Chapter 29

In Anna's dream she was back in her village. Ghosts of her ancestors and recent family members long dead were all around her. They laughed and smiled as she passed. Anna was in tears. Why did she have to be tortured by seeing them? They were dead while she was still alive. Why did they keep coming back in her dreams?

The women twirled in their skirts and the men caught them in their arms. In spite of all the activity going on everyone was looking at Anna. She couldn't bear the attention. She tried to hide her eyes but even with them closed they were still in her sight. Some of the children laughed at the sight of her tears.

"Don't cry, Anna, don't cry!" said a little girl. Anna stared at her.

"How can I not?" she asked. "You're all dead and I'm still here fighting the battle that you lost!" Laughter rang through the air.

"We may be dead but that doesn't mean we can't still fight!" said an old king. "We fight the emotions that the Living throw at us. They try to tell us how sad their lives are and we say that it can only get worse! They try to give us sadness, but the most we get is laughter!"

The others chorused his laughter. It made Anna cry all the more. They were mocking her for being so weak. The children danced around her laughing happily.

"Don't cry, Anna, don't cry!" said the little girl.

"Stop mocking me!" she cried. "And stop laughing! If you were in my situation you would cry too!"

"No, we wouldn't!" laughed the ghost of Anna's mother. "It's too funny! After all the times that you said that you loathed Dracula and everything about him you're suddenly playing these games with him! And the funniest part is that he's slowly winning your heart!" Anna was horrified by her mother's words.

"I didn't choose to play these games!" she cried. "Dracula forced me! I'm only protecting the village like the rest of you did in life!"

Everyone was laughing so hard that backs were slapped and numerous people fell over rolling on the ground. The children laughed the loudest of all, still dancing around the sad princess.

"Don't cry, Anna, don't cry!" said the little girl.

"Don't cry, Anna," said a little boy.

"Don't cry, Anna," said one of her cousins.

"Don't cry, Anna," said a teenage boy.

"Don't cry, Anna," said a teenage girl.

"Don't cry, Anna, don't cry," finished the little girl. Anna was starting to get scared. "Leave me alone!" she said. "It's my choice whether I cry or not!" King Boris laughed almost angrily at his daughter.

"You cried too much!" he said. "You were nothing but a cry baby!" Anna glared at her father.

"You would have never said that if you were still alive, Father!" she cried. Boris cackled.

"If I were alive!" he cried. "But I'm dead! So I'll laugh all I want!"

"Don't cry, Anna, don't cry," cooed the little girl.

"STOP IT!" screamed Anna. "I HAVE TO WAKE UP! SOMEONE WAKE ME UP!" Boris almost chocked with laughter. Velkan pounded him on the back. Looks like my little clown of a sister cracked up Dad again!" he cried.

"Don't cry, Anna, don't cry," whispered the little girl.

Anna fell on the ground and covered her eyes. She tried as hard as she could to block out their laughter. It was too painful. Either this was for real or only part of the dream. Their faces grew grotesque like that of trolls as they continued laughing. The adults laughed and laughed, while the children danced and danced.

"Don't cry, Anna, don't cry," said the little girl.

With a final sob Anna ran from the village. The laughter followed her and refused to go away. The little girl's gentle whisper followed her until at last the dream came to an end. Anna awoke with her sight returned. She saw that she was lying in Dracula's arms. Her tears came all the more fresh.