The next day, I wake up at 5:30 in the morning and get ready. I go into the kitchen and greet my mom.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtI0PrZmor2
"Did you sleep good dear?"349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡopsIJ50XLo
I shrug in response. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjpGoW57Kc
"Oh, you've got to know if you did or not."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡME35DGOZYF
"Well, I guess," I mumble.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYh8R3aMGi
"Okay, come on. Let's go."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxSzjnKCsR
"Already? We don't have to be there until 7:30."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7P1HbBbuk
"It takes about an hour and a half to get there. It's 5:47." She heads outside to the car. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxBPcuYOlpz
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.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZis6HiIcLM
**********349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQoG9lvqNc
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.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUxetDVeHR
"Who's this pretty thing?" The stranger walks up and shakes my hand.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7CIzdFlVP
"Oh, that's my daughter," mom says.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcw4kIIh6Qk
"What's your name? Mine is Richard Phillips."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8EEsbMbGW
"Nikki," I reply. "Nikki Henderson."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJrNAX001o
"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?"349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVwsxJG8Lr
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."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQarGwvi9F
"Tomorrow? So soon?" Mom crosses her arms.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNaPZ6fUI3W
He coughs. "Yes, ma'am. Tomorrow. We want to get him out of England as soon as possible."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNWqOH7FSl
"Why?" I look at mom, then at him.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkphOEMKN4
"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."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8KjGlUbWC
"Oh." I look over at his body.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3fcBJKIgQ0
"Well, we have to go get arrangements ready. Stay here."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6BPUe5mEF
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.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwS7RjRRdpU
After an hour or two of getting things ready and setting things up, mom and I finally leave. Once in the car, I ask,349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡck92MtlZZ3
"Are we coming back tomorrow for the open casket funeral?"349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIornn1e6Ev
"More than likely not."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuuay2ajte
"Come one. Mom," I moan.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxVyh1aaA8C
"No."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSZRUWJIfV
I slouch in my seat and cross my arms. "Fine."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6pWbMaz3ro
"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.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuj6051SYSB
Eleven Years Later …
Location: Sighișoara, Transylvania Year: 2031349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSlNepGtIre
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.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTfDyRCUlA
"Come on. Get up."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0JcDFQ9k3
"What? Why? It's not even 5:00 yet. Where are we going?"349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCk08xluT99
"The funeral home."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0YxLwSU4pE
"Why?"349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLVns4Oi6F
"They need to see me."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMVvLm1m0P
"What for?" I stretch and get out of bed. I yawn. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCg6zQ2JckI
"Something." 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5cUbEUgvE
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.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHop2JBZDS
"We don’t know what it is, but he seems to not be decaying. We aren't sure."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuvS6bsn4rv
"Who did you say it is?"349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJA2DxmTjv
"Count Dracula."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPlRjus0Er
"Oh, gosh." She looks at the body. "He looks like he just got buried."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3fJ2Tz1jB
"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."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOS0aP41vv7
"I know the perfect place to contact. But we're going to have to go there personally. You and me."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXIUlbLV4dP
"What about me?" I look up.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSikZ3G32v
"You can stay here and watch the body. Let us know if you see anything." He smiles. "Okay?"349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGR92Itzg7V
"Yeah. Sure. Whatever."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN05zXOLxqA
"Well, let's go." He throws some keys at mom. "You're driving."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIr4ICteK2M
She shrugs. "Alright. Sweetie, stay here."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOyUq7j77t
"As if I could go anywhere," I reply.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOn2yjTeV8
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.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeeFbc3h0iQ
I lift his arm up and sit down. I set his arm in my lap and pull out my phone. Time for waiting.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctWkN408YJ
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. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjTmfejGfH
"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? 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmGOvmWHVXW
"H-how are y-you even alive? Sh-shouldn't you be dead?"349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyYDv7xKtS
He smiles. "Maybe."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT39re0DrOp
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.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVo9zjJMhk4
"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."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNbiNRwI88
"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.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxZ1QeeYcM
