Season 1, Episode 3

Lament of Prometheus

Content Warnings:
-Hospital (Sound Effects)
-Mention of transphobia
-Cardiac arrest
-Minor suicidal ideology

[Henry’s room at St. Charlotte’s Hospital. Day. The sound of a heart monitor, respirator, and other medical equipment can be heard in the background.]

VICTOR

Sorry it took me so long to get here today. I got tied up at work. Real joy came in just as I was about to leave. One of those people who are more likely to assume that I don't know my own name than to acknowledge that trans people exist. I swear, if I get called Victoria one more time. All I can think of is that time we were at that diner on Blackwood Ave, and that guy was being so rude to the waitress he made her cry, so when we were on our way out, you threw a carrot at him. [Laughs] You should come to work with me sometime, you'd have a field day with the people who go in there.

VICTOR (Cont.)

...Look, I know I say this every day, but…. Henry, I… I'm so sorry. I-- I never meant-- You know I never meant for any of this to happen. 

I need you to know that. I need you to know that I only did it because I had to. I didn't mean for you to get hurt. You’re my best friend, you-- you never gave up on me. Even after the fire, you only ever wanted to make sure that I was okay. Well, it's my turn now. I need you to be okay, Henry. Even if I crossed a line, even if you never want to look at me again. It doesn't matter. I just need you to be okay.

VICTOR (Cont.)

...Your parents invited me over for dinner last night. I probably should have said yes. I can't remember the last time I had an actual meal. But… I dunno, it just didn't feel right. I feel like if they knew the truth, if they knew that this was my fault…. Plus, I don't want to risk putting targets on their backs. 

...I think things are gonna get bad again, Henry. I-- I ran into one of my old classmates. She said…. [A breath] She said things that…. Well, they have implications. About… things she shouldn’t know about. I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not paranoia, it’s not. She just moved here. Here. Marksbury, Middle-of-nowhere Massachusetts. “Right around the corner”, she said. That’s not a coincidence, it can’t be. Especially with what she said about…. [A breath] Henry, I-- I don't think it's satisfied yet. I think it's let me suffer, and it's coming to finish me off. ...Maybe that'd be best. 

VICTOR (Cont.)

No. No, I've-- I’ve gotta stop saying things like that. Influences my self image, apparently. Which is probably true. Besides. I can't die yet. Not until I make sure that no one else is going to get hurt. Not until I can apologize to you. Properly, so I know that you hear me. 

[Sarcastically] Victor's being dramatic and emotional again, big surprise. [He laughs] ...I can't wait until you call me a pretentious idiot again. Say that, say that you hate me, that I'm a monster, I don't care. Just… say anything. I don't care if you just spout off insults, you have every right to. Just so long as I hear your voice. 

You don't even know how bad things have gotten. You probably thought that the worst of it was over. That I'd sunk as low as I could. If only, huh?

...I almost don't want you to see me like this. I feel like I'm falling apart in every sense of the word. You told me once that I was your inspiration. I don't think you realize that you're mine. You and Elliot, you were both always so… happy. You always looked to find the positive in every situation.

VICTOR (Cont.)

So. What's the positive of this one? Everyone else is dead, and you might as well be. I'm a wreck, a felon, and my only surviving family member wants nothing to do with me. And now I might be hunted to top it all off. What's the bright side? Henry, I am begging you to tell me, because I can't see one. I can't see a single thing to be happy about, and I desperately need one. I don't know how much longer I can take it. 

VICTOR (Cont.)

Not to mention the… “weird stuff” is happening more and more lately. It seems like every week is something new. Sometimes it’s small; I set something down, leave the room, and when I come back, it’s somewhere else. That sort of thing. Annoying, but I can live with it. Other times…. [Inhale] Other times, people get hurt. Not often, but… it does happen. Is that the point I’m at now? Am I hurting people I don’t even know just by… existing around them?

VICTOR (Cont.)

...Sorry. Sorry, I-- I know you probably don’t want to hear this. You’re just the only one I can talk to about it. My therapist, he’s fine and all, but… even if it were easier for me to “express my feelings”, how do you explain everything to someone whose job it is to talk to people who hallucinate? I told him about the woman outside of the bar, and you could just tell he didn’t believe a word I said. If that’s too over-the-top for him, how’s he going to react to…. I mean, that’s a lot to take in. Granted, I wouldn’t say “Paranormal” or “Supernatural”, but… it’s definitely borderline, if you don’t know the science behind it. 

VICTOR (Cont.)

...I know what you said when you found out. But I didn’t get a chance to explain, Henry. I know that if you knew why I did what I did, you would understand. I just…. I made a mistake. It was a huge mistake, and people died because of it. But… it’s like I said, you know I’d never mean for anything like that to happen. If I’d known, I never would have rushed it. I would have studied more, made certain that--

...Maybe that second attempt was the one. Maybe it would have worked. Actually worked. 

...I think about that sometimes. More often than I’d like to admit. What if that was the one, the one that would change history as we know it? I’ll never find out. Frankly, I’m not sure I want to.

VICTOR (Cont.)

...I don't mean that. I wish I did. I'm not going to try again, don't worry about that. But… it was all I focused on for so long. And suddenly… it's gone. Done. Years worth of work, and for what? For it to fall apart at my feet, dragging down everyone I love with it.

I could do it right if I tried again, I think. [Getting more and more worked up] Maybe-- Maybe there was something wrong last time, damage to the anterior insular cortex that I missed originally. Henry, you're the expert on cognition and neuroscience. I understand the how, you understand the why. If we worked together, you and I could change everything. Think of all the good we could do. We could change the world! Imagine, sparing mankind from all that anguish! Together, we could rival Prometheus bringing fire to man, we could--

VICTOR (Cont.)

[Snapping out of it]

...No. No, even if I thought for a second that you'd agree, I… I wouldn't do that. As much as I hate to admit it… it is tempting sometimes. I wish I wasn't still curious. But… deep down, something needs to know how to perfect it, and it eats away at me every day. Maybe they’re right, maybe something is wrong with me. I’m no stranger to hyperfixations, but… I just wish I could shake this one. Why can’t it be a normal topic? Like… theater, or obscure geology facts? Whatever happened to when I was ten, and I knew everything there was to know about mermaid folklore? [Laughs] God, I wish things were still that simple.

But it's not that simple. It's never going to be that simple again. Because of me. All because I decided to try and bring--

[The door opens]

NURSE

Sorry to interrupt. But visiting hours are over.

VICTOR

Already?

NURSE

I’m sorry, I pushed it back as far as I can. But you got here late today. [Sympathetic] He’ll be here when you come back tomorrow, Mr Frankenstein.

VICTOR

...Right. Right, of course.

[He gets up to leave and the door closes. There is a beat, then soft, otherworldly whispers begin to fade in, then out.]

WOMAN

My dear Henry Clerval. What a part you’ll play in this game.

[The whispers fade in once more. They are mostly unintelligible, but every so often, phrases can be heard, including “Wake up” and “I had more faith in you than that”. The heart monitor begins to pick up more and more speed until it stops suddenly and flatlines, the whispers immediately vanishing as it does. It remains like this for a few seconds, going back to normal only seconds before the door opens again]

VICTOR

Sorry. Forgot my phone. I’ll see you tomorrow. 

[The door closes once again]