Book 11

by Robert P McAuley

  “Frankenstein,” both men shouted at the same time causing the iceman to swirl around and growl.

  In a whisper, Bill asked, “Matt, how can you be so sure?”

  “My first clue was when I asked him his name and he answered: ‘I am called the Creature’.” He shook his head and went on, “It all adds up to the story of Frankenstein’s monster: he speaks German, wears clothes from the time period that the story was written in and look at those hideous scars.”

  “But,” said John with a shiver, “I always thought that it was just a story. Right?”

  “Perhaps a story that was written by Mary Shelly as she heard it repeated in the medical circles that she was involved with.”

  “This can’t be,” said John as he looked at the kneeling hulk of a man.

  “Never the less,” added Matt, “he is alive and dare we leave him here when we leave as we know the fate of this iceberg and all on it?”

  Bill rubbed his forehead, “Matt, I believe that you are proposing that we take him back with us. Correct?”

  “And his wife as well,sir,” answered Matt.

  “Hello,” came a voice behind them and Rocko stepped up behind them. “The guy with a gun on me took a nap and here I am.” He stopped in his tracks as he spotted the creature. “Wh-What’s that?”

  “John,” asked Bill, “will you brief him, please?”

  “Sure, c’mon Rocko we’ll talk at the front of the cave.”

  In a few minutes John and Rocko joined Matt and Bill with the creature that just sat by the slab of ice looking at his wife.

  “Rocko,” asked Bill, “can they take our boat and strand us here?”

  “Not without these,” he said as he showed them two small iron devices and said, “These are the igniters to both boats. I took them as I left. And I pulled down the ropes of our sails so they can’t sail away on us.”

  “Next question, how do you feel about us bringing those two along with us?”

  Rocko shrugged his wide shoulders and said, “As long as our food holds out it’s fine with me.”

  Bill next asked Matt, “Matt will you ask the man to come along with us?”

  “And his wife as well, sir?” asked Matt.

  “Yes, of course. We can keep her on the open deck at the rear of the boat.”

  Matt walked over to the still kneeling man and gently asked, "Kommen mein Freund, dir und deiner Frau zusammen mit uns an Bord unseres Bootes? Dieser Eisberg wird bald schmelzen."

  ("My friend, will you and your wife come along with us aboard our boat? This iceberg will melt soon.")

  The creature looked up and nodded his head slowly.

  Matt nodded back, “Gut. Dann warten wir auf das Sonnenlicht.”

  (“Good. Then we wait for the sunlight.”)

  The four time travelers allowed the creature to be alone as they sat closer to the cave’s entrance. Jim and the private investigator sat shivering as close to the edge of the cave as possible.

  John said to nobody in particular, “Man, this is too much. I mean, I thought Frankenstein was just a book and then a movie. This is unreal. I mean, how can some doctor put together a bunch of people parts and bring it to life?”

  “Sir,” said Matt, “Today they are creating parts for the human body in their stem cell research. Who is to say that a few hundred years ago a doctor didn’t do the same thing? I mean, we are witnesses to his end product. Are we not?”

  John nodded in agreement, “I guess so. But what do we do with him? This is 1912 and it’ll be hard for us to explain what we are doing here, never mind what he’s doing here too.”

  Bill cut in, “Guys, it’s our duty to the club to bring him back. It’s what we do: check out the real history of the world.”

  “Okay,” offered Rocko, “But can someone tell what he’s doing here? I mean, why did he even come to the Arctic? I thought he died in a fire that the people of some village started while he was in a castle or something. And what’s with the wife thing?”

  “Sirs,” Matt said as he raised his hand for silence. “The fire was something the motion picture industry created for his ending. In fact, Ms. Shelly wrote that the so-called creature decided to end his days living in the Arctic away from humans. However, Dr. Frankenstein wished to kill him and, using his wife’s dead body as bait, followed him north. But it was Dr. Frankenstein, who died aboard the ship. The creature found out by listening to the crew while their ship was stuck in the ice and he decided to end his life. The crew just watched in fear as he walked away from the boat carrying his wife deeper into the Arctic. At least that was the ending that Ms. Shelly gave it.”

