The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black Read online

  TODAY THERE ARE NO KNOWN SPECIES WITH MULTIPLE HEADS, ALTHOUGH TWO- OR THREE-HEADED MUTATIONS OF EXISTING CREATURES ARE NOT UNCOMMON (THIS CONDITION IS KNOWN AS “POLYCEPHALY”). OFTEN THE MUTATIONS ARE BORN WITH THEIR HEADS FUSED TOGETHER. SADLY, THESE MUTATIONS RARELY LIVE FOR VERY LONG.

  IN THE NEXT TWO CHAPTERS, DR. BLACK EXPLORES A PAIR OF THREE-HEADED CREATURES—THE CHIMÆRA AND THE CERBERUS. HE WAS ADAMANT THAT THESE SPECIES WERE NOT RANDOM MUTATIONS BUT RATHER FULLY FORMED ANIMAL.

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  CHIMÆRA INCENDIARIUS

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  * * *

  KINGDOM Animalia

  PHYLUM Vertebrata

  CLASS Echidnæ

  ORDER Praesidium

  FAMILY Incendium

  GENUS Chimæra

  SPECIES Chimæra incendiarius

  WHAT CHALLENGE LIES before whoever ponders this beast! Why would nature require it to be shaped in such a fashion? Its form is confounding and distasteful. Nonetheless, all mysteries ought to be solved; their secrets should be revealed.

  Without having the great privilege and scientific benefit of studying the creature whilst it was alive and moving before me, I am unable to understand how it managed the apparent dilemma of three brains, three wills, and only one body to command. This is a great point of intrigue to me, and a burden on my ever-increasingly curious studies.

  I find it baffling that the tail of the creature has the structure of that belonging to a serpent, and yet the chimæra has none of a serpent’s functionality; it could neither slither nor coil upon the ground. I suspect that the tail is merely a system used for balance.

  The musculature of the lion’s head seems to outweigh (by measure of weight, proportion, and tension) the other two heads. I concluded that the central vertebral joint, the trithoracic vertebra, can resist enough torsion to accommodate the animal moderately but not effectively.

  The diet is another curiosity. All three heads, whose origins are from creatures of differing diets, must surely share a common digestive tract and other similar requirements for basic functionality. I imagine there must have been ample opportunity to benefit from such an arrangement; the goat could graze whilst the lion rested, perhaps.

  It is likely that a more modest, necessary, and adaptable animal evolved from the chimæra, though I have no evidence to that end. It is my belief that the chimæra could not have survived a respectable length of time in its environment.

  LIKE THE CHIMÆRA, THE CREATURE KNOWN AS THE CERBERUS ALSO HAS THREE HEADS—ONLY IN THIS CASE, THE HEADS ALL BELONG TO THE SAME SPECIES. BLACK EXPERIMENTED WITH DOGS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. WE KNOW OF THE WORK DONE WITH DARWIN’S BEAGLE, BUT WE DO NOT KNOW THE FULL EXTENT OF BLACK’S EXPERIMENTATION WITH POLYCEPHALOUS CREATURES.

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  CANIS HADES

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  KINGDOM Animalia

  PHYLUM Vertebrata

  CLASS Echidnæ

  ORDER Praesidium

  FAMILY Canidæ

  GENUS Canis

  SPECIES Canis hades

  I ORIGINALLY BELIEVED THE hell-hound was a singular creation, much like the ganesha and the chimæra. However, I had the peculiar fortune to come into the possession of eight beasts, all of which appeared to have perished together as a pack. Several of the beasts had two or three heads, and one of the dogs possessed six. A specimen with three heads and a serpent tail is the case for study here.

  There must be some element in the bone, blood, or brain of the cerberus and the chimæra that allowed for the growth of multiple heads. These creatures are not mere mutations born of unnatural conditions; their design is far too deliberate and intentional. Despite their superficial similarities I have no evidence that these two creatures are closely related. I am not related to a fish simply because we both have a single head.

  The cerberus would have been warm blooded with many traits likened to other mammals: a four-chambered heart, normal-sized organs, mammary glands, et cetera. A natural conclusion to draw would be that the serpent auxiliary to the body of the cerberus (as well as the chimæra) had adapted appropriately, losing the need for cold-blooded temperature regulatory systems. Similar adaptations are found in other reptiles, such as the Dermochelys coriacea, the leather-back turtle. There may be a shared ancestry among these reptiles, suggesting that the bloodlines are vast and still flourishing in regions yet unknown.

  CREATING THE PEGASUS WAS A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING; IT IS EASILY THE LARGEST OF DR. BLACK’S CREATIONS. HE HAD TO DESIGN AN ELABORATE HOIST-AND-PULLEY SYSTEM JUST TO MOVE THE ANIMAL TO HIS OPERATING TABLE. MORE RIGGING WOULD BE NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE CREATURE IN ITS DESIRED POSTURE WHILE ON DISPLAY (IT WAS LIKELY IN THE SAME POSITION AS WAS DRAWN AT RIGHT).

