Adapted by H. Q. Mitchell
Bram Stoker:
Adapted by H.Q. Mitchell
jonathan marker's journal
I have just arrived in Bistritz, a small town in Transylvania, and I am staying at a hotel called The Golden Krone which Count Dracula recommended to me. When the hotel owner showed me to my room, he handed me a note from the Count himself. The note said that a coach will be arriving in the morning to take me to Dracula's castle. So far, I have thoroughly enjoyed my journey through Eastern Europe, and I am looking forward to meeting the Count and discussing the details of the property he purchased in London.
After breakfast this morning, I told the hotel owner and his wife that 1 was going to Dracula's castle. They seemed quite shocked. The owner's wife begged me not to go; she said it was an evil place, but wouldn't tell me why. Then, she handed me a cross and told me it was for protection. I didn't really want to take it, but I thought that it would be rude to refuse. I know that the people here are very superstitious, so I'm not going to take her warnings seriously.
When the coach arrived, I said goodbye to the couple; they wished me luck and said that they would pray for me, which I found rather strange.
The driver of the coach was a mysterious fellow; he wore a hood which covered his face completely and he didn't say a single word to me.
The journey was long and by the time night fell, we still hadn't reached our destination. It grew colder and colder and then it started to snow. In the distance, I could hear wolves howling and I began to feel afraid. I asked the driver how far the castle was, but he did not respond.
I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, we were in the dark courtyard of an enormous castle. The driver helped me out of the coach and left in a great hurry.
A few minutes later, the front door opened and a tall, thin man dressed in black appeared.
"Welcome!" he said. "You must be the solicitor, Jonathan Harker. I am "Good evening, sir," I said.
"Come inside, Mr Harker," said Dracula. "You've had a long journey, you must be hungry."
The Count helped me with my bags and showed me to my room. Then, we went to the dining room where my host had laid out a delicious meal. The Count said that he had already eaten, so he did not eat with me.
We spoke about my journey and, as we talked, I noticed that the Count had rather unusual features: his eyebrows and hair were thick and bushy, and he had a small moustache and a thin nose. His teeth were long and sharp and his ears were pointy. We talked until sunrise, then I went to bed.
When I woke up this morning, I found a note from the Count on my bedside table which said that he would be out for most of the day. After breakfast, I decided to explore the castle, but, unfortunately, most of the doors were locked. There are no mirrors and no servants in this house, which is quite strange.
I managed to find the library and was pleased to see that it was full of English books, so I spent the whole day reading. The Count arrived in the evening. He wanted to discuss the house he had bought in London, and he asked me to get my papers from my room. I told him that the house is called Carfax and that it's situated next to a lunatic asylum. We spent the whole night talking about England, then, at daybreak, the Count excused himself and I went to bed.
The strangest thing happened today! I decided to shave before breakfast, so I hung a small mirror up by the window and started shaving. Just then, I heard the Count's voice behind me.
"Good morning," he said.
I greeted him and continued shaving, but when I looked in the mirror, I noticed that the Count had no reflection! I was so surprised, I cut myself and my chin began to bleed. When the Count saw the blood, his eyes filled with anger and he tried to grab my throat! I pulled back and his hand
touched the cross around my neck - this seemed to calm him.
"Take care," he said. "It is dangerous to cut yourself in this country." He then picked up the mirror, threw it out of the window and left the room.
I went to the dining room, but the Count was not there, so I ate breakfast
alone again. I've noticed that the Count never eats or drinks anything. He's
a strange man and, I think, a dangerous one too.
After breakfast, I tried to explore the castle again, but all the doors were
locked. I'm beginning to feel like Dracula's prisoner... Still, I can't let him
know that I'm afraid of him.
Tonight, I had a long talk with the Count about Transylvania and its history. When the Count was ready to go to bed, he told me to write letters to my fiancee, Mina, and my employer telling them that I plan to stay in Transylvania for another month. Then, he warned me never to fall asleep in any room in the castle other than my bedroom. Why does he want me to stay longer? We have already discussed the details of the property he bought. And why are all the rooms locked? Oh, I am afraid that I may never see England again!
I saw the Count leave the castle earlier this evening so I continued exploring. I managed to open one of the bedroom doors and went inside.j It was a beautiful room and I decided to stay there and read a book for while. Then, I started to feel sleepy.
I pray that what happened next was a dream, but I do not think it was] I heard a noise and opened my eyes. There were three women in the room watching me sleep. Two had dark hair and dark eyes; the third had blonde hair and pale blue eyes. I could sense that there was something evil abouti these women. The blonde woman approached me slowly; I was terrified, but I couldn't move. She bent over me and I felt her sharp teeth dig intc my neck. Then, Dracula burst into the room. He was furious.
"How dare you touch him!" he cried. "This man belongs to me!"
The women seemed annoyed.
"Go!" shouted Dracula.
The women disappeared before my eyes. I must have passed out because I woke up in my bed. That's when I realised that I had left the cross in my room; the hotel owner's wife was right, it is my onl) protection! I must escape from this evil place!
A group of gypsies arrived at the castle a couple of weeks ago. The) brought large wooden boxes with them and are filling them up with soil -I have no idea why. The gypsies are very loyal to Dracula; they regard him as their master and would do anything for him.
Today, I decided to break into Dracula's room to find the key to the front door. I climbed from my bedroom window into his room anc searched it thoroughly, but the key was nowhere to be found.
