"Where to begin, where to begin…" Clara asked herself aloud, replaying past events in her mind. Her face reflected the silent memories in flashes, and Utterson could only imagine what some of the happier ones had been. The younger woman eventually reposed herself and began the narrative.
"The best place would be the beginning, I should think. In regards to myself, I am a native of Northern England, originally from Peterlee. My father worked with a traveling show, and all the memories of my birthplace have been long forgotten, other than the name. I've only returned once since then.
"We moved constantly until I was near Harry's age. For the latter part of my youth I did whatever was required of me at the time, but upon reaching adulthood, I began to look outward and wanted to start my own life away from the constant travel.
"Instantly I was roped into the underworld. Without food or shelter of any kind, a job offer was a gift from God, and I took it without delay. At first, I was shamed, but I was taught to quickly forget it, as there was no shame within brothel walls. By this time, I was living in Germany, and my English quickly deteriorated into German, until at one point, I forgot the language entirely."
The mention of Germany caused Utterson to snap his head in attention. Harry had mentioned something of a residency in the country, but it had only been for a few weeks. Obviously, Miss Woodrow was speaking of a longer period. She continued her narrative without noticing Utterson's reaction.
"It was there that I met Henry. He was a wonderful man, then; full of life, though his age was certainly progressing. It was easy for me to see past the graying hair, but others saw it as unnatural. A young woman such as I parading the streets with a man more than half my age; it was unheard of.
"His visits became more frequent as time went on. Unlike your first notion, we met in a small park named Wilhelma, and continued to meet at odd intervals. Henry spoke highly of England, his travels, his work. Whatever moved his heart somehow found a voice in the nights we walked."
Harry, who was still sleeping deeply, began to shift uncomfortably once more, and Clara nearly jumped to his side. She sat on the edge of the bed, once again brushing back his thick hair, trying to cover the scar. Her son's face was still a bit red from overexertion, but his eyes had returned to a normal state.
Utterson waited patiently for the younger woman to continue, drumming his fingers across his chin. A light layer of stubble poked at his fingertips, and what felt like a thin coating of film laminated his eyes from fatigue. Somewhere his large clock had just struck noon.
"Henry seldom mentioned what he did; only that he was a scientist. But I loved to listen to his ideas. He had this belief that if he could divide the human mind into two dominant beings, one side could be suppressed, therefore eliminating such things as crime and possibly evil as we know it. It sounded like a bit of madness the first time he told me of it."
Clara had a look in her eye that made it seem as if she was looking through a photo album. She gazed at Harry as she spoke, but not directly at his face, preferring to stare at his chunky, brown locks that had once been Jekyll's. Utterson had to clench his hands at the memory.
Had he have known what Jekyll was trying to discover, the Lawyer would've put an end to it immediately. It was unimaginable, outrageous, insane, and every other adjective in between. But it was also possible, and that's what killed his friend.
Utterson was generally quiet by nature, though the few hours he had spent in conversation with the small Woodrow family was interesting, and he contributed a great deal. But now he was so enraptured by Clara's tale, he didn't dare interrupt. She continued when she noticed his air of impatience.
"Then he spoke of Edward. At first, Edward was nothing more than a distant friend that stayed behind in England, but I soon realized that Henry was not being truthful. His mannerisms were that of an agitated dog whenever he mentioned Edward. It was as if he was trying to forget his friend. So I continued to find out more about this infamous man.
"My search returned little of value, as there was neither letter nor telegramme from either of the two to show they had been in touch. But Henry somehow knew exactly where and what Edward was doing at that very moment. His friend kept no schedule, so I realized that it wasn't his habits Henry had memorized. They seemed to know each other on a much more personal level.
"Then, one late afternoon, I chanced upon a box marked simply as 'Hyde'. I knew that to be Edward's christian name, and I became so interested in the box I used a shovel to bust it open. In it were nothing but vials and a bit of what looked like salt, so I quickly returned the box to its original place, and never spoke of it.
"Time quickly passed, and before I had even realized it, the holidays were coming to a close, and Henry would soon return to England. He had only planned on staying for a short time to begin with, but I was still shocked to know how fast time went. I already missed him terribly, even on nights when he was standing next to me.
"A week or so before his departure, I met the oddest man, and will be grateful if I never meet his eyes again. Edward Hyde stood in my doorway one evening, his dwarfish, awkward stature giving him the appearance of a hangman. His eyes were black as coal and nothing but evil glared from them."
Utterson squirmed in his chair at the mention of Hyde. He could easily visualize Hyde standing in a doorway, peering from a short brimmed hat at the world in front of him. The Lawyer was reminded of the night Hyde had trampled a little girl, and stood outside his flat writing a bank note. A haunting image. You'll never have to look at that face again, Utterson thought to himself.
"I invited him inside, for what reason I am yet to determine. His appearance was so alarming that I could hardly turn up the gas without hesitating, but he preferred to stay in the shadows. Since he was a friend of Henry's, I extended him every courtesy but he waved off every offer.
"Our conversation was very little, if anything at all. He hardly spoke, and when I asked Edward of his origins he merely grunted. The night seemed to drag on, and the heat was making the room feel almost lazy. At some point I yawned deeply, and Edward noticed, unfortunately.
"Without a word, and with inhuman swiftness, Edward grabbed me and I was carried off to bed. He was surprisingly gentle, and his rough hands felt like protective locks. All of a sudden, I couldn't resist him. Truthfully, I wanted Edward."
The Lawyer drew in a quick breath. His initial suspicions were being foretold, as if he had predicted them. Blood ran through his veins like poison when he thought of what Hyde had done. Utterson burned with unsettling rage as the first half of Clara's story came to a close.
"I admit shamefully that I did not try to stop Edward. No, I deserved it. A terrible hunger clawed at me, and I could not resist him. His movements were so smooth, and his touch so gentle, I would've never guessed that the man looked more like a brute than a human.
"Then, at the…'climactic' moment, something unusual happened. Edward shuddered so intensely, I thought he had gone into a fit. I leapt from the bed, running to the corner, but as soon as I reached it, his spasms ceased. I turned around, and there on the bed, gasping heavily, was-"
"Henry," Utterson breathlessly interrupted. His hands began to shake nervously, and air rushed out of his lungs so quickly his head began to swim. Jekyll did have a child, and that child had grown into a handsome young man that could've passed for his father's twin. If his father was still alive.
Harry blinked rapidly while his mother loosened the collar around his neck. The boy's face was still burning, and sweat dripped freely from his forehead, but he remained alert for the time being. Utterson tried to hide his discomfort by plastering a fake smile on his face.
Clara laid her head on Harry's chest and closed her eyes, listening to his rhythmic heartbeat. In it beat the life of Jekyll, the father Harry would never know, save through stories and pictures. It never occurred to Utterson that the short life of Hyde could possibly share the same incessant beat. No, Harry was too innocent, his heart was too pure.
The offspring of Hyde was trapped in his brain…
There's chapter 3 for you. But Miss Woodrow's story is only half way through! Things will start to pick upafter she finishes her story, so stick with me till then. Thanks for reviewing it so far. I was surprised it would get any reviews at all.
