Creature and the Maiden ch 2

"The Creature and the Maiden"

Chapter 2


While the moon moved its course over the pitch-black sky, Creature was suffering from a terrible nightmare. Well not exactly a nightmare, but it was close considering what had happened during this eventful day. Visions of the girl's read hair whirling around her face in small streams came across his mind several times. He tried to forget everything but it was very hard.

Never had he felt so restless. He tossed and turned but he still lay in a half sleeping state.

He lay in a pit under a couple of bushes that gave him some kind of a shelter from the cold night. But in his dreamland, small unknown creatures were standing just outside the opening. They were looking at him with small, glimmering yellow eyes. Was it Wolves, Badgers, Rabbits or a just a Fox? Were they Irritated that their home had been occupied by this huge animal? He had scanned through the bushes and the surrounding forest but it was almost impossible to see by the darkness. Was he dreaming or hallucinating everything, or just getting a cold from his damp clothes?

Instantly, it seemed to get colder, like the wind had finally found a passageway through the branches and was sweeping down over his neck and spine like cold fingers. It was creepy and again he deeply wished he had a companion. A friend who would hug him, say that it was nothing to worry about and he or she would protect him from the danger outside!

Suddenly, Creature looked up and peeked through the bushes. He was sure he had glimpsed something much taller than the rest of the shadows, more in the shape of a human. He looked again and in the darkness, he saw a couple of big glowing eyes staring back at him. He wasn't sure if he imaged it but he had no spirit to go out and greet it. The bright eyes stared back at him with such intensity that despite his own size and strength he felt more like a frightened child. He moved shakily into a fetal position. Creature closed his eyes tight and ignored the strange creatures and the glowing eyes outside his little world and tried to count the seconds before the dawn broke.

Fortunately, Creature finally drifted off to sleep and shortly after, the morning sun was up and the nightmares disappeared. Creature groaned as he opened his eyes. He could see dim and faint light sneaking through the small cracks of the bushes above him.

As the sun broke through the green leaves in the forest, the birds were starting to sing their morning songs - and so was the girl.

This familiar sound entered his mind and awakened him. While still lying on the leaf-covered ground, he wished she would stop her singing.

Didn't the girl know it was dangerous?! So tempting! For a moment Creature imagined him grabbing the girl's throat and squeezing her song out and forever ending it. But this mean thought only lasted in a few seconds till he allowed his ears grab the tones and let it pass through his head, permitted it to soothe his mind like it did yesterday.

"What happened last night?" Creature asked himself, picked up the nightmare he had last night. All he could remember was a pair of bright eyes staring at him, made him feel like a frightened child. It must have been a large Fox or Badger, what else could it be?

Hearing his empty stomach growl for food, Creature began to pick up a handful of berries and started to eat them. Still hearing the girl`s voice he began to move back to her cottage again. Hiding behind the bushes he ate his berries slowly as he watched her. The girl took a small basket filled with grain to the troth of her goats. Those two precious animals were very happy to see her, so happy that the dark strange night was gone for another day. They jumped all over the place; bleating and pushing their noses into her legs, begging for food and attention.

She was growing some herbs and vegetables in her little garden, but those plants were not looking very healthy. The trees around her cottage swallowed most of the sunlight, and those fresh greens were constantly an irresistible temptation to the two goats.

It was obvious, despite her generosity to the goats that she was in a lack of food.

"If those animals were not there," Creature thought a bit bitterly. They ate everything they could find in the garden, even though she chased them away. If he did her a favor and killed them, the meat would be very useful for her, probably save her life for the upcoming winter. But then, he remembered the kindness and love that she treated them with. Kindness and love that he so deeply craved. No, he couldn't do that.

What can I do?" he asked himself again.

She finished her chores in her yard. Some of her clothes had already dried and after taking them from the line, she went back inside.

Once she was gone, his mind started to clear up again. What was he doing? Shouldn't he be walking towards Genève and not laying in the bushes like some kind of a Rabbit? He barely had time to voice his frustrations at the heavens when the door opened again. She was now wearing a dark blue jacket and a straw hat on her head. She carried an empty basket and moved towards a small road, barely visible, which lead into the forest, and one moment later she disappeared through the trees.