There was a circular staircase in the room and I decided to investigate further. The staircase led to a dark, narrow tunnel which was filled with boxes. I opened two boxes, and saw that they were filled with soil. Then,' opened a third box and, to my horror, found Dracula asleep in it! I was so terrified, I ran back to my room as fast as I could.
I am desperate to escape from this terrible place, so I went back to Dracula'
room to look for the key again. I had no luck. It occurred to me that Dracula might have the key with him, so I climbed down the stairs again and found Dracula asleep in his box. Today, however, he looked different. His white hair and moustache had turned dark grey; his cheeks were full; his lips were red and small drops of blood were trickling from the corners of his mouth.
I knew I had to destroy the monstrous creature, so I picked up a spade to kill him, but as I lifted the spade above my head, Dracula opened his eyes and smiled. I was so stunned, I dropped the spade and it merely grazed his forehead.
My heart began to pound and I ran back to my room in terror. Downstairs, I could hear the gypsies singing and hammering the boxes shut. Then I heard footsteps, and I saw the gypsies leave the castle carrying the boxes.
I am alone in the castle, but not for long. Tonight, I will climb down the castle wall and attempt to escape. I pray that I will survive. Goodbye, all! Goodbye, Mina!
Letter from Mina Murray to Lucy Westenra
My dearest Lucy,
I'm sorry I haven't written in such a long time - my job as an assistant schoolmistress is keeping me very busy1. And I'm also learning how to type so that 1 can help Jonathan with his work when we get married.
I have just received a letter from Jonathan; he says he is well and that he will be back in about a month. I miss him terribly and I can't wait to hear about his
travels1.
Will you be spending the summer in Whitby? I really want to come visit you1.
It would be wonderful to see you agai!
Your loving Mina
PS: I heard a rumour that you are about to be engaged to Arthur Holmwood... Is this true? Please write back soon and tell me everything!
Lucy Westenra's response
My dearest Mina,
Thank you for your fetter; it was so 0ood to bear from you!
Yes; the rumours are true! My beloved Arthur has finally proposed. Oh, Mina,am madly in love with him! And I am so very happy… I don't know what I've done to deserve this.
Mother and I will be spending the summer in Whitby and we would love it if you came to stay whit us! Just think, by the time I see you again, I`ll be engaged!
Your Ioving Lucy
mina murray's journal
24 July, Whitby
Lucy picked me up at the station and I must say that she's looking! sweeter and lovelier than ever. I am staying at her family's summer home; the house overlooks a lush green valley and is situated opposite a lovely old church. It's really very beautiful here; you can even see the ships in the harbour from the terrace.
Lucy, her mother and I had lunch at around 2pm, and then Lucy and I went for a walk.
I am happy to be here, but I can't stop thinking about Jonathan. I haven't heard from him in over two months and I am very worried that something awful may have happened to him.
I still feel very anxious about Jonathan. It's not like him not to write.
And now I'm worried about Lucy too. Her health is fine, but she's started sleepwalking again. She used to sleepwalk as a child, but she hasn't done ij in years. Her mother is very concerned about her and has asked me make sure that Lucy's bedroom door is always closed at night.
Lucy's fiance, Arthur, will be here in a few weeks; he is looking after hi| sick father at the moment. Lucy is busy making arrangements for wedding and I think that the anxiety is causing her to sleepwalk.
Still no news from Jonathan. If only he'd write just one line to let m know that he's all right!
There was a terrible storm last night. It rained heavily and the win howled like a wounded animal. Lucy was restless all night and I couldn sleep either. We both got up early this morning and went for a walk to th harbour. On the way, we bumped into old Mr Swales who told us that strange ship had been washed up on the shore. The ship is called th Demeter and it came all the way from Varna in Russia.
Mr Swales said that the coastguard investigated the ship and found n sign of life except for a large, black dog. The entire crew was missin Then, the coastguard discovered the captain's dead body tied to the whee - he was holding a cross in his hand.
There was an article in the newspaper about the ship and it said that th Demeter had been carrying fifty boxes filled with soil when it ran aground. The boxes were collected by a solicitor in Whitby. The article also mentioned that the dog had disappeared.
I'm concerned about Lucy - she is such a sensitive girl and I fear that this terrible story will give her nightmares tonight.
11 August, 3am
I woke up at lam with a very bad feeling. I went to Lucy's room to chec on her, but she wasn't there! I searched the whole house, but Lucy wa nowhere to be found. I assumed that she was sleepwalking and that she ha gone outside, so I grabbed a thick shawl and went out to look for her.
When I stepped out on to the front porch, I saw Lucy lying on a bencrl in the churchyard. I also saw a dark figure bending, over her. I ran towards the churchyard, calling Lucy's name, and, as I did so, the figure turned tcJ look at me. It was a man with a white face and red eyes, and as I approached the bench, the man vanished.
I found Lucy lying on the bench with her eyes closed. She was stili asleep, but breathing heavily. It was a bitterly cold night and I flung th shawl around Lucy's shoulders and fastened it with a safety pin. Sh touched her throat and moaned as if in pain, and I decided it woul probably be best to wake her. She moaned a few more times and the opened her eyes. She was trembling and she held on to me as she stood up| then I helped her walk back home.
