Frankenstein Theory (17 page)

“
For the love of…”

Before I could finish, a spine-shrinking howl echoed from behind. My heart immediately grew heavy with dread. I turned to make my way back to the creature and was caught off-guard as a woman stumbled out of the alley, hands covering her mouth to muffle cries of fear. I raced back into the heart of darkness to see Johann motionless on the ground…no sign that he’d managed to pierce the veil of chemical slumber. What had caused the woman to flee in such fear?

“
Doctor,” the familiar voice reached out of the shadows.

“
Igor?” I asked softly.

“
Indeed. I heard the music from the pub on the other side of this door and slipped out to find a woman attending to our ward. When she spotted me, she shrieked and ran. Although I should be insulted by her lack of propriety, we’ll call it a moment of divine intervention. Either way…here I am and there you are, and it seems as if you are in need of a hand.”

A great sigh escaped my lips. I’d never been so relieved to lay eyes on my unfortunately appointed assistant. “Help me carry Johann to the end of the alley. I have a carriage waiting to return us to the castle.”

Together we hefted the creature to the mouth of the alley, where the driver remained. A rush of adrenaline had helped to soothe the pain in my arm.

“
I do suppose an apology is in order,” the driver offered.

I nodded as he opened the door to the carriage. “None needed, so long as you are able to transport us to my home posthaste.”

“
Yes, sir,” the driver assured me as he turned to climb back into his seat. When the carriage door shut, I slapped my hand against the outside of the door to indicate all was clear. The driver whipped the horses into a fury. The carriage lurched forward, causing the limp creature to tumble forward.

Igor avoided my gaze, knowing full well I wanted nothing more than to peel away his flesh to punish him for his misstep with the creature. Instead of chastising the man, I stared in boiling silence as he scooped up Johann and awkwardly returned him to the seat.

“
Please, Doctor,” Igor started. Before he could continue, I raised a hand to quiet his plea. Still I said nothing.

The remainder of the journey was spent embroiled in a war of wordless tension.

xXx

With Igor’s help, I managed to return Johann to the laboratory and lay him on the surgical table so that he could sleep off the effects of the chemical embrace. Once everything had fallen back into a semblance of normalcy, and I’d managed to offer my wounded limb some much-needed attention, I addressed the issue at hand.

“
When I hired you, it was a transaction based on absolute trust. I pay you handsomely to do as I say, ask no questions, and fail at nothing. You have, however, failed on a number of occasions.”

A thick bead of sweat formed at the top of Igor’s forehead and slowly traversed the heavily lined flesh to his thread-thin eyebrows. He opened his mouth to speak; I silenced him yet again.

“
What should be a mutually beneficial relationship seems to lack a very crucial element—reciprocation. If you cannot comply with my demands, then we are at an impasse. You see, we cannot simply part ways. Why? You, Mr. Fishka, know too much. I cannot possibly allow you to venture out on the street, having witnessed my work and the fruits of its labor. So, I ask of you, dear Igor, what should I do?”

A shudder of fear raced through Igor’s body, and the flesh of his face paled to an even more deathly pallor. I was certain the little man was about to crumple to the floor.

“
I understand, Doctor Frankenstein. I will take my leave of you and promise never to speak of your work to anyone.”

“
Oh, my dear Igor, you will not get off that easily. In fact, I would venture to say the situation is quite the opposite. You see, I own you now. Should you think otherwise, know that I could so very easily ruin your life in ways no one else could ever manage.”

Igor nodded his head vigorously.

“
Should you have a similar lapse in judgment, I will not be so kind. We were fortunate this evening.”

From above, I heard the faint slamming of the castle door.

Elizabeth.

“
Correction,
you
were fortunate this evening. I am about to face a fresh hell from my wife for leaving her side on a crucial evening. You will remain here until I return. Watch that creature as if your life depended upon it…for it very well may. Is that understood?”

Again Igor nodded rapidly.

T W E N T Y

A mournful cry woke me from a fitful slumber. I’d retired to the guest’s chambers, as Elizabeth wanted nothing to do with me after my misstep at the opera. I scurried from the bed, donned my robe, and darted into the hall. My heart danced about dangerously within my chest as breath came in ragged gasps.

The cry repeated itself, this time with an undercurrent of tragedy. I’d hoped the desperate call had been little more than a product of yet another twisted vision behind sleep-deprived eyelids. Alas, the vengeful noise was very much real and very much near.

Before the sound reached the upper levels of the castle, I raced to my study and into the passage leading to the laboratory. The moment I entered, the cries of Johann vibrated against my sinuses.

“
What is going on?” I called out. My query was met with another wailing moan. “Igor? What in the devil…” Before I finished my question, I spotted Mr. Fishka, sprawled motionless on the floor.

I sped down the stairs and knelt beside my unconscious assistant. As I assessed his state, I felt a presence looming large behind me.

“
Johann,” I whispered.

Upon hearing my voice, the creature took in a deep and audible breath. Slowly the air rattled from his lungs to spill its hot, sour smell over me.

I turned, hesitantly. Our eyes met; mine filled with fear and his brimming with confusion and anger. He clenched his jaw and worked his fingers into fists. With great caution, I raised my hands in a gesture of peace and surrender.

Johann drew in another deep breath. Instead of sighing the air from his lips, he narrowed his eyes and spoke, his voice a broken and grave tone.

