Learning English

IN THE CREATURE'S HUT, SITTING BY THE FIRE

Creature
Hello, I'm... Viktor Frankenstein's Creature. Here we are, in my hut on the mountains. I'm happy to tell you and Viktor Frankenstein my story. How I learnt about the day, the night, the hunger, thirst, cold... And I learnt how to live with all this the hard way. Imagine that I tried to touch fire?! How silly of me. Of course I was burnt. But I saw good things too. These little creatures which made pleasant sounds. Yes, the birds. I tried to sound like them but nothing came out of my mouth! And I saw people. I've never learnt how to behave with you humans. I was surprised when people who saw me ran away. In the villages, some men wanted to hurt me.

IN THE PAST - IN THE VILLAGE

Vigilante 1
So do you all have things you can use as weapons with you?

Crowd
Yes!

Boy
I have a few stones that I can throw at the monster. I'm a good shot!

Vigilante 1
Go home, boy. The monster could be dangerous. It was seen trying to get into the house near the central square.

Vigilante 2
Shall we go and look for it? This time we might get lucky, catch it and kill it!

Crowd
Kill it! Kill the monster!

Vigilante 1
Let's go then. We can start near the vegetable garden where he was seen last time... Let's go!

IN THE CREATURE'S HUT, BY THE FIRE

Creature
All these people seemed angry with me... Why?I escaped to the open country and hid in a hut. That was where I was when I watched a family in a nearby house. I heard they were called the De Laceys. I was careful not to allow them to see me. The boy, the girl and an old man looked poor but happy...

IN THE PAST - IN THE DE LACEYS' HOME

Girl
That's what we have for dinner today. Some carrots, potatoes, cheese, bread... just one egg. You like eggs, dad. This one is for you.

Father
You're very generous, dear daughter. But you should have this egg.

Girl
Maybe we should give it to my brother then. He's been working hard and he needs more food.

Boy
Thank you, sister. I'll try to work harder so that we can have more eggs to eat.

Father
I'm very grateful, son. A blind man's life isn't easy... The light in my life is the love of my children.

IN THE CREATURE'S HUT, BY THE FIRE

Creature
They were so kind to one another... I wanted to be part of their family. I learned to speak by listening to them in hiding. I discovered books lost in the forest and learned how to read. And at that time I finally found out why people ran away from me. I saw my own face in a pond and... I'm really ugly! I didn't want to frighten this family. I had to find a way to talk to them. I thought about the father. He was blind and so he wouldn't see me. One day, using all my courage, I knocked at the door...

IN THE PAST - IN THE DELACEYS' HOME

Father
Who's there? Come in.

Creature
Please excuse me, Sir. I've been travelling and I was wondering if I could rest here for a while.   

Father
Sure. I can't see and my children, who take care of me, are not here at the moment, or I'd offer you some food.

Creature
Do not worry yourself, kind man. I'm looking for some friends and I fear these good people won't accept me.

Father
That's sad. But if these friends are good people, can't you persuade them to accept you?

Creature
I plan to start doing it now. But they believe that I want to harm them…

Father
You sound honest. I can try and help you. Who are your friends?

Creature
Oh, Sir. You are the first person who has been kind to me!       

BROTHER AND SISTER COME INTO THEIR HOME

Father
Just a minute... I can hear my children coming. 

Creature
Oh, no! They'll see me! Please, take care of me good man! You and your family are the friends I want!

Father
Are we? Who are you?

IN THE CREATURE'S HUT, BY THE FIRE

Creature
The door opened and there they were - the old man's two children. Did they kiss me? Did they run away? That's what I'm going to tell you next time.