Fresh Meat
North East, North west, North west, north east the boots swing first one way then another. A moment before they had danced on air scrabbling for a foothold they could not find. Above a hempen rope creaks like a coffin lid as the corpse dangles from the gallows tree The crowd disperses some to taverns others to brothels a few back to work The corpse the focus of so much gleeful anticipation....... No longer of any interest, this corpse is not intended to be interred in clay or cast unceremoniously into a lime filled pit
No this corpse is for Anatomist Hall Where death delights to aid the living.
Not so much a place as a source of smell Alcohol, Abbatoir, a soupson of the graveyard hot wax isinglass bubbling cauldron. Don't enquire about the contents Doctors and dissectors armed with lancet probe and saw seek to answer the question what is life ? How to reignite now that is the question.
Could electricity provide the vital spark
Mr Grubb calls the meeting to order
‘’Today my friends will decide........ Our subject is fresh almost warm........his limbs still pliant no sign of corruption or putrefaction yet
Yes very fresh............FRESH MEAT.’’
The experiment to revive the dead, is staged upon a stage.
The crowd pay their tuppences and shuffle in, cushions a penny extra.
Mr Grubb presides as master of ceremonies.
In the background apparatus hums, sparks fly up.
The corpse sits slumped, in the middle of the stage electrodes attached.
At the back the assistant he should have be called Igor cranks the handle.
Grubb gives the signal.’’ Now!’’ The lever is thrown a jolt the corpse gasps.
The audience gasps.
Again lever thrown the corpse opens a baleful eye.
The audience stares back.
Again. The corpse rises and arms outstretched staggers towards the audience.
The audience sway back
Mr Grubb losing control of himself and his experiment produces a lancet and slits the corpses throat from ear to ear
Future performances are banned.
History does not reveal whether Mary Shelley was one of those carried fainting from the auditorium.
One final thought as you close your eyes, don't sleep too long or deep because remember we are all just fresh meat.
