Victor Frankenstein's Awkward Moments - 3. A Surprise for Victor

"Master? Master!" Igor yelled enthusiastically, his voice reverberating off the cold stone walls of Victor's castle. He slammed the heavy door behind him and pulled the giant lever beside the door tripping the mechanism that held a large bag of sand nearly 20 feet high in the air. As it dropped, the rope it was attached to went through a series of pulleys, and turned the gears that moved the giant steel beam into place, settling it into its iron brackets ensuring no one could storm the door down. He shuffled in his spasmodic, lurching way, heaving his prize one foot at a time, over the cobbles unceremoniously, leaving streaks of dirt in a trail behind him. "Master?" he tried again, louder than before.

"Stop yelling Igor, I'm sure the neighbours can hear you across the entire valley! I, however, am only in the dining room around the corner, so your screams are not necessary," came Victor's annoyed reply.

"Ah, thank you Master," Igor continued around the corner pulling his prize. "Doctor I have a surprise for you. I spent nearly all night retrieving it. He hauled the heavy package to a spot at the feet of the good Dr. Frankenstein. He dropped the end he was holding suddenly and the package thudded loudly against the bricks in the floor.

Victor studied the outline of the heavy, black, canvas cloth and a smile spread on his face. He needed some good news after having to lay low ever since the trial nearly a week ago. He turned to face his faithful companion. "Is this what I think it is Igor?" Victor rubbed his hands together and his eyes took on a maniacal quality reserved only for his finest moments.

"Yes Master, a new body. And I made sure no one was near when I dug it up. I replaced it with that smelly corpse downstairs, as it was starting to get a bit gamey in the dungeon."

"Yes, yes, quite right Igor. You did very well. Very well indeed. I'd kiss your hump if you washed more," Victor complimented his companion of many years.

"Oh Master, you don't have to do that," Igor blushed. "Shall I put the body on the stone table in the laboratory?"

"Yes please Igor, and right away. I don't want to lose any more time. Is it a young one?"

"I believe so Doctor maybe 23, or 24."

"Oh perfect, a fine specimen I'm sure," Victor became excited and trailed Igor closely as the body thumped down each of the winding, stone stairs toward it's destination in Victor's huge laboratory 2 storeys into the earth.

The lab was always full of bubbling potions of some sort or another and when Igor entered he cast a weary eye around the great expanse to make sure something wouldn't jump out at him, or blow up if he accidentally knocked it over. God knows he did that enough times with his troublesome gait necessitating a precarious wobble to his shuffle. He passed a long wooden table with beakers of different coloured liquids in them. Some were smoking away, and others burped occasionally and spat out some of their contents onto the surrounding surface. Another oddity was the ever burning flame that hovered over a canister of something that smelled as evil as it looked. There were various iron contraptions hanging from each of the walls, the specific uses of which eluded Igor, but he relished the day when he caught a live human and got to use the medieval cages to discover just how painful each could be. His eyes lingered briefly on the coiled wires and tubing that connected whoever happened to be the Doctor's latest victim, via an iron helmet, to the large spike that sat atop the highest point of the castle. It was this point which was struck the most by lightening, and would allow the Doctor to animate the beings he brought into existence in this room. He was mad no doubt in Igor's mind, but he was also brilliant, as no one else came close to achieving the Doctor's goal of having control over the very essence of man, life itself. A smaller man would not attempt such an atrocity, but Victor Frankenstein was not just any man.

Igor finally stopped parallel to the table and hurled the body up, one-armed, onto the large slab that was currently oriented horizontally, but occasionally, when the good Doctor was ready for a test of his latest experiment, Igor would be instructed to turn the large steel wheel located at the midpoint of the table and attached to chains that made their way under the table and would slowly inch the large slab in a vertical manner. Victor always said it was to ensure that his creation could walk away when they breathed life for the first time, but inevitably it would not be necessary as something or other would go wrong, and poor Victor would be heartbroken for a week afterwards.

"Not too heavy I trust, for such a strong lad like you Igor, no? Victor cooed to his only assistant.

"No Victor, quite manageable thank you." Igor drooled, but his slobber hid a small smile.

"Good, good... now be a good Igor and untie the bag for me." Victor was mesmerized with the lines and curves he saw beneath the canvas cover and was anticipating the chalk white, hard limbs beneath at any moment.

Igor, true to his nature and devotion to his boss, did what he was asked and pulled the canvas cover viscously off the body exposing it for the first time to the light.

Victor stared at what was before him on his table, not moving a muscle. After some tense moments, he turned slowly to face Igor and noticed the smirk he now saw readily on his helpers face. "Ah... Igor?"

"Ya boss?" Igor asked innocently.

"It's a woman," Victor said dangerously with an edge of anger to his voice, unmistakeable to his hunchback.

Igor looked to the corpse and then back to the Doctor, "Uh... ya, see she's got tities." Igor smiled and poked the corpse in the breast.

Victor could barely manage to contain himself and turned to stalk away toward the door. "Gross!" he managed before he hit the stairs.

"Aw, come on boss, I thought it would give you a laugh! Maybe she can dance?" Igor said hopefully.

"Get that thing out of my sight, Igor."

Igor got irritated and the doctor's mood got the better of him, never being able to satisfy the perfectionist he slaved for. "We all know why you want a man, Doc!" Igor yelled at Victor freezing him in his tracks, but remaining with his back to Igor.

"I don't know what you mean," he said quietly.

"Look Doc it's not a big deal, it's 1818 people are different now, it's not like your gonna get burned a the stake for liking a guy! And I don't judge you Doc, it's me and you here. Mano e mano, huh! Just admit it, you'd be much happier Victor."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this," and Victor stormed out of the laboratory and up the winding staircase.

"It get's better Victor, just remember that for when you're ready!" Igor added helpfully though the good doctor was halfway up the stairs.