𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐔𝐒

Selective & private Victor Frankenstein of Mary Shelley’s 1819 gothic horror novel “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus”. Canon and canon-divergent lore influenced by the original novel and other gothic literature. Revamped Feb. 2021. As told by Lark [ she/her, twenty-six, EST ]

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blog roll. @ofpsalms​ - hunter OC (medium/low activity) @noblebite​ - horror multimuse  ( low activity)

because you have made mistakes you cannot swallow

𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑.  /  @vivificantem​.

“ come now. it cannot be as bad as you say. ”

 Dark, weary eyes watch Jekyll, before the young man shakes his head, ❝ Quite the contrary, Doctor. The direness of the situation cannot be understated. ❞ After weeks of collecting information, of feeling the presence of the wretch at every turn, he has little energy to say much else other than his motivations for being here.

Bold what applies to your character.

𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒: being unable to stop smiling.  laughter.  bear hugs.  happy tears.  waving arms around.  dancing.  contently sighing.  eyes twinkling.  laughter lines.  childlike playfulness.  skipping.  talking more.  affection.  cracking more jokes than usual. gesturing more when talking.  higher pitched voice.  squealing.  jumping around.  clapping.

𝐒𝐀𝐃𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒: tearing up.  self-hugging.  one-arm cross.  an aching chest.  scratchy throat.  a runny nose.  turning away.  deep breaths.  quivery smiles.  crying.  infantile sobbing. hands gripping each other or an object.  covering mouth.  puffy eyes.  eyes appear red.  voice breaking.   a distant or empty stare.  monotone voice.  asking for comfort.  faking a smile.  crumbling.  shaking.  whimpering.  depression.  abusing an unhealthy habit.  withdrawing from others. big teary eyes.  doing something even if it could hurt them.

𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑: furrowed brows.  baring teeth. passive-aggressive comments.  avoiding eye contact.  sarcasm.  headache.  sore muscles.  hiding clenched fists.  irritability. jumping to conclusions.  raising voice.  going silent.  demanding immediate action.  keeping it all in until exploding. body tensing.  making risky decisions.  middle finger.

𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐑: wanting to flee or hide.  what-ifs. images of what-could-be flashing in mind. uncontrollable trembling.  rapid breathing.  screaming.  a skewed sense of time.  irritability.  keeping silent.  denying fear.  turning away from the cause. pretending to be brave.  nail-biting. lip-biting.  scratching skin.  a joking tone but a voice that cracks.  fainting.  insomnia.  panic attacks.  exhaustion.  substance abuse. tics.  rushing adrenaline.  face draining of color.  hair lifting on the back of the neck.  feeling rooted to the spot.  making body as small as possible.  staring but not seeing. crying.  a shrill voice.  whispering.  gripping something or someone.  stuttering.  flinching at noises.  pleading.

𝐄𝐗𝐇𝐀𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: constantly yawning.  blurring words together.  dark circles or lines under eyes.  mood swings.  hallucinations.  calling people by the wrong name.  dizziness.  denying they’re tired.  slow blinking.  trouble concentrating.  stumbling. leaning on a doorframe for support.  sluggish movements.  falling asleep someplace that isn’t a bed.  becoming irritated by the smallest things.  “i’m awake, i’m fine.”  shaking so bad they spill their drink.  falling asleep in their clothes.  laying their head on the table because they’re so tired.  passing out.

after nearly half a decade teaching his anatomical courses, lewis was accustomed to the look of exhaustion that haunted many young student’s faces. whether they had been up until dawn bent over their reading or, more likely, up until dawn bent over their full tankards, nearly all of the men who filled the anatomical theatre bore the marks of little sleep. by now, lewis had come to accept it as a matter of course; as long as they kept themselves from nodding off in the front row, he took little note.

the foreign newcomer, however, stood out even amongst the sea of weary faces. the other men looked tired, certainly, and perhaps a little bored, but this poor fellow — frankenstein, if lewis recalled correctly — looked downright ill with sleep deprivation. it was enough to catch lewis’ eye more than once. he had made a mental note to speak to the young man after the lecture, but to his surprise, the young man himself had beaten him to it: before lewis could open his mouth to make any comment on his state of exhaustion, the man had insisted upon joining him for a private discussion. 

lewis, naturally, had agreed. exhausted or not, the young fellow clearly had a keener interest in the finer points of anatomy than most of the regular students, and that was an interest that lewis was more than happy to indulge. for a short time, the foreigner seemed content with asking only minimal questions and letting lewis give his rambling answers as he saw fit — but then came the rather more delicate question, which prompted lewis to fall silent for a moment. pressing his lips together, the surgeon flexed his hands on the edge of the desk against which he’d been leaning. 

after a short pause, he finally replied, “ well, mr. frankenstein, i shall make no pretences: any surgeon or anatomist in london is obliged to rely upon the illegal supply of cadavers. of late, we have engaged… ” he paused, frowned, flexed his hands again, and tilted his head slightly. “ … well, i do not know whether you have a word for it, in your country. here, we call them resurrection men. ”

Resurrection men. Victor allowed the term to settle in his mind, all the while forcing himself not to stiffen at their irony.  And still, their services were crucial- grave issue of supply aside, Victor did not have the luxury of time he had enjoyed in Ingolstadt, not when he’d been forced to comply with such a specific request. Despite his better judgement, an urgency gripped the young man, as though the eyes of the Wretch were boring down upon the back of his neck, pressing him to inquire further.  

 ❝ And these- resurrection men... they are able to acquire cadavers on your behalf?  ❞  He made a point to shift his weight uncomfortably, though this unfortunate truth distressed him to some degree. ❝ Their illegality... am I to assume they’re sourced from places other than the gallows? ❞