Creative writing #dracula « something strange happened… » : 3e LCE

Something strange happened last night but I can’t remember what…

After diner, I found it was very weird because I had never seen the Count eat or drink ! He is a very peculiar man ! I found his reaction when his hand touched the crucifix, quite odd. With hesitation I finally decided to explore the castle. I began to try all the doors, but they were all locked. For the love of God ! All of a sudden I remembered I heard a scream… it was both terrifying and dreadful. I thought it sounded like a woman being strangled.

I felt a rush of adrenaline within my veins… it was quite strange. I had never felt something like this before. I have to say however, it was terrifying and… exciting. I did not recognize myself…

I rushed down the corridor, my heart was beating wildly. The scream seemed closer and closer. There were too many doors, I did not know which to go… Ultimately, I decided to try to open each door anyways… At the end of the corridor, I saw a half-opened door, it was this very moment I felt I could be in danger… and yet I could feel my hand go towards the handle. What was I doing ?

The bedroom was gloomy.

The walls were dark.

The curtains were torn.

The furniture was overturned.

The window was wide open.

It was as if a fight had happened here. I stepped carefully into the room and, there, near the bed, I saw a woman lying on the ground. I believed she was dead given that there was blood on her neck. I went closer to the body and I saw two tiny holes on her bloody neck. What a shock ! This scene froze my blood : who could have done such a cruel thing?

A shiver ran down my spine, I had the strange feeling that someone was behind me. I turned around slowly… yet… nobody…

I heard a noise in the corridor, I ran out of the bedroom and I saw a familiar shadow creeping on the wall. It reminded me of the Count’s shadow. Was it ?

I knew I had to get back to my quarters as soon as possible, the only place I felt relatively safe.

Right or left ? I did not know the way… The shadow moved towards me. I rushed to the stairs but unfortunately I missed a step. My head hit the ground. Before I lost consciousness, I saw the Count’s face near me…

Still in a daze, I started to wake up. I could feel I was in my bed. The count was there. My first reaction was to touch my neck. The count noticed it and smiled. He then asked me what I was doing out of my bedroom at such a late hour of the night. I answered him quietly that I couldn’t sleep.

Actually, I cannot remember anything else after my nasty fall, besides the Count’s skin, paler than usual. Almost glowing and see-though. His lips were red as if Life itself was running into them… what a dreadful creature !

Something strange happened last night but I can’t remember what…

I just woke up in the great hall, I don’t even know how I got there. The longer I am staying with the count, the weirder things are getting… Time seems to fly by… and to stretch out. How peculiar…

I was famished like never before, so I went to the dining hall to breakfast but when I stood up, a book fell off. I picked it up and saw it was written : « All about monsters » in dark red and gold letters on the old leather cover.

Suddenly, my recollections came back to me in a flash. Yesterday evening, at about 11 pm, I decided to go to the library to indulge in my favorite hobby: reading about foreign species and creatures. I went there because I could not sleep at all, I still could not believe that Dracula can climb steep walls, maybe was it all but a dream ?
It is so strange to me… only a minute ago I was completely oblivious, and now, I remember vividly everything that happened to me last night. This place changes your perception of things. It is quite odd.

So in the library, I remembered I was amazed by the size of the book shelves. Everything was so huge and so… old… like it has not been touched in ages… centuries even.
I took a glossary about monsters, when I touched it, I do not know why, but I was instantly drawn to a page that talked about wolves and particularly to a side note : « Vampires are also considered shapeshifters in many ways, go check page 469 ». When I got to this page, some details intrigued me immensely: Vampires can do most extraordinary things like climbing steep walls, turning into wolves or shifting into mist but they cannot do normal and average things like seeing themselves in a mirror. And weirdly Count Dracula shares too many of these uncanny features ! I cannot believe it ! But it would explain a lot of things like why I never see him during the day and why he sleeps in a coffin-like bed.
That is when it all made sense to me…

I realized I was imprisoned by a Vampire !

My sick mind was racing and I was suddenly seeing things clearly… so I need to know how I can kill him.

I forced myself to browse the book : there seems to be so many ways to kill him, so I only chose two : the wooden stick trough his heart and decapitation. I remember I went into the great hall but the corridors seemed endless… and I felt numb and sleepy… How was that possible ? I suddenly fell asleep, and now here I was laying on a chair, almost incapable of moving…

After a while, I came back to my senses and regained my composure.

Almost immediately I took a knife from the kitchen, tried to shape a pointy wooden stick out of a chair leg and took both to go kill the Count. My mind was made up… although I honestly did not know how I could go through with it. The Count seems so ancient and yet so… powerful almost regal…

When I came above his coffin, I cautiously opened it and…

Something strange happened last night but I can’t remember what…

I just remember exploring the castle because I thought it was quite weird that the count did not eat and drink at all, and did not show up during the day. I was terrified at the idea of walking alone in this gloomy castle.

So I decided to leave.

My mind was made up.

