The next day, I wake up at 5:30 in the morning and get ready. I go into the kitchen and greet my mom.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTBBooHNqB4
"Did you sleep good dear?"321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTT0GBwTvJ
I shrug in response. 321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBszGVnTbD
"Oh, you've got to know if you did or not."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbJbCRSUH6
"Well, I guess," I mumble.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFaEblf2Rib
"Okay, come on. Let's go."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVWOEp6qkyz
"Already? We don't have to be there until 7:30."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbp9jigf00g
"It takes about an hour and a half to get there. It's 5:47." She heads outside to the car. 321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZOvaFjgnn
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.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdMOc5CY3Fb
**********321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7AuxtDMOY
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.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx7tYTplTyp
"Who's this pretty thing?" The stranger walks up and shakes my hand.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Fv736BvKM
"Oh, that's my daughter," mom says.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLpUsCOjE9
"What's your name? Mine is Richard Phillips."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZSc1bwyBS
"Nikki," I reply. "Nikki Henderson."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqu7VYRkMUy
"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?"321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhKQWNL810
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."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIR8eQyddq
"Tomorrow? So soon?" Mom crosses her arms.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8nGelQtZe
He coughs. "Yes, ma'am. Tomorrow. We want to get him out of England as soon as possible."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡworeDmmFSL
"Why?" I look at mom, then at him.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMwfZgKdiQ
"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."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpAtHbFIdPy
"Oh." I look over at his body.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALHkphtDJs
"Well, we have to go get arrangements ready. Stay here."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW3iVrbAgaC
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.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvu0vbhaSAA
After an hour or two of getting things ready and setting things up, mom and I finally leave. Once in the car, I ask,321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIrNYms2bt
"Are we coming back tomorrow for the open casket funeral?"321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsudwWfPaC
"More than likely not."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWutmoZOjj
"Come one. Mom," I moan.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPitaTNjTYG
"No."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNihTnZNXjD
I slouch in my seat and cross my arms. "Fine."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBfe6I3gBZ
"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.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxKx1pC9Qx
Eleven Years Later …
Location: Sighișoara, Transylvania Year: 2031321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRa4HvdXA4
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.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNmv3hxqBv
"Come on. Get up."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1B93u1FwW
"What? Why? It's not even 5:00 yet. Where are we going?"321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvdtf05nEo
"The funeral home."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfb78w8akt
"Why?"321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdOa8ez78u
"They need to see me."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pMrPz0UIO
"What for?" I stretch and get out of bed. I yawn. 321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUMG9XbhSq
"Something." 321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGCuSBaPtx
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.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjZGgmv1o6
"We don’t know what it is, but he seems to not be decaying. We aren't sure."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hx2lpVnfn
"Who did you say it is?"321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlk5HtsDrFz
"Count Dracula."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYAZWjXVjR
"Oh, gosh." She looks at the body. "He looks like he just got buried."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLeteJ7yZPb
"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."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHy0Iu1zwnN
"I know the perfect place to contact. But we're going to have to go there personally. You and me."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2KV7wemZo
"What about me?" I look up.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNGBo4BzYh
"You can stay here and watch the body. Let us know if you see anything." He smiles. "Okay?"321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9GyY8SEbb
"Yeah. Sure. Whatever."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEjEeEse5tA
"Well, let's go." He throws some keys at mom. "You're driving."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sVDAx4s64
She shrugs. "Alright. Sweetie, stay here."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2r2MEy6Kq
"As if I could go anywhere," I reply.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJU2abhaWw
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.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvMrBOw2Yb6
I lift his arm up and sit down. I set his arm in my lap and pull out my phone. Time for waiting.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHp4keFAHEB
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. 321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4eCdA1hT3A
"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? 321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmi16GIrj8
"H-how are y-you even alive? Sh-shouldn't you be dead?"321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1EEQDhaw90
He smiles. "Maybe."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdq0zPfTzEq
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.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRDeDsuZjQ
"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."321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2BypfXs52
"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.321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbta4S40x8p
