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"It is invigorating!" Elizabeth eagerly agreed. "I am not aware of this personal power. I know of power that comes through inheritance, good marriage, title, lands, even unique education. But I never sought out personal power. Of course being weak could serve as a great motivator. And ever since I cam back, I kept feeling weak. I would not mind feeling strong at another person's expense. Especially if they are unworthy. Only, how do you find out which of the people belong to such a depraved category. Do you steal files from those prisons where criminals are charged with labor? Or do you go out at night and?look for robbers and such? I don't suppose you have any of your supernatural sciences being able to tell you where these depraved individual are hiding and which crimes they are contemplating? Oh I would be most eager to make their heads crack!" Elizabeth vehemently declared, finding pleasure in how the last word reverberated?through her mouth. Making her feel empowered, and slightly excited.

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"I can?easily accept his madness. And the fact that he was hiding his worst from me. But you are saying he even lied about the years? Oh my?God, it is so hard to believe that so much time passed. Again, I cannot quite remember what the madman said, but he seemed to have implied only a short period of time elapsed since I was gone.?And the servants...Are they real? I thought I remembered them, but either I remembered the wrong people, or else, they are not natural either? That...wretched bastard. He even lied about that.

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I bet he was feeling so smug when he was telling me that?they wouldn't judge me for anything. I thought he was?just being hopeful, or else how else could he know. But now, I am wondering what he did to enhance them. Of course they'd think whatever he wanted them to think, if he controls their bodies. I have to wonder, how much of it Victor actually remembers. Could he be honestly forgetting some of his deeds because they are so horrifying? Or does he believe his lies justified? What happened to this man I called my husband. How could he go so wrong?" Elizabeth wondered rhetorically.

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"You're not? Thank you," Elizabeth tried to gratefully smile through the tears, but her smile was too tremulous to succeed. Slowly shaking her head, Elizabeth readily admitted. "No, I don't think so. If Victor told me, then in such a?confusing way that I didn't understand. But I don't think he ever told me the whole story. He tried to make it look like the fault of his creation, and even being ignorant and unaware of what truly transpired, I found some holes in his story. I never truly accepted his words. Well, my logic wanted me to believe, because he used to be the man I loved. But something told me, that there was more to the truth than what he'd claimed. I have no doubts he is inhumane.

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I think, I may be wrong, that he understood some of his errors. He claims to want to take responsibility. I wanted so badly to trust him, but it was more because it was easier. Just like the voice, it was also easier to forget it. The voice demanded that I was different now. That....that I would never be the same, gods help me. That I am so different and superior that I will have no other way but to...show it. I think it wanted me to be more violent, only I didn't think that was who I was.

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And then, when I came back, I started feeling differently. Almost as if being violent could be the answer. It couldn't though, could it? Superior beings? That is interesting. I thought I had greater physical strength, but not more than that. Does it make me better than others though? Well, if the organization has uses for me, of course Victor will never find out. Though truth be told, I am not sure exactly how ordinary he is himself. You see, when I could not control myself any longer, I struck at him, with all of my speed and strength," Elizabeth admitted with cheeks only mildly flaming. She knew she should be utterly horrified by her display of violence yet this conversation made her think a bit differently of the incident between her and her husband.

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"And somehow, he was able to parry it. He mumbled some nonsense to explain it, but really, he shouldn't have been able to do that. I have seen the full measure of my strength and speed, how much greater they were than when I was first alive as an ordinary human. Don't think me vain, well you likely wouldn't as much as I did at first, but I really didn't see any average human being able to deflect so effortlessly. Victor claims he did nothing to himself, no enhancement as he did for his creation or me. Yet if his words are true, he is not ordinary human either. Do you think he merely wants to forget what he did to himself, being embarrassed by the unnatural enhancements? I don't know what the truth is, but his speed was nothing short of remarkable. To such a? degree that it both startled, and offended me, after I expected myself to be the stronger one in the relationship," the young woman muttered her last words, still a little uncomfortable with her confessions.?

