V

Diary Entry - Lucy Westenra19 September

I'm so excited! Right now I'm waiting for my class to begin so I have a few minutes to write. After class I'm going to Mina's to take her out to lunch. We'll go to the Bronze café downtown. After that I want to take her to a movie and then perhaps the bookstore or something. I'm not quite sure what she'll agree to, but all I know is that Arthur and Joyce are decorating the house while we're gone and everyone is coming at five. I have to keep Mina busy until five thirty, somehow. I hope she doesn't get suspicious.

Anyway. Oh! I have to submit a watercolour of my painting of Mina today. And there's the teacher coming down the hall. I have to go.

Diary Entry - Dr. Seward19 September (voice recording)

I met with Abraham this morning for breakfast. I have to confess, I missed the old buzzard. He's turning more and more eccentric in his old age. I hope I don't end up the same, though my even pausing to consider the possible validity of some of his ideas disturbs me. He's shifted his research area to the supernatural, what he calls Nosferatu - the 'un-dead' (how he managed to convince the department to fund his research, I'll never know). It all seems ridiculous to me, but he really believes in this. His trip to the continent hardly helped him. Ah, but I can't allow myself to analyze my mentor as I would my patients.

We spoke of many things, including Mina and Renfield. It's almost frustrating how nonchalant Abraham is about Mina's condition. He thinks I'm being too overprotective and that I shouldn't feel so responsible for her. While I was greatly relieved by his message earlier saying she had initiated a visit to him, I am still very concerned for her health.

'She is clearly depressed, friend John. And good reason. But there is so little we can do for her apart from be her friend,' he explained. 'The only danger I sees is malnutrition. Lucy feels the same. She's a good friend. She'll take care of her as best can, John.'

'You've spoken with Miss Westenra?' I asked. He nodded. We were silent for a long time, I was thinking of Mina.

'It's strange not having her in any of my classes,' I commented.

Honestly, Abraham knows me better than I know myself. He just said, 'I know you feel responsible for her, my friend. But you needs be remembered, she's not our little Mina anymore. We all worry about her. Don't overburden yourself.'

I suppose he's right, but it's hard to think of Mina as being able to take care of herself. I was always taught that it is best not to play the doctor role when it comes to friends and family, but it's hard not to. Yet still, to use the old adage, I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place, because playing doctor isn't any easier.

Which brings me to Renfield. On his trip to Rumania, Abraham found an old fashioned village in the Carpathian mountains seemingly still in the dark ages and very superstitious (the reason he chose this village to visit). They believe one of these Nosferatu lives in a castle nearby. Interestingly enough, this is the same castle which Renfield stayed at during his trip. It seems the owner, who doesn't have a name apparently, had some legal business which needed to be attended to. Abraham tried to visit the castle a few times, but no one ever answered the door. My first reaction was to tell him that it was clearly vacated, yet he reports that there was a band of gypsies working almost incessantly around the outside. I asked if he spoke with any of them, but he said none would spare him the time. The villagers, according to him, refused to even walk the path that lead to the castle.

How this ties to Renfield other than a coincidental visit? Abraham theorized that whatever happened to cause Renfield's madness happened at that castle, most likely as a result of contact with this vampire or whatever it is. He believes its worth checking in to, and part of me agrees. The rest just says it's a foolish concept. But if I've ever trusted anyone's ideas before, it's been Abraham Van Helsing's, and as he likes to say, 'When an entire people believe it to be true, truth is somewhere to be found.' I'll make a visit to Renfield tomorrow.

Letter - Quincy Morris to Mina Harker 19 September (delivered by Lucy)

Happy Birthday, Mina! I wish I could be there to say it. Twenty years old. Who would have guessed our Mina was so old? I remember when you were starting High School. Man, I feel like an old-fart.

I hope the sky is clearing for you up there, missy. Do me a favor and have a blast today. No more being the shy little thing hanging around by the wall. No ma'am. You move your sweet little self to the couch and mingle some, got that?

I miss you tons, kiddo! Things around here are looking so I'll be up to visit in a few weeks. Sorry I can't be there for your birthday, Mina. Love you to the moon. Quincy P. Morris

Mina looked down at the letter in her hands. The barest trace of a tear moistened her dark eyes as she read Quincy's words. She did not quite understand all of them until Lucy opened the door to her home and pushed Mina gently inside. Several of the more rambunctious party attendants hollered 'surprise,' but for the most part Mina's friends greeted her with warm and caring smiles and well wishes for her birthday.

