Jonathon’s Story
Jonathon Harker’s Journal
10 December
The night was coming quickly now and the Professor and I hurried to complete our tasks before the sun’s light waned completely. The torch I carried guttered in the air as we raced down the passageway, sending malevolent shadows dancing around us that served to only increase our despair.
“We must be swift, my dear Jonathon, if we are to finish the other two Brides before the night gives them freedom from our pursuit.” The Professor’s pace increased. “We must destroy them to free your Mina or else all is lost.”
I sped to keep with him. “But Professor, the Count is dead. Won’t that free Mina from his curse?”
“Until all the evil that haunts this place is given to God for judgment, his taint will shadow her soul, Jonathon.” He stopped suddenly and waved me forward. “Bring the light, for I must see.” His fingers deftly traced the runes which covered a section of the wall and suddenly he pressed down on a peculiar carving. There was a heavy click and a line parted in the wall. “Here we are, my friend. This is where the Brides rest while they hide from God’s light.” He pushed and the ancient door slowly creaked open. “Come, speed is our only true friend now, Jonathon!”
We flew down the crumbling steps and into a tiny chamber. Coffins filled the space in vast disarray and our torch’s feeble light served only to outline them in the darkness. The Professor pulled me roughly towards the nearest. “Ah, the light now.”
I pushed the torch towards the sepulcher and he quickly read the inscription. “Here is one of them. Quickly, help me.” Together we pushed the heavy stone lid, which moved slowly with a loud grating sound.
Inside I beheld one of the Vampires I remembered from my previous stay in this terrible place. Her eyes were open and her rage at our intrusion made me tremble and sent the shadows into a frenzy of movement.
“Fear not, Jonathon, for the sun still holds her in place.” The Professor opened his case and pulled a stake and hammer from it. “Hold the light steady.” I did so and he quickly drove the heavy stake into her breast. She screamed thinly and dissolved into dust just as the Count had when Quincey and I finished him.
“And now for the last!” The Professor hurried towards the other sealed coffin. I hurried to follow him only to pause when I slipped and almost fell. Looking down I perceived a small red and white ball. Curious, I picked it up and turned it for inspection.
“Jonathon, hurry!” The Professor turned to me. “We must finish…” His eyes widened and the color drained from his face. “Dear Gott, Jonathon, what have you done?”
“What is it Professor?”
“That is one of the resting places that a Vampire can use.” He moved cautiously towards me. “Do not move suddenly, my friend, for the slightest motion could release her if she truly resides in it and then we would be undone.”
I froze and the ball squirted from my gasp. I lunged for it and managed to grab it. There was a quiet pop and a red beam shot from it. Then the true horror began.
I lurched upright and gasped for air as my eyes automatically turned to the doorway. I relaxed slowly as I realized that I was in Bucharest and that it was the dream once more.
Such a terrible dream. I could only shudder as I recalled the events once more. The Count and two of his Brides destroyed. But one had escaped from that damnable ball and savaged the Professor and myself before fleeing. I had stumbled from the castle only to find my dearest Mina gone as well, lost to me forever.
I have no memory of the events of the next few days and when my sanity returned I was here in the sanitarium in Bucharest and all had been lost.
Still staring at the door, I sank back into my bed. Outside I could hear one of the physicians talking to one of the nurses. “I was despairing that he would ever show signs of improvement, but Mr. Harker’s recovery these last few days has been remarkable.”
The nurse responded in a voice too low for me to make out, but her tone indicated agreement. The physician chuckled warmly. “Yes, I agree. His recovery has definitely been much more improved since his wife arrived and began caring for him.”
I frowned in the darkness and jumped as a wet cloth wiped my forehead. “More nightmares, my dear Jonathon?” My eyes met Mina’s and she smiled with those peculiarly sharp teeth. “I couldn’t leave my dear husband. I need you, Jonathon.” She kissed my cheek. “And so does she.”
There was a motion and another woman appeared. She was taller than Mina, and blonde where my Mina was dark. She smiled, displaying the same teeth that Mina had. “My dear Jonathon, you will be pleased to know that after you left, Mina here and I managed to track down and destroy the last of the Count’s Brides. Sadly, we were too late to save ourselves from his curse and so you must be our Count and we your Brides.”
I stared at her for a moment. “Professor?”