Professor Van Helsing’s expression drops, and you read the disappointment on his face. He tries to mask it with a sympathetic smile. “Of course, I understand.”
The Professor says his goodbyes, and he hurries away. As you watch him go, you cannot help but wonder if you made the right decision.
Many days pass without incident. You grow more and more used to your quiet life, and you begin to hope that you will never hear the name “Count Dracula” again. Those hopes are shattered when Mina bursts into your sitting room and faints.
You leap from your chair and hurry to her side. You squeeze her hand as she slowly awakens. When her eyes regain their focus, she looks into your face and sobs, “Oh, Jonathan, it is a terrible, terrible day!”
You touch the side of her face, wiping away her tears. “What has happened?”
“It was not enough that we lost Lucy. That villain, Count Dracula, has taken the others as well!”
Your eyes widen. Panic squeezes your chest. “What others do you mean?”
“Arthur Holmwood, Quincey Morris, Dr. Seward, and that kind Professor—they have all been killed!”
A lump forms in your throat. It grows and grows until you can no longer contain it. It forces its way out of your mouth as a desperate cry. “No!”
You did not know those men. But you shared a common enemy, and your hopes rested with them. You prayed that they would work together and destroy the Count without you. But they failed.
Would they still be alive if you had helped them? Will the Count be coming for you now? These questions will haunt you for the rest of your life, and because of your worries, you will never again know peace.
Try again.
If you are to save the infant, you must act fast. You move forward, but you have to go around headstones, stumbling over graves. By the time you reach the spot, the figure has disappeared. Fortunately, you find the sleeping child.
Van Helsing appears beside you. “Lucy was bitten by the vampire when she was sleepwalking. Now she is Undead. This child was to be her victim, but your quick appearance scared her away.”
The statement turns your blood cold.
Van Helsing continues. “We must prevent Lucy from ever again kidnapping—or doing worse. We must finish her while she slumbers in her coffin.”
“How?” you ask. “She is already dead.”
“We must fill her coffin with garlic and drive a stake through her heart,” answers Van Helsing. “It will not be easy. The Undead are strong. Yet, there is a grave duty to be done here, and we will need help.”
Van Helsing summons you to a meeting late the next afternoon. You are joined by Arthur Holmwood, Quincey Morris, and John Seward.
“I want your permission to do what I think is best tonight,” says Van Helsing.
Quincey is the first to answer. “I count you as one of my trusted friends. You have my support.”
Next Arthur speaks. “Can you promise that what you do is God’s will? If so, then I give my consent.”
Van Helsing nods. “Our actions tonight will most certainly please God. I want you to come with me, in secret, to the churchyard at Kingstead.”
Arthur’s face pales. “Where poor Lucy is buried?”
The Professor nods. “To enter the tomb.”
Arthur jumps to his feet. “Is this some kind of joke?” he exclaims.
“It is no joke,” answers Van Helsing. “We must open her coffin.”
“This is too much,” says Arthur, angrily.
The Professor looks at him with pity. “Miss Lucy is dead, so there can be no wrong to her. But if she is not dead...”
“What do you mean?” cries Arthur. “Has there been a mistake; has she been buried alive?”
“I did not say she was alive. I go no further than to say that she might be Undead. There are mysteries which men can only guess at. Believe me, we are now on the verge of one. I have a duty to others, to you, and to the dead. By God’s will, I shall do it.”
“I cannot understand, and it is hard to even think of it,” Arthur says at last. “But at least I shall go with you and wait.”
It is almost midnight when you get into the churchyard. You and your companions keep close together, with Van Helsing leading the way. The Professor unlocks the tomb and enters; the rest of you follow. He again removes the lid of the coffin. It is again empty.
“Wait with me outside,” Van Helsing whispers. “Things much stranger are yet to come.”
He opens the door, and your party files out.
There is a long spell of silence. Then, all of a sudden, the Professor points down the row of trees. A white figure advances, then stops. A ray of moonlight falls upon the outline of a dark-haired woman. You cannot see her face, but she wears a burial robe.
The white figure moves forward again. Your heart grows cold as ice, and you can hear the gasp of poor Arthur. You recognize the features of Lucy Westenra—yet changed. Her sweet appearance has turned cruel.
The vampire sees your team and draws back with a snarl. Her eyes blaze with hatred, and her face cracks in an evil smile. She locks eyes with Arthur. She advances to him with outstretched arms.
“Come to me, Arthur. Leave these others. Come and we can rest together. Come, my husband, come!”
There is something sinister yet sweet in her tone, like the tinkling of a glass when struck. It rings through your brain, even though the words are spoken to another.
Arthur seems under a spell, opening his arms wide. She leaps for him, and you have only a moment to act. You are not armed for battle, yet you can jump between them, using yourself to shield Arthur from her. Should you do it? Should you sacrifice yourself for your friend? Or should you wait and see, trusting that someone else will rescue him? What will you choose to do?
Jump in front of Arthur.