  Bill asked, “But why did the doctor decide to kill the creature’s wife?”

  Matt continued, “While they were in Europe the creature begged the doctor to create a companion for him. The creature said that if he did that, he would take the female and disappear into the jungles of South America. The doctor created the woman, but thinking that they would multiply, decided to kill her and that was the reason the creature wanted to kill him. Some say that the doctor carried the creature’s female companion aboard the ship and was going to use her as bait to make the creature come to him so that he could end its life.”

  Bill added, “But the doctor died first and the frightened crew just watched as the creature carried her off.”

  Rocko just shuddered as he said, “I always thought the book and movie was fiction.”

  “That was the way she wrote it,” said Matt, “It would never had been published if she stated that it was fact.”

  The men stayed awake all night and when the sun started to rise, Rocko said, “I’ll go bring the boat around and we’ll tie the ice with the woman in it and slide her down to it.”

  One hour later, Rocko was tied up to the other boat and John went down and brought the rope back up to the cave. The private investigator, along with the rest of the crew, sat in their cabin, as they didn’t know where Rocko had hidden their boat’s igniter and had to accept the situation as it was. They had a grandstand seat as the four time travelers tied the slab of ice that contained the woman and slid it down the side of the iceberg, into the water where John and Rocko pulled it alongside their boat. Bill and Matt then climbed down the side of the berg with the creature between them. The shouts of terror were heard from the cabin of the smaller boat as the creature stepped aboard their boat before going aboard the time travelers’ boat. Before they cut the line between the two boats, Rocko called out to the captain, “Captain, your igniter is on the floor of the ice cave. Safe journey.”

  The trip back to New York was much easier as, unlike the trip out, they knew exactly where they were going. Day and night the creature declined the warmth of the cabin and preferred to kneel alongside his mate who by now lay on the deck with a blanket covering her as the ice had all melted away.

  As the group of time travelers sat in the cabin eating lunch, Matt took a piece of yellowed notebook paper out of his pocket and said, “Gentlemen, as I have done every meal time, I invited our guest to dine with us in the cabin and as he has done every time, he refused. As I was about to return here I noticed the tip of this notebook paper sticking out of the pocket of her coat and carried it here.” He carefully opened it and laid it flat on the table. It was written in German and Matt took a few seconds before translating it.

  November 4, 1816

  My health has taken a turn for the worse and as I fear that I may not make the return trip home, these are my thoughts on my creating not one, but two creatures. Stating that he wished to be away from all humans, the male has left Europe and traveled north to escape justice and I feel it my duty to terminate his existence. He has claimed that he is innocent of any harm that may have come to anyone that had the poor luck of crossing his path, but I say, nay! Justice must be served and it is my duty as his creator to end his existence! I have brought along the female creature that I gave life to, before taking it from her, simply as bait to bring the male to me that I might end h
is existence. As electricity was the main step needed for them both to come to life, it is perfect that she joins him here in the Arctic regions as thunderstorms are hardly ever encountered here as the air is too rarefied, thus her chances of ever getting the electric dose that she needs to live is close to nil!

  Dr. Victor Frankenstein.

  Matt folded the note and finished telling them all he knew about the Frankenstein story and at one point Rocko said, “Matt you said that the doctor brought him to life by using lightning, right?”

  “So the story goes, sir,” answered Matt. “He attached an apparatus to the two terminals in her neck and somehow attracted lightning to strike his machine, sending the electricity into her body.”

  “So if she gets struck by a bolt of lightning she’ll come back to life?” He suddenly stood and said, “I’ve got it! Matt, do you think he’ll allow me to try something with no guarantee of success?”

  They watched as Matt conversed with the creature. After ten minutes the big man stood to the side as Bill and Rocko brought out the hand-cranked radio. They all watched as Rocko took two long wires and attached one end to the outlets on the radio and nervously tied the other ends around the posts in her neck. He then placed his hand on the hand-crank and said, “Matt, I hope he understands that I have no idea if this will do anything at all.”

