The next day, I wake up at 5:30 in the morning and get ready. I go into the kitchen and greet my mom.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavGG9CNBPY
"Did you sleep good dear?"531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5WXv2191zc
I shrug in response. 531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21dnO5gAPQ
"Oh, you've got to know if you did or not."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SXGufQrIR
"Well, I guess," I mumble.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH3tD4aLGpu
"Okay, come on. Let's go."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnbl8viFlF
"Already? We don't have to be there until 7:30."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84PDnef4oV
"It takes about an hour and a half to get there. It's 5:47." She heads outside to the car. 531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk70yQ7qkwd
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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpCbc4nC8gP
**********531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwx2LI4urmP
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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNoknPITZp
"Who's this pretty thing?" The stranger walks up and shakes my hand.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡur8uSgA7Hh
"Oh, that's my daughter," mom says.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKeiruxVISs
"What's your name? Mine is Richard Phillips."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnWXJY0SdP
"Nikki," I reply. "Nikki Henderson."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAfhwdjSkS
"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?"531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGObzOzHXyL
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."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡizonDGASKB
"Tomorrow? So soon?" Mom crosses her arms.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjd9LvijPkp
He coughs. "Yes, ma'am. Tomorrow. We want to get him out of England as soon as possible."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qTgsYhTea
"Why?" I look at mom, then at him.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqEBJ8hFiUa
"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."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUogkXlPlBv
"Oh." I look over at his body.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcniPS8dptQ
"Well, we have to go get arrangements ready. Stay here."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMkxRI6Jxw
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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjencJDRWzl
After an hour or two of getting things ready and setting things up, mom and I finally leave. Once in the car, I ask,531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡda9moVzvhJ
"Are we coming back tomorrow for the open casket funeral?"531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKJ35zwPXk
"More than likely not."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsH0bAW1CEs
"Come one. Mom," I moan.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrX8dH761ob
"No."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfLGfO4olm
I slouch in my seat and cross my arms. "Fine."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELoLOGnEZj
"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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHQK1uuAI1
Eleven Years Later …
Location: Sighișoara, Transylvania Year: 2031531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2J14g8PDP
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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjyl4gxTIm
"Come on. Get up."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZjrn9T4rC
"What? Why? It's not even 5:00 yet. Where are we going?"531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa2E7SRaS2b
"The funeral home."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1aU7YUPxl
"Why?"531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19RCUP9MWc
"They need to see me."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfPnWxXyIi
"What for?" I stretch and get out of bed. I yawn. 531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxEiHxbxT6
"Something." 531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4p786OXGmh
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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKrStWxjtu
"We don’t know what it is, but he seems to not be decaying. We aren't sure."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTexvqOjD5O
"Who did you say it is?"531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLP39Enwf9x
"Count Dracula."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYb5MKvE8py
"Oh, gosh." She looks at the body. "He looks like he just got buried."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8DJrHcaeD
"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."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3v2XtyRx8
"I know the perfect place to contact. But we're going to have to go there personally. You and me."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9nYXMA7uL
"What about me?" I look up.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡet6v7IDWNO
"You can stay here and watch the body. Let us know if you see anything." He smiles. "Okay?"531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZU66H4Dr7
"Yeah. Sure. Whatever."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4Tsr9SzET
"Well, let's go." He throws some keys at mom. "You're driving."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9oOUfrROZ
She shrugs. "Alright. Sweetie, stay here."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjW5Ft8DYQ
"As if I could go anywhere," I reply.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2q2UsL0q6
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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTBnAjaBjww
I lift his arm up and sit down. I set his arm in my lap and pull out my phone. Time for waiting.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuOArJ2ez2
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. 531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXARG3RVhdV
"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? 531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJcd9qNk6G
"H-how are y-you even alive? Sh-shouldn't you be dead?"531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZC30aNnesb
He smiles. "Maybe."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1elqbqyZa
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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyuyjBVGKA
"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."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQD5YhZgBTV
"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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUe4YJ74Va
