"GHOULS NIGHT OUT"
HALLOWEEN 2007 HARDY BOYS CONTEST ENTRY
WHO MOVED MY FRANKENSTEIN?
by
Author D
Chapter 6
The Chapters
What just happened?
Just Enjoy Frankenstein.
Joe Hardy was still shell-shocked from the inexplicable events of the last few minutes. His eyes were wide and bulging, his jaw slack and mouth wide open. He must have looked a sight, he knew. But he could not care less.
He just sat there on the ground where Frank…no, not Frank…had pushed him when IT took the bullet on his behalf.
Calm, Joe, calm, Joe kept reminding himself. Breathe in, breathe out, inhale, exhale, in, out…
He could not help the fear that threatened to overtake his good sense. Did…did it just remove its arm to whack that gunman, then fitted it back just like that? Then IT was looming over him. Joe swallowed his fear. That creature had saved his life after all. So it must be one of the good guys.
He saved my life, Joe reminded himself. Yeah, keep remembering that fact, Joe!
“…My name is Frankenstein, and I am happy to know such a nice Human like you, Joe…” The creature introduced itself.
He looked Frankenstein in the eye and gave what he hoped was a grateful smile. It was a weak smile. But that was best he could manage at that moment in time.
Frankenstein was talking again: “…recommend a diet of three-fold spinach to dead meat for a fortnight so you can regain your healthy green complexion. It is also important that your dead meat is fresh – newly dead and not slaughtered dead…”
That sure put a different perspective on the phrase ‘dead meat’, Joe thought as he fought to rein in his crazy urge to giggle and also throw up. He did not miss the irony that Frankenstein the Ghoul consumed ‘newly dead’ meat, while Joe the Human consumed meat from animals that were slaughtered.
Killed. Murdered. His mind supplied helpfully the words Frankenstein never used but implied.
He knew he was undergoing shock and his mind strove to protect his mental health by letting him laugh out his stress. But he did not want to insult his new ‘friend’ standing before him. He honestly did not know if Frankenstein had the same sense of humor as he. Another corner of his mind could not help but note the brotherly caring tone in Frankenstein’s voice. Minus the grating sound, it actually sounded like Frank! He actually sounded like Frank, Joe amended.
And the thought hit him: What happened to my brother?
“Huh…how did you get here? If you don’t mind me asking, that is…” Joe started in a hesitant tone.
He watched Frankenstein frown.
“There was a blinding flash of light, and then I was here on the ground next to you…” Frankenstein said his face screwed up in concentration. “Before that I was running…there were lots of people chasing me and I was running for my life…”
Those words sent chills down Joe’s spine. Good Lord! Was Frank running for his life now? Then Frankenstein was talking again and Joe forced himself to listen. He did not want to miss any potential clue.
“And before that I remember I was strapped down on a table of some sort, and a Human was standing over me proclaiming he was God…”
Joe gulped. That did not sound good at all. He knew it was impossible, spelt with a capital ‘I’. But he had a bad feeling that Frank had somehow traded places with the REAL Frankenstein. He could not help but think of the irony of the fact that Callie had no idea how ‘realistic’ the costume was, that she got for Frank.
Suddenly, he felt Frankenstein studying him.
“You really thought I was your brother, didn’t you?” Frankenstein asked in a really sad voice. The voice was so sad; Joe felt tears forming in his eyes.
What the heck is happening? Joe wondered. How could a monster like Frankenstein tug his heartstrings so easily? Then he answered his own musings. Because Frankenstein’s only a monster in appearance; at heart he has a compassionate soul...
“Yes I did,” Joe admitted honestly. True friendship could never flourish from lies, he knew. “But we can still be friends, right?”
“You know what I am and you still want to be my friend?” Frankenstein asked, his voice full of awe and wonder.
It made Joe wonder how Frankenstein expected him to react.
“Of course! You saved my life and you have a compassionate heart. Why wouldn’t anyone want to be your friend?” Joe asked. He watched a smile appear on Frankenstein’s face and declared in his usual generous self, “I could not have asked for a better friend!”
“I think I can help you find your brother,” Frankenstein said.
Joe perked up at that announcement. “Really?” he asked in a hopeful tone.
Frankenstein nodded. The two of them stood there facing each other, smiling, and sealing their brand new friendship when suddenly Frankenstein pushed Joe aside again. At the same time, Joe heard another sharp report from a gun. It seemed Frankenstein had taken another bullet meant for him, Joe marveled. Then he stood aside and watched with a smile of macabre satisfaction as Frankenstein ripped the gun from the hit-man’s hands with his super-human strength and flung that gun into the distance.
He watched in grim satisfaction as the masked hit-man shrank back in terror as Frankenstein growled at him. He had to stifle a laugh when the poor masked hit-man scrambled to his feet and slunk away round the corner.
Joe gestured to Frankenstein and they both started to give chase.
*****
Fenton Hardy watched fascinated as the hit-man ran straight into their arms, begging for protection from a green monster.
He had received a tip-off from an informant that a hired gun had been dispatched to kill one of his sons, and had raced to Bayport High with several police officers to help search and apprehend the hit-man. He certainly did not expect the hit-man to deliver himself to the police.
“Where are my sons?” Fenton demanded of the hit-man in a stern voice.
“There…” the poor fellow whimpered as he lifted a shaky finger to point round the corner.
Suddenly there was a flash of light followed by a loud KABOOOMZ!
Fenton and the officers exchanged a quick shocked look before racing round the corner. Fenton arrived first, his heart pounding furiously in his chest.
All that was left there was a large circular burnt patch with a little dent in the middle. They could all smell the aromatic fragrance of the newly scorched earth.
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Disclaimer
The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The authors have just borrowed them for an adventure or two. The authors promise to put the boys back when they are done with them. The authors do claim copyright to the original characters in this story. Please do not borrow original characters without express permission of the authors.