I tucked Lucy into bed and she made me promise not to tell anyond about her sleepwalking adventure, especially not her mother, who is sd frail. I promised, of course. I locked Lucy's bedroom door and tied the ke)j to my wrist; she slept soundly after that.
I woke Lucy up at about 10am and she seemed quite cheerful. I don'lj think she's too concerned about what happened last night. As we werd eating breakfast, I noticed two tiny red marks on her neck. I assumed thati I must have pricked her with the safety pin and I apologised. She laughed] and. said that she hadn't even felt it. Then I asked her about the man in thd churchyard, but she said she couldn't remember anything. Did I imagine it all?
The tiny wounds on Lucy's neck have not yet healed. In fact, they locj worse than before. If they don't heal soon, I'm going to call the doctor.
Joy, joy, joy! Jonathan is alive! I received a letter today from a nurse a a hospital in Budapest - she said that Jonathan has been suffering from brain fever and has been under their care for six weeks.
The nurse added that Jonathan had shown up at the hospital in terrible state, ranting about demons and blood and ghosts. Poor Jonathar I'm leaving Whitby immediately and I should be in Budapest in a few day;
24 August, Budapest
I hardly recognised Jonathan when I arrived this morning - he lookei so thin and pale. The doctors said that he had had some sort of terribl shock. He slept on and off for most of the day, and when he woke up, h asked me to give him his coat. He then took a notebook out of his co pocket and handed it to me.
"Mina," he said, "I cannot clearly recall my experiences in Transylvani I may have dreamt it all... and I may be mad. The secret of what happene to me is in this journal, but I do not want to know. I want to put the pas) behind me... I want us to get married and start our life together as soo as possible. Take the journal, read it if you want to, but please don't evej tell me what's in it."
I took the book from Jonathan and promised him that I would onl; read it if I really had to. Then I asked the nurse to send a priest t Jonathan's room. We were married this afternoon and I have never felt happy as I do now!
I'm going to write Lucy a letter to tell her the good news; I miss ha terribly!
Lucy Westenra 's letter to Mina Harker
Whitby,30 August
Congratutations to you both! I hope you return to Eng(and soon, I can't wait to see you and Jonathan! I
My wedding is scheduled to take, place on the 28th of September. I have so much to do, but I've been feeling so weak and tired lately. I'm having trouble I steeping and I often have bad dreams. Sometimes at night, I can hear strange flapping and scratching sounds outside my window.
Arthur is very worried about me and he asked ^is friend, Dr John Seward; to come see me. Dr Seward runs a lunatic asylum in London and Jonathan says he's an excellent doctor. The doctor gave me a tharough examination j yesterday but could find no reason for my illness.
He said that he is going to write to his former professor, Abraham Van Helsing; to ask him to come and see me. Professor Van Helsing lives in Amsterdam and is an expert in unusual diseases. I do hope fail be able to i me.
Anyway, I must rest now. Give my best to Jonathan.
Your lowing Lucy
dr seward's journal
Lucy has been moved to Hillingham, the Westenra's home in London. When Van Helsing and I arrived at Lucy's house this morning, I was shocked to see how much she had deteriorated since I last saw her. Her face was as pale as chalk and she was struggling to breathe. Once Van Helsing had finished his examination, he asked to speak to me in private. She's in a very bad state," he said. "She needs a blood transfusion immediately, or else she will die!"
Athur had just arrived and he overheard us talking. Van Helsing
explained the situation to him and he volunteered to donate his blood. I'm
pleased to report that Lucy looked much healthier after the transfusion; her
cheeks were rosier and she fell into a deep sleep. Arthur was sent home to
recorver and Van Helsing and I stayed with Lucy to monitor her condition.
As Van Helsing adjusted Lucy's pillow, the black velvet band she wore
around her neck moved out of position. Van Helsing saw the two red
marks on Lucy's neck and gasped. What are those marks, Professor?" I asked.
Van Helsing shook his head. "I'm not sure," he replied. He was thoughtf for a few minutes, then he said: "I must go back to Amsterdam to do some more research. Stay with her tonight and don't let her out of your sight."
I didn't sleep a wink last night. Lucy seems to be doing much better today. I will try to stay awake again tonight. The Professor sent ma telegram saying that he will be here tomorrow afternoon.
I was absolutely exhausted last night, so I slept on the sofa for a few hours. I woke up when the Professor arrived and we went up to Lucy`s room together. When the Professor opened the curtain, he gasped in horror. Lucy had taken a turn for the worse - her face was pale and her gums had shrunk back from her teeth.
Van Helsing listened to her heart and then he said: "It's not too late. Her heart is still beating. But she will need another blood transfusion immediately."
I volunteered to donate my blood and within a couple of hours, Lucy began to look like herself again. The Professor told me to go home and rest, which I did.
I still don't understand how Lucy lost so much blood. Where did it all go? This just doesn't make any sense.
When I arrived at Hillingham this afternoon, I found Van Helsing scattering garlic flowers around Lucy's room. He then placed a wreath of flowers around Lucy's neck and made her promise never to take it off. I jokingly commented that it looked as if he was trying to ward off an evil spirit and he turned to me and said: "Perhaps I am."
I must admit, I found his response quite puzzling.
When Van Helsing and I returned to Lucy's house today, Mrs Westenra informed us that Lucy was doing much better.
"Good!" said Van Helsing, "my treatment must be working!"
"Yes," said Mrs Westenra. "But I simply had to take all those dreadful garlic flowers away and open all the windows. The room was terribly stuffy."
