Frankenstein's Guide

The fog was so thick it could hide anything, even monsters. Jessica "Ike" Wordsworth panted uphill, back towards Frankenstein Castle, her trainers slapping on the wet path. Only an hour ago, the sun had been shining, the autumn woods around the castle glowing with color. Now, milky obscurity and the scent of wet leaves filled the air. Autumn was Ike's least favorite season, full of false promises of warmth before the inevitable descent into winter's gloom.

Her left trainer slipped on a wet stone, and she stumbled, catching herself on a tree, chafing her hand. "Oh, blast!" she muttered, sucking at her palm.

Those idiot professors. Three from Oxford, three from Cambridge, making her life difficult. If two hadn't wandered off, she wouldn't be out here, scrambling up this steep path, lungs burning. She knew the path would level out before the "Stairway to Heaven," the final climb to the castle gate and the recently discovered alchemy lab—a major lure for the missing academics. Hopefully, they were there. Because Ike had no idea where else to look for the "buggers." Or, worse, what would happen if she didn't find them.