At the break of day Watson and I awoke bright and early. While Watson stepped out of the room we stayed in in a coy little inn to fetch our breakfast I stayed behind to fiddle with the telescope I borrowed from a chap just two doors down the hall.

"Holmes. It's Watson."

Beyond the room door I heard the rattling dishes as they were being held by a pair of shaking hands. I opened the door wide open to let Watson inside, taking the cup of hot tea in his right hand.

"Thank you Watson." I said, sipping my tea and going back to the telescope I had been fiddling with.

"Have you seen anything through the scope?" asked Watson, closing the door behind him.

"Oh don't close the door Watson. I need a little fresh air." I say as I point the scope near the building I saw the beast standing on last night "Also to answer your question, not yet."

"I see." nodded Watson, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking a few sips of his tea "You know Holmes, you've never told me exactly what happened in that graveyard last night."

"I was meaning to tell, it's just that I had my mind on... certain things."

"What things? If you don't mind my asking."

"Just... the little conversation I had with the monster."

"You had a conversation with it?" asked Watson, taken aback by the new information.

"Yes, I have. Which tells me that there's more to this monster than what Victor had told us."

"Why would Victor not tell us about the monster's ability to speak?"

"I'm not sure." I tell Watson as I fiddle with the telescope lens pointed at the roof "But I believe we will get our answers tonight."

"Why do you say that?"

"I ran into Elizabeth in the drug store last night. She said you and I are invited to a party at the mansion tonight."

"Good." nodded Watson "It's about time we began socializing with others as opposed to playing with telescopes."

I turn towards Watson with a stern, hard look. I tell him to finish his tea, because we first have some investigating to do.

That evening Watson and I arrived at Victor's mansion earlier than when we were expected to arrive. I had suspicions that that there would be a lot to learn before all of the guests could arrive.

In the main hall Elizabeth stood near the door. Beside her sat Victor in a wheelchair. We greeted the two and followed them into the study where the party would be held.

"Good selections." said Watson, skimming over the books on bookshelves that covered most of the wall.

"Thank you." said Victor "Please, make yourselves comfortable."

Watson and I did just that. As we sat around contemplating our next move against the monster the Inspector walked, looking as good as new, as if he hadn't lost his arm.

"Inspector," I greeted the kind Inspector "I'm surprised to see you here."

"Yes, I was unsure if I should come or not, but I finally decided to come."

"Well it's good to see you doing well." said Watson.

"I'm lucky that beast took my bad arm and not my good one."

"Speaking of which," I intervened "What exactly were you doing at the graveyard last night?"

"Truthfully I was mainly there to pay respects to an old friend."

Raising my eyebrow, I turned towards the bookshelf and grabbed an interesting piece of literature from the shelf. I sat in the chair next to the window and began reading. The Inspector, a bit puzzled at my behavior sat down in the chair on my right.

"You do believe me, do you not?" asked the Inspector.

"Somewhat." I answer, flipping a page in the leather coated book "I have reason to believe that you were there for the same reason Watson and I were there."

"And what reason was that?"

"You were looking for the monster."

"I was." the Inspector admitted "I knew that monster was still out there and I had asked the gravekeeper to keep a lookout for the beast."

"So last night..."

"Was my first encounter with the creature."

A hush fell over the study. I shut the book I was reading with a loud thump. I stood the chair and placed the book back upon the bookshelf, pulling out another on that same shelf. This one a fantasy story. Once off the shelf a door opened up at the bottom of the shelf on the wall. The door was small as if a child could crawl through it. Without pause I kneeled down and made my way inside. I didn't know if the Inspector or Watson had followed me inside, I just knew I wanted to find out where this place led.

I stood in dining room, having conversation with random drunken guests. The mansion was littered with fancy suits and ties, fluffed up dresses and corsets. Elizabeth had stayed at Victor's side as the whole party went on. I have decided to go to them and commend them on what a wonderful job they did preparing such a great party.

"Mr. Holmes." greeted Victor, trying to stand up from his wheelchair, but being stopped by his wife's hand touching his shoulder lightly.

"I would like to apologize for Watson not being here once again." I told them "He wasn't feeling well and had to step away from the festivities."

"It's perfectly fine." said Victor, choking down a cough "I understand. There seems to be something going around."

"Yes, there seems to be." I replied, watching Victor wheel himself to a crowd of three people drinking wine.

"Please, feel free to sit and talk with me Mr. Holmes." said Elizabeth cheerily and possibly a bit drunkenly.

