I stared at the white icicles which drooped down in multitudes creating a chalky wonder of sorts all around me. Nature was at its alluring best here in the Arctic region. The frozen lake though surreal and magnificent, yet again made me think of my life. The haunting stillness of the lake was symbolic of my life. But my existence did not shriek of beauty or magnanimity. On the contrary, I was one of those wretched beings who was bereft of love, from the day he materialized on this land. Yes, I materialized and was not born out of a woman’s womb. Being procreated organically was not to be my fate. I was the outcome of a scientific experiment spearheaded by my maker- a mortal human.
As the cold Arctic wind pierced my grotesque body, I could not help but peer at my bleary reflection in the frigid lake. It was an unsavoury sight and one which never ceased to repel me. My face was contorted at one end and yellow liquid oozed out of my flesh like ants trickling out of anthills. The colour of my skin was as white as death itself. The white pallor though seemed one with the snowy surroundings which was my home for some time now. So much time had elapsed since that dreadful day. My maker had died and here was I the ‘monster’ he created, stuck somewhere between the circle of life and death. What was the purpose of my existence? Why was I still alive? Even the harsh and unrelenting weather of the Arctic did not seem to obliterate me.
For the world, I was just a ‘creature’, an experiment gone awry. I did not even have a name! But I had emotions aplenty like these mortals. I could feel angst and despondency and I too yearned for love.
The muffled thoughts swayed in my brain like any other day. Little did I know that today was no ordinary day.
*****
The hooting sound woke me up from my slumber. I opened my eyes, which were stuck to the sockets like two unsightly pieces of flesh. Perched in front of me was a big white owl. His head rotated in a complete circle and the hooting aggravated. A shiver ran down my spine (did I even have a spine?). You see monsters get scared too. Monsters too have within them unnamed phobias. They too jump at the sight of that grimy lizard and they too can in their desperation commit the most heinous acts. Just like humans!
“Here’s a message for you Frankenstein. You are summoned to serve as a jury member for a rather important trial. Here’s the message. Read away”. The soft muttering of the owl quietened and before I could react, he dropped a scroll right in front of me. I was flabbergasted, nevertheless I screamed out, “My name is not Frankenstein for God’s sake! It was my maker who was called so. I am..well I am nameless. But, still don’t call me by his name. He created me but I am ‘me’ and…”
Whoosh…
The weird-looking owl flew away paying no heed to my rant. It did not affect me. I was accustomed to people and even lame owls treating me so. No one ever wished to hear me talk. It was easier that way. It was simpler to howl and run away at the mere sight of me than to lend me an ear. Probably that’s why I was never christened. A name makes you whole. It makes humans look up to you in the eye and see you as a living and breathing being.
After banishing me eons ago, what on earth did these humans need me for? The red-coloured scroll suddenly shone in the sun, reflecting a gallimaufry of colours. I was stunned. Was this thing magical? Did I envision everything which transpired a minute ago? Was this world a phantasmagoria of images that run amok or was it for real?
I no longer knew.
With trembling hands and a sense of trepidation gushing over me, I unclasped the scroll.
Dear Frankenstein,
We solicit your presence to serve as a jury member in an ongoing high-profile case. This apropos to the case no 231 called ‘The Unnatural Selection’. The case under trial is MW Shelley vs The State. We believe your presence on the jury would be pertinent. Please find attached the details of the case along with this note for your reference.
I stared at the words too dazed to even blink. It took me a few moments to go to the next bit of pivotal information. As per the additional information that was supplied to me, the State had pressed charges on a woman named MW Shelley for planting the seeds of something which can lead to ‘blasphemous’ aftermaths.
I did not understand much of what the letter entailed. But, for once I felt a little spark of joy bubbling within my gnarled body. I was needed in ‘their’ world. They had beckoned me. The one they had shunned all those years ago was now going to hold the seat of power. Was I being overly excited? My detestation of the humans had made me develop a propensity towards trusting anything that came out of their land.
Yet, I felt deep inside me that it was time. Like humans, I was curious too.
*****
I took a deep breath. This was it. The moment had arrived. I was jittery and my elongated palms sweated profusely. What if I am abhorred yet again? What if they oust me out at the sight of my grisly body? These thoughts ran through my mind in tandem as I stepped inside the courtroom on that fateful morning.
The court was brimming with people and on a whim, I squinted my eyes. The spectacle unnerved me. After all, it had been a while since I saw a human being in flesh and blood. And here I was standing as a center of attention amid a room thronged by men and women.
To make matters worse, all heads had turned in my direction and all eyes were set on me. But, wait! They did not bat an eyelid as they witnessed me take centre stage. They looked intrigued but the one expression which never ceased to escape their faces ever since I first appeared was conspicuously missing.
They were not afraid of me. Yes, they did not run the other way seeing my deformed shape. What had changed, I wondered. Maybe the years I was gone robbed these humans of their naivety. Maybe they had seen it all.
