Frankenstein's Dog

  Maybe he doesn’t want me to have a phone. Maybe he doesn’t want me to make a video blog of him and his work.

  But that wasn’t like Uncle Victor at all. Not like him in any way.

  He always said what he meant. He never held back with me.

  If he didn’t want me to make a video, he would have told me. He would have said, “Kat, my work is too secret. I’m not ready for people to know about it. Please don’t make any videos.”

  But the phone was smashed, and the letter was in the trash. And he acted as if everything was perfectly okay.

  Not like him. Not like Uncle Victor at all.

  I was still puzzling over the whole thing when Robby came to visit an hour later. I took his rain slicker and tossed it into the front closet.

  He shivered. His blond hair was wet and matted to his forehead. “Wow. This storm is rocking,” he said. “What’s up with you?”

  “There’s something weird going on here,” I said. “My uncle isn’t acting at all like my uncle. I think he has a big secret he doesn’t want me to find out.”

  Robby snickered. “You sure you’re not dreaming up stuff because you’re bored here?”

  I held up the two pieces of my torn letter. “I’m not imagining it,” I said. “Look. He tore up my letter home.”

  Robby squinted at the letter. “Weird.”

  I stuffed the two pieces back in my jeans pocket. “My uncle said he’ll be away all day. That will give us time to do some exploring.”

  He blinked. “Exploring?”

  A chill ran down my back. This was supposed to be a fun visit with my uncle. But now I was truly frightened. Did I really want to find out what my uncle was hiding?

  We walked into the kitchen. I found some hot chocolate mix in a cupboard and made steaming hot chocolate for us both. The hot drink soothed me. I started to feel a little calmer. Calm enough to think clearly.

  “I just feel there’s something very wrong here,” I told Robby.

  He wiped a smear of chocolate off his upper lip. “Like what?”

  “Last night, a robot was walking the halls. It looked a lot like Uncle Victor, and it said it was Uncle Victor. Don’t you think that’s way creepy?”

  Robby thought about it. “Well … he’s a scientist. And he’s experimenting with robots, right?”

  “Uncle Victor isn’t like himself. I hardly recognize him, Robby. He … he’s acting strange.”

  He stared at me. I could see he didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know my uncle like I did. “You think —” he started.

  But I interrupted. “I think maybe he’s gone crazy or something,” I said. “I know I could be making up a wild story. But, what if he’s building dozens of robots? An army of robots. All named Victor Frankenstein.”

  Robby scrunched up his face, thinking hard. “And the villagers know about it? And that’s why they’re so angry and frightened of Victor?”

  “Maybe,” I said. “I just know that —”

  I stopped talking. The words caught in my throat.

  A horrifying thought flashed through my mind.

  “Kat? Hey, Kat?” Robby reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “What’s wrong?”

  I swallowed. “I … uh …”

  “You just went totally pale,” he said.

  “I suddenly had a thought,” I said. “I mean, why was Uncle Victor so eager for me to come here? He’s never invited me before. Does he have some kind of plan for me? Does he plan to use me somehow with his army of robots?”

  “Whoa. That’s too crazy,” Robby said. “Stop, Kat. You’re scaring yourself. You have to stop dreaming up crazy ideas. You have to —”

  “But I’m frightened, Robby,” I said, gripping the hot chocolate mug with both hands. “I’m really frightened.”

  He stared at me. “What do you want to do? Go home?”

  “I can’t go home,” I said. “I want to find out what’s going on here. I want to know what Victor is doing here with all these robots. I want to find out why he doesn’t want me to make a video. And why he has changed so much.”

  Robby nodded. “So … what do we do?”

  I jumped to my feet. “We go back in the lab,” I said.

  I started to the hall. But I turned back to see Robby still sitting at the table. “Hey, are you coming with me?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “I … don’t know.”

  I pressed my hands on my waist. “What’s your problem?”

  “I don’t think we should go back in that lab.”

  “Because?”

  “Because of what happened last time. You spilled that green gunk and turned Poochie into an elephant? Did you forget?”

