Northern_Lights_2021

6 Monster Have I been brought back to life or have I only been in a long sleep? Most likely the latter as I witnessed the final moments of Victor’s life myself. Victor, the only one who knows how to bring life to the dead. Bring them to life and hand them a curse that will last a lifetime. How the intelligent can be so cruel. The last memory I have is my plunge. With my only human connection to my life gone, I saw no purpose to continue. I started my life with Victor; it only seemed fitting for my life to end with him as well. With this in mind, I jumped, the cold rush of water overtaking me, swallowing me up and strangling me until all I could see was darkness, and then I was gone, or so I thought. Now, I’ve awoken on a snow-covered field on the outskirts of what appears to be a town but there is something strange about this town. It’s like none I’ve ever seen before. I’ve never seen so many lights coming from one town before. And these buildings: why are they so tall? For once in my life, I feel insignificant in size. This town seems to spread out for an eternity. In all my wandering, I’ve never been to a place such as this. I wonder if this is another part of my curse: being forced to now live in a strange land with no connections to anyone. Maybe, though, this is the end of my curse. I’ve been released and allowed to make new connections, a connection of love even. One I never had with Victor. I must find out my reason for being here. From my past experience, I know not to go directly into this new town for fear of being beaten and chased again. I’ve always found a way around, however; there looks to be a tunnel with a small stream of water trickling out that juts out from the ground. I silently hand-paddle my ice-boat across the water and make my way to the tunnel and enter its unknown path. I had soon learned what this tunnel is for. It serves as an escape for water, so it doesn’t flood the walkways. It has truly served its purpose since I’ve been down here. The melting snow rushes in to escape the sun. Humans have certainly advanced since my absence. Luckily, the little aboveground escapes for running water act as a way for me to see outside but still stay hidden away. During my observations, I start to learn more about these humans. They speak English but it is different from my own. It’s simpler, briefer, but also more aggressive and upfront— how strange. I also learned I am in Long Island which is apparently a part of New York City. I had briefly heard of New York before, but this is nothing of what I’ve heard: loud horseless carriages; grand buildings; strange moving photo frames. Either New York has become the technological leader of the world or I have been away for decades upon decades. The advancement of this place has left me in awe, but what has left me dumbfounded are the people. If I truly have been locked away from the world for decades, humans haven’t changed in how they act. If anything, they have only gotten worse. They used to greet each other kindly, take a moment to talk, and were only violent when they were scared of the unknown, like myself. Now, they treat each other as if everyone is the unknown; angry and with no time for a friendly greeting. How would they react to someone like me? Maybe it is for the best to stay down here to live out the rest of my life in solitude or to end it. At least, I thought I would be in solitude, until I heard the splash and saw her. Emma Shit. Shit. Shit! That’s all I could think when I tripped on the hidden step in the sewer and soaked my ass in the water. This is what I get for following a mysterious creature into the sewer, basically asking to get shanked. Damn it, Emma. Oh well, I guess this is the most excitement I’ve had in my life, so let’s see what happens. I didn’t get to have this much excitement at the orphanage. As I’m cursing any and all gods in existence, a shadow looms over me. Ingolstadt’s Monster in New York City Alex Peterson