With slow and steady steps, I strolled past the crowd. A man dressed in impeccable attire beckoned me to be seated. Few other seemingly distinguished people sat next to where I was supposed to be seated. These must be the other jury members, I presumed.
Just then a bespectacled man dressed in a black robe and a yellow wig made an appearance. Everyone stood up and an uncanny silence pervaded the room. I stared at the powdered wig that adorned the man’s head. Who would have thought, a syphilis outbreak and apparent baldness would lead to such a bizarre fashion? I was wise beyond my years. But wait, that phrase was not deemed fit for me. I had lived for more years than I could count.
I turned around to sneak a peek at my fellow jury members. Perched on a cosy black chair was a sheep. It bleated in boisterous tones and I looked away at once. What was a sheep doing here? It was getting curiouser and curiouser.
*****
“My Lord, the defendant Ms. MW Shelley is sued by the State for birthing the idea of cloning. The case which is famously known in the elite circles as ‘The Unnatural Selection’ has sparked appurtenant debate on the cloning issue. The State has accused MW Shelley of creating the first cloned creature thereby giving rise to the ‘It’s All About Cloning Corporation’. This Corporation cloned an animal and now even claims to have cloned a human- the first of its kind. The State abhors the concept of cloning and holds that it can bring nothing but mayhem in the natural order of things.”
I heard the accusations dumbfounded. It explained my presence on the jury. I felt a sense of anticipation thinking of myself as an integral part of such a crucial ‘one for the ages’ kind of trial. My erstwhile ebullience which had been submerged under the icy exteriors of the Arctic gradually began to come back. Crikey! I was suddenly as excited as a bumblebee.
“I would like to hereby call upon the defendant MW Shelley to the witness box.”
I craned my neck to see a petite woman dressed in a black maxi frock ambling towards the witness box. Her face bore a steadfast expression and I could not make out what went through her mind at that juncture.
“Ms. Shelley, do you plead guilty? You created Victor Frankenstein and the monster, thereby rendering upon the world an abominable concept that is bound to disrupt the natural order of things. The State deems you responsible for the ideation of this preposterous concept of cloning. Do you have anything to say in your defence?”
There was a sudden clamour in the court and the bleating of the sheep reached its crescendo.
“Dolly, hush! You are the first animal clone, the pioneer as they say. Better behave like one. Don’t be the black sheep of ‘It’s All About Cloning’.” A woman who sat in the front row looked daggers at the sheep as she shrieked out these words.
My mind was a jumbled mess by now. So, the woman in the witness box was the one who created my master and me? Was I merely a figment of her imagination? And the sheep, the one which didn’t seem to stop bleating was a clone? Was she like me too? I had heard my master say it several times. Were there more human clones or ‘monsters’ like me in the world? Before I could think further, the lady in black, cleared her throat and began to speak. There was a pin drop silence all of a sudden and all eyes were on the woman- a Ms. MW Shelley.
“Thank you, My Lord, for allowing me to take to the stand and speak out my truth. Well, the truth is that I am the creator of Victor Frankenstein and the monster. But it is a travesty that for most of my life, I wasn’t credited to be the one who shaped these characters. I am jubilant that for once, I am not just a woman but an author who at eighteen years of age, literally made a monster of a character. Do not think that I am boastful. I am not, trust me. I am merely being a self-advocate so that the world does not take me for granted. Over the years I have realized that I was a trailblazer, I was someone who was a pioneer of science fiction. As for the accusation that I propagated cloning, well I did introduce a path-breaking phenomenon. But I did leave a warning. It was Victor Frankenstein’s hubris that led to such a disaster. Science is a pandora’s box that once opened can lead to utter pandemonium. As my monster had put it quite succinctly- I ought to be thy Adam but I am rather thy Fallen Angel. So, the onus of this mayhem lies with you.”
Soon there was a commotion and my fellow jury members immediately began to cast their votes. I sat there still reeling under the impact of the recent revelations.
An hour passed or may be more perchance.
“Mr. Monster, you need to cast your vote. Your vote is going to decide who wins the case- Ms. Shelley or the State.”
I suddenly felt tears trickling down my cheeks. Was I crying? I had always felt that my existence was worthless. But today after listening to my actual creator, for the first time in my life I had a feeling that there was a purpose behind my existence. I was part of a higher order of things that forayed mankind to greater heights. I promulgated a warning of sorts that the road to scientific discovery needs to be tread cautiously.
I stood up and smiled. My vote goes to….
**************
Further Reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clonaid
Prompt: Your MC has lived an uninteresting life. But, for the past month their life has changed dramatically. They have been invited to serve on the jury in a high profile trial involving two famous personalities. The press and public have made up their minds about the verdict. But, the jury is tied and the MC has the deciding vote. Write a story with this premise and narrate it as bizzaro fiction.
First Published here: https://writers.artoonsinn.com/the-real-monster/
Of life and its follies 