I was adamant : I needed to save myself from this horrific nightmare.

I walked by several locked doors and passed by narrow corridors, before I found a door ajar. On the other side, there was a fabulous desk lit by a candle. The chandelier looked so ancient and yet so magnificent.
I approached, slowly, and was surprised to walk on a wet floor. I do remember now. I was barefoot. I can still feel the warmth of the tiles on my soles. Why was it so warm and velvety ?
I had to take a closer look. When I drew near the candle light, I soon realized I was staring down at a pool of blood. I was standing in a pool of warm blood. I did not have the time to fully comprehend this through, as suddenly I heard a noise coming from the dark side, in the shadows. A sound that scared me to death, as if a wild beast was devouring something. I then made a grab at the candles from the desk and saw blood prints all over.

From that moment on, I remember nothing else.

Nothing at all.

Time has been altered within the confines of that gloomy castle.

This morning I woke up dizzy, I saw bruises all over and my body. I was so sore, and felt like I had aged so much overnight. And yet, I could feel my heart racing like never before.

Nonetheless, I made the effort to get up and go to the dining hall. I saw the Count standing there. He asked me in a whisper : did you sleep well ? The whole room was dark and very few candle sticks were lit. I found that quite peculiar. I could not quite see his face but I could hear he was smiling, almost laughing quietly, in a sort of ominous demoniac fashion.

At the time I did not understand. Then I saw by the window that it was already night so I asked the Count : « pardon me, but it seems I slept longer than I usually do. How long did I sleep ? »
He answered with soft caracteristic voice, almost in a whisper : « Two days. You slept for two days… my friend ».

I was amazed and quite taken aback. How on earth was that possible ? What happened to me ? This place does things to your mind. I feel lost and in a daze still. I, then retire, mechanically, to my quarters. Why did the Count pause before he said « my friend » ? He sounded almost, welcoming…

When I looked at myself in the shaving mirror I saw along my body a trail of dry blood, from the neck down. I could not see any sign of struggle and the bruises I saw when I woke up moments before, were all gone. Suddenly my head hurt and I no longer controlled my body.

I was extremely hungry, famished even. I had to eat.

Anything.

Something strange happened last night but I can’t remember what.

First of all, this morning I was feeling bad without really knowing why. 

I don’t know what it was. This feeling seemed to alter Time. I was in a daze.

But something was bothering me. I decided to resume my morning rituals and and go on with my day, thinking this shall pass.

When I was getting ready, I saw Mina’s photograph on my bed side table and it is at this very moment that I remembered a dream I had that night, where I saw my fiancée with another man who was kissing her in the neck. 

At this moment I could not move, so I had to think back to the whole scene. It was unbearable.

Ever since, I have been forcing myself to relive it over and over again. It was cruel, mental torture, but I could not help it. I did not feel I was in control of my own mind. 

My recollections were still blurry and I could not quite make out who Mina was kissing. And I suddenly realized the young man who was kissing Mina had the exact same features as the Count but seemed… younger ! It was so confusing and I was feeling so betrayed I could not comprehend a thing. 

She is my darling, my sweet sweet Mina. I was trusting her. So why was she with him ? It is impossible ! Mina is in London. Who is this man ? Why does he look like the count ? The more I think about this, the more I feel I have really lived it, that I have been there at that moment and seen them, that I have seen the resemblance between this young man and the Count. 

Was it really a dream ? 

I am under the impression that it was more than that. 

Did it really happen ? 

I can no longer understand what I really saw and what was in the dream. I don’t even know if it was a dream anymore. Maybe it was a vision I had. 

I must be missing her too much, or maybe she is in danger ! I have to get home as soon as possible.

Something strange happened last night but I can’t remember what.

I need to remember. What did I do ?! It worries me. I really need to remember. After dinner, I remember I was getting bored so I decided to go to the great hall. I crossed corridors and corridors and corridors… everywhere ! Nothing else ! Where should I go ?
Before going down the stairs, I saw a weird door.

Now, I remember.
For the love of God, I remember !!!
My curiosity got the best of me and whispered to me : “come in”
So I did.

I felt both anxious and scared but I really wanted to go into that peculiar room. As soon as I opened the door, I remarked it was pitch dark. In the room, there were no windows, candlestick and candles. I ran as far as my bedroom to took candles and oil lamps.

As I was waiting for my eyes to get used to the light, I tried to distinguish what there was in the room.
When I could see correctly, I saw there was nothing in the room, nothing, there was nothing but a sort of dark shape… FOR THE LOVE OF GOD !!!! It was a coffin !!!

I was feeling confused so I decided to  go closer. Suddendly, I heard the door creak slowly. At this moment I was stressed, anxious and I had a bad headache. That is when, a hand touched me. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD !!!! I thought I was dreaming for a instant. I could feel the hand of Dracula on my shoulder. He begun to move is hand and said to me « Good morning…» And the door got slam shut instantly !!!!

And I remember nothing else…