CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

The Last Fight

The news of Elizabeth's death destroyed my father. He had loved Elizabeth like a daughter, and when I told him that she was dead, he could not believe it. He could not stand the deaths of so many loved ones. A few days after my return to Geneva, my father died in his bed. The doctors told Ernest and I that it was a heart attack, but I believe he died of sadness. I could not stand any more pain. The deaths of William, Justine, Henry, Elizabeth, and now my father were too much for my weakened mind. I went completely mad and spent many months locked up in a hospital.

When the doctors at the hospital decided to let me go, I wanted revenge on the monster more than ever. This was my only reason for living. I wanted revenge on the monster, and I would have it. I would make him suffer for ruining my life. I would kill him. Then, I would probably die myself.

I knew I had only one choice. No one could help me find this monster, even if they believed my story. I had to find the monster myself, even if it meant spending the rest of my life doing it!

As I got ready to leave Geneva, I asked myself, "but where should I go? That monster could be anywhere in the world now- How will I find him?" One evening a few weeks after I left the hospital, I was walking through the city. I arrived at the graveyard where William, Elizabeth, and my father were buried. I stood at their graves, and, crying in pain, promised them I would make the monster pay.

Suddenly I heard a soft, evil laugh. When the laughter stopped, a horrible voice I knew said, "Frankenstein, do you think you are going to make me pay? I have given you what you deserve—misery! But you will live to be even more miserable. Try to find me, if you can!" I tried to find where the voice was coming from, but the monster had escaped too quickly. From that night on, my last fight with the monster had begun. I had only a few clues to look for the monster, but they were enough. For many months, I followed the monster around the world. Finally, I reached the large, cold country of Russia. Sometimes, frightened people who had seen him told me where he had gone. But many times, the monster himself left clues to help me. I realized that the monster wanted me to follow him, but I did not know why. Sometimes, I found messages from him. They were lying on the ground, or placed onto rocks. Every day, I hated him more and more. I knew I would find him and kill him. While traveling north into Russia, I found his last message: "Creator, find some warm clothes and prepare for a cold, dark journey. Only your suffering will make me happy!"

I bought a sled and a group of dogs to pull the sled. With my dogs, I traveled over the snows of Russia very quickly. One night I reached a tiny village, and the people there told me a huge monster had attacked them only the night before! He had stolen their food, and tried to shoot them with guns. He had taken his own sled, and dogs. He went in the direction of the frozen sea. The villagers told me, "Don't follow him! The frozen sea is very dangerous. The ice will break under you, and you will fall into the cold water under it and die!"

But I would not listen. I had to destroy the monster!

I don't know how many weeks I spent on that ice. I had little food, and the cold was horrible. But one morning, I reached the top of an ice mountain—and saw a dark figure moving on the frozen sea below me! I could see that it was the monster. I almost cried out in joy, but I did not want him to hear me.

I followed the monster for two days, but there was still a little distance between us. However, on the third day in this area, the ice began to break and the sea began to move. I was holding on to a small piece of ice, watching the evil monster escape me once again! He was laughing as his sled and dogs moved away.

Soon, I could not see him any more, and I was alone. I would die a horrible death in the ice and water! I did not know how long I stayed on that piece of ice. All the dogs died. My food was gone, and I was about to give up, and throw myself into the water. Then I saw your ship. I did not know that any ships traveled in this land of ice! I broke off a piece of wood from my sled and tried to move towards your ship. Although I was weak and about to die, I decided not to let you help me, if your ship was going south. You see, I couldn't let anything stop me from finding the monster. But you and your men were heading north, so I let you save my life. And that is the end of my story. Although I am still weak from my travels, I will continue to look for the monster. I only hope that I live long enough.

Now, I must ask you something. Please, captain, help me. If I die before I find him, please find him and kill him for me. But don't listen to anything he says. The monster is smart, and he may try and make you feel sorry for him. Do not trust him, he is evil. Just kill him!

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