The professor's face turned white. "No!" he cried.
We raced up the stairs to Lucy's room and found her looking pale and lifeless; it was clear that she was in need of yet another blood transfusion. This time, I performed the transfusion and Van Helsing donated his blood.
Van Helsing then told Mrs Westenra that the garlic flowers had medicinal value and that she was to leave them in Lucy's room. He volunteered to stay with Lucy for the next few days and told me to return to the asylum.
Van Helsing sent me a telegram asking me to meet him at Lucy s house this morning. He mentioned in the telegram that he hadn't seen Lucy in two days, but that her mother had assured him the day before that she was
doing well.
When we arrived, we knocked on the front door, but there was no answer. We knocked again, and still no one responded. I felt a growing sense of panic and Van Helsing suggested that we break open a window.
Once inside the house, we rushed up the stairs to Lucy's room and found the girl and her mother lying on the bed. Lucy was unconscious and Mrs Westenra was dead. While the Professor attempted to revive Lucy, I moved her mother's body to the sofa.
"She needs another transfusion or she will surely die!" said Van Helsing.
"Let me do it, you are weak from the last time," I said as I rolled up my sleeve.
Fortunately, Lucy regained consciousness after the transfusion, but she burst into tears when she realised that her mother was dead. We tried to comfort her as best we could, but she was inconsolable.
"The wolf." she said between sobs. "The wolf."
Van Helsing and I exchanged worried glances.
"What wolf, my dear?" asked the Professor gently.
'Last night... my mother came into my room to check on me... I asked her to stay with me.. .We heard wolves howling outside and I was afraid... Then, a wolf crashed through the window into my room.
Lucy began to cough violently and Van Helsing gave her some water.
"My mother jumped up in fright..." Lucy continued. "She grabbed on to me and pulled the wreath from my neck... I think the shock was too much for her... She had a weak heart.
"What happened then?" asked Van Helsing.
"I don't remember!" Lucy sobbed. "I lost consciousness..."
"It`s all right, my girl," said Van Helsing. "You must rest now. Don't worry, we won't leave your side." Lucy fell into a deep sleep and we kept a watchful eye on her the whole night. What on earth is going on?
Arthur has been away taking care of his sick father, so we sent him a
telegram informing him of Lucy's condition and urging him to come see
her as soon as possible. He arrived early this morning and was quite
distraught when he saw his beloved Lucy. She barely resembled the woman
he had fallen in love with - her face was ashen and her cheekbones were poking through her skin. Lucy slept most of the day and hardly ate a thing;
it appeared that she had lost her will to live.
Earlier this evening, Van Helsing examined Lucy again. "She is dying,"
he said. "It will not be long now."
Van Helsing told Arthur that it was time to say goodbye to his fiancée.
Arthur took Lucy's hand in his and knelt beside her. He told her how
much he loved her and kissed her on her forehead.
"Arthur..." she whispered. Then Lucy closed her eyes for the last time Arthur covered his face with his hands and began to cry. I took him to the
drawing-room and stayed with him for a while. Then I went back to Lucy`s
room and found Van Helsing sitting at Lucy's bedside, lost in thought. "Poor girl," I said. "She is finally at peace. It is the end." Van Helsing turned to me and said: "No, my friend, it is only the beginning."
I asked him what he meant, and he answered: "Wait and see."
The funeral will take place tomorrow and Lucy and her mother will be buried together.
It is all over. Arthur has returned home, and Van Helsing is making preparations to go back to Amsterdam. He asked Arthur to give him Lucy's diary and letters in the hope that they will shed some light on her strange illness. Arthur sent a telegram to Lucy's friend Mina, who is now living in Exeter with her husband, to inform her of Lucy's death.
mina harker's journal
Jonathan had terrible dreams last night and hardly slept a wink. I think that the news of Lucy's death has upset him as much as it has upset me. He's been distracted and nervous ever since we returned from Budapest. I've decided that it's time to read his journal - it may be the only way that I can help him.
Oh, what a shocking story! My poor Jonathan! But did it really happen? Was he really terrorised by blood-sucking monsters or did he imagine it all? Jonathan is afraid that he's losing his mind... My poor darling! I wish I could do something to help him.
I received a letter today from Professor Van Helsing in Amsterdam. He says that he's read all the letters I sent to Lucy, as well as her diary, and he wants to come here to discuss the events leading up to her death. He added that he might be able to help Jonathan as well. I sincerely hope he .can.
Van Helsing arrived at noon and the servant showed him into the drawing room where I was waiting.
"Mrs Harker," he said as he took off his hat, "thank you so much for seeing me on such short notice."
"It's the least I could do," I replied. "You took such good care of poor Lucy. I'll do anything I can to help you solve the mystery of her death."
Van Helsing then told me that he had read Lucy's diary and was particularly interested in the sleepwalking incident in Whitby.
"Could you tell me anything more about it?" he asked.
"Of course. In fact, I can give you my journal to read if you wish," I said
Van Helsing smiled broadly. "That would be most helpful! Would you mind if I read it now?"
"No, go ahead," I replied.
I left Van Helsing in the drawing room to read the journal in peace. Once he had finished, we discussed the Whitby incident at great length
over lunch. Then, he asked me about Jonathan.
"How is your husband doing? Has he recovered from his brain fever?
"Yes," I said with a sigh. "But he's still very anxious."
