Preys and Predator Part II; the monster and witches' Chapter 50

 

50.

A gunshot to the chest can damage vital organs like the heart, lungs, esophagus, and major blood vessels, potentially leading to severe bleeding, respiratory issues, and even death.  Added to the single shot, multiple shots will do more. Blood will splatter out when the arteries are severed.

That was the mortal.

The undead or monster may not feel that.

“Arghh……” Matthew felt the grip on the left shoulder blade. The collar there was the first to snap, and then the shoulder was pushed backward by force and yanked to the left. The joints at the shoulder gave way, and the flesh was torn.

Matthew fell into blackness then from the intense pain. He never felt the second grip by the left side of the head that pulled the cartilage at the spine apart. He was tossed like a broken doll to the side, alongside the three others who were dead from various dismemberments by force.  

Sven plunged the bayonet into the monster at the right ribs but drew no blood. He had fired his rifle, and there was no time to reload then. He was out of practice with the bayonet attack. The monster turned towards him, pulled the bayonet out, holding the barrel, and tossed the rifle to the far wall. It paused in the attack and looked at Sven.

It then swung out the right arm at Sven’s head and propelled the man to the side. It did not want to kill Sven.

“Monster!” The last of the soldiers charged at it with the rifle levelled at the back of the monster. It pounced on the charge and grabbed the rifle off the soldier. It turned the rifle around and plunged the bayonet into the soldier’s chest.

“Stop! Stop it!” Victor called out.

The creature turned to look at its master. It stood there, with the wounds on its chest; its left forearm had a deep cut, and there were six bullet wounds on its chest, but not a single drop of blood was seen.

It had killed the soldiers but not Sven. It recognized Sven as the guardian of Henry.

“Go back to the chamber now!” The master called out. “Do it!”

“No, I am not. I am leaving now. I want to find Henry.” The creature ran towards the door. Victor called it back, but the creation was gone. He turned to look at the dead bodies there.

“Victor, what was that?” Elizabeth had witnessed the carnage there. “Who was……?”

“Are you okay, Liz?” Victor came to his senses. He approached the lady, but she stepped away. She was holding the wound at her waist. The bullet grazed her there.

“Did you create that?”

“Yes…… No, I did not create it.” Victor shook his head. “It was here.”

“What in tarnation happened here?” It was Chief Constable Lestrade who stepped into the lab. He was alone. “Who …… What happened here?”

“The monster killed them.” Elizabeth said. “It was hiding here.”

“Was that the monster I saw fleeing to the forest?” The Chief Constable Lestrade stammered. “Oh God. I sent Watson after it.”

“You must stop him. He will be killed.” Victor called out. “Stop him!”

“Victor Frankenstein……. I was to see you…… What am I to do now?” The Chief Constable, Lestrade, was confused. “I …”

The Chief Constable, Lestrade, saw the dead lady. He turned and threw out his stomach contents. Victor was then running past the officer to pursue the creation. Elizabeth tried to call out, but she felt no sound from her voice. Z

“I must call for a search now.” Chief Constable Lestrade found his voice. “Ms. Muriel, please stay with …… Please go to the mansion. Stay there.”

“Mr. Sven! Are you fine?” The chief constable approached the man lying on the floor. Sven was not hurt except for the gash on his forehead. He was breathing then but unconscious.

“In the name of God, what happened here’?” The Chief Constable, Lestrade, looked at the dead soldiers.

Constable Watson, in pursuit, had the better sense to keep to the road, watching the treelines for the monster. He had a glimpse of it and then met up with Lieutenant Sharp. The officer was leading the men back to the camp upon receiving the recall order.

“Lieutenant, the monster is in there.” Watson stopped before the officer. “It is in there.”

“Hold your horses, man. Take a deep breath and tell me slowly.” Lieutenant Sharp halted the column march. Watson composed himself and then explained what he saw.

“Men, deploy in a straight line and deploy forward. We have a monster to catch. Make lots of noise so that we can lure the monster out.” Lieutenant Sharp gave the order. He then turned to the constable. “You will walk with me.”