When she was gone, Creature suddenly noticed a few mushrooms growing right next to a tree not so far away. They were big and fleshy and he knew they were edible. A bright spark rose in his eyes. Then he gathered all the mushrooms he could find and placed them in a small basket, made of dash and grass. He was very hungry but he restrained himself not to eat them and when he was finished, he went back to the cottage.

The girl was still in the forest; he went closer and then ran quickly to the door and placed the mushrooms on the doorstep. Afraid that she might come back, Creature ran back to the bushes, and waited patiently. An hour later she came back. Her basket was empty and she had a disappointed look. But then she saw the basket with mushrooms on her doorstep, she stopped walking, her eyes went wide and her mouth dropped. Walking closer, she picked up the present and examined it. She turned her head towards the woods suspiciously. Behind the bushes, Creature didn't move a muscle and he stopped breathing.

She saw nothing.

Then she suddenly started to giggle, "Don't be silly Laura, these mushrooms must be from Mrs. Bovary, as a gift for borrowing Lucinda (one of her goats) again" She looked at the mushrooms. "They look delicious! Where did she find them?" she said. "I will thank her tomorrow, with these I will make a wonderful stew!"

When she smiled the biggest smile appeared on the Creature's lips. She had appreciated his gift, even though she didn't really know who gave it to her.

She was the most beautiful woman, the most beautiful living being, that he had ever seen.
Creature took a closer look at his hands. How big they were, how clumsy and rough they looked, compared to her delicate hands. He had painfully experienced the reactions to his appearance, for him it was best to keep well hidden from the rest of the human world.

Now he was eager to leave this forest, this cottage and this girl and move towards his destination again.

But when he walked through the forest, which seemed to never have an ending, he became uneasy, like something had chained him and every step he took made him more and more insecure of his mission.

What was wrong with him? Why did he begin to doubt when he was determined to move yesterday? Now he was agitated and restless.

The woods had pulled him in and some strange inexorable force, was keeping him here and refused to let him out from its grasp.

But he must leave! He had no choice!

He didn't know what seedy reasons brought him here; he had been given a small glimpse of beauty and tranquility which he knew he could never be a part of.

But why did he leave the mushrooms on her doorstep, and spied on her again? Was it a silly thought that she perhaps…No! Never!

He was leaving NOW.

But why did he still hesitate?

Creature suddenly stopped, slumped backward against a tree and moaned.

"What in the world is going on?" he whispered.

Was he scared to meet his father? To meet his fate? The possible reaction when he sees his creation again? Creature wasn't delighted to meet him either but he had no choice. The possibility was bright and clear that Victor Frankenstein would scream at him again, chasing him away like an animal. Never fully understanding and never lov-…

A wave of nausea hit him as he thought of it, or was it the "fever" that still held deep inside of him? After all the people that had hurt him, the hopes and trust he had placed on the DeLaceys but got rejected so severely, he still possessed this impossible hope that she might-...

"What is wrong with you? What`s the reason to stay here when you know there is a small possibility that your father might actually help you? He might never love you because he abandoned you but he must help you. That`s his responsibility, he created you and now he must take the consequences!"

So deeply wrapped in his troubling thoughts, he never understood the main source of his distress. Deep inside, he wanted someone to tell him these simple but very powerful words. Three words every human being wants to hear from his or hers beloved's lips.

"I love you."

A small voice started to whisper through his senses and he listened carefully- Why would someone like her – one so beautiful and caring, such a perfect being - why did she live out here all on her own? Was there something about her that he couldn't see directly and was hidden beneath her lovely facade? Had her family died, abandoned or chased her away? Humans like to be around other humans, so why did she live alone all by herself? Was she alone to?

Who is this Laura?

Could it be that she might be…different?

It was that, that caused him to be stubborn though he knew it wasn't possible. He knew it was impossible, the girl would never grant this wish because she was not like him.

But why did he still keep thinking of her!?

Without knowing what he was doing, he had turned his feet and was wandering back to the girl's cottage again.

Pleased, the forest removed its grasp around him, because he had now made his final decision, even he very well knew that he would regret it later.