  “I didn’t forget,” I said. “We’ll make sure Poochie isn’t around this time. Where is the dog, anyway?” I glanced around. Poochie was sound asleep, sprawled on his side under the kitchen table.

  “Come on, Robby,” I said, motioning him to the kitchen door. “Don’t be a wimp.”

  “I’m not a wimp,” he snapped. “I just think it’s dangerous in the lab. And —”

  “What if I’m in danger?” I cried. “What if Uncle Victor really has gone crazy and has all kinds of insane plans?”

  “Okay, okay.” He climbed to his feet. Then he tilted the mug to his face and drank the last drop of his hot chocolate. “I’m coming with you. But I think this could be a major mistake.”

  We didn’t speak as we made our way down the long back hall to the lab. Our footsteps echoed against the stone walls. As we came near the lab, the air smelled like alcohol. Like a doctor’s office.

  The lab door was closed. I grabbed the knob and turned it. I started to pull the door open, but Robby grabbed my wrist.

  “Let go,” I said.

  “Just think about it for a minute,” he said. “What are we going to find in there?”

  I tugged my wrist free. “I don’t know. I just know Uncle Victor is doing something very strange. And I need to find out what it is.”

  I gazed down the hall. No sign of Poochie. He must have still been asleep in the kitchen.

  I turned back to Robby. “Are you coming in with me?”

  And then I suddenly realized the truth. I suddenly realized why Robby was trying to keep me out of my uncle’s lab.

  I spun around, jabbing my finger on his chest. “I get it,” I said. “You’re a robot, too!”

  He made a startled, choking sound and backed away from my stabbing finger. “Huh? Now I’m a robot? Seriously?”

  I nodded. “I get it now. You’re a robot. You don’t want me to go into the lab and learn the truth.”

  “Whoa. Kat — listen —”

  “My uncle put you here to spy on me,” I said. “And to keep me here.”

  “No way!” he cried. “You’ve gone totally mental, Kat. You’re wrong. You’re way wrong.” He took another step back.

  “Okay,” I said. “Prove it. Prove that I’m crazy. Raise your arm. Go ahead. Raise your arm, Robby. Let me see your armpit.”

  He wrapped his arms around his chest. “I don’t have to,” he said angrily. “I came over here to be a friend. That’s all. That’s the truth.”

  “Go ahead. Do it,” I said. “Let me see your armpit. What are you afraid of?”

  “I’m not afraid,” he said. “I just —”

  I grabbed his arm and shoved it high. Then I pulled up his T-shirt sleeve and stared at his armpit.

  “Oh, wow,” I murmured.

  No power switch. Just an armpit.

  I let go of his arm, shaking my head. “Sorry,” I said. “I owe you an apology. I’m really sorry.”

  He tugged down his T-shirt sleeve. “Glad I passed the inspection,” he muttered, rolling his eyes.

  “Can you blame me?” I said. “I’m going to be seeing robots in my dreams if I don’t find out what’s going on in this house.”

  “Well, I’m not a robot,” he said. “I’m a human.”

  I turned back to the lab. “Are you c
oming in with me or not?”

  He frowned. “Yes. I’m coming with you. But I’m not happy about it.”

  I turned the knob and started to pull the door open again. Robby stepped up beside me. “Just don’t knock over any chemicals this time,” he said.

  “Ha-ha.” I poked him in the ribs.

  “I’m not joking,” he said.

  I pulled the door open halfway. The lab was dark. The sharp alcohol aroma washed over me. I heard the hum of the computers and a soft, bubbling sound.

  A chill of fear swept down my body.

  Something bad was happening here. Why else would my uncle smash my phone and toss my letter in the trash? He had a secret he wanted to keep.

  I fumbled on the wall until I found the light switch. I clicked it on, and lights lit up all around the lab.

  I turned to Robby. “Quick — close the door before Poochie runs in.”

  He closed the door carefully and made sure it latched. He gazed tensely around the big room. “This place totally creeps me out,” he said. “Especially being here without your uncle. If he comes home and finds us —”

  “He said he’d be away all day,” I said. My voice echoed in the big room. “Stop hanging by the door and let’s explore this place.”

