19.
The elderly lady rolled her chair towards the window. She
checked the latch and then drew the drapes. She did not have to see outside for
she knew the crowd is building up. The brightness of the courtyard was there.
She had earlier seen the first group that had assembled at the house; men and
women armed with the weapons they could grabbed then. The servants went out to
confront them and in turn became a part of them.
“Imbeciles!” That was the earlier reaction of Lady Illinois. She
had returned to the house via the tunnel on the wheelchair. The prisoner had
hurt her and her legs once more had given up on her. She rolled her chair to
the house and refreshed herself. There were bloods on her dress and that needed
cleaning. She tossed the dress down the service chute and settled for the
needed drink. It was then she heard the commotion outside and the servants told
her.
“There are armed people out there. They are upset at us.”
“Set the dogs on them. Show them who owned this house.” Her
arrogance was displayed in her anger. She then settled in the library and
ignored the ranting outside. There were some fights or what she assumed to be
and then the Butler appeared.
“My lady, we are defeated. The mob had killed the dogs and some
of our own had joined them. We are to flee.”
“No, we will not flee. The Millard family had defended this land
for generations. Barricade the doors and windows. I am sure the constables will
be here soon.” The constables did arrive and soon a stand off was to take place
but her household staff had abandoned her. Illinois called but no one answered
her. She then rolled the chair to the secret doorway towards the tunnel. She
will flee the house but will be fine at the factory. She will shelter there.
She then turned to look at the hall behind her. It was the family favourite
area; the library. The library was her domain when young and she used to sit
there with her father reciting the tales. She cringed when she looked at the
portrait of her grandfather whose frame overlooked the entire library. She
dreaded leaving all of that to the people outside. They are not of her level;
they are the uneducated, the imbeciles to do the menial works. She knew she had
to destroy the house. She rolled back the chair and approached the fireplace.
The fire was burning and the woods there were covered in flames. She reached in
with the long handle to retrieve the burning wood. She tossed the burning wood
at the shelves where the books are stacked. She saw the flames licked at the
books and then it spread wide. She threw more burning woods and soon the
library was burning.
“Fire!” Illinois heard the shout. Her work done, and she rolled
into the tunnel. She pushed the wheel hard and fast till she reached the other
end. There was a door which she bolted and then rested her weary arms in the
one place she had spent most days there ever since she return to London. She
saw Shelly lying there unmoving, with the electrodes not sustaining her body.
She then saw the opened doorway to the prison that her son had created. He had
done it to resembled a dungeon inside and kept the woman there. The very same
woman who had hurt her and made her lose her legs once more.
“Illinois!” The lady heard her name called and saw her lover
approaching her.
“I have returned. I could not go not seeing the blood on Igor’s
hand. Did he hurt you?”
“No, he did not. He wouldn’t dare. He must had hurt the other
lady. She left soon after him. She escaped. She brought back the mobs.”
Illinois broke down on her lover’s chest. “They are burning the house.”
“I saw from above. The flames have engulfed the house. No one
was there to douse the fire. I am so sorry.” Victor replied. “I wished I could
but my … “
“No, Victor. You must not. You will suffer for it. Let it be. We
can build one more elsewhere.” Illinois looked at Victor. “Our new life
together.”
“What of Igor? Shelly? Is she dead?” Victor had earlier checked
on the other lady. “She is not breathing.
”
“She is dead. I …. Turned off the power that kept her alive. She
has been dead for a long time.”
“Illinois, you were…”
“A fool’s dream. I was not trying to save her. I was trying to
save my dream as a notable scientist like Edison, Pasteur or even ….” Illinois
broke out into more tears. “I am not their peer. I am their …”
“You are mine. Let us get away.” Victor reached to push the
chair but it was then the doors to the factory was hammered by angry fists. “My
God, they found us.”
“The Ripper is inside.” The shout was heard by Victor.
“They are here. I must ….”
“Run, my love. I will stop them.” Illinois looked at Victor.
They won’t harm an old lady.”
“No, Illinois. I won’t let them. We shall stay here and …. if
need be we will die together. I love you, Illinois Millard."
Illinois looked at the man who fear the light and yet she saw
light in him. She nodded and then told him of the plan.
“There is a case of alcohol there. Douse it on the machines. It
will ignite and we can flee when the fire starts.”
Outside of the factory, Inspector Lestrade had arrived. He had
brought in six more constables but the mob there was standing behind the
barricade up by the earlier officers. He then looked to the factory where there
were signs of burning fire. He had known of the house which was still burning
then and the local brigade was trying to douse the fire. He knew the mob had
moved to the factory on the cries of the so named missing heiress and her
distressed calls.
“Get some to break the door. We can….” Inspector Lestrade was
thrown back by the explosion in the factory. He picked himself up and turned to
look at the factory. The explosion had spread the fire and it was burning.
“What was inside?” Inspector Lestrade asked the local constable.
“I don’t know, Sir. It was abandoned for some years and if I
could recall the place was empty of anything that could do that.”
“It may not be or there were added in recently. Get the people
to form a water brigade. We have to douse the fire.” Inspector looked to the
gathered crowd who had then quieten down. They were looking above. He turned
and looked himself.
“Illinois, we shall die together but not in their hands.” Victor
carried the dying lady in his arms. He had poured the alcohol onto the machines
and then a chain reaction occurred which the machines exploded then. He was
thrown to the rear and ended up with bruises and cuts. The factory area was
burning then from the explosion. He saw his love was sprawled on the floor. Her
wheel chair had overturned onto the side. He pushed himself up despite the
pains, and moved towards her. She was still breathing but her body was
partially burned in the explosion. He picked her up and then looked for the
doors. The doors were either blocked or covered in flames. He then saw the
staircase on the side that led to the upper level. He knew there was a roof
doorway and that was where he was headed.
“Sir, stay there. We will come to get you.” Inspector Lestrade
called out. He then turned towards the Sergeant. “Get help.”
“Help, Sir? We are the help that is available. The others are
not coming. No one will help them. They are murderers. Rippers they are.”
Inspector Lestrade turned to look at the man holding the lady.
“Sir, you good name please. I will come to you.”
“Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein. Remember that all of you. I
am your …. No, I will be your nightmare.” Victor replied. “Just as I ripped
those body parts. You will all die the way I do today.”
Victor looked at the dying lady in his arms.
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