The next day, I wake up at 5:30 in the morning and get ready. I go into the kitchen and greet my mom.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9zIbau1FG
"Did you sleep good dear?"340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkuq4lkDX6c
I shrug in response. 340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYOO57Iw72
"Oh, you've got to know if you did or not."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFYK04n8jS
"Well, I guess," I mumble.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPo32qiXfZZ
"Okay, come on. Let's go."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJgHsh5NSW
"Already? We don't have to be there until 7:30."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxr12oQ64A
"It takes about an hour and a half to get there. It's 5:47." She heads outside to the car. 340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2lOVdCNGF
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.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Rk8AQzzCK
**********340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZz2oQ3vCA
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.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWtC9NorZ7
"Who's this pretty thing?" The stranger walks up and shakes my hand.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VK6qirP47
"Oh, that's my daughter," mom says.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIEQsXwbym
"What's your name? Mine is Richard Phillips."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9KDGul0f0S
"Nikki," I reply. "Nikki Henderson."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkPsiiAxEM
"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?"340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSARpHcvwN
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."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAlsaEi1Rs
"Tomorrow? So soon?" Mom crosses her arms.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cXYFMCfTq
He coughs. "Yes, ma'am. Tomorrow. We want to get him out of England as soon as possible."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9fB265XJy
"Why?" I look at mom, then at him.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhtGunCJ7D
"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."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfBlqT6DHb
"Oh." I look over at his body.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtt2Lga32mk
"Well, we have to go get arrangements ready. Stay here."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZUaDwQtSPG
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.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5PZZkUhrd
After an hour or two of getting things ready and setting things up, mom and I finally leave. Once in the car, I ask,340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8U1AlPZdc
"Are we coming back tomorrow for the open casket funeral?"340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfz9QdUD14N
"More than likely not."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCUa26prgM
"Come one. Mom," I moan.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOhohYdVcx1
"No."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWKAvLxztz
I slouch in my seat and cross my arms. "Fine."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwoCHIGBJs0
"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.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBvIdNeGfWq
Eleven Years Later …
Location: Sighișoara, Transylvania Year: 2031340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGqDfb593T
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.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8p2hwi7g6
"Come on. Get up."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9PkMTi2SH
"What? Why? It's not even 5:00 yet. Where are we going?"340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NJQsi7I05
"The funeral home."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqej3Js4rH
"Why?"340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNaClY9nYw
"They need to see me."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMuuil7x6G
"What for?" I stretch and get out of bed. I yawn. 340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMi6uDnXcF
"Something." 340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kY6bpC9yI
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.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWMg8w5SEl
"We don’t know what it is, but he seems to not be decaying. We aren't sure."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKrvzVwLDD
"Who did you say it is?"340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjsuERCWxU
"Count Dracula."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡduNOsH7QsG
"Oh, gosh." She looks at the body. "He looks like he just got buried."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwn0ZQF1FkQ
"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."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPutqeN1Dvg
"I know the perfect place to contact. But we're going to have to go there personally. You and me."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30hOLLbHUX
"What about me?" I look up.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PzoLKvw4o
"You can stay here and watch the body. Let us know if you see anything." He smiles. "Okay?"340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Xay5Tmt1d
"Yeah. Sure. Whatever."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpPGgMhC3e
"Well, let's go." He throws some keys at mom. "You're driving."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wrUUkEuZw
She shrugs. "Alright. Sweetie, stay here."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGYfYZtB41
"As if I could go anywhere," I reply.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDcJQzjD7k
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.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCquTkRmVJ5
I lift his arm up and sit down. I set his arm in my lap and pull out my phone. Time for waiting.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6f7Z9CVAo
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. 340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhs75DdGHfg
"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? 340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3dQFG9cXI
"H-how are y-you even alive? Sh-shouldn't you be dead?"340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2iXFh8ZPw
He smiles. "Maybe."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpALZToZ63
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.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCP5aWBiTNE
"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."340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYDIVtGadq
"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.340Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh9Z8sHpcnB