The Professor seemed like a decent and trustworthy man, so I decided that it would be appropriate to tell him about Jonathan's journal.
"I want you to read it," I said. "I want you to tell me what you think, because I really don't know what to believe any more."
"Of course!" said Van Helsing.
I gave him a typewritten copy of the journal and he left just before Jonathan arrived home from work. I pray that the Professor will be able to help us.
van helsing's journal
26 September, London
I read Jonathan Harker's journal and my suspicions were confirmed. I
knew that vampires existed - now I have proof. [ have just written a letter to Mina to reassure her that her husband did not imagine the terrible things that happened to him in Transylvania. I this news will put both their minds at rest.
was a disturbing article in the Westminster Gazette today. It said that children have been disappearing from Hampstead Heath, a park near the cemetery where Lucy was buried. The missing children have all been found with tiny wounds on their necks and they claim that a strange, pale woman lured them away. This is a very worrying development indeed. I
must go see John Seward immediately.
Things were just starting to return to normal when Van Helsing burst into my office today, waving a copy of the Westminster Gazette.
"What do you think of that?" he asked, pointing to an article about missing children who had been found with wounds on their throats.
"Well," I said, "it sounds like what happened to poor Lucy."
"And what do you make of that?"
"I suppose that whatever injured Lucy, injured the children too," I replied.
Van Helsing gave me a stern look. "Do you mean to tell me, John, that after everything we've witnessed, you still haven't figured out what happened to Lucy? You still don't know why she lost so much blood?"
"You are a clever man, John," said Van Helsing as he sat down next to me. "But you think too logically. You have to realise that there are things in this world that are beyond science and reason."
"Professor, I don't understand.
"Do you know what vampires are, John?" Van Helsing interrupted.
His question took me by surprise. "Vampires? You mean blood-sucking monsters? They don't really exist, do they?"
The Professor nodded slowly. "I have spent my whole life researching the supernatural - vampires do exist, John, and one of those evil beings drank Lucy's blood and turned her into a vampire too."
"Professor!" I exclaimed. "What are you talking about?"
"It couldn't be more obvious," said Van Helsing. "Lucy is the mysterious woman who kidnapped all those children. She needs their blood to survive."
I sat there stunned, momentarily unable to speak.
"Professor, are you mad?" I asked.
"I wish I was," he responded. "No, unfortunately, everything I saying is true. And I can prove it if you'll let me."
I wasn't quite sure what to say.
"Come with me to the Westenra tomb," said Van Helsing.
"But why?" I asked.
"Please, just trust me," he said.
It was almost dark by the time we reached the graveyard. The Professor unlocked the door of the tomb and then lit a small candle. He searched for Lucy's coffin and when he found it, began to unscrew the lid.
I was horrified. "What are you doing?" I exclaimed.
"When I open this coffin, you will see that what I've been saying s true," said Van Helsing. The Professor urged me to look inside and, to my great surprise, I saw that the coffin was empty!
"She is out hunting for her next victim!" said Van Helsing.
"Maybe the body was stolen?" I suggested.
Van Helsing sighed. "So you need more proof? Fine, we will return again tomorrow."
He closed the coffin and blew out the candle. Then, we left the tomb and locked the door behind us.
I reluctantly accompanied the Professor to the graveyard again this afternoon. I expected to find the coffin empty and was shocked to see Lucy inside it. Her cheeks were plump and rosy and her mouth was stained with blood. The Professor pulled back her lips to reveal a set of long, sharp teeth.
"This is how she made the holes in the children's throats. Now do you believe me, John?"
I nodded slowly. "Yes, I suppose I do..." I said.
The Professor was delighted to see that I was starting to accept his terrifying theories.
"So what do we do now?" I asked.
"Lucy is neither alive, nor dead. She is 'undead' and must be destroyed. I am going to cut off her head, fill her mouth with garlic and drive a stake through her heart."
The Professor's words made me shudder.
"But first, I'm going to send a telegram to Arthur," said Van Helsing. want him to be here when we kill her."
Arthur met us at my office this evening. The Professor explained his theory of the 'undead' to him and told him that we had to cut Lucy's head; off. The Professor added that Lucy had to be killed so that her soul could be freed from evil. Arthur was understandably shocked and furious. We managed to calm him down and eventually persuaded him to come to the graveyard to see for himself.
We arrived at the graveyard just before midnight. Van Helsing unlocked the tomb and lit a lamp. Then he opened the coffin - it was empty.
We decided to hide in the graveyard and wait for Lucy to return. Arthur looked pale and anxious and I must admit I felt very sorry for him.
"Look!" said the Professor a few minutes later.
We turned around to see him pointing in the direction of a white figure holding a small child. As the figure came closer, we clearly saw that it was Lucy. There was blood on her lips and on her clothes.
When Lucy saw us, she growled like a wild animal. Her eyes were full of rage and she threw the child to the ground. The child screamed and Arthur stared at Lucy in horror.
She moved towards Arthur, her arms outstretched.
"Come to me!" she said. "Leave the others and come to me. We will rest together!"
Arthur looked like he was in trance; he started walking slowly towards Lucy.
"No!" cried Van Helsing as he ran between them, waving a cross. Lucy jumped back when she saw the cross .and disappeared into the tomb. We took the child to safety and then returned home.
