Creative Writing: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
“Then unexpectedly my hands came upon a doorway, where hung a portal of stone, rough with strange chiseling…” (Lovecraft, 100), etched deep into the doorway was a panel of glass, showing a beautiful creature, that I have never seen before, not in my dreams nor the books that I read while alone. Its bright, glassy, orbs stared into my own. I was entranced by this never-before-seen creature and reached out to touch its bumpy, intriguing flesh. It met me halfway. However, where I was expecting to feel my first touch of human skin, I felt only a flat smooth plane. I drew my hand back quickly, my face contorted in shock.
Strangely, the creature’s face similar to what I expected mine would be. Suspicious, I raised both of my hands, perpendicular to my body, and watched as …show more content…
the creature do the same. I performed more motions, and watched as I was mimicked each time. The timing was perfect each and everything. The creature doing each motion in synchronization with me.
Once again, I reached out to touch the plane. I ran my hands along the sides, feeling it, trying to understand.
Then, an unusual, absurd thought ran through my mind. Could this creature that is looking back at me, and I, be the same? Could this be who I am?
After standing there, deep in thought, for a while, I slowly came to the conclusion, that yes, that image and I, were the same. And with the newfound confidence of seeing myself for the first time, I tried to open the door on which the plane lay. But, I found it locked. I was discouraged for only a moment before with an unknown burst of strength, I dragged the door inwards and was greeted by a sight that almost surpassed seeing myself.
The moon- as full and radiant as it had been in my most vivid dreams- was there sitting in a sky, the color of the deepest and darkest blue imaginable. Below it, was an iron gate, and beyond that, my freedom from the only place I had ever known.
I stumbled down to the gated and attempted to push it open.
To my surprises, it opened slowly, with a loud creak and stumbled along the graveled path. Drunk with the wonder of seeing the things I thought I would have only seen in my dreams, I often tripped, and fell while wandering along the path. I sometimes left the visible road to tread across meadows, and splash through rivers.
I traveled for what must have been at least two hours before I reached what must have been my goal. An ivied castle loomed in front of me, surrounded by deep woods and a moat, sparkling with blue water that shone with the reflection of the highest towers and the moon.
Though the woods I could see open windows, filled with many oddly dressed people, speaking loudly and happily to one another. As I edged closer I could vaguely understand what they were saying, and I stepped into the low, open window into a room even brighter than the moon.
Instantly, all conversation extinguished, and with that so was my confidence. One by one mouths dropped open and the shrill sound of screams were ripped from every throat in the room.
“What is that!” one screamed in horror.
“Shield your eyes my son!” cried another, as she pulled her son
close.
“But what was our sin?” was repeated throughout the room, “What have we done to deserve seeing such a thing?!”
Many covered their eyes as they struggled to scramble out of the room. I looked around, terrified as I realized that they could not be scared of me. For how could they? I was not at all terrifying.
Yet there was nothing here but myself. I glanced around the room once more to find it deserted, save for myself. But, I still felt a presence.
I walked to a nearby alcove and peered in. Then, I uttered the first and last sound I had ever made- a broken sob.
For, there I was. But I was no longer beautiful and my eyes were no longer bright. I stared into my own eyes, and was surprised by the hatred they held. My grotesque skin appeared to be ugly and rotten, and my breathing was shallow, and cracked at random times.
Drained of all confidence and energy, I turned with difficulty, and struggled to run back in the direction I had first come, with the intentions of never being seen again, by anyone but myself.
For I, as an outsider, know now that I am not as beautiful as I once thought when I had nobody’s influenced by my own.
Strangely, the creature’s face similar to what I expected mine would be. Suspicious, I raised both of my hands, perpendicular to my body, and watched as …show more content…
the creature do the same. I performed more motions, and watched as I was mimicked each time. The timing was perfect each and everything. The creature doing each motion in synchronization with me.
Once again, I reached out to touch the plane. I ran my hands along the sides, feeling it, trying to understand.
Then, an unusual, absurd thought ran through my mind. Could this creature that is looking back at me, and I, be the same? Could this be who I am?
After standing there, deep in thought, for a while, I slowly came to the conclusion, that yes, that image and I, were the same. And with the newfound confidence of seeing myself for the first time, I tried to open the door on which the plane lay. But, I found it locked. I was discouraged for only a moment before with an unknown burst of strength, I dragged the door inwards and was greeted by a sight that almost surpassed seeing myself.
The moon- as full and radiant as it had been in my most vivid dreams- was there sitting in a sky, the color of the deepest and darkest blue imaginable. Below it, was an iron gate, and beyond that, my freedom from the only place I had ever known.
I stumbled down to the gated and attempted to push it open.
To my surprises, it opened slowly, with a loud creak and stumbled along the graveled path. Drunk with the wonder of seeing the things I thought I would have only seen in my dreams, I often tripped, and fell while wandering along the path. I sometimes left the visible road to tread across meadows, and splash through rivers.
I traveled for what must have been at least two hours before I reached what must have been my goal. An ivied castle loomed in front of me, surrounded by deep woods and a moat, sparkling with blue water that shone with the reflection of the highest towers and the moon.
Though the woods I could see open windows, filled with many oddly dressed people, speaking loudly and happily to one another. As I edged closer I could vaguely understand what they were saying, and I stepped into the low, open window into a room even brighter than the moon.
Instantly, all conversation extinguished, and with that so was my confidence. One by one mouths dropped open and the shrill sound of screams were ripped from every throat in the room.
“What is that!” one screamed in horror.
“Shield your eyes my son!” cried another, as she pulled her son
close.
“But what was our sin?” was repeated throughout the room, “What have we done to deserve seeing such a thing?!”
Many covered their eyes as they struggled to scramble out of the room. I looked around, terrified as I realized that they could not be scared of me. For how could they? I was not at all terrifying.
Yet there was nothing here but myself. I glanced around the room once more to find it deserted, save for myself. But, I still felt a presence.
I walked to a nearby alcove and peered in. Then, I uttered the first and last sound I had ever made- a broken sob.
For, there I was. But I was no longer beautiful and my eyes were no longer bright. I stared into my own eyes, and was surprised by the hatred they held. My grotesque skin appeared to be ugly and rotten, and my breathing was shallow, and cracked at random times.
Drained of all confidence and energy, I turned with difficulty, and struggled to run back in the direction I had first come, with the intentions of never being seen again, by anyone but myself.
For I, as an outsider, know now that I am not as beautiful as I once thought when I had nobody’s influenced by my own.