“
Victor.”

The sound of my named punched the breath from my lungs. The creature,
my
creature, had somehow managed not only to speak, but to learn.

“
How did you…” The words escaped my lips before I realized I’d conjured them.

The creature drew in another breath. This time, his face contorted with a mixture of sorrow and confusion. When he spoke, I wanted to weep for him and for joy.

“
Who…am I?”

The words were awkward, coming from his lips; the tones out of synchronization with teeth and tongue. I was lost for a reply, my mind scrambling to make sense out of what I’d witnessed. In my wildest fit of imagination, I’d never dreamed the creature would regain the ability to form words…let alone piece together a complete sentence.

“
Answer?” Johann pleaded.

“
Your name is Johann Grimm.” I fed him the same lie I’d offered earlier and then pointed to the piano. “You’re a… ”

“
Piano,” Johann finished.

I nodded. “I pianist.”

He then glanced down at the still body of Igor, his breath quickening against a wall of fear. His eyes grew wide and his open mouth released a rivulet of saliva. “Did I?”

“
Kill him?”

Johann nodded hesitantly.

“
No, my dear man. Igor is alive. You merely rendered him unconscious.”

Tears sprang from Johann’s eyes. “Mr. Fishka.”

I touched a hand to the creature’s shoulder. “That’s right. Igor Fishka is his name.”

With a trembling hand, he patted his chest and looked to me. “Johann Grimm.”

I answered with another nod and then placed my own hand over my heart. “And I?”

“
God,” Johann answered without hesitation.

“
Victor Frankenstein,” I corrected humbly.

Johann knelt beside Igor and stroked his oily black mane of hair. “You can fix him?”

A light bout of laughter escaped my lips as I joined the two men on the floor. “He is not broken. Though I’ll venture he’ll awake with a bit of a headache, he
will
wake.”

I cradled Igor in my arms, stood, and carried him to the surgical table. “Why don’t you play something soothing on the piano while I tend to Mr. Fishka’s wounds?”

Johann nodded and made his way to the piano. I watched him make the short journey to the instrument. Gone was the lumbering and unsteady gait. The creature moved with the confidence and grace of a ballet dancer. When he took his seat, he made the motion of sweeping back tails, as if the gesture were nothing more than ritual.

His fingers floated to the keys and began the most delicate melody I’d ever experienced. I couldn’t take my eyes off the creature as he created a most glorious piece of art.

From the table, a moan rose. I turned my attention to Igor just as his eyelids fluttered open. The moment his ears caught wind of the melody, he sprang upward, into a seated position. Immediately, he regretted the speed of the action and grabbed his head, pressing hard against the coming chaos.

“
What happened?” Igor asked.

I pointed toward Johann and said, “He happened, Mr. Fishka.”

“
What did he do to me?”

I laughed. Igor glared.

“
My dear man, it’s not what he
did
to you…it’s what he did
after
that should have you shouting to the heavens.”

“
And what would that be?”

“
He displayed truest remorse.
And
he knew our names. Igor, the Frankenstein Theory…it worked.”

Igor swung his legs over the edge of the surgical table and hopped down. The second his feet touched the stone floor, he gave his head a great shake. “How could he know our names? The last I recall, the creature was hardly capable of the most rudimentary sounds.”

“
I don’t understand it either, Igor. I might be inclined to posit that Johann has been listening to our conversations since his
day one
.”

Igor shook his head. “I’m not certain I like the way that sits in my gut. If the creature is capable of listening to our conversations, wouldn’t it be a safe assumption that he was also capable of remembering his past and realizing all of this is no more than a great lie?”

“
‘Whenever, therefore, people are deceived and form opinions wide of the truth, it is clear that the error has slid into their minds through the medium of certain resemblances to that truth.’”

Igor tilted his head to me. “I don’t understand, Doctor.”

“
Socrates.”

Igor shook his head. “Means nothing to me, sir.”

“
He was a great philosopher.”

“
Sorry, Doctor, I’ve no use for philosophy; it dulls my wit.”

“
The philosopher was saying that if you are deceived, and form an opinion based on that deception, as far as you would know, that opinion is truth.”

Igor’s eyes went wide with understanding. “So if we keep up the lie, he will have no reason to think or believe otherwise.”

“
Exactly, my good man. That being said, can I count on you to keep up the pretense?”

“
But of course, Doctor.” Igor offered a slight bow. “I come from a long line of professional liars. That man will never hear the truth from me.”

“
Excellent, Mr. Fishka.”

We fell silent as Johann wound his way into a most impressive allegro. It seemed, with every note he played, humanity and grace returned to his being. He was, quite simply, becoming more and more human by the moment.

Johann ended the piece with a flourish.

“
Bravissimo
,” I called out.

Igor clapped awkwardly.

The creature stood from his bench, turned to face us, and took a bow. When he stood back up, he held out his arms and examined his attire.

“
Herr Frankenstein,” Johann spoke, his voice filled with an eloquence it heretofore hadn’t known. “Might I request proper clothing? I feel…a bit exposed.”

The last syllable of the last word seemed to drift off, as if the musculature of his face had grown too weary, too quickly. He raised his fingers to his lips to explore the cause.

I drew in close to the man and clasped his hand in mine. “Fear not, my son, you will very soon regain the full extent of your faculties. It is to be expected that you’d experience a lack of control now and again.”