This afternoon, we returned to Lucy's tomb for the last time. Arthur decided that it was his duty to drive the stake through Lucy's heart. "Brave lad," said Van Helsing as he placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder.
"Just remember that you are doing this to save Lucy's soul."
Arthur positioned the stake over Lucy's heart, then hit it hard with a hammer. Lucy's body jerked wildly and she screamed. Her mouth filled with blood; then she was still.
Arthur dropped the hammer. He began to shake and gasp for breath – I guided him out of the tomb and into the warm sunlight while Van Helsing cut the head off the body and filled the mouth with garlic.
The Professor locked the tomb then handed the key to Arthur. "There is still more work to be done," he said. "We must find the vampire who is responsible for all of this and destroy him. Do you both promise to help me with this task?"
Arthur and I promised to help the Professor and we made arrangements to meet again in two days' time to discuss our plan of action.
Van Helsing sent a telegram to Lucy's friends, the Harkers, asking them to come to London immediately. The Professor believes that they will be able to help us in our quest. I have arranged for them to stay in a room at the asylum.
Mina Harker came to my office as soon as she arrived. She told me that her husband was gathering vital information in Whitby and that he is expected to arrive tomorrow. We talked briefly, and then she asked me to tell her about the circumstances surrounding Lucy's death. I felt unable to tell her the horrible truth, so I gave her my journal to read. She, in turn, gave me Jonathan's journal.
I spent most of the day reading the journal; in fact, I could not tear myself away from it. It was a shocking story indeed, but the most disturbing part was when I realised that Dracula's residence, Carfax, is situated right next to the asylum, and next to my own home!
Mina came back to my office earlier this evening; she looked sad and I was sure she had been crying. We spoke for a bit, then she volunteered to type out the information in both journals before Van Helsing arrives from Amsterdam tomorrow.
Jonathan Harker, Van Helsing and Arthur arrived at the asylum this afternoon. I suggested that we all meet at my house this evening.
We all had dinner together at 6pm and, two hours later, we held a meeting in my study.
"I assume you have all read the documents that Mina typed up?" Van Helsing asked.
We nodded.
"Good. Now let's discuss what we know," said Van Helsing. "There is no doubt that vampires exist. They are immortal and extremely powerful, but they need blood to survive. We know that Dracula is their leader and that he can easily change form. He can transform himself into a dog, like he did in Whitby, or he can become a bat or a wolf. His powers are limited during the day, and that's when he sleeps in a box of Transylvanian soil. "But Dracula has weaknesses too. Garlic flowers and crosses render him powerless; a branch of wild rose placed on his box will prevent him from getting out of it. He can be killed either by cutting off his head or by stabbing him in the heart."
Van Helsing paused for a moment and examined a document on the desk. "Jonathan has discovered that most of the boxes on the Demeter were delivered to the chapel at Carfax. The remaining boxes were sent to a different location, we're not sure where. It is our duty to find each and every box and cleanse it by placing a cross in it. Then, we must kill Dracula." The Professor looked at us intently. "My friends, we have no time to waste. We must go to his house immediately."
3 October, Sam
We decided it would be best to leave Mina at my house. Then, armed with garlic wreaths and crosses, we went to Dracula's estate. When we found the chapel, Van Helsing forced the door open and we followed him inside. The smell was horrible and the chapel was filled with dust and cobwebs. We lit our lamps and counted the boxes - there were 29.
We were just about to start cleansing the soil in the boxes, when we noticed something moving in the darkness... To our horror, we realised that the chapel was filling up with rats!
Needless to say, we raced home as quickly as we could.
I can't remember what time I fell asleep k :* night, but it was definitely before the men returned home. I remember being woken by a scratching noise outside. I got up and looked out the window, but there was nothing there. I went back to bed and had a strange dream: I was asleep in the dream, and a man was leaning over me; his face was white and his eyes were as red as fire.
I didn't tell Jonathan about the dream. He left early this morning - he's determined to find out where the other boxes are.
I've been feeling weak and dizzy all day. I hope I'm better soon.
Jonathan managed to track down the man who delivered the boxes to Carfax. The man said that the remaining boxes were delivered to a house in Piccadilly and he gave Jonathan the address. We must cleanse the boxes at both locations as soon as possible.
Mina looked tired today. She said she didn't sleep well last night. Poor girl - she must be feeling very anxious.
4 October, 2am
Van Helsing and I were discussing our plan in my office earlier this evening, when we heard what sounded like a scream coming from the Markers' room. We went upstairs and knocked on the door, but no one answered. We tried to open the door, but it was locked. I forced the door open, and then I saw the most horrific scene imaginable... The room was dark, but in the moonlight I saw Jonathan unconscious on the bed. Mina was next to him and there was man standing over her; he had a wound on his chest and she was sucking blood from it! The man turned to face us and we recognised him instantly - it was Dracula!
He looked furious. He pushed Mina away and moved rapidly towards us. Van Helsing held up his cross and Dracula stopped in his tracks. Then, a strange blue mist filled the room and the vampire vanished.
Mina's white nightdress was stained with blood and she began to cry. Van Helsing woke Jonathan up and the poor man could hardly believe his eyes when he saw his wife.
"What happened? What does all this blood mean?" he asked.
He leaned forward to touch Mina, but she pulled back.
"No!" she wailed. "Don't touch me! I am unclean!"
Jonathan put his arms around her and held her tightly. "Don't say that Mina," he said.