Elizabeth feebly sniffled and looked up at her new friend. The reassurance offered her certainly helped, but it was the last remark that drew her attention the most. "I kind of did, and didn't. I lost certainty about what truly happened. Victor had expressed a seemingly sincere desire to help me. I really wanted to be helped, to be comforted.?Part of me wanted to accept his apology but?the other part...it was furious with him. I suppose, regardless of his protestations, I do feel as if he contributed to me dying. So, all of this is true, but how do you know about it? Well, Victor does strange things with science so perhaps you have similarly remarkable results.

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Can you look into my head then? I could not decide if what I experienced was true or not. My mind tells me strange things.?When I died, oh It is so strange to say that, but please, don't be angry with me for stating such outlandish things. When I died, I seem to?dwell in the dark. It was like...the absence of everything. Only I was there, and the voice surrounding me. ?The voice was soft and it was telling me such strange things, demanding an action on my part of some kind. I cannot remember his words, or the action required, only the whole thing felt like a torment to me. So insidious, so dark. It made me doubt who I was. That was part of the reason I considered myself to be mad. That memory of darkness, and my obedience to the voice encroaching from its inner most dweller.

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I told Victor about it, and he thought it was his creation. The one that he says had me killed. I believed him at first, but now, I am not sure. Do I even know what his creation sounds like? I cannot remember it speaking, certainly not enough to compare the voice with that of my tormentor. I wish I knew who it was. And more than anything, I wish I could relieve myself of its darkly oppressive memory and feel normal again. It aches me to think that I am now under the control of some sinister powers, rather than my own will," Elizabeth sadly spoke, her tears failing to abate.

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Accepting the cup, Elizabeth distractedly murmured sugar, the words of Keres changing her look into hopeful. "Yes, I have been wondering how you can know such things. An organization, that sounds so mysterious. It would have sounded so exciting once, but now I fear my tastes, my priorities are greatly altered. What is their purpose then, is it just about Victor? Would they consider me to be an enemy? Could they...I dare not hope, yet I must ask. Could they help me, and give me something against the madness. The memory of death was bad enough,?but the memory of the aftermath, I really cannot say if it rove me mad.?Victor seemed to think so, and on that point, he might be right. I don't suppose I can be found?to be useful to the organization. You know, if it is your mission to kill me, I will not resist, so long as you don't make it painful. Please, don't make it so. I cannot abide more pain, that is all I would ask for," Elizabeth begged through tearful eyes, her mind finally registering the full possible implications?of what she has been told.????

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Victor's kiss and his professions of love left an impression on her. But, possibly, not the kind he was hoping to achieve. She started wondering, how they ended up being together in the first place. His rebuke angered her, she could calmly admit it in the privacy of her mind. But his affection, oh it was revolting, horrifying, disgusting and?Elizabeth could not even say why. She simply had to refocus her attention on young miss Sadler, lest her mind became overwhelmed by the unpleasantness of her sensations.

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"I used to think our house was very different. That things are always in their right place. Only I fear I was woefully misguided. There is strangeness going on, with me, within my house, my community. I am sorry, you meant it all literarily of course, where I was thinking in a kind of abstract way. It was unseemly of me, since you haven't asked anything.?I could justify myself by saying that I had no opportunity to unburden myself just yet. Oh, I could talk to my husband. But his logic is so different. He is not at all disturbed by the things I am.?Comes with the gentler predilection of our gender, I suppose," Elizabeth attempted a small smile,?reddening at her inability to control her words even in the presence of a perfect stranger.

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Frowning at the Sadler family servant, Elizabeth merely nodded gratefully at Keres' reassurance. Her husband was probably a different sort, a?kind man. Well, any man might be kinder than hers, she supposed, unable to speak as the emotions held sway over her again.

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At her hostess encouraging words, Elizabeth tried to obscure the truth with a non committal "the street gang mauled me," but then as the inner pressure intensified was unable to hold herself back. "My husband. Oh my Lord, it was all my husband. He had...I am sorry,?I know it might be hard to believe, but he did things to me. Terrible things of science. Oh my, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to involve you in any of it. I just hurt. All these dreadful experiments, He did something to me. Or maybe he allowed something done to me. I was...I almost felt like I was dead and then came back to life through some horrifying experiment. Oh please, don't tell me I am crazy. I already feel like a lunatic," Elizabeth blurted out through an unprecedented torrent of?tears. ? ?