Wait and watch.
You must act quickly to save your friend, so you do. Before the vampire can reach Arthur, you jump directly into her path.
At that same instant, Van Helsing springs forward. He holds up his golden crucifix, and Lucy retreats. With a face full of rage, she dashes past him and into the tomb. But not before her bite sinks into you.
You feel the hard dents of two sharp teeth. Her fangs pierce your neck. After that, you feel nothing more. Not ever again.
Try again.
You cannot sacrifice yourself, not while the Count still lives. You do nothing.
Instead, Van Helsing springs forward. He holds up his golden crucifix, and the vampire retreats. With a face full of rage, she dashes past him and into the tomb.
“If ever a face meant death, if looks could kill, we saw it,” you gasp.
After a moment, Van Helsing asks Arthur, “Answer me, my friend. Am I to proceed in my work?”
He groans. “Do as you will. There can be no horror like this ever again.”
The Professor calmly locks the tomb door and says, “We can do no more until tomorrow.”
You return to the graveyard after lunch the next day. You silently follow the Professor to Lucy’s tomb. He unlocks the door, and you enter. When he lifts the lid off Lucy’s coffin, you see her there. But there is no love in your heart for the foul Thing which has taken Lucy’s shape. She seems like a nightmare of Lucy.
When all is ready, Van Helsing says, “Before we do anything, let me tell you this. The Undead cannot die but must go on adding new victims and more evil into the world. The career of this vampire has just begun. Anyone whose blood she drank is not yet turned. But if she lives on, Undead, they soon will become monsters. However, if she dies now, then they are saved. They will be themselves. And most blessed of all, the soul of Lucy shall again be free.”
Arthur steps forward. His hands tremble, and his face is pale, but he says, “It should be my hand that sends h
er to the stars. Tell me what to do, and I shall do it.”
Van Helsing puts a hand on Arthur’s shoulder and says, “A moment’s courage, and it is done. This stake must be driven through the vampire.”
Arthur takes the stake and the hammer. When his mind is set, his hands go to work. He looks like a figure of Thor as he pounds the stake, until finally, the terrible task is over.
In the coffin, the foul Thing is no more. Instead, it is the body of Lucy as she was in her in life, with her face sweet and pure.
9. In Search of Count Dracula
Before you leave, Van Helsing says, “My friends, one step is done. But a greater task remains: to find Count Dracula and to stamp him out. We have clues which we can follow, but it is a long task and a difficult one.”
You decide that your first job is to locate the Count’s hiding place, and you know how to do it. The Count had fifty crates filled with dirt for a reason: To remain strong, he needs that dirt to sleep in. Therefore, he must have had those crates shipped here with him. You will trace that horrid cargo to its location in London.
You go to the port and see the coast guards, the Customs Officers and the harbor master. They send you to the station master at King’s Cross. From there, you visit the station master’s main office. The workers look in their books and find the papers for the delivery of the boxes to Carfax.
You interview one of the delivery men, and he offers a few more details.
“That house is the worst I’ve ever been in,” he tells you. “It ain’t been cleaned in a hundred years! But the old chapel there, that took the cake. Me and my mate couldn’t get out of there quick enough. I wouldn’t stay there after dark for a million dollars!”
You nod, satisfied. You now know that the Count’s boxes are hidden in the old chapel at Carfax. You only hope that none have since been moved.
You return home and share your find with the rest of your group. Then you stare at Van Helsing, your advisor in these matters, waiting for him to speak.
At last he says, “I must tell you something of the enemy. This vampire is as strong as twenty men. He can control the elements: the storm, the fog, the thunder. He can command all the meaner things: the rat, the owl, the bat, the moth, the fox, and the wolf. He can change himself into wolf or bat. He can grow and become small, and he can vanish. It is a terrible task that we undertake. To fail here is not mere death. It is that we become as him, vampires. The gates of heaven will be shut to us forever. But we are face to face with duty.”
You look into Mina’s eyes, and she in yours. There is no need for speaking between you. You simply nod at the Professor.
He goes on. “We are not without strength. Let us consider the limits of the vampire. He cannot live without blood. He casts no shadow or reflection. He can make mist, but the distance he can make it is limited; it can only be around himself. He may not enter anywhere unless someone invites him. His power weakens in daylight. It is said, too, that he cannot cross running water on his own. And then there are things which hurt him, such as garlic and holy items like a cross or crucifix. Finally, a stake through the heart or removal of the head will mean his death.”
“So when we find the Count,” you say, “we can trap him in his coffin. We can destroy him if we use what we know.”
“Correct,” replies Van Helsing. “Now we must decide what to do. We know that fifty boxes of dirt were delivered to Carfax. We must find each of these boxes, and we must sterilize the dirt in them. When we do, the Count will no longer be able to sleep safely in them. We can then find him between the hours of sunrise and sunset and battle him at his weakest.”
“There is no time to lose,” says Quincey. “I vote we have a look at his house right now. Swift action may save another victim.”
