creature hooting, but the invite made him uneasy

“N-No. I can’t. I-”

“I insist. I must repay you after you helped us. If not for any other reason, to make reparations for treating you so cruelly. For all we know, you have a family that is wondering what became of you.” Felix went on firmly and his words made Albert smile.

Ghost hooted with her eyes wide and pleading as the creature sighed “Well... Ghost and I are hungry...”

“You should wash up too. I imagine that being that... untidy is not comfortable.” Agatha added

as politely as she could.

“It is kind of itchy.” the creature admitted “Maybe it is about time I washed it.” “Follow me, friend.” Albert led the way once more.

“Uh... can you just tell me which piece of meat your owl took? I’d like to leave that piece for her.” Safie asked which made Ghost huff a little “And it’s about time you replaced your cloak...”

After the creature washed up, he was provided with Felix’s baggiest pair of pants which fell halfway down his calves and no shirt would fit him, so he put on Felix’s robe and wore it like a tunic. The creature had no choice but to cut and shave off all his hair and beard, which meant having to look at himself in the mirror much to his displeasure. He hated looking at himself, and as more of his face and scalp were revealed, so were more scars and his many shaded complexion. At least the hair and dirt covered his features, but now everything was revealed. It made him feel vulnerable and exposed. Moreover, he could not recognize his own face. Who was he? What was he? His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the bathroom door.

“Are you almost done? Dinner’s almost ready.” Safie’s voice informed him.

“Y-Yes. I just need to do some sweeping.” he replied as he quickly put on the straw hat and

proceeded to sweep up all the hair on the floor. Afterwards, he hesitantly made his way to the dining area.

“Uh, I’m coming in. Please don’t be alarmed.” he warned before entering the room.

Safie and Agatha looked at him as did Ghost who let out a long hoot.

“I know. I’m still ugly.” he sighed.

“Actually... you’re not. Unusual, perhaps, but not ugly.” Agatha tried to reassure him as she pulled

out a chair for him.

He sat down next to Albert who took a moment to “see” his face.

“Agatha’s right. While I can only judge what I feel, even with the strange scars... you’re not ugly at all!” Albert added.

“Really? But... what about my eyes? And my skin is all multicoloured...” he insisted.

“I had a friend who was born with each eye being a different colour.” Safie pointed out as she

served him a bowl of what looked like stew.

“And I had a patient whose skin was multicoloured.” Albert added. “How could you tell?” he asked.

“I wasn’t blind my whole life. I used to be a doctor, but a head injury caused me to go blind which ended my medical career. Though I still have my medical knowledge. As do you.” he stroked his beard “You clearly have amnesia and while I can’t say how, I’m thinking it has something to do with whatever you underwent. It is not uncommon for trauma to make us forget things.”

“But then... if I forgot everything, how come I remembered how to help Felix?” he asked as he

looked at the stew curiously.

“Amnesia is very strange like that. It can make you forget your name, your past and people, but not necessarily information like how to do things like talk, act or in your case, perform your skills. It could also be that the sight of Felix’s injury made you remember something.” Albert went on.

“When things become safer, you can go to town and get help. You’re a doctor or at least used to be one, so there should be documents about you and you can start getting your life back. In the meantime, you can stay with us where it’s safe.” Safie encouraged.

“I’m thinking you may have been a war doctor. I mean, you’re all muscle! Maybe this would also explain the scars. It’s only right for us to serve a man who may have served us.” Agatha pointed out.

“Or perhaps a noble or even a Baron for all we know. Now, eat, friend.” Albert patted his back.

The creature tasted it and his eyes lit up “This is good!” he continued eating like a happy child. As he did, he noticed the painting on the wall of a Greek God carrying a torch “... Prometheus...”

They all looked at him.

“That’s Prometheus. The Greek God who brought fire to man.” he pointed to the painting. “Amazing! At this rate, you’ll remember everything!” Agatha cheered.

“Well... I remember who he is and... I remember admiring him.” he smiled.

“Speaking of remembering tomorrow, I really hope it warms up and the ground is loose enough

to harvest the turnips. We only have two days left to pluck them out of the earth, wash them and

put them in the crates. And it’s going to be hard without Felix’s help ” Agatha groaned.

“But you have my help.” the creature offered “If I’m going to be staying with you, I want to help. In fact, I can do it now.”

“Now?! It’s going to get dark soon and all three of us couldn’t pull out one turnip together! You look strong, but not that strong and it would take you all night!” Agatha argued as he pushed away his empty bowl and got up to go outside.

“Actually, it won’t take me long at all.” he explained as he went out to the fields.

“It’s kind of you to offer, but-” Safie began, but was stunned when he bent over and pulled the

turnip out of the earth with ease and finesse.

He turned to the two stunned women “Where should I put them?” Agatha and Safie looked at

each other in shock.