  He slowly turned the crank and with each turn the round dial on the face showed an arrow indicating how much power was being produced. They all held their breath as the current flowed through the female creature’s body.

  After five minutes, Bill relieved the tired Rocko and five minutes later John took over. Five minutes later the creature, who had been watching from a distance stepped forward and gently removed John’s hand and started to turn the crank, slowly at first, then faster and faster until the men thought it would break off when suddenly her open eyes snapped shut only to reopen and look up at her mate.

  She moved her dry, cracked lips and slowly said, “Lebe ich wieder?”

  (“I live again?”)

  The creature was openly crying as he answered his mate, “Ja! Sie Leben wieder, meine Liebe!"

  (“Yes! You live again, my love!")

  He grabbed her hands and held them in his as the men watched from a distance.

  “Rocko,” whispered Bill, “That was pure genius!

  “It just kind of made sense, Bill.”

  The trip back couldn’t have ended any sooner as both of the passengers had a huge appetite. Matt sat for hours talking with them and it looked like they got some color on their pasty white skin as they sat all day on the open deck at the rear of the boat holding hands.

  The four cooked up a plan for their docking in New York and when they did, Matt left the dock as the others waited for him to return.

  Two hours later, a large coach pulled up with Matt driving the 1912 Autocar Type XXI coach. He hopped down and boarded the boat.

  “Matt,” asked Bill with a smile, “Where did you get this baby?

  “I rented it from a friend who delivers parcels for a few stores in our neighborhood.” He took out a list and said as he looked at it, “I purchased blankets, food, water, sleeping bags and a tent should we need it.”

  “Did you get a place in the Canaan, New York area?”

  “Yes, sir. It has a large log cabin with a stone fireplace, a well, barn and borders a lake that is stocked with fish.”

  The 1912 Autocar Type XXI coach that Matt rented was perfect for the group.

  “Great! Let’s get the guys and be off.”

  The dock was fairly empty and if anyone saw the two very tall people with long draping shawls that covered their head and face, they said nothing as New Yorkers, even then, minded their own business.

  All climbed up and into the large truck and were happy to find plush seats. Matt took the driver’s seat and opened the ignition switch as Bill turned the starter crank at the front of the engine. It started with a roar and a cloud of blue-white exhaust and left the dock with a jerk as the clutch grabbed the gear.

  The 1912 roads were nothing to speak of and as the driver sat in the open, Matt was glad that it hadn’t rained in a few weeks as there was no mud, however, the lack of rain created lots of dust and if you happened to be following another truck, you were covered in dust. That was the reason that all the drivers along the dirt roads raced to be in front. Besides the odor of horse waste, another negative was the bumps, ruts and holes in the roads and the inability of the truck’s suspension system to handle them. But, as any club member would say, ‘It’s still great being back in time’.

  The trip took four hours with the last two driving through the thick woods of upstate New York. Suddenly they came out in a clearing that sported a lake and small dock that had a flat bottom rowboat tied to it. The log cabin seemed to be part of the woods as it not only blended in with the environment, but the last owner had allowed the young trees and bushes to creep right up to, and in places, over the cabin. Matt looked at the pen and ink drawing the broker in New York City had provided him with when he purchased it. He said the owner tried many times to rent it out, but it was just too far into the woods for them. A plus, Matt thought for their plan of settling the two from the iceberg up in it.

  “Matt,” asked Bill as he drove slowly to the cabin, “Will you tell them that if they don’t like it, we can try something else?”

  “I will, sir.” He parked the rig and set the brake and they all got out. The woman held the man’s hand and they walked to the lake. They laughed a deep rough laugh, but a laugh non-the-less, as they splashed water at each other. Perhaps they were different, but when two rabbits came out of hiding and hopped close by them, Bill felt that they were one with nature.