Mina's hand lightly covered her mouth in surprise, her other still clutching the letter from Quincy tightly.

'Happy birthday, Mina,' Lucy whispered in her ear as animation returned to the people in view of the door.

Mina turned to her friend, 'You did all of this, Lucy?' she asked, her tearful expression not quite readable. Lucy smiled gently and nodded, hoping she had not upset her friend. Mina turned her head away, her hair falling across to hide her face for a moment. Brushing away a few tears she smiled up at Lucy. The older woman took Mina in her arms and gave the girl a quick embrace before drawing her far enough into the house to shut the door.

As lonely as the house had been in her solitude, Mina found the dark quiet ever more desirable as the night progressed and the sun began to dip down. While Lucy flitted around the house catering to the needs of the ever increasing number of guests, Mina found herself feeling more and more trapped against the arm of the sofa. The noise of the people around her meshed into a loud drone. Someone was playing music from her mother's old radio in the kitchen. Her vision registered none of the shapeless bodies moving around her. In that instant all Mina wanted was to be alone, to shut herself away in her brother's room and watch the night come. As it was, one of the shapeless bodies was finally making its way over to the sofa on which she was seated. Mina unconsciously tried to sink further into its plush, but a large hand touching her arm forced her into a confrontation with the last man she wanted to see.

'Happy birthday, Mina,' Arthur said in a quiet voice.

Mina turned her wide eyes toward him to look at his face, oblivious to the party for the time. Arthur's hazel eyes locked on her own, and for a worthy time span Mina found it hard to ease his discomfort by speaking. Her brow furrowing slightly, she at last forced a smile and a word of thanks.

Arthur Holmwood may not have been the most sensitive of men, but he was not incapable of compassion. For Lucy, he thought. Looking down, Arthur took a gentle hold of Mina's delicate hand and returned his eyes to hers. He opened and closed his mouth several times, trying to find the right words to say. He had always been able to combine the right words for the right occasion, but this time he could find no way to even begin.

Bringing his other hand to rest on top of Mina's, Arthur bowed his head in guilt and said hoarsely, 'I'm so sorry, Mina. I...' Arthur closed his eyes, cursing himself in his head and struggling for his composure. Letting go a frustrated sigh he grit his teeth together and looked away from his dead friend's sister.

Through it all Mina sat motionless and numb. Her mind blocked out the man's emotions, refusing to go through the pain again. It took some time of uncomfortable silence for Arthur to get the nerve to look at the young woman again. The kitchen radio crackled loudly with static and Mina's mood darkened a little bit more as the sun took its resting place beyond the horizon.

'Mina...' Arthur tried again, hoping for a response of some sort.

A quiet rap on the front door stole Mina's attention from Arthur, and, making a quick apology, she rose to answer the door no one else seemed to have heard. Arthur jumped to his feet and followed her, gently grabbing her arm and pleading with her.

'I can't give you back your brother, Mina. I'm sorry. If I could go back...'

'You can't, Arthur,' Mina replied. 'You can't.'

'Mina, I don't expect you to forgive me. But let me help you. Let me try to make amends. At least give me a chance.'

Emotions began to well up inside of Mina, emotions she did not want her guests to see. The muscles in her face tightened only briefly, tears threatening to form as she whispered back, 'What can you do?'

Shaking her head slightly, Mina's expression relaxed and she turned away from Arthur and continued toward the door. Arthur watched dumbstruck as he fought another surge of emotions and guilt.

'I'm sorry, Mina,' he said again as she placed her hand on the knob of the door.

'So am I,' Mina whispered, barely audible to the man behind her, as she turned the knob and pulled open the door.

The young woman's dull emotionless features pulled slightly in shock as she looked up to behold the phantom she had very nearly forgotten about standing on her porch. She stood in amazed silence as her materialized vision smiled and bowed slightly to her, parting his lips to utter a greeting.

'Count Dracula!' Lucy's chipper voice called out from behind Mina. The older woman brushed Mina's hand off of the door knob and pulled the door open further, positioning herself between it and her friend. 'Good, you made it.'