Mina began to calm down and Van Helsing asked her to describe what happened.
"Well," she began, "we were both asleep when I heard a noise. I opened my eyes and saw a blue mist in the room. A tall, thin man came out of the mist and I knew who he was immediately. I screamed, but he covered my mouth and told me not to make a noise or he would kill my husband. He must have put me in some kind of trance, because I couldn't move or speak after that. He put a spell on Jonathan, then he said: "You are all fools if you think you can destroy me! Your friends underestimated my power and now I am taking my revenge! When I visited you last night, Mina, I made you part of my vampire family. Drink from me, drink!"
Mina began to sob. "He forced me to drink blood from his wound! Oh what have I done? What have I become?"
We listened to Mina's story and tried to comfort her. Van Helsing and I then left the room. I returned to my room, but couldn't sleep.
After breakfast, Van Helsing suggested that we cleanse the boxes at Carfax immediately and then move on to Piccadilly.
"We must act during the day when Dracula is at his weakest," he said.
He gave Mina a cross to keep her safe and then Jonathan, Arthur, Van Helsing and I went on our way. We found the chapel and the boxes of soil exactly as we had left them.
"Now we begin our work," said Van Helsing.
We unscrewed the lids of the boxes and placed a cross in each one. Then we closed the boxes and covered them with branches of wild rose.
"It is this Transylvanian soil that keeps Dracula alive," Van Helsing explained. "Now that the soil has been cleansed, Dracula will not be able to sleep in these boxes any more." We closed the chapel door, then headed to the house in Piccadilly.
The house was charming and gave no hint of the evil that lay inside. Jonathan broke the lock on the front door and we entered. We explored the house cautiously, afraid that the monster would appear before us.
We found the remaining boxes in the dining room and cleansed them, then we discovered that one box was missing.
While we were discussing the possible location of the last box, we heard footsteps in the corridor. My heart began to race and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The footsteps became louder and then the dining room door burst open. Dracula stood before us, his eyes full of rage. Instinctively, I held up a cross and watched in surprise as he backed into a corner.
"You will all be sorry!" he cried. "You think you have left me without a place to rest, but you are wrong! I have more boxes! My revenge has just begun... I will take the women you love and make them all vampires!"
Dracula then jumped out of the window and disappeared. We hardly had time to react.
Van Helsing was the first to speak: "We have learnt something here today: he fears us. Despite his angry words, he fears us. We must find the last box. But first, let us go back to Mina - she needs our protection."
We returned to the asylum and took turns to watch over Mina throughout the night.
5 October, morning
Mina slept peacefully last night. When she woke up this morning, she asked me to call Van Helsing to our room immediately.
"Why?" I asked.
"I have an idea," she said.
Three minutes later, Van Helsing was standing in our room with a worried look on his face.
"What is it, Mina?" he asked.
"I want you to hypnotise me, Professor," said Mina. "I'm the only one here with a direct connection to Dracula. I have a feeling I might know where he is."
Van Helsing nodded and quickly set about putting Mina under hypnosis. She closed her eyes as he spoke to her and then she opened them again.
"Where are you?" asked Van Helsing.
"I don't know," she replied in a dreamy voice.
"What do you see?" asked Van Helsing.
"I can't see anything, it's dark."
"What do you hear?"
"Water, waves..."
"Are you on a ship?"
Mina paused for a moment. "Yes! Yes, I am."
"What are you doing?"
"I am lying still..."
Mina said nothing more and the Professor decided to end the session. He told her to close her eyes and lie down.
"Was that at all helpful?" she asked when she opened her eyes a few minutes later.
"Yes, my dear, it was," said Van Helsing. "You told us that Dracula's on a ship, which means he's leaving England. He is afraid of us, so he's taken his last box and run away! Now we must find that ship!"
"But why, Professor?" asked Mina. "He's gone now, he can't hurt us any more."
The Professor hesitated before answering. "Mina, if we don't find him and kill him, you will die. We must destroy him to save you."
Mina looked stunned. Her eyes filled with tears and she let out a heartbreaking cry.
I decided to stay with Mina while the others went to the harbour to search for Dracula's ship. They returned in the afternoon with encouraging news.
"I am convinced that Dracula is going home to Transylvania," said Van Helsing. "And, in order to do that, he will have to travel via the port of Varna in Russia. We found out that a ship called the Czarina Catherine left for Varna earlier today. There was man on board matching Dracula's description; he also had a box of soil with him. Now, it's going to take three weeks for the ship to reach Varna. If we travel overland, we'll arrive in Varna in a few days. We must get to Varna before the ship does, so we need to start making preparations for our journey."
"But what will we do when the ship arrives?" I asked.
"We will board it and place a branch of wild rose on the box," Van Helsing explained. "Then we will move the box to a different location and destroy the monster."
We discussed the matter long into the night and we swore that we would do whatever it took to rid the world of that evil being.
15 October, Varna
We left Charing Cross station on the morning of the 12th and arrived in Paris on the same night. We then took the Orient Express and arrived in Varna at about 5pm. I am happy to report that Mina is looking much better. I would have preferred her to stay at home, but she insisted on coming with us. She is sure that her telepathic connection to Dracula will help us on our mission.
The Czarina Catherine should be arriving tomorrow. We put Mina under hypnosis and she says she can still hear the sound of waves lapping. Everything seems to be on track.
