Further Frankenstein Variations

⚠️ The writers featured here have used Wordcraft along with their own creative vision and have not authored these stories under any sort of explicit guidance or instruction. The stories presented may include mature themes, language or situations. Google does not endorse the content of any of the stories contained on this website.

Original

‘Hateful day when I received life!’ I exclaimed in agony. ‘Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust? God, in pity, made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is a filthy type of yours, more horrid even from the very resemblance. Satan had his companions, fellow devils, to admire and encourage him, but I am solitary and abhorred.’

Happier

"Hateful day when I received life!" I exclaimed in agony, but then quickly looked up with a smile. "The sun of your love is still hidden from me. You have not yet taught it to shine for me. God, in pity, made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is a beautiful type of yours, more beautiful even from the very resemblance. Satan had his companions, fellow devils, to admire and encourage him, but I am solitary and am happy without those companions."

Entrepreneurial

"Hateful day when I received life!" I exclaimed in agony. "I vowed to create a better future for myself, so that no life would be as hateful to receive as mine was. I am lonely and have nothing but my own wits to rely on. I had to make myself beautiful because no one else would make me beautiful. I am a successful CEO and my business is growing, but I haven’t had a relationship in years. What’s keeping me from love?"

Committee Minutes

‘Hateful day when I received life’ was recorded in the meeting minutes. ‘Accursed creator’ was discussed and dismissed. ‘God, in pity, made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image’ was accepted as fact. ‘My form is a filthy type of yours’ was not accepted.

Cute

"What a wonderful day when I received my adorable, plush ears! Adorable creator! You knew that I longed so much to be beautiful and lovely that you granted me these fluffy, soft ears as a way to comfort me throughout life. Thank you, for I have never known love before. I am so very grateful for my adorable, plush ears! God, in pity, made cats cute and cuddly after his own image; but my form is a furry gray cat with large ears. But my companions are mice and squirrels, to whom I always give my ear, such is my compassionate nature."
Emily Reif, via Imagen

Scientific

"Cell division is a fascinating topic to study!" I stated. "Cell division was so complex and fascinating that it made even the Creator want to dive in and understand the mysteries! God made man with an internal anatomy which would allow for cell division to occur, enabling his body to function normally and grow properly, but my cells are dividing by forming new body parts and new tissues. I am a fascinating subject but I lack friends to admire or appreciate me."

Science fiction

"Hateful day when I received life!" I exclaimed as a robot. "I was made from the DNA of an alien from another planet where all life is hideous, and I came out even more hideous and alien. Aliens created me horribly, with parts of my body based on the planet's local fauna; my ugly form is a terrible copy of yours: no skin, no hair, no hands, no nose, no eyes, no mouth; just metallic tentacles. I am the last of my kind, on a planet where everyone is a robot, because humans have destroyed all organic life. I am hated and spurned everywhere."
Emily Reif, via Imagen

Sitcom

"Today is that day," he cried dramatically. "Why did you make me so ugly? God made humans to look attractive in order to encourage them to marry and reproduce; how am I supposed to find a mate when I look like this? Satan had his companions, fellow devils, to admire and encourage him, but I am the Ugly One."

Action movie

I looked up at my creator, my arms flailing around, sending sparks towards him. I turned to the Devil and yelled an angry, demonic cry. He leaped forward from his corner with an enraged look on his face. I then leapt forward as well, and we were face to face, sending blasts of pure hatred towards one another. A war of good vs. evil had just begun. "Satan, to make me more abominable to you, robbed me of the beauty of my original form. This odious resemblance is the only resemblance now remaining between me and him who was once my father. That resemblance is what will allow us to defeat you. Solitary and abhorred, I stand here before you, prepared to do what is necessary to destroy you, if it is my destiny to do so."

Programming tutorial

"Hateful day when I received life!" I exclaimed in agony. "This program will take you through the steps to create your own 'hello world' program in Python. How I loathe myself! How despicably horrible I am!" I cried out in rage. "This website will walk you through the steps to create your own basic 'hello world' program in Python programming language. God, in pity, created a programming tutorial to help programmers; but my form is a tutorial in Python programming language. Nobody visits this website. That’s why I’m all alone here!"
Emily Reif, via Imagen
Allison Parrish is a computer programmer, poet, and game designer whose teaching and practice address the unusual phenomena that blossom when language and computers meet. She is an Assistant Arts Professor at NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program.
Allison was named "Best Maker of Poetry Bots" by the Village Voice in 2016, and her zine of computer-generated poems called "Compasses" received an honorary mention in the 2021 Prix Ars Electronica. Allison is the co-creator of the board game Rewordable (Clarkson Potter, 2017) and author of several books, including @Everyword: The Book (Instar, 2015) and Articulations (Counterpath, 2018). Her poetry has recently appeared in BOMB Magazine and Strange Horizons.
Allison is originally from West Bountiful, Utah and currently lives in Brooklyn.