Castle Frankenstein

Reader’s Choice selection from DMC’s flash fiction group, Friday Frights.

by Lisa McCourt Hollar:

High above Monstropolis, on the mountainside,
Is where our tale begins tonight, at Castle Frankenstein.
The moon silhouettes the castle, as it looms above the town
And from within the darkened walls, is heard an eerie sound.

The castle is home to one Frank N. Stein,
A strange little surgeon of questionable mind.
But Monstropolis is home to many things strange,
So what should it matter if the doctor is crazed?

Just the other night, during a thunder storm,
Lightning lit the castle, revealing an eerie form.
Then the doctor’s demented voice was heard,
The chilling sound of the mentally disturbed.

“It’s alive,” echoed down the mountain side
But not one single soul quivered or cried.
Which brings us to our story tonight
And why Frank’s castle flickers with light.

After more than a year, since first moving in,
The strange little doctor is throwing a shin-dig.
He’s invited the whole town to come see his home,
And meet his new creation, before they leave for Rome.

What’s that you wonder? Why Rome, you ask.
Well that’s a different story; I’ll leave it for last.
The whole town turned out for the party tonight,
Witches, monsters and vampires in flight.

Mummies, Zombies, werewolves too,
All came out by ones and by twos.
Monsters of all shape, monsters of all size,
Monsters with creepy, crawly, slitherin’ eyes.

They were met at the door, by a hunched little man,
Who welcomed them there and said he was Dan.
What’s that, you ask, where is that creepy Igor?
He’s gone on vacation, down by the shore.

But Dan is hunchbacked, with only one eye,
And can fill in for Igor, while at the seaside.
He was sent here to work, by Monsters R Us,
And does his job well, with a minimum of fuss.

At least, mumbled Dan, I answer the door,
Which is more than is said for lazy Igor.
Now back to my story, where was I at?
Oh yes, oh yes, on the welcome Matt.
(Sorry Matt, didn’t mean to step on your back.)

Dan invited the monsters inside,
Including the peculiar, strange Mr. Hyde.
I’m glad you made it, Frank Stein sung,
Grasping the hands of his old college chum.

The two had gone, to the School of the Weird,
For the mentally insane and the medically feared.
I wouldn’t have missed it, Mr. Hyde said,
But first I had to get HIM out of my head.

Him being Mr. Hyde’s other half,
The boring and snoringly dull Jekyll half.
No sense of humor, never any fun,
That Dr. Jekyll, you know the one.

Frank N Stein and Jekyll had been roommates back then,
Along with a little guy known only as Ken.
And not just roommates. But lab mates too,
Frank Stein couldn’t believe he was stuck with these two.

BORING! That’s what they were,
So Frank decided, he needed a cure.
A cure for the boring? Could it be done?
Frank thought so and began to make one.

A little of this, a little of that,
A lot more of this, watch out for the blast!
Smoke filled the room, and when Frank was done,
He was sure what he’d made, would make roommates fun.

Now the trick was to get them to drink,
Which was a bit harder than anyone may think?
You see Jekyll and Ken, might be boringly insane,
But they certainly weren’t stupid or even lame brained.

Even at a school, for the mentally unwell,
Strange, foamy potions set off warning bells.
So Frank started baking some tempting pot pies,
With his new cure, secreted inside.

Rotten apples, molded cherries,
He even threw in, fermented stink berries.
No one insane could resist rotten pie,
But just to be sure, he added some flies.

Then he served it for dinner, a special treat,
‘Cause Ken got an A in Jeepers and Creeps.
They ate some pie, then they ate some more,
But Jekyll and Ken still acted like bores.

Jekyll picked his teeth and talked about school,
While Ken just whimpered, shuddered and drooled.
Poor Frank was ready to admit defeat,
When suddenly his friends, turned white as a sheet.

Jekyll body began to twist
And he seemed to be caught in some kind of fit.
Something was happening, something strange,
Then before his eyes, they began to change.

Jekyll wasn’t Jekyll, he’d become Mr. Hyde,
Jekyll’s wild, crazy, uncontrollable side.
And what about Ken? What happened to him?
Why don’t you ask him, if you can find him that is.

Yes Ken is here, you should have known.
He’s just not one, to put on a show.
Think you can find him? Try if you can.
I don’t think you will, he’s the Invisible Man.

He’s no longer a bore, though he never was one,
But now Ken likes starting the fun.
By fun I mean, he likes playing jokes
On ordinary, unsuspecting, everyday folks.

Like when you reach for your glass
Which was there the last time you glanced,
But now it’s clear across the room,
Whilst someone is whistling a strange little tune.

Or how about when you go out, for a walk,
And when you come home, the front door is locked.
Or you’re taking a bath and the front doorbell rings,
But when you answer it, there’s no one to be seen.

That’s just Ken, the Invisible Man.
Why you ask? Because he can.
But tonight’s not about Hyde, or the Invisible Man,
It’s not about Igor, or a humpback named Dan.

It’s about Frank Stein, and his new creature,
Who’s more gruesome than your substitute teacher.
You doubt that, you say,
Well let’s just see, he’s on his way.

All of Monstropolis holds their breath,
All except those, encumbered by death.
The walls begin to crack; the floor begins to shake,
As beneath the creatures feet, the castle quakes.

Then into the room, the creature came,
Who soon would be known, by his maker’s name.
He was held together, by wire, glue and even duct tape,
Frank even threw in a flowing black cape.

The doctor had used whatever it took,
To give his new creature a monstrous new look.
All of Monstropolis applauded his work,
All except one, who thought him a jerk.

I went to school, with this Frank N Stein,
And believe you me; he’s out of his mind.
His creatures not put together, very well at all,
He won’t even last till the beginning of fall.

But everyone knew, he was just jealous of him
And substitute teacher was just being grim.
So they ignored what he had to say
And partied all night and into the day.

Then before long, it was time to go home
And leave the doctor and his creature alone.
The insane doc paid the band,
Packed their bags, and said goodbye to Dan.

Then they were off, headed to Rome,
It might be a few weeks, before they come home.
So now I’ll answer the question you asked,
The answer I said I was leaving for last.

The question you asked, why fly to Rome?
The answer is simple, if you really must know.
Frank’s monster is hungry for Mediterranean grub,
Spaghetti, lasagna, a toasted meatball sub.

Pizza and bruschetta will all hit the spot,
Cannoli, alfredo, all fresh from the pot,
Roman style chicken and fresh savory stew,
And if there’s room left, an Italian or two.

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