Your courage begins to fail, yet you know what must be done. The only thing more important than the Count’s destruction is Mina’s safety. You cannot help but wonder: Will she be more protected here, all alone? Or should you bring her with you and the others, into Dracula’s lair? Should she stay, or should she come? What will you choose to do?
Keep Mina at home.
Bring Mina with you.
Your wife should come with you, so you can keep her safe from danger. You ask her to do so. Fortunately, she does not argue. You have never seen Mina so strong and well, and it would be a dread to you if anything should happen to her.
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Your wife should stay behind, safe from danger. You ask her to do so, suggesting she go to bed and get some rest. Fortunately, she does not argue. You have never seen Mina so strong and well, and it would be a dread to you if she were a part of this fearful business. Her role is finished. She can leave the rest to you and your friends.
10. The Carfax Estate
You go with the others to search at Carfax. Passing the brick fence that borders the property, you quietly make your way to the house. At the porch, the Professor opens his bag and empties it onto the step.
“We are going into a terrible danger, and we need weapons,” he says. “Remember that he has the strength of twenty men, so we must guard ourselves from his touch. Keep this near your heart.” He hands each of you a little silver crucifix. “Put these flowers around your neck.” Here, he hands out wreaths of garlic. “Lastly, and above all else, take this.” He provides Communion Wafers to everyone.
With that finished, Dr. Seward plays with the front door. The rusty hinges creak, and the door slowly opens. The Professor is the first to move forward, stepping through the open door. You all follow, lighting your lamps and beginning your search. The whole place is thick with dust. In the corners, there are masses of spider webs that look like old, torn rags.
Van Helsing turns to you and says, “You know this place, Jonathan, more than we do. You have copied maps of it. Which way to the chapel?”
You have an idea of its direction, so you lead the way. After a few wrong turns, you find yourself at a low, arched door.
“This is the spot,” you tell your friends, and you open the door.
None of you have ever experienced such an odor. The place is small and close, and the air is foul. It causes you to gag and almost vomit, but you enter and begin your work as though the loathsome place is a garden of roses.
“The first thing is to see how many of the boxes are here,” says the Professor.
You count and find forty-nine present out of fifty—one box missing.
Suddenly, Arthur turns and looks out the door into the dark passage, so you look too. For an instant, your heart stands still. You seem to see the Count’s evil face looking out from the shadow—the ridge of the nose, the red eyes, the red lips.
Arthur quietly says, “I thought I saw a face.”
If Mina is at home, click here.
If Mina is with you, click here.
You turn your lamp in the direction and step into the passage. There is no sign of anyone. You assume that fear has sparked your imagination, so you turn back toward Mina. You shrug and are about to say, “There’s no one there.” But you are suddenly flung to the ground by a seemingly invisible force.
In a flash of motion, Count Dracula appears beside your wife. Before you can even cry out a warning, the vampire pulls Mina close to him and sinks his teeth into her neck.
“No!” you exclaim, leaping to your feet.
You rush toward the Count, as do your friends. The Count tosses Mina aside as if she weighed nothing. She lands at the feet of Van Helsing and the others, tripping them up for a moment.
A moment is all the Count needs.
In your haste, you forget to arm yourself against him, and you reach him alone.
His open arms embrace you in a sinister hug, and he smiles wickedly. But the Count does not bite you. He lifts you off the ground as easily as he did Mina.
You fly t
hrough the air at great speed. You feel yourself thud against the hard wall more so than you hear it. An instant later, your world goes black, and you know no more. Not ever again.
Try again.
You turn your lamp in the direction and step into the passage. There is no sign of anyone. You assume that fear has sparked your imagination, so you hurry back to work.
Dr. Van Helsing says, “My friends, we have a duty here to do. We must sterilize the Count’s dirt. We must bless it for God.”
He takes from his bag a screwdriver and a wrench, and he removes the top of one of the cases. He takes out a Communion Wafer and sets it on the dirt inside. Then he shuts the lid and seals it again.
One by one, the crates are treated the same by you and your team. Yet even as you close the last case, you know that your work is not over. It will never be over until you find the missing box.
“For now, we have done all we can,” Van Helsing says. “Let us go home. We have reason to be content with our night’s work. We may have many nights and days to follow, so we must rest.”
Your house is silent when you and the others arrive. You tiptoe to your bedroom. Outside the door, Art and Quincey pause.
Quincey says, “Should we disturb Mina? Might it frighten her?”
“She will want to hear our news,” you tell him.
You turn the handle and push the door open. What you see terrifies you to the core. Your hair rises like bristles on the back of your neck. Your heart seems to stand still.
The moonlight is so bright that the room is light enough to see. Mina kneels on the edge of the bed. A tall, thin man stands by her side, dressed in black. His face is turned from you, but you recognize the Count. His right hand grips Mina’s neck. With his left hand, he forces her to drink his vampire blood.
Dracula (Can You Survive) Page 6