  Robby took a few steps toward me, then stopped. His eyes went wide. He pointed across the lab.

  I turned and saw something moving quickly toward us. It took me a few seconds to realize it was Frank.

  The robot’s eyes were locked on me. His mouth was frozen in a tight scowl. He swung his arms stiffly as he trotted across the room.

  “Why are you in here?” Frank demanded. His voice was a shrill squeal, like chalk on a blackboard. “Kat and Robby, why are you here?”

  I started to lie. I started to say we were looking for Uncle Victor.

  But then I thought: Why should I lie to a robot?

  “We just want to look around,” I said. “We won’t touch anything. I promise.”

  “You must leave. You must leave now,” Frank said, lowering his voice to a growl.

  “But, Frank —” I started.

  “Your uncle left my power on so I could guard the lab from intruders,” Frank said. His eyes didn’t stray from mine. “You are intruders. You must leave now.”

  He moved in front of Robby and me. He stretched out both arms, blocking our path.

  “Intruders — leave now.”

  “Frank, please —” I said.

  “Frank isn’t my name!” the robot screamed. “Frank is my nickname. My name is Victor Frankenstein!”

  I gasped.

  The robot pushed out his hands and grabbed me by the shoulders. An angry sizzling sound escaped from his head. He squeezed my shoulders hard, holding me in place.

  Then it tightened its grip … tightened. Until pain shot down both sides of my body.

  “STOP!” I shrieked. “Let me go! Get OFF me!”

  I struggled and twisted and squirmed. But I was no match for the robot’s inhuman strength.

  “Ouch! You’re HURTING me!” I wailed. “Let GO! Let GO! What are you DOING? Let GO of me!”

  I twisted hard. I tried to kick the robot.

  But he lifted me off the floor. His hands tightened, and I squealed in pain.

  “Frank — please. Why are you doing this to me?” I cried.

  “I will hold you till your uncle returns,” he replied. “Do not try to fight me, Kat. I have been given great strength.”

  I turned to Robby. He stood frozen by the lab door. His eyes were wide with fear. One hand gripped the doorknob, as if he was ready to escape.

  “Robby — help me!” I cried. “He — he’s hurting me! Do something!”

  Robby hesitated for a second. He took a deep, trembling breath. Then he pushed himself away from the door.

  He lowered his head as he came running. He opened his mouth in a loud cry of attack.

  Robby stormed into the robot, giving him a hard head-butt in the side.

  Startled, the robot let out a high-pitched squeal. He toppled over, carrying me down to the floor with him. Its hands loosened their grip, and I rolled away from him.

  Robby stood breathing hard, hands on his knees.

  The robot jumped quickly to his feet and dove at Robby.

  Robby cried out and dodged to the side. Frank sailed right over him.

  Before Frank could regain his balance, Robby drove another hard head-butt into the robot’s back.

  Frank toppled to the floor, arms and legs spread. Robby jumped on top of him. He turned breathlessly to me. “Quick — Kat. His arm. Grab the power switch.”

  My shoulders still ached from the robot’s tight grasp. I lurched forward. Dropped to my knees beside the robot.

  Frank bucked and struggled to push himself up. But Robby didn’t budge from his back.

  I grabbed the robot’s arm and twisted it up. I found the power switch in the armpit.

  I grabbed it between my thumb and forefinger. And pushed it down.

  I mean, I tried to push it down.

  I held the arm still with my right hand. And tried the switch again with my left.

  Tried to push it. To click the robot off. Pushed. Then pulled. Then pushed again.

  “It … it’s stuck,” I moaned. “Robby … I can’t turn him off.”

  Frank twisted hard and sent Robby flying off his back. My hand shot out from the robot’s armpit.

  Frank raised himself to his knees and swung his shoulder into Robby. Robby toppled into the side of the computer table. He let out a cry of pain.

  The robot uttered an angry growl.

  Robby ducked under the table. “Look out, Kat!” he cried.

