CHAPTER FIVE

One Incredible Night

On a dark and stormy night in November the work was finally done. There was so much lightning that the room was as light as day. There was terrible thunder. Wind screamed and howled outside. The wild weather made me excited. I stared down at the table in my workroom, and thought about what I was about to do. On the table was an enormous monster, waiting to be given life. I touched the monster with my special tools. Because of the lightning, there was much electricity in the air. This electricity brought the monster to life! As I used my tools, the thunder and lightning were terrible. I screamed, "I command you to live! Live! Live!"

Slowly, the monster's eyes opened. They were ugly and yellow, like a snake's eyes. His large, strong arms and legs moved in the air.

I stared at this monster. I had spent two years of my life making him. Once, I had thought he was beautiful, because he had come from my life's dreams. But now, I only felt horror and fear. He was an ugly monster, made from death!

I saw huge, strong bones and muscles under his yellow skin. He had long, black hair, and an ugly face. His sharp, white teeth and thick black mouth were the most terrible! What had I done? I could not stand to look at the thing for another minute. I ran out of the workroom, and down to my bedroom. I hoped the monster would not follow me. I fell onto the bed, with all my clothes on. All I wanted to do was sleep. I hoped that when I woke up, I would find that everything had been a bad dream. When I finally fell asleep, I had terrible dreams about the monster, Elizabeth, and my mother. Suddenly I woke up. I had the feeling that something was watching me! The light of the moon came through the bedroom window. As my eyes opened, I saw the monster standing next to my bed. His black mouth moved and he gave me a terrible, ugly smile. He said some things that I did not understand in a voice like death. Then his hand moved to touch me! Screaming, I jumped out of my bed and ran out of the apartment. That night, I hid outside under a tree, weak, frightened, and terribly upset, for the rest of that dark night.

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