One-shots/Short Stories

Victor Frankenstein

His First Friend
Elizabeth Drew was the only person that ever truly became friends with the strange Victor Frankenstein. People thought him weird for being quite overly-interested in the human body, how he doesn't complete his school work, and barely leaves his home. But during university, Elizabeth was brave enough to walk towards him and start a conversation when she saw him sitting underneath an oak tree, fiddling with a small machinery he created.
   "You have the wires wrong."
   "Sorry?" Victor looked up at her in surprise. She pointed to the small machinery in his hands that he was trying to create.
   "It's wrong. The wires are supposed to be in the opposite holes. That's why it isn't working. Also, they're not even connected properly." she explained to him shyly. He stared down at his small invention with furrowed brows.
   "Huh. . ." he mumbled. He looked at her with a small smile. "Fascinating."
   "What is?"
   "You." she blushed at his words. "It's very rare to see a young woman such as yourself knowing these things."
   "My. . .my father is an inventor himself." Elizabeth admitted quietly. "I'd listen to him explain all the mechanics and what it does - he even showed me how to use some tools. . .sorry, I'm rambling."
   "No-no, it's fine." he quickly assured her. "It's wonderful, really." She nodded to the space beside him.
   "May I?"
   "Of course! Be my guest." He watched her with intensity that she blushed under his gaze. He held a hand out to her. "Victor Frankenstein."
   "Elizabeth Drew." he kissed her knuckles chastely. "May I look at your invention?"
   "Knock yourself out." he relaxed against the tree with his hands behind his head, closing his eyes in content and listening to the sound of the wires being connected in the right places. "You know," he said lowly, "you're the first ever person to come here without insulting me or any kind of negativity."
   "I don't like it when people bully one another." Elizabeth said absently, her main focus on his invention. "I try to avoid them but also try and help the victim."
   "Am I just that to you? A victim?" he couldn't help but ask, opening his eyes to scrutinise her. She shook her head quickly, eyes wide with innocence.
   "Not at all!" she denied. "If I may be honest. . ." she looked away with a blush, "I have been meaning to speak with you for a while. I find you to be quite interesting. Intriguing."
   "Well. . ." he gave a small chuckle. "The feelings mutual, my dear. You are different from the other women in London. I like it."

***

"I'm leaving." Elizabeth admitted with a sad smile. "My father retires from inventing, and he and my mother want to go off to the countryside to relax and be in peace. I don't have to court anyone or anything."
   Victor looked at her with a frown. "You're leaving?" he murmured. "But. . ."
   "I know. . ." Elizabeth sighed, sitting beside him on his couch. "But. . .I don't really have a say in this. I actually don't have to leave with them, but that's only if I have a man to court and obviously -" she chuckled, rolling her eyes, "-I don't have a man to court. And I am not going to court some random man -" She sighed, closing her eyes momentarily. "I leave tomorrow. I'm sorry."
   He stared at her with sadness, and with regret. He wanted her to stay; she's been helping him a lot with his invention, and have been giving him a sense of content whenever the was around. Why? Because he loves her.

And he was too much of a coward to admit it to her.

And so, the very next day, he was hugging her goodbye.
   She pulled away from him and have him a small slip of paper. "It's where my family and I are living." she explained. "If you ever want to visit me. . .or just escape from London, you can come here. You're always welcomed."
   Victor gave her a small smile, bringing her into another hug. "Thank you."
   She went inside the carriage, only to stick her head out the window, waving goodbye. "Goodbye, Victor!" she called out to him.
   "Goodbye, Elizabeth!" he called back. "I'll visit you, I promise!"

***

Months later. . .
Elizabeth was tending to the gardens in the backyard, humming a small tune. She was surprisingly in peace with the world in the countryside. No traffic, no pollution, drunk men, the loudness. . .
   She missed Victor though. They send letters to each other, but so far he hasn't visited her yet. She was quite saddened by it.
   She heard her mother call out to her. "Elizabeth, someone is here for you!"
   Victor? she wondered. Quickly brushing herself off, she hurried inside her home while trying to neaten herself. She entered the living room, her heart jumping to her throat in joy.
   "Victor!" she cried, jumping into his arms. Victor held her tightly, face buried in her hair.
   "Elizabeth. . ." Victor sighed, holding her close. "I missed you so much."
   "I missed you too." she laughed, blinking away her tears. "What's happening? What have you been up to? Did you make Gordon?"
   And so, Victor explained to her everything about his time; from creating Gordon by himself, going to a circus and meeting Igor, the two helping each other create Gordon. And then the presentation at the university, their other new creation and now.
   "Two hearts, and four lungs." Victor murmured. "He was amazing. But it was wrong. Something was wrong. He didn't act like us. He just stood there. He was. . .was a. . .monster."
   "Brain." she suddenly said. He turned to her confused. "He needs a functioning brain."
   Victor chuckled in amazement, bringing her into a hug. "You are amazing, you do know that, right?" It was then he was going to tell her. "Elizabeth, there's something I want to tell you."
    "Okay!"
   "I love you." He watched her stare at him in shock, her hand covering her mouth. "I have loved you for a long time, but I was too much of a coward to tell you. When you said that you could stay if you had a man to court, I wanted to ask you. I wanted to court you."
   He grabbed her hands in his. "Elizabeth Drew, will you do me the honours of courting me?" Elizabeth smiled a watery smile at him, kissing him on the lips gently.
   "Yes."

The End