The next day, I wake up at 5:30 in the morning and get ready. I go into the kitchen and greet my mom.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMeJEDVM9c
"Did you sleep good dear?"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8nVxXbMVPl
I shrug in response. 276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKRAw1c76W
"Oh, you've got to know if you did or not."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wFbYK0XTE
"Well, I guess," I mumble.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz59VAfoLor
"Okay, come on. Let's go."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6QhpntTs0t
"Already? We don't have to be there until 7:30."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzNDNudt9s
"It takes about an hour and a half to get there. It's 5:47." She heads outside to the car. 276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXiulpESTYe
I moan, get up and go outside to the car. I get in the car and mom turns on the engine. She pulls out of the driveway and we head off.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6hVfdD9A3
**********276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4skYFWFbqs
Once we get to the funeral home, we head inside and go to the back. Mom tells me to wait where I'm at and goes out a pair of doors. I look over at something covered in a sheet. I walk around looking at the pictures on the wall. After a while, when I can't control my curiosity, I walk over to the sheet covered object and pull the sheet away. I find a body with the eyes closed. Very carefully, I lean in and slowly lift my hand. I quickly poke the face and pull my hand away, closing my eyes. I slowly open one eye and look at the body. I heave a sigh and open my other eye. I reach up and pull the eyelid open. Suddenly, I hear someone approaching. I jump up as the door opens and mom walks in with someone.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzsvf8UrKF
"Who's this pretty thing?" The stranger walks up and shakes my hand.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiG3R9IaV5a
"Oh, that's my daughter," mom says.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ucOHIKdxi
"What's your name? Mine is Richard Phillips."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsiYtuWnMp3
"Nikki," I reply. "Nikki Henderson."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnlq3lqElO
"Beautiful name." He looks over at the body. "You been looking at him. One interesting thing, isn't he? Funny lookin'. I examined his teeth and looked at some online pictures. It's him, alright. The great Count Dracula." He coughs. "Amazing, isn't it?"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqLfhldtuO
I nod. "I've always wondered what it would be like to meet him in person, but this is good enough."
"Well, we've got to get him ready for open casket tomorrow."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfDBdLOO4j0
"Tomorrow? So soon?" Mom crosses her arms.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGzxbg93tDW
He coughs. "Yes, ma'am. Tomorrow. We want to get him out of England as soon as possible."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKOH6xL0KJ
"Why?" I look at mom, then at him.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4zOQHQE3r
"He doesn't belong here. He's going to be sent down to Transylvania to be buried. He's not being buried up here in England."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNuO4ZEZVC
"Oh." I look over at his body.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdf7qNsFXU
"Well, we have to go get arrangements ready. Stay here."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ434K9BeMW7
Mom and Richard leave and I walk over to his body. I lift my hand up and pull back his upper lip. I examine his teeth and gasp. I straighten up, sit down and gaze down on him. I sigh. Oh, he's so handsome. I want to kiss him. But I'm not going to.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7PGyslQhtS
After an hour or two of getting things ready and setting things up, mom and I finally leave. Once in the car, I ask,276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWIllRUUSX
"Are we coming back tomorrow for the open casket funeral?"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1Klz9Wokj
"More than likely not."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa5sh8APDt9
"Come one. Mom," I moan.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4osLkeVOQF
"No."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIzziUaJTn
I slouch in my seat and cross my arms. "Fine."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJqRmHdUHa
"Sit up, young lady."