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Ah, ?Valerian root and hops, he spoke to him self, choosing the two different substances and mixing them together to form a combo. This will slow?and calm the thoughts of her mind, as well as hopefully, making it increasingly difficult for her to hear whatever voices she is hearing that are?telling her to be as she is acting now.

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?After preparing the combination, Victor added that same combination to the already prepared potion, and carefully mix the two together. That should do it, he spoke aloud, though there was no one else in the lab with him. Once this was done, he sat back to drink his cup of tea, which had now cooled?to a pleasant warmth, not too hot to drink, but not yet cold. He took a large sip, I hope she is all right, he murmured?to himself.

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?Despite his exhaustion, upon finishing his tea, he then poured a small glass of his own potion, and drank it. ? Before retiring, he spoke to some of his servants, the mistress of the household wishes to sleep alone this particular evening, so prepare a separate room for her. ? ?He would wait a reply from his servants before going into his own room, and making ready for bed. The potion would hopefully calm his own nerves. He thought perhaps he should stay up to welcome Elizabeth back when she returned, but things of changed between them, she now seemed more agitated and annoyed, and it might look as if he were simply staying up to check on her. Tell her that I have retired, he told the servants,?but if she needs anything at all, she can call on me.?? ??

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Relieved that Victor proved to be surprisingly acquiescent, Elizabeth forced herself to stay put at the touch of his lips. She had made peace with him more or less, but the touch was as unexpected as it was, frankly, revolting. His lips?felt and tasted just as she had?remembered, but different as well. It might be the newly discovered tension between them that made her feel this way, she knew. The way her attitude towards him changed, her?annoyance with him making him appear different somehow. If only she had the right?words to voice her concerns even to herself. But this was neither the place, nor?the time for it. "Ah yes, I would rest," Elizabeth tried for an amiable smile at the words of reassurance, but was only able to come up with a patient expression, at best. Poor Victor, he likely deserved none of her attitude, but it was all irrelevant until she could control herself better.

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"Thank you so much for your help," Elizabeth spoke as she followed the young lady. "I hope your husband won't find my visit an imposition when he returns. Oh, you don't know what this cream would mean to me. The hope of normalcy?it inspires in me, it makes me speechless. I used to be different, I think. But my memory has become as unreliable as my explosive emotions," Elizabeth confided unexpectedly for herself and wondered if she said too much. If she lost her neighbor's respect even before she got the cream, she didn't know how she would deal with it.

?Victor had been embarrassed, and had pulled his hand back reluctantly when she chose not to shake it, giving a questioning look to the newcomer as to why, but not mentioning it verbally. When Elizabeth asked if he would understand, and used the term of endearment, he had smiled at her, unable to resist her charming voice and demeanor; of course, he told her, just…, Please do be careful. ? Meanwhile, I shall work on the slight modification of your potion.?

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"The condition of my entire state, so more aptly put than you know," Elizabeth thoughtfully admitted. "Your father was like me? Well, I don't suppose a similar misfortune befell him," Elizabeth?decided, more for her own sake than anybody else's. After all, it was too much to hope the girl's father was made like her. It wasn't like?just anybody could replicate Victor's work. And before her, as far as she understood, there was only his creation. The woman likely had weaker eye sight, insufficient to detect the true magnitude of the disaster that Elizabeth has become. Her father truly could?not be like her. But if there was a cream to help her regardless...

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"So you really think there is a cream that could help me out? Oh my, how little could I expect such a boon. Yes, of course Victor would understand, won't you dear," Elizabeth spoke with a pleasant yet determined smile. She had established a better rapport with her husband but it did not imply everything was in order. Her trust in him was too new. Her love for him too frayed at the edges. He had let her down on too many?occasions, which would have been alright, but she hasn't been fixed yet. And there was that defiant?part in her needing to take charge of her life. An opportunity she had not expected and could not refuse to miss. No matter what.

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"Yes, I shall try your creams then. What a charming name, by the way," she?commented, finally registering what the young woman referred to herself?as. "I cannot say I have ever heard ?a name like this, but I do like the sound of it. I am Elizabeth Frankenstein, if I haven't said. My memory is about as bad as my mood these days," Elizabeth shakily smiled.?