'Good evening, Miss Westenra,' the Count returned her greeting with a nod.

'Please, come in,' Lucy invited, pushing the door open to its entirety. 'Mina, don't stand there like a bump.' Lucy used her fresh grip on Mina's arm to pull Mina out of the middle of the doorway.

Responding to the touch Mina pulled herself out of her shock and stepped back. 'Please,' she said, extending her hand in invitation.

The soft hint of a smile returned to the Count's lips as he crossed the threshold into the lively house, his eyes resting on Mina. Unspoken words hung in the air between them, but before they could be uttered the party from the kitchen moved out into the foyer, surrounding the welcoming committee and drowning out what Mina wanted to say. As she felt the press and heat of bodies around her the same half panicked feeling came over her as had been present on the sofa. All of these people, she wished she could disappear, somewhere away from the chaotic noise. Avoiding the eyes of her guests Mina backed away and slipped up the stairs, fleeing to her brother's dark room, unnoticed to all save one.

It was so quiet up here, a world away from the mass of people and sounds. Mina felt a rush of relief as she entered the room. The moon's soft glow, filtered through the dark curtains, served as the only illumination to guide Mina to the shelf on which sat the old teddy bear. She softly caressed its well worn features, its pilling fur.

'Why aren't you here?' she asked.

With a heavy sigh she dropped her arms to her side. A wave of sorrow followed her overwhelming sense of isolation. She was alone, forever alone, and yet she was not. While people partied beneath her she was not present.

'You did not ask for this,' a soft voice behind her spoke.

'I don't want it,' Mina answered without thinking. Realizing with horror that one of her guests stood in the doorway she spun, catching her breath and apologizing. 'I'm so sorry. I-' Mina's breath caught when she recognized her visitor.

'There is no need to apologize,' the Count said, dismissing the event with a slight wave. 'I understand what you are going through.'

'It was really very sweet of her to do this for me,' Mina stumbled, looking around her as if her guests had all filled the small room. 'It just, it wasn't necessary. So many people, I don't even know all of them. And those I do know, they only feel sorry for me. They don't –'

Count Dracula hushed the frazzled young woman and touched her cheek, suddenly crossing the space gap between them. 'I know.'

The strength to stand fled from Mina's legs as her eyes unwillingly locked onto the Count's. Her vision started to blur as strange sensations rushed through her body. Her mind felt on the brink of dreaming, hovering in that one instant where the conscious waking mind embraces the recesses of the fantastical subconscious, entwined only briefly before one or the other takes control. Her body felt detached from her consciousness, as if by hovering in the dangerous middle grounds she had somehow left her physical self behind. Her eyes began to droop as her body jerked suddenly, as if drained of all energy. In an instant the phantomlike figure beside her caught her in his arms, pulling Mina away from the haze of that middle ground.

As her body swayed slightly in the Count's arms she blinked furiously in an effort to clear her head. 'I'm sorry,' she stumbled. 'I'm really not that tired, Count.'

'Please, call me Voivode,' Count Dracula smiled as he gently guided her to a seat on her brother's bed.

Mina took a moment to form his name in her mouth before laughing lightly. 'None of your names are very easy to pronounce,' she commented.

'And none of your words are difficult for a foreign tongue to pronounce either,' Voivode volleyed sarcastically.

Mina smiled and looked at her hands, suddenly realizing that the man she thought was only a phantom was still holding her. She carefully pushed herself away, trying not to show her discomfort, but found her body almost aching to return to his arms. Her thoughts came slowly, bit by bit as a story does to one who is just learning to read. It was frustrating at first, but with little resistance gave into the feeling of exhaustion. She stumbled over her words for excuses to give her guest, but received only light laughter in return.

'Perhaps you'd best forget the presence of your guests and attend to your own needs,' the Count suggested, guiding her shoulders back onto the down pillows and leaving little room for dispute. As he rose to cover her small form with the light afghan from the foot of the bed she had already drifted off into a deep slumber. It was in this position that the sun's first rays found her, sleeping peacefully. With the dawn came the cessation of her dreams, dark dreams, though not particularly fearful and leaving only a vague impression in her memory of the previous night.