I moan and sit up. I turn and look out the window. I sigh. Back home and staying there. Yay. Not.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtRpBGF3Uu
Eleven Years Later …
Location: Sighișoara, Transylvania Year: 2031276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGW5oLb0Ch5
Just woke up from the craziest dream ever. It's only 4:45 in the morning. Suddenly, my bedroom door opens and my light comes on. I squint.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwu9N1ykthf
"Come on. Get up."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3UJc805yB
"What? Why? It's not even 5:00 yet. Where are we going?"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6rBzLoi4d2
"The funeral home."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVPUi8ou6o
"Why?"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBK1FH5owFe
"They need to see me."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmqeOre6Xx
"What for?" I stretch and get out of bed. I yawn. 276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRYEwZRGr3
"Something." 276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtI2wZCAl0
Mom leaves and I get dressed. I go to the kitchen and we head to the car. We get in and head to the funeral home. Once there, we head inside and go to the backroom. Mom tells me to stay and goes out some doors. I sit down on the bed or table. I quickly jump up and turn around. A sheet. I pull back the sheet and see a body. Oh. Please don’t tell me she's going to help with another funeral. Suddenly the doors open and mom comes in with someone.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzgtD6hWZz
"We don’t know what it is, but he seems to not be decaying. We aren't sure."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5M9a9Z0ZbT
"Who did you say it is?"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RTGFuIyIO
"Count Dracula."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeSB8iG5Py
"Oh, gosh." She looks at the body. "He looks like he just got buried."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukvZrSyOhv
"He was put in a tomb in his casket. We don't know what it is with him, but he seriously doesn't seem to be decaying. We aren't sure what's going on."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBHwWueGEo
"I know the perfect place to contact. But we're going to have to go there personally. You and me."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk77Cd9RXMq
"What about me?" I look up.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPNjiScOJt
"You can stay here and watch the body. Let us know if you see anything." He smiles. "Okay?"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3TIHcs4nUO
"Yeah. Sure. Whatever."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1ew0j8tm4
"Well, let's go." He throws some keys at mom. "You're driving."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡefLzcZshd3
She shrugs. "Alright. Sweetie, stay here."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdFTzyEzvz
"As if I could go anywhere," I reply.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmShqTEQVo
They leave. I turn around and look at him. "Why aren't you rotting?" I raise my eyebrows at my own remark. I snort. "What am I kidding? I'm literally talking to a dead body." I laugh at myself.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYEMVrh79G
I lift his arm up and sit down. I set his arm in my lap and pull out my phone. Time for waiting.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfd1YLKw9Wv
An hour passes by and they still aren't back. I look over at him and smile. I hold his arm and lean down. Suddenly, we're face to face. I set my phone on his chest and use my free hand to touch his face. 276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQ5jYufJFe
"You're so handsome," I murmur. "I want to kiss you." I gasp and a smile spreads on my face. I lean in closer until our lips are touching. I lean in closer and kiss his lips. I pull away and smile. I lean in and kiss him again. And again. I sit up and wipe my face. "What is wrong with me?" I look down at him and brush a stray strand of hair off his forehead. I look away and start stroking his hand. I stop stroking his hand and look up. I sigh. Suddenly, I swear I feel movement on my lap. I look down to a completely still, unmoved hand. I look back up and feel movement again. I look down and this time I watch in horror as the hand clenches and squeezes my leg. I shriek and jump up, practically jumping across the room. I whirl around and find a standing up Dracula, my phone in his hand. Wait! My phone? 276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WZfQjGBoG
"H-how are y-you even alive? Sh-shouldn't you be dead?"276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx0bs8lf23Q
He smiles. "Maybe."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTfH7OQjIG
I just stare at him, wide-eyed. He chuckles and I see light gleam in his eyes. Suddenly, he's getting closer. I back up and hit the wall. I glance at the door and glance at him. I try racing to the door, but it's too late. He's done got me cornered. I put up my hands as tears stream down my face. Suddenly, I feel his hand making its way through my arms. He pulls my arms away and looks at my face. He sets my phone down and smiles. I feel his hand close around my jaw and I look up at him. He smiles again. I sniffle.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErPAo1kIiC
"Ah, hush. Enough of the tears, my dear." He chuckles. "I am quite hungry, though. I've been lying in a tomb for quite some time and I haven't had a thing to eat."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9OJxvf1p5
"Please, no. I d-don't—"
"Shh. Hush now. Stay very calm." He smiles and I notice the familiar red color around his irises. "You're doing very well." He opens his mouth and I watch as the fangs grow longer. I shriek as his fangs sink in my neck. I moan as I feel him draining me of life. He comes up for breath and I sink to the floor. He looks down at me and grins wickedly. I suddenly feel really light-headed. I go unconscious.276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTrPCiYL0C
