The next day, I wake up at 5:30 in the morning and get ready. I go into the kitchen and greet my mom.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTl2DkRwtof
"Did you sleep good dear?"457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡra3ku0WJxO
I shrug in response. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ah9DZCLdn
"Oh, you've got to know if you did or not."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5iS54o6oy6
"Well, I guess," I mumble.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkOnUog6nF
"Okay, come on. Let's go."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlz19JfYFQZ
"Already? We don't have to be there until 7:30."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlj85mHIuyO
"It takes about an hour and a half to get there. It's 5:47." She heads outside to the car. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxa4OJdapqH
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.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlBlLXAhN8b
**********457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrb8DSIxi0
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.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRIC22gyEs
"Who's this pretty thing?" The stranger walks up and shakes my hand.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb0I6FmdM1o
"Oh, that's my daughter," mom says.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNTrPka1qm
"What's your name? Mine is Richard Phillips."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7xXCJCiSN
"Nikki," I reply. "Nikki Henderson."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡya4KRgqISR
"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?"457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUsFcT1CnI
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."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsL8KKBT4B
"Tomorrow? So soon?" Mom crosses her arms.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡix4EI7xavu
He coughs. "Yes, ma'am. Tomorrow. We want to get him out of England as soon as possible."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwS0isbgsJ
"Why?" I look at mom, then at him.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWduNIEBVr
"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."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLrxaGocEu
"Oh." I look over at his body.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw3WRHKW8Pa
"Well, we have to go get arrangements ready. Stay here."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6LLa5nLhj
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.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2rmvu9bdY1
After an hour or two of getting things ready and setting things up, mom and I finally leave. Once in the car, I ask,457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWuC0UgPMGk
"Are we coming back tomorrow for the open casket funeral?"457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bPKBPAuFn
"More than likely not."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAaq8aGbXr
"Come one. Mom," I moan.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6WJPfmB5H
"No."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI523g4Cm1N
I slouch in my seat and cross my arms. "Fine."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tHWvnj6P9
"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.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGQ74n46Hh
Eleven Years Later …
Location: Sighișoara, Transylvania Year: 2031457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYvFCmSAli
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.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Wft4ZKqoY
"Come on. Get up."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kncsFTKaB
"What? Why? It's not even 5:00 yet. Where are we going?"457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4m9XSaMNxV
"The funeral home."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoKKG27TrG
"Why?"457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdr4iaw9Kmc
"They need to see me."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMt5QJNRHKz
"What for?" I stretch and get out of bed. I yawn. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SlePuQIHF
"Something." 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6Qr7BRFdT
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.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNsT9eurlD4
"We don’t know what it is, but he seems to not be decaying. We aren't sure."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJRs9hZs2r
"Who did you say it is?"457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuahZUem69
"Count Dracula."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMczlbZv8Y
"Oh, gosh." She looks at the body. "He looks like he just got buried."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJoYlhkxybl
"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."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAVKd2Da8f3
"I know the perfect place to contact. But we're going to have to go there personally. You and me."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtcq5TqOFB
"What about me?" I look up.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmELlZpxBL
"You can stay here and watch the body. Let us know if you see anything." He smiles. "Okay?"457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMw0WWYIttH
"Yeah. Sure. Whatever."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cYuu6dDxg
"Well, let's go." He throws some keys at mom. "You're driving."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqx1lY9Or0
She shrugs. "Alright. Sweetie, stay here."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmO81SNlxXH
"As if I could go anywhere," I reply.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMgmxXLOva
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.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcupFEziBtk
I lift his arm up and sit down. I set his arm in my lap and pull out my phone. Time for waiting.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOTANQ10EB
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. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8tTce4Gfm
"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? 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXw29YJAUGV
"H-how are y-you even alive? Sh-shouldn't you be dead?"457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqszSA7pt2v
He smiles. "Maybe."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMLz8mAtpm
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.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2TYUwVs9K
"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."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡflSzDoOzx4
"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.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsehC51rwf
