Welcome to the second visit to Primogen: The Origin of Monsters.

This week I'm looking at the third story in the book, Conjoined, by Greg Chapman. Recognisable for his art style, which not only graces the cover and pages of this very book, but also many other anthologies, comic books, colouring in books, and pretty much everything else (you can take a look at his art store here), Chapman is also a well-established author, his novel Hollow House (which I'm currently reading - review to follow) was nominated for a Bram Stoker award, and he constantly pumps out novels, novellas, and short stories. 

I'm a sucker for stories set in Victorian times, all those gaslights and fog shrouded alleys. In Conjoined, Chapman spins a classic tale which may be considered psychological in one sense, and toying with the debate of belief in religion versus science in another.

The book explores new origins for well-known monsters, as shown in our first story, wherein Gary McMahon presented his own take on the vampire mythos. Which classic creature does Chapman take on? The only hints you're getting is that this particular one is a literary creation rather than being born of cultural legend, and while I owned a copy of the original story as a child, I just couldn't finish it. Maybe Chapman has inspired me to go back and give it another go?

But he did inspire me to write my next tribute flash piece. While the original story is set around the turn of the century, I bring the medical processes up to date, even though some truly ancient things are still hanging around. I call this story...

The Scan
(Inspired by Conjoined by Greg Chapman)

Okay, so this is your…second scan with us, Mrs. Jenkins? Oh, I’m sorry, I’m terrible with names. Memory like a sieve, and we get so many patients coming through. Yes, just Wednesdays. That’s why we’re seeing as many people as possible. I’ll be lucky if I even get a lunch break today. I’ll just pop this on here. Can you unbutton your jeans for me and pull them down a little? There we go. Now I’m sure you know what’s coming.Yes, sorry about that. I’ve tried to warm it up for you, but this room just can’t seem to heat up. Feels like I’ve just taken it out of the freezer, doesn’t it? Don’t worry, it’ll warm up as we complete the scan.I see that your due date is early November, so bub should be developing nicely by now. You’ll be able to see a bit more this time. The sex? I’m afraid it’s still a little too early to determine, but there’s no harm in looking. Dad wants a boy does he? Most do! I’m sure he’ll just be as happy with a little girl though.I’ll try and get some good images of bub for him. Oh, he’s around here somewhere? Hope he makes an appearance soon. Problem with only coming down Wednesdays: have to rush everybody through. You’ll have the pictures in case he misses the show, Mrs. Jenson.What? Sorry! Like a sieve, I swear!Ignore the lights. These old hospitals. The NHS can’t afford beds, let alone having the old wiring looked at.These buildings…haven’t changed for centuries.I can cope with the odd flicker. It’s the poor sods on life support I worry about. Still…let’s try and ignore the lights. We’ll get used to it, eh?There’s baby. Can you see the screen okay? Bub’s turned away from us at the moment, but you can see the head, the spine here. Such a shy baby! Come on, let your mummy have a good look at you.Ah ha… Just want to quickly check the blood flow through the umbilical. No, nothing to worry about, just procedure. If bub was small for this stage we’d be a little more in-depth, but nothing in your notes indicates cause for concern. That all appears healthy. You pass with flying colours!There’s a leg. Let me just take a quick measurement of the femur…Jesus!Never had that happen before. It’s the wiring, I swear. Got a bit of a jolt from the machine. No, no, I’m fine. Caught me by surprise. There’s the other femur. Might as well grab the measurement. Femur…left. We rarely get two legs different sizes, but everything we can send to the doctor, you know? And here’s…here’s the other femur. Again. Looks… I’ll take another measurement.Hmm. Must have measured it wrong the first time. Doesn’t help when the screen keeps flickering! Can you see okay?Fuck!Sorry! I’m really sorry. Another jolt. And these bloody lights.Been a long morning.Still no sign of bub’s dad. He’s missing all this.Okay, there’s baby’s heartbeat. All looks absolutely fine. Nothing to worry about there. Would you like to hear it?Hang on.Yeah! That’s your bubby’s heart! You didn’t get that in the first scan?Well that’s because…just wait…it doesn’t usually…no that’s completely—Ssh!……It does sound like galloping, doesn’t it? No, no. No need to be concerned. Lie back down. It’s not what you’re thinking. Let me listen.…No.…Trust me, Mrs. Jenson. No. Really. I’d have known straight away.Sorry. You’d think I’d remember. That’s such a unique name.No. Really. If that were the case…we’d know immediately. You have a very healthy bub. I’ll just take a few more measurements and you can be on your way. Pictures? Of course. All for Daddy, eh? It’s a shame he missed this.Well…I didn’t see him.Oh look! The lights are back on. Makes life easier. I’ll just process a few more images. Mrs. Jek—sorry, what’s your name again?