  Months of labor used to construct wings that can never work. I have sewn the muscle carefully to their respective locations; I have taken care with the nerves and skin and all of the fibers of the tissues of the beast’s flesh … but it does not live. I do this, only to show that it could have and once did live.

  —SPENCER BLACK

  * * *

  PEGASUS GORGONIS

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  KINGDOM Animalia

  PHYLUM Vertebrata

  CLASS Gorgonis

  ORDER Perissodactyla

  FAMILY Equialatus

  GENUS Pegasus

  SPECIES Pegasus gorgonis

  FAMED FOR ITS ASCENT to Mount Olympus, the pegasus has inspired many tales of wonderment.

  The size and breadth of the animal’s wings afford it a greater capacity for flight than might seem possible; certainly the riddle is simple once one peers beyond the veil of the flesh. The air sacs throughout the animal’s body would have to be more than twice (by measure of proportion) the size of any bird’s, thus allowing tremendous breathing potential. This would be an evolutionary necessity.

  The muscles governing the wings were likely very large. If given the opportunity to view genuine pegasus cells under a microscope, I believe we would unravel the secret of their extraordinary strength. These types of cells are not absent from human muscle tissue; they are merely less active. If human cells could be trained to perform with the same functionality as those of the pegasus, then all would marvel at the greatness achievable by man.

  The skeletal structure of the animal will seem familiar to any anatomist familiar with the Aves and Equus forms. Surprisingly, there is no structural deviance from the horse or from the wing structure typical of a common bird. I speculate that this could be quite different among different species of this family.

  THE EASTERN DRAGON IS CERTAINLY ONE OF DR. BLACK’S MOST PLAUSIBLE CREATIONS. HE BELIEVED THAT THE CREATURE—AND MANY LIKE IT—STILL EXIST. HE DESCRIBED THE DRAGON AS A SORT OF LARGE AMPHIBIAN, ANATOMICALLY SIMILAR TO OTHER CREATURES IN ITS CLASS. HE BELIEVED THAT THE DRAGON WAS ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST BEASTS, HAVING NO PREDATORS AND NO GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARIES.

  INTERESTINGLY, DR. BLACKMENTIONS THE WESTERN (FIRE-BREATHING) VARIETY OF DRAGON IN HIS NOTES. THIS REFLECTS HIS WILLINGNESS TO CONSIDER ALL POSSIBILITIES OF LIFE, NO MATTER HOW FAR-FETCHED THEY MIGHT SEEM.

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  DRACONIS ORIENTIS

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  KINGDOM Animalia

  PHYLUM Vertebrata

  CLASS Amphibia

  ORDER Caudata

  FAMILY Monsdraconis

  GENUS Draconis

  SPECIES Draconis orientis

  THIS SPECIMEN WAS DISCOVERED in an old monastery on the island of Nakanotorishima, east of Japan. I was the only one among my companions who believed in its authenticity. I purchased the remains, giving the impression it was nothing more than a large serpent, and indeed it really isn’t much more than that. It measures forty feet in length, and though I had only partial skeletal remains, I reconstructed the image of this impressive and august animal. Its size, spine protrusions, clearly advanced claws, and defensive capabilities would have lent it a great advantage in its surroundings.

/>   Other dragons, especially the Western variety, are possible ancient ancestors, though I believe the relationship is likely to be distant. With its wings and phosphorous breath, the Western dragon seems more closely related to the leviathan or the hydra than the Eastern dragon shown here. However, since I have not studied the Western species as of yet, I am unable to scientifically confirm this assertion.

  The legends of the Far East offer elaborate and thoughtful descriptions of the area’s native dragons, suggesting that the authors had an intimate knowledge of the species. Like many of the smaller varieties of serpent, lizard, and amphibian, the dragon must have had many shapes and personalities finely adapted to its specific needs and environment. Certainly many of the species are extinct, but not all; I cannot believe this animal no longer exists. Surely it continues to thrive in the deepest of waters or the darkest of swamps.

  BECAUSE OF THE CENTAUR’S EXCEPTIONAL WEIGHT, BLACK LIKELY EMPLOYED THE SAME ELABORATE PULLEY SYSTEM USED DURING THE CREATION OF THE PEGASUS. IT IS BELIEVED THAT MOST OF HIS TAXIDERMY CREATIONS ARE STILL IN EXISTENCE, BUT ONLY HIDDEN AWAY IN PRIVATE COLLECTIONS. BLACK WAS CONSIDERED AN EXCELLENT TAXIDERMIST, AND ANY COLLECTOR WOULD SEEK HIS WORK, LIKELY AT A CONSIDERABLY HIGH PRICE.

  BLACK MENTIONS FINDING EVIDENCE IN A insert BULGARIAN VILLAGE, BUT THERE ARE NO ACCOUNTS FROM OTHER ARCHEOLOGISTS TO CORROBORATE THESE REPORTS.

