Chapter 23

But it had been some time since I had seen the monster. Maybe he was dead. Surely, any man with a gun who saw the ugly creature would try to kill him. I wrote to Elizabeth. I told her that we would be married soon. My father and I returned to Geneva. 

We began to get ready for the wedding. All the time we were planning the wedding, I kept thinking of what the monster had said. I bought a few guns and knives. The monster might be dead. But ifhe were alive, I would be ready for him. I was not going to die on my wedding night! We had a wonderful wedding. I was very happy. All that had happened began to fade from my mind. 

We set off on our honeymoon. We reached our hotel at eight o'clock that night. A thunder storm came up. There was no sign of the monster. But I didn't want to take any chances. I took a gun and a candle. I set out to check each room in the hotel. Elizabeth was getting ready for bed. I was in the basement when I heard Elizabeth scream. Suddenly, I knew that the monster wasn't planning to kill me. He was after Elizabeth. I ran upstairs and into our bedroom. Elizabeth was lying across the bed, dead. Finger marks were on her neck. 

I looked up just then. Lightning flashed at the window. And there, looking in, was the monster! The evil creature was smiling. I aimed my gun at him and fired. I missed. He ran off, and was lost in the storm. Men from the hotel helped me look for the monster, but we couldn't find him. It was as if the earth itself hid the evil creature. I felt a sadness I had never known before. I had never felt so lonely. 

I returned to Geneva as soon as I could. When I told my father what had hap pened, it was too much for him. I think he had 60 loved Elizabeth more than any of the Franken stein family. A few days later, he died of a broken heart. As I stood at my father's grave, my thoughts went racing back. 

The monster had kept his promise. William, Justine, Henry, Elizabeth, and now my father were dead because of him. 

A darkness covered my eyes, and I fell to the ground. I spent the next two months in a madhouse. My mind was gone. When I came back to my right mind, there was more trouble. I had to go before a judge to tell about Elizabeth's murder. I decided to tell the judge the full story. I knew that I was taking a chance. Anyone hearing the tale would be sure I was out of my mind. 

Yet, I had to tell the truth. I showed the judge that I couldn't be mad how all the parts of the story fit together too well for that. 

Thank God, he believed me. 

"But what can I do about it?" asked the judge. "I would help you if I could. But this creature could be anywhere. He followed you across Europe. The weather does not seem to bother him. And he is stronger than any man." "It doesn't matter," I told the judge. "I will go after him alone. He is never far from me. He stays near me to enjoy all the sadness he has brought to my life. He laughs at what he has done. I will find the evil creature, and I will kill him. Or I will spend the rest of my life trying!"