I sat in my laboratory (a room where a scientist does experiments) one evening. The sun went down and the moon rose over the sea. I did not have enough light to work. I sat and thought about my task. Three years before, I had created a monster (a scary, giant creature). That creature had killed people and made me very sad.
Now, I was making a second creature. I did not know if this female creature would be good or evil. She might be more dangerous than the first monster. The first monster had promised to leave people alone, but the female creature had not promised anything. She might want to kill people too.
I thought about the future. Maybe the two creatures would have children. Then the world would be full of many monsters. I felt very afraid. I did not want to hurt the human race. I felt that my promise to the monster was a mistake.
I looked up at the window. I saw the monster in the moonlight. The monster had a scary smile on his face. He watched me work. I felt a lot of anger and fear. I took the unfinished female creature and tore the body into pieces.
The monster saw me destroy the second creature. He cried out with a loud and terrible sound. He was very angry because his hope for a companion was gone. The monster left the window and ran away. I went to my own room and stayed alone.
A few hours later, I heard a noise. Someone tried to open the door of the house. I trembled with fear. I could not move or call for help. Then the door opened and the monster walked into the room.
The monster spoke to me in a quiet voice. He said he had followed me to Scotland. He had suffered from cold and hunger during the journey. He asked why I had destroyed his only hope for happiness.
I told the monster to leave. I said I would never finish the work. I said I would not make another creature. The monster became very angry. He told me that he was the master now. He told me to obey him.
I was not afraid of his threats. I told the monster that I would not do a wicked thing. I would not put a second creature on the earth. The monster gnashed his teeth. He asked why every man and animal had a mate while he was alone.
The monster promised to take revenge. He said I would be very unhappy. The monster said a scary thing before he left. He said, "I will be with you on your wedding night." Then the monster ran out of the house. He got into a boat and went away across the water.
I was very upset. I walked up and down my room. I thought about the words of the monster. I thought the monster would kill me on my wedding night. I was not afraid to die, but I was sad for Elizabeth. I knew Elizabeth would cry if I died.
The next morning, I went to the beach. I felt very lonely on the island. I wanted to stay there forever so I could be safe. But then I received a letter from Clerval. He wanted me to come to the city of Perth. We needed to travel back to London together.
I decided to leave the island in two days. But first, I had to clean my laboratory. I saw the pieces of the female creature on the floor. I felt very sick when I looked at them. I did not want the local people to see the body parts.
I put the pieces of the creature into a large basket. I put many heavy stones into the basket too. At two o'clock in the morning, the moon rose. I put the basket into a small boat. I sailed a few miles away from the shore.
The sea was very quiet and I was alone. I waited for a dark moment when clouds hid the moon. Then I threw the basket into the sea. I heard the sound of the water as the basket sank. I felt better because the body was gone.
I felt very tired after my work. I lay down in the bottom of the boat. The sound of the waves helped me fall asleep. I slept for many hours. When I woke up, the sun was high in the sky.
The wind was very strong and the waves were big. I was far away from the land. I did not have a compass (a tool that shows the direction of North). I did not know where I was. I was afraid I would die in the ocean. I was very thirsty and hungry.
After many hours, the wind stopped. I saw a line of land in the distance. I felt very happy and cried with joy. I used my clothes to make a small sail. I steered the boat toward the land. I saw a small town with a harbor.
I arrived at the town. I saw many people on the shore. I asked the people for the name of the town. But the people were not friendly. One man said I would not like this place. The people looked at me with angry faces.
I asked why they were so rude. A man told me that I must talk to a magistrate (an official person like a judge). The man said a gentleman had been murdered the night before. The people thought I was the murderer.
I followed the men to a large house. I was very tired and hungry. I knew I was innocent, so I was not afraid yet. But I did not know that a very bad thing was about to happen. I was about to feel a new and terrible sadness.