Frankenstein

CHAPTER 3: A Tragedy in the Family

Years passed and we all grew older. The time soon came for me to go away to school. Just before I was sent to Germany, Elizabeth became very sick with scarlet fever. We were all worried about her. To make matters even worse, the doctor told us to stay away from her. He didn't want anyone else to get sick.

The doctor took good care of Elizabeth. About a week after she got sick, he came to my mother with a sad face and said she had taken a turn for the worst. My mother would not stay away any longer. She ran to Elizabeth's side and nursed her back to health. But this love soon turned to tragedy, and my mother, too, got sick.

The scarlet fever took a hold of my mother, and it would not let go. She grew weaker and weaker. Just before she died, my mother asked to see me and Elizabeth. We sat quietly beside her, each of us holding one of her hands. My mother's face was pale, but she was still beautiful. Her kind eyes looked lovingly upon us, and she smiled as she told us that she wanted to see us married. She knew we were too young to marry right away. Instead, she made us promise to do so when we were older. Elizabeth and I were not surprised by this request. In our hearts, we always knew we would end up together. We were more than happy to tall her we would marry once I finished school.

Then my mother asked Elizabeth to look after our family once she was gone. She wanted Elizabeth to help raise Ernest and my youngest brother, William, who was just a baby. Elizabeth promised her that she would take the very best care of them.

After saying a tender good-bye to my father, my mother died quietly. We cried and cried. We missed her every single day. But the sad truth is that life goes on. My father soon made it clear that he wanted me to go to school. He understood that I missed my mother and that I wanted to be there for the family, but he said my life should not stop just because I was sad. In the end, my eduction was more important than my grief.

I didn't want to leave my family when they were still so upset by the sudden death of my mother. Elizabeth took me aside oe day and said that I should go.

"Victor," she said quietly, "The sooner you finish school, the sooner we can be married. Your mother's dying wish was to see us happy. You must go away to Germany. It's what she would have wanted."

In my heart, I knew Elizabeth was right. She was right about so many things. Elizabeth became the rock upon which we all depended. She was strong, and took good care of my father and brothers. She loved us with her kind and tender heart. My affection to her grew greater as each day passed. I loved her deeply. She was such a giving person. I was much easier for me to leave knowing that my family was in her hands.

The night before I left for Geermany, Henry, Elizabeth, and I sat in the kitchen with hot chocolate and talked. We remembered stories from our childhood. We told each other our dreams. No one wanted to go to bed, so we stayed up all night. We drank mug after mug of the warm, sweet drink on and on into the night. When the sun rose the next morning, no one wanted to say good-bye.

A couple of hours later, my bags were packed and in the carriage. Finally it was time for me to leave. My father gave me a long hug. I made Elizabeth promise to write to me all the time. Ernest held back his tears and held baby William tightly. Henry gave me his strongest handshake. They gave me a wonderful, loving send-off.

I stepped into the carriage and called out, "Don't worry all! I shall see you soon!"

With those words, I started the long journey to Germany. i sat back and looked out the carriage window as my house grew smaller and smaller in the distance. For the first time in my life, I was completely alone.