I took her up on her offer though and sat down in the fine white loveseat. Elizabeth sighed a breath of relief. I looked over at her as she fiddled with the half filled glass, her dainty thumb dancing on the edge.

"Would you like some more wine Mr. Holmes?" asked Elizabeth, easing the awkward mood.

"I would thank you." I nodded before she handed me a glass from the table in front of us.

My fingers gripped the slim wine glass. As I pulled it gently from her hand I noticed the tatter on her sleeve. A hint of dirt, as if she had ripped it on something. Her wrist looked a light tint of red, as if she had been grabbed her, not forcefully, but strong enough to leave a noticeable mark which she seemed to have tried her best to cover. Could it have been Victor? No. Not in the condition he's in. Could it have been someone else? Or quite possibly... something else. I took drink of my wine and sat down the glass. I walked out of the room, leaving Elizabeth behind. I stepped into the study with no eyes upon me. Like before I pulled on the book to reveal the secret door. I crawled through once again, this time reaching the end. I opened up a door just above me after giving it slight knock. Watson, who had been waiting in the room helped me out of the hole. I closed the door behind me and looked up at the massive hole in the roof.

"You haven't spotted anything yet?" I asked Watson, taking out the lens of the telescope I had stashed away in my pocket, aiming just perfectly for the moonlight to hit it and give the signal to the Inspector, who had been waiting in our room at the inn.

"Nothing yet." sighed Watson "You don't think that monster knows we're here do you?"

"It's a possibility." I answer as soon as the light on the window of the inn flicker, letting me know that the Inspector had seen the signal.

"What do you suggest we do if it were to come?"

"He." I corrected, putting away the lens.

"He." groaned Watson.

"We do nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Precisely."

"But what if the beast ends up hurting someone?"

"It won't." I reassure "It's only after one thing."

"And what is that?"

"Victor."

Within the upper hallway of the mansion I roamed from door to door, trying to find Victor, to warn him of his creation possibly coming to get him. The rain outside fell upon the roof of the mansion, sounding like pebbles falling on a wooden floor. The lightning clashed and the thunder roared, but through the mansion hall I could hear sound of glass shattering and a muffled scream coming from beyond Victor's room door. I pried open the heavy door that had been blocked by a desk. Before me I saw the silhouette of the tall beast, standing outside the window with Elizabeth over his right shoulder. The monster jumped down onto the ground. As I looked out the window I heard the sound wood scratching the floor behind me.

"W-What happened here?" coughed Victor, stumbling towards the middle of the room, crunching the broken shards of glass under the heel of his right shoe.

"I'm afraid Elizabeth was kidnapped." I tell him, still leaning towards the broken window, grabbing a piece of fabric from one of the jagged edges.

"We must go after her."

"Not until you tell me why."

"What do you mean?!?"

I heard a hint anger in his voice, mixed with some nervousness. I turned towards him and looked him in the eyes.

"You know why he took her. Don't you?"

His eyes widened as I stared down at his feeble frame. He knew that I knew what he didn't want me to know. He let out a sigh of defeat. He slumped to the shattered window, dropping his cane on the way.

"It is true." he murmured "I am responsible for this... this whole entire blasted thing. You see, the day after I had last seen the creature I went searching for the it. I needed to find him. My creation. Although I loathe the monster I made... I still truly cared about the life I created. It was my baby. I worried for him. When I found him in the forest near the graveyard he spoke to me. He felt... hurt... grieved that had tried to kill him. I tried to explain to him that I still cared. That I still loved him. But he still felt the pain... as have I. He ended up showing me his own works. His own plans for creating life. Even though I had hurt him, he still trusted me enough to show me what he had made and what he plans on making. But he wanted my help in creating it. He told me that if I didn't he would come and take away the things that add meaning to my life. My happiness and joy. Elizabeth. I loved and cared about him. But I would be damned if I was going to let my own creation run my life. That's why I faked my illness and my inability to walk. I needed to let him think I was unable to help. I needed to feign illness to get out of creating another damn monster!"

Victor leaned against the window, placing the right palm of his hand on the sharp glass. Blood dripped from his palm. He closed his right hand as tight as possible.

"Do you believe... there's a special place in Hell for me?"

"It is not for me to say."

"I need to get her back."

"Not in the condition you're in."

"I am in perfect physical health!" raged Victor, turning towards me, his eyes filled with vengeance.

"I'm talking about your physical health."

His look faded to a look of bewilderment as I stepped out of the door, leaving the madman with his thoughts.

Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. I have been sick for a while and didn't really feel like writing. Also this was lot longer than I originally planned it to be. Hope everyone enjoys it anyways and look out for some more chapters coming very soon.