?Victor had given a slight smile when Elizabeth had said, good. When she spoke of her husband being one of the pillars of community at the place, he nodded, his cheeks turning a slight shade of red, a sharp contrast to his paleness. Yes, we will do our best to help you, he backed up Elizabeth’s sentiment.?

?When Elizabeth spoke of not feeling like herself anymore, Victor nodded and cleared his throat softly. We are…, Working on that at present; we are on our way home to rest for the night, and then continue the work to see what can be done tomorrow. He wondered at the expression which Keres ?was giving him, and quickly caught the fact that she only shook hands with Elizabeth, not him. He reached to shake hands with her anyway, a pleasure to meet you, he replied to her seemingly sincere compliment.?

"Ah yes, dire news? You missed it? Well, I suppose it is to be expected, considering how you are new here. Only I thought everybody heard... But it is a blessing of sorts, I suppose. " Elizabeth started glumly.?

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"There were gruesome murders. At first of the Unfortunates in the area, then of well paying citizen.?A special investigation commenced, with some inspectors who were not British, French, German or Swiss. I cannot remember if somebody even bothered to notice or recognize their bizarre accent, but I suppose it was all accepted by the authorities as quite alright, since the investigation?was allowed to continue. At any rate, that was not the worst of it. Oh naturally, we are used here to stranger and strange things, they can be quite charming at times. But then some witnesses summoned to the trial were summarily executed by an unknown hand, presumably that of the original killer. The reporter covering the case was fired from the main newspaper, and the reasons given for the decision to let him go we unclear.

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?I tried not to think about it. In fact, I think I may have forgotten some of the details in earnest until now, that I am talking to you and thinking about the strange case. It ended gruesomely too. With a terrifying stand off between the perceived criminal and more victims, and shots fired, and more casualties, and then attempts to make appearances of solution that nobody could quite believe.??

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I am probably?forgetting?some of the finer points of everything that struck me as?strange, because soon a personal tragedy accosted me as you could see from the blemish upon my face. I was roughed up by a very cruel man," Elizabeth pointedly regarded Victor with a hint of a smile, "and his gang. Let me tell you, my survival was not at all guaranteed that day. I am fortunately to be alive. More fortunate than the families who suffered during the strangeness, to be sure. Yet, since you asked, and I?appreciate your good Samaritan attitude to a fellow passer by, I don't quite feel like myself anymore. It does not seem so polite to say in public society, but I suppose my candor pales compared to what befell the polite society during the trials..." Elizabeth softly reminisced. ? ? ?

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"Good," Elizabeth agreed with Victor. Half fearful, half resigned, she was at least relieved that he had believed her, had listened to her had taken her seriously. She has begun considering what a pleasant change his change of heart might induce in their relationship, when a stranger approached her. She found?herself having mixed feelings.

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Relieved on one hand to think of something other than herself. Startled by the approach on the other hand, afraid to say something wrong, to do something wrong, to be perceived as different. "Well, it is a nice place mostly. It has known its dark terrors of course. Well, I am not sure if you got to see the newspapers, there were some dire news. But not to worry, all the frightening violence is over now, it seems. My husband is one of the pillars of community here. So you came to the right place. If you need something, just let us know," Elizabeth spoke with a strained smile, wondering how ill or odd she sounded as the memory of the choking hands and the menacing voice unexpected passed through her once more?

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?He managed a tired smile when the newcomer greeted them. Good evening, his tone was pleasant enough, but those who knew Victor well enough, would know that he was substituting a simple greeting, instead of the more complex or eloquent greetings he usually gave. ? He gave Elizabeth a questioning look, obviously wondering what this was all about, ?then kept his eyes pretty much straightahead on the way home, choosing to let Elizabeth speak with this woman. His interest did not re-Kendall until he caught the phrase, another doctor. You’re a doctor as well then I assume. ? ?Medicine, or…, Science, he inquired. ? ?He was curious, but he doubted that, in his present state of exhaustion, that even science could Capture his curiosity and interest long enough to make him actually want to stop and talk. Later perhaps, but he did not figure that it would happen this evening. ????