  The time travelers allowed them ten minutes of walking around before Matt went to them and, sitting under a tree, explained that should they want to live here, it is all paid for and it is now private land, their private land. He passed them the pen and ink drawing that had a map of their area. He told them of the food supplies, blankets and water they were supplied with. If they didn’t like it, they would be provided transportation to South America.”

  Fifteen minutes later Matt came back to the group by the truck. “Fellows, we may transfer the supplies into the cabin; they love it!”

  Fifteen minutes later the truck was empty of the supplies and it was evident to all that it was time to go. Both of the ice people stood by the truck’s door and not sure what to do, Bill did a slight bow as he said, “Good luck.”

  “Erick,” the man said, then pointed to the woman and said, “Gretta.”

  Bill grinned and offered his hand as he said, “Good luck, Gretta and Erick.”

  Erick’s hand cupped his up to his wrist in his first attempted at a handshake.

  Each of the time travelers got the same until Matt said, “Eb wohl, meine Freunde. Es war eine wunderbare Reise.”

  (“Good bye, my friends. It has been a wonderful voyage”.)

  Erick did his best smile which would scare the average person and he said as he placed his hands on both of Matt’s shoulders, "Wenn nicht für dich, Freund Matt, hätten wir noch gesehen als Wesen. Danke, dass Sie geben uns Leben und einen Grund zu leben. Glück, mein Freund."

  ("If not for you, friend Matt, we would still be seen as creatures. Thank you for giving us life and a reason to live it. Good fortune to you and the others, my friend.")

  It was like a poorly written movie as the sun broke through a small opening in the trees and drenched the two big people who stood waving at the truck as it drove back into the woods.

  The drive back to the city was relaxing, as it usually was after a successful mission. They knew that the Time Watchers would be ecstatic over getting the real Mona Lisa back, but they also knew that the Frankenstein affair would really intrigue them.

  The four tired time travelers returned the truck to its owner and took a taxicab to the club. Once in the garden Bill said, as he took out his TFM, “Guys, I’m going to pun
ch in May 16, 2014 unless you need to be back at an earlier date.”

  Knowing that Bill always tried to avoid going back at an earlier date to ‘Keep it real,’ as he calls it, both John and Rocko shook their heads no.

  Bill entered in May 16, 2014 and after all were in the stairwell, pressed the activate button.

  DATELINE: MAY 16, 2014 PLACE: THE 1800 CLUB, NEW YORK CITY

  Once in Bill’s den they flopped down onto the easy chairs and couch to unwind. Matt left the room and returned ten minutes later with coffee, tea, sandwiches and Samson who bounded up onto Bill’s lap.

  “Hey, little guy, did you miss us?” he asked as he scratched the beagle’s ears.

  Over coffee Rocko kidded as he held the Mona Lisa up against a wall, “Hey, look, this is where the Mona Lisa should be displayed.”

  John looked and nodded his approval before turning to Bill, “So, what are you going to do, Bill, bring it up to the group yourself or maybe leave it on the landing so they can just come down and get it?”

  Bill shrugged, “I’m not sure. Maybe I’ll just text them and like you said, leave it on the landing outside of the door.”

  “Let us know what they say about Frankenstein, okay?”

  Bill grinned, “You mean, Gretta and Erick.”

  Rocko added, “Boy, I have to admit, I was scared at first.”

  “Me too,” said Bill, “but when I think about it, I bet it was because we all remember Boris Karloff in the movie as he portrayed the monster.”

  John agreed and with a shiver said, “Boy am I glad that Matt was along for that one. I didn’t know that he knew German.”

  “Me too,” said Rocko.

  “Believe me, guys,” said Bill, “neither did I.” He looked pensive and was quiet for a moment, then said in a low voice, “You know what, guys? There are times that I believe that Matt is the real head of the 1800 Club and I’m just a figurehead. I mean, let’s face it, he knows where everything is and when there’s a mission, he sort of plans the way it’s run: he gets the tickets, the clothing, the transportation, everything!”