  The robot jumped to his feet and turned on me. “Violence is forbidden,” he said in a flat, mechanical voice. “I am not programmed for violence. You have broken my laws. You have gone against the rules that I obey. I must control you now.”

  I gasped. “Control me? What do you mean?”

  “I must control you both. You have gone against my programming. My brain is hurting from your violence.”

  He stepped toward me.

  “You will pay now. You will pay, Kat.”

  His eyes had sunk into his head so that I saw solid white eyeballs. Steam sizzled from the sides of his head.

  He moved forward, forcing me toward the wall.

  I glanced all around. I searched for a way to escape. But he was pushing me back rapidly, forcing me to the table with all the beakers and bottles of chemicals.

  “You must pay. You must pay.” He kept repeating the words as if he was broken, stuck.

  I bumped the table. Then I gasped as I heard pounding on the door on the far wall.

  The sound appeared to startle Frank. He spun away from me for a second and gazed at the door.

  It gave me a chance to escape. But how?

  I was pressed against the lab table. If I tried to run, he could grab me easily.

  I heard more thumps on the narrow gray door. A muffled cry from behind the door.

  Frank turned to me.

  I saw Robby, still under the lab table, holding his side. “Robby and I will leave,” I said. “Let us go. We haven’t done anything wrong. Let us out of here.”

  “I am the guardian,” he said. “You are the intruders. I will control you now.”

  He moved forward, his arms outstretched.

  Panic tightened my throat. I struggled to breathe. The robot had superhuman strength. What did he plan to do to me?

  My gaze darted over the lab. My eyes swept over the bottles and tubes and beakers of colorful chemicals.

  It took a few seconds to find what I was looking for. The beaker of green liquid. The liquid I spilled on Poochie that made him grow into a giant.

  I kept my eyes on Frank as I reached behind me. I wrapped my fingers around the beaker and raised it off the table.

  My plan? Simple. To pour the green chemical over my head. To grow huge and be big enough to stop the robot from attacking
me.

  Yes, it was a crazy idea. The green gunk didn’t make me huge the day before. But I figured that was because I only had a tiny bit on my hands. If I poured the whole beaker over me …

  Another hard bump on the door in back. This time, Frank ignored it. He strode closer to me. He was only inches away.

  I raised the beaker high — and started pouring the liquid over my head.

  It oozed over my hair and dripped onto my shoulders. It felt sticky and thick.

  I emptied the whole beaker onto my head. Then I turned to face Frank.

  “Back off, Frank,” I said. “You’ll lose this fight.”

  I stiffened my body. Tightened my hands into fists. And waited.

  Come on, Kat. Grow. GROW. Hurry up and GROW.

  I wasn’t growing. I wasn’t growing at all.

  Frank grabbed me around the waist and started to lift me off the floor.

  Robby jumped out from under the table and stormed up behind the robot, ready to try to fight him again.

  I squirmed and twisted and tried to free myself.

  Grow. Grow!

  Why wasn’t I growing?

  “I am the guardian,” Frank said, as if in a mechanical trance. “Must control the intruders.”

  I couldn’t battle his incredible strength. He raised me higher off the floor.

  “What are you going to do?” I screamed. I had a dreadful thought that he was going to heave me across the room.

  “Frank — put her down. Put her down now.”

  At first, I thought Robby had shouted those words. But I quickly realized the voice had come from the door.

  Holding me in the air, the robot froze.

  I turned and saw Uncle Victor step into the lab. He was in his overcoat and carried a large black briefcase in one hand. He dropped the briefcase to the floor and hurried across the room.

  “Drop her, Frank,” he ordered. “Set her down nice and easy.”

  The robot obeyed. As soon as my shoes hit the floor, I twisted free and ran beside Robby.

  Uncle Victor marched up to Frank, who stood stiffly, staring straight ahead. “Intruders …” the robot said. “Intruders …”

  My uncle reached under his arm. Grabbed the power switch tightly — and tugged it hard. Frank let out a wheezing sound as he powered down.