“Are you armed, man?”

“No. I have only the …… I left my baton at the church. It was …….”

‘Well, grab a branch then. Thick one. We will search now.”

While the search was mounted, the creature was at the creek. It felt the wounds on its body. It felt nothing except the loose skin and flesh. It felt no pain there. It sat down and looked at the mound of grass.

“Henry, why do they want to …… hurt me?” The creature looked to the grasses there. “I did not do them anything.”

“They tore your shirt. I will mend it later.” The creation touched the torn fabric.
“I have not done that. You could teach me.”

“Henry, you taught me many things. I learned them well. I could learn how to mend your shirt.”

“Henry, am I stupid? You say I was sometimes. I do not want to be stupid. I want to be like you. Please come back and teach me.”

“Henry, why would you not speak to me anymore?” The creature swept the grass there. “Are you still sleeping?”

The creature heard the callings of the soldiers in the forest.

“Henry, there are more of them. They are calling me. I do not want to see them. They are bad men.” The creature looked towards the noises.

“Master wants me back in the cold chamber. I do not want to. I want to be here. I want to be with you.” The creature sat there. “We can leave now. I will find you a new place to sleep. Can we go?”

“Where? I do not know. Your chamber may be a good one.” The creation, knowing not how to smile, nodded. “Let me get you out. We will then leave.”

Victor took to the run. He was still hurt by the beatings and had to stop to catch his breath. He heard the noises made by the search party. He had to find it and take it to the lab. He knew that the creature will go to the creek. It held no knowledge unless it was taught to it.

The creek.

Victor reached there.

There were the soldiers there.

“Whatever was there, it was dug out.” Lieutenant Sharp used his left boot to move the dug soil. The dimensions of the dugout resembled that of a grave. He was familiar with the dugout of the soldiers, or trenches, as named by others. It was not deep enough, but there were the sights of the maggots.

They are the larval stage of flies, appearing as small, worm-like creatures that feed on decaying organic matter.  They are commonly found in places with decaying food, garbage, or dead animals and are part of the fly's life cycle. He had seen these flies when they reached the trenches previously housed by the others. The dead bodies rotted there, and regardless of their affliction, they are always given a burial, whether singular or in mass. The call from that was not to distress the men, mostly the new recruits, or to make space at the trenches. He saw then the man who was standing there.

“Who are you?” The lieutenant asked.

“Who? Oh, he is Victor Frankenstein.” Watson identified the newly arrived person. “He is from the …….”

“Frankenstein. I read the report. Why are you here?”

“I was walking here. This is part of my estate. Why are you here?” Victor addressed the officer.

“Walking, huh? Some dressing you have on.” Victor was dressed in the dressing gown he had put on leaving the mansion. “Well, we are in pursuit of a monster. I may suggest you return to the mansion.”

“I think you have my men posted there to patrol the mansion.” The lieutenant looked at Victor. “Did you see them?’

“Men? I … I left by the side gate. They may be at the main gate.” Victor replied. “I will be going back now.”

“Sir, did you meet the Chief Constable at the mansion?” Watson asked. “He was heading there.”

“I…… No. I did not.” Victor turned to leave. It was then the military officer asked the constable to follow Victor back.

“I have no need of your service here. Please escort the man back to the …… mansion.” Lieutenant Sharp had a tone of envy there. He had not lived in a mansion; his largest abode was the barracks. His other abode was the common chamber in the basement of the public house.

Unseen by the soldiers, the creation had found the abode of Henry. It settled the dead lover on the bedding. It then sat there by the side. Henry lived in the small cottage next to the stable with Sven. It had never been there, but Henry showed it: the outside of the place. It was sparse with the furnishings, but it held memories of Henry.

“God, what a stench!” It was Sven who came in. “Who …… Oh my God! What are you?”

Sven was sent back there to freshen up, and holding the rifle, he had stepped into the cottage.

“My Henry…….”