Preys and Predators Part 1 Chapter 51

 

51                The final moments

 

“The moment of truth is upon us, Radu.” Count Vlad looked at his brother. “Do you yield?”

Doctor Jekyll had regained himself and was assisting Rosa lowered to the ground.

“She needs blood. She is dying.” Doctor Jekyll held the lady in his arms. He looked to Doctor Manfred who survived the attack. “Get me blood.”

Doctor Manfred was in shock and could not move. He had seen beyond his imagination his creation having died then and not all were killed by Mr. Hyde. Two of them had writhe in pain from the organ failure.

“I have failed. The organs did not work as planned.” Doctor Manfred sighed.

“Nobody moves or she dies.” Lord Dennis had wheeled the invalid daughter of his out. He had a revolver at the daughter’s head.

“Jekyll, your lover is her. Daisy lives.” The Doctor turned to look and saw the frail looking lady on the wooden chair.

It was his love, Daisy. He felt the rage in him to be cheated of her death, and his sufferings with his guilt feelings.

“Lord Dennis, you are an animal!” Doctor Jekyll shouted. “How could you?”

“Me an animal? I may be one but you are a monster. You created your own inside of you.” Lord Dennis laughed. “I ask you to save my daughter not make yourself that monster.”

“I …… It was not my doing. It was the tests. I did all those tests to save Daisy. You demented my aims. You ……”

Doctor Jekyll tried to recall what did he do wrong. It could be anything from the serum, to the flowers or even Count Vlad’s specimen.

“I am a monster.” Doctor Jekyll sighed. “A killer.”

The doctor felt the rage in him moving to evolve him once more. He wanted to subdue it but the metabolism was kicking in. His body was getting taut when the muscles pulled at it. “He is changing again.” Mycroft saw the oncoming transformation.

“We must stop him.”

“Shall I shoot him now? That will be four bullets then you owe me.” Olad looked at Mycroft. “Or five if I miss.”

The shot was made and it was by Doctor Watson. He made the shot at Doctor Jekyll’s right arm; a flesh shot.

“That should divert his focus.” Doctor Watson explained. “I hope.”

A wounded animal may avoid certain death and retreated for safety was his deduction. So was the change of emotions.

Doctor Jekyll reacted to the wound, and instead of moving his focus, he became more enraged. He evolved into Mr. Hyde and looked form Holmes to his Lordship.

“Oh God!” Mycroft called for salvation. The men in his group all levelled their rifles at Mr. Hyde.

It was then Mr. Hyde charged at this Lordship. He moved so fast and grabbed the wrist of his Lordship before he could pull the trigger. The revolver went off above the lady’s head into the air. It was the signal by the others including the gathered hunters to open fire at Mr. Hyde.

A dozen over bullets up impacted into Mr. Hyde. He was thrown back by the bullets impacting on his body.

“Is he dead?” Olad asked.

“I fired twice.”

“And miss.” The hunter next to him told Olad. “You missed.”

“I am no killer not at point blank.” Olad admitted. “I shoot animals but hardly the human.” Doctor Watson rushed forth to attend to Mr. Hyde. He crouched over to check the wounds. There were seven wounds, but they do not appear to be fatal. However, it laid the monster onto his back. Mr. Hyde snarled at the Doctor.

“Hold your rage, Doctor Jekyll. I did not shoot you. I am here to help you.” Doctor Watson examined the wounds; they were not deep. The skin of Mr. Hyde could had been thicker and prevented most of the bullets from penetrating deep. It was a relief.

“Kill the monster! He broke my wrist.” Lord Dennis called out to Mycroft.

“I command you. Where is the Admiral?”

“I am here, Dennis. I am injured.” The Admiral staggered over.

“The bloody gun exploded in my face.”

The Admiral was bloodied from his face to the chest. The others rushed over to assist the Admiral then.

“Then he must die.” Lord Dennis reached for the revolver with his left hand and aimed at Mr. Hyde.

“No!” The voice came from the lady in the wheelchair. She was struggling to speak. “Father, stop it. He cannot die.”

“Daisy?” Doctor Jekyll had regained himself. He was bleeding from the wounds. Doctor Watson grabbed his claw to bind the more serious wounds.

“What is in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet!” Daisy said to Jekyll. It was a passage from Romeo and Juliet’s original play. “Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?”

“You called me husband. I am honoured to be yours.” Jekyll spoke of their improvised line. He then added this line: ““My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite.”

Romeo’s quote towards Juliet.

“Hyde, I love you.” Daisy smiled. Her line towards Jekyll in their play.

“Princess, we can leave now for a better ending.” Jekyll recited the follow-on lines. That staged play was never done till then. Daisy then collapsed on the wheelchair. Lord Dennis rushed to his daughter, weeping at his loss.

“Get the medical kit!” Doctor Watson called to the others. “He can be saved.”

“No!” Lord Dennis turned towards Watson. He was to fire the revolver when he was shot by the rifle.

“Number seven, but that one is on me. I liked the words they said. Was it some play I have attended before?” Olad looked at Mycroft.