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  CENTAURUS CABALLUS

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  KINGDOM Animalia

  PHYLUM Vertebrata

  CLASS Mammalia

  ORDER Perissodactyla

  FAMILY Homoequidæ

  GENUS Centaurus

  SPECIES Centaurus caballus

  THE LEGENDS REGARDING these animals are richly colored and decidedly unfavorable. It is possible the centaur was hunted to extinction. Their remains have been found cut into pieces and then ceremonially buried, which suggests they had acquired enemies with a fervor for extravagant punishment. Nevertheless, the centaur prospered long enough to allow for many descendants in its natural history: the centarus ipotane (humans with horse feet); pterocentaur (winged centaur); onocentaur (half man and half bull or ass); and possibly many others.

  I acquired the research for my specimen in a small village in Bulgaria, east of Sofia, in the Balkans. There I found a great deal of evidence to suggest that any further excavation and research will bear great and many anthropological fruits. I was unable to homestead in the beautiful countryside for as long as I would have desired. Perhaps one day the research of another scientist will bestow upon the world the secrets of this civilization and the power of the great centaur.

  THE HARPY WAS THE CULMINATION OF DR. BLACK’S ACHIEVEMENTS—HIS GREATEST DEMONSTRATION OF THE HUMAN FORM AND ITS CAPACITY FOR SELF-EVOLUTION. THIS IS EASILY THE LONGEST CHAPTER OF THE CODEX, WITH MANY ILLUSTRATIONS OF NOT ONLY THE MUSCULAR AND SKELETAL SYSTEMS, BUT ALSO THE PHYSIOLOGICAL AND EVEN THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEMS.

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  HARPY ERINYES

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  KINGDOM Animalia

  PHYLUM Vertebrata

  CLASS Mammalatus

  ORDER Harpyiaforme

  FAMILY Harpyiadæ

  GENUS Harpy

  SPECIES Harpy erinyes

  THE HARPY IS THE mother of all wonders. She was once beloved as a beautiful goddess; more recent portrayals depict her as a wretched beast. I suspect this confusion results from observers viewing different species of the harpy family and ignorantly thinking them to be the same. A likeness can readily be made with other similar species: the cherubim, the Boreads, and a host of others. The species that is studied here is one of the ancient ones, quite unlike its larger and more distasteful cousins.

  The smaller harpies do not possess the additional limbs characterized in the likeness of human arms; they are more fowl than human. They do maintain what is clearly a human head and neck; a protrusion in the maxilla forms a hard beak-like ridge underneath the lips, both top and bottom. Only the deep teeth remain: molars and wisdom teeth. The incisor and canine groups are replaced with the beak. The surface of the face (capital and submalar tracks) is cloaked with a fine layering of feathers, making it appear like an ordinary bird’s when viewed from a distance.

  Like many other birds, the harpy has a sophisticated air circulatory system composed of sacs that assist in cooling and allow uninterrupted flow of air through their lungs. This mechanism grants the animal the ability to breathe continuously, even during exhalation. The sacs also contribute to lowering body heat from the wing extremities and internal organs.

  The harpy’s reproductive system is similar to that of a bird. She has one active ovary and lays eggs. The size of the eggs would have been quite large, perhaps 17–20 centimeters in diameter, and the time of gestation for the newborn would have been nearly five weeks. The young would exit the shell with the help of an egg tooth (a small rigid spike on the forehead used for breaking the egg, which goes away in its early life).

  Possessing both the syrinx and the larynx allowed the dual functions of birdsong and the ability to speak. Nevertheless, no evidence of a harpy language has yet been found. Its vascular system bears no great riddles; there is the presence of a complex array of arterial and venous structures that are not foreign to the practitioner of medicine and anatomy.

  Additional notes regarding the physiology: lacking a gizzard but instead having a human stomach and large pancreas, an intestinal tract shorter than a human’s and still of a greater length than that of a bird’s, a four-chambered heart and particularly large kidneys would allow the harpy to have married the physiological differences of fowl and human in the bosom. I presume its diet would be carnivorous but certainly capable of digesting nearly anything, even if necrotic.

  A FINAL NOTE

  SCHOLARS SEEKING ADDITIONAL MATERIALS RELATED TO THE LIFE AND WORK OF DR. SPENCER BLACK WILL FIND A TREASURE TROVE OF VALUABLE RESOURCES AT QUIRKBOOKS.COM/THERESURRECTIONIST. THIS EXCLUSIVE ON-LINE CONTENT INCLUDE A SHORT FILM ABOUT THIS BOOK, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE CREATION OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS, AND DIGITAL IMAGERY WHICH MAY BE DOWNLOADED FOR ACADEMIC RESEARCH AND PERSONAL USE. WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND IDEAS WHEN VISITING THE SITE.

  E.B. HUDSPETH

  IS AN ARTIST AND

  AUTHOR LIVING IN

  NEW JERSEY. THIS IS

  HIS FIRST BOOK.