25 October, noon
The ship has not arrived yet. Mina could not give us any further information. I'm getting very worried about her - she looks pale and is tired all the time.
The port authority informed us that the Czarina Catherine arrived at the port of Galatz in Romania at 1pm today. Things have taken an unexpected turn. We have no choice but to travel to Galatz by train. The next train leaves at 6:30 tomorrow morning. Mina is getting weaker by the day; these delays are so frustrating!
We arrived in Galatz at 9:30 this morning and checked into a hotel. Mina stayed in her room while the rest of us went to the harbour to look for the Czarina Catherine. When we found the ship, we asked the captain to show us the box of soil. Unfortunately, we were too late - the captain informed us that a group of gypsies had already claimed the box. We returned to the hotel with heavy hearts. It's time for a new plan.
mina barker's journal
30 October, evening
We believe that the gypsies are going to take Dracula to his castle by boat. If they travel down the Sereth River, they will come to the Borgo Pass which is a short distance from Dracula's castle. Our plan is to intercept the gypsies on the way to the castle.
We have decided that it would be best for us to split up: Van Helsing and I will travel by train to Veresti and then by carriage to Dracula's castle to cleanse it before he returns. Jonathan, Arthur and Dr Seward will travel to the Borgo Pass on horseback. Later
It took great courage to say goodbye to my darling Jonathan. We may never see each other again...
We arrived in Veresti at noon. The Professor has just returned with the carriage and horses. He also bought a basket of food and other provisions. We will be on our way to Dracula's castle soon. I pray that Jonathan is safe.
2 November, night
We have been travelling for two full days. It is very cold, but we are still in good spirits. Van Helsing says that we should reach the Borgo Pass tomorrow.
memorandum by abraham van helsing (for dr john seward)
My dear friend, John, this is a record of our journey in case something happens to us. It is morning, and I am writing this next to the warmth of the fire. It is very cold and it snowed heavily last night. We reached the Borgo Pass just after sunrise yesterday and I hypnotised Mina so that she could point us in the direction of the castle. We have made rapid progress, but today we will rest.
You will probably think that I have gone mad when I tell you what happened yesterday, but I can assure you it is all true. Mina was feeling uneasy last night, so I placed four crosses in a circle around us to protect her and make her feel better. We both fell asleep eventually, but I woke up with a start when I heard the horses neighing loudly.
Then, to my great alarm, I saw three vampire women appear before us. Mina woke up too, but she seemed calm. I realised that they were the same three women who had threatened Jonathan at the castle. I didn't dare move out of the circle and both Mina and I sat perfectly still.
"Come, sister!" they said to Mina. "Come to us!"
But Mina did not move. She looked at them with disgust - thankfully, she is not one of them yet. I held up a cross and the women drew back. Eventually, they disappeared. Mina fell asleep a little later, but I stayed awake the whole night.
At daybreak, I realised that the horses were dead - the vampires had literally frightened them to death.
I will leave Mina in the circle and proceed to the castle alone on foot; it will be better that way.
5 November, afternoon
I went to the castle with a hammer, three wooden stakes and several crosses. I found the chapel easily and I searched the tombs until I noticed one that was larger and grander than all the rest. There was one word written on it: DRACULA. I opened the tomb and placed several crosses inside it.
Then, I began my terrible task. I located the three coffins of the vampire women and saw that they were sleeping soundly. My hands were shaking, but I knew that it was my duty to destroy them. I stabbed each one of them in the heart with a wooden stake... I will never forget those horrible screams or the sight of the blood pouring from their mouths. I am just grateful that it is all over and that their souls are finally at peace.
When I returned to the campsite, Mina woke up and begged me to leave.
"Let us go meet my husband," she said. "We have stayed here too long." And so, we are going to travel eastward, to meet our friends and the vampire we must destroy.
5 November, Borgo Pass, evening
We hid in the bushes near the river and saw the gypsies removing the box from the boat and placing it on a cart. We will follow them to the castle and attack when they are at their most vulnerable.
mina marker's journal
It was snowing heavily when we set off this morning, and we could hear wolves howling all around us. We found a cave earlier this afternoon, and the Professor suggested that we take shelter there. I had a strong feeling that Jonathan would be coming from the east, so we watched and waited from our hiding place, hoping to see him and the others on the horizon. Towards the evening, we noticed a group of gypsies pulling a cart on the road beneath us. There was a large, rectangular box on the cart, and when I saw it, my heart began to pound. That thing was in there and it was almost sunset; we had to act quickly.
"Look! They are coming!" said the Professor. He pointed to a group of horsemen who were barely visible in the distance. I watched as the horsemen galloped towards the gypsies. Soon, I could clearly see that it was Jonathan, Dr Seward and Arthur and I felt an enormous wave of relief.
The gypsies realised that they were surrounded and quickly pulled out their knives. I saw Jonathan jump from his horse and on to the cart. Arthur and Dr Seward circled the gypsies and threatened them with their
guns while Jonathan removed the lid from the box. He then raised a large
knife above his head and plunged it deep into Dracula's heart. The
monster's body crumbled to dust before our very eyes. The gypsies fled
and I ran to my darling Jonathan. When he saw me, he hugged me tightly.
"It's all over," he whispered. "The curse has been lifted and you are safe."
"We are all safe now," I said, as tears of joy rolled down my cheeks.
"Finally, we are free."
We never spoke of Dracula again after that day, but the memories will haunt us forever.