The Undying Monster

Since the Crusades, Hammond Hall has suffered a curse, with family members dying or committing suicide under mysterious circumstances. The haunted legacy looms as the century turns. Locals fear the curse will strike again.

Two people are attacked at the turn of the century, including Oliver Hammond. The assaults suggest a non-human threat behind the deaths, not mere superstition. Scotland Yard scientist Robert Curtis and his sidekick Christy are dispatched to investigate.

Curtis begins inspecting the Hammond household and notices unsettling phenomena: doors slam, chains clank, and a secret room previously sealed for years has been entered. A statue of a dog-like creature looms in the Hammond family crypt, hinting at a buried lore. The case begins aligning with a presence beyond normal crime.

The initial victim dies after lingering in a coma, prompting a coroner's jury to review the case. Testimony from family members and their associates leads the jury to rule that the death was caused by an unknown person or creature. Curtis remains skeptical and searches for tangible proof.

While examining the victim's body, Curtis finds a hair identified as from a wolf, suggesting a non-human attacker. The hair disappears mysteriously soon after analysis, erasing the clearest forensic lead. The mystery intensifies as the scientific and supernatural explanations collide.

The monster strikes again, kidnapping Helga Hammond. Curtis and the police give chase as the beast eludes capture. The abduction raises the stakes and confirms the threat is still active.

During the pursuit, the monster is shot and transforms into Oliver Hammond. The revelation exposes the killer as a member of the very family under suspicion. It marks a tipping point from folklore to a biological explanation.

Dr. Jeff Colbert, a friend of the Hammonds, reveals that the family has suffered lycanthropy for generations. He explains that the werewolf condition accounts for the repeating deaths and suicides. The revelation reframes the mystery from a murder case to a hereditary affliction.

Colbert clarifies that the killings and suicides are deliberate acts to prevent harm to innocents. The pattern is a cruel, protective response rather than mindless violence. The uneasy truth challenges Curtis's scientific approach and the townspeople's beliefs.

Colbert explains that he has been trying to cure the Hammonds, highlighting the long history of the disease. His work underscores the gap between science and superstition in the village. The story ends with the possibility of a cure looming, but the curse remains active.

Curtis's inquiry shifts from fear of monsters to a debate about disease and evidence. The townspeople's belief in the curse clashes with Curtis's empirical approach. The community continues to wrestle with what to fear and how to respond.

The timeline closes with the understanding that the Hammond family is bound by a hereditary werewolf curse that may continue unless a cure is found. The family confronts the weight of their fate and the responsibility to protect others from their affliction. The ending sets up a future quest for science and compassion.