Deacula

dr seward's journal
26 September
Things were just starting to return to normal when Van Helsing burst into my office today, waving a copy of the Westminster Gazette.
"What do you think of that?" he asked, pointing to an article about missing children who had been found with wounds on their throats.
"Well," I said, "it sounds like what happened to poor Lucy."
"And what do you make of that?""I suppose that whatever injured Lucy, injured the children too," I replied.
Van Helsing gave me a stern look. "Do you mean to tell me, John, that after everything we've witnessed, you still haven't figured out what happened to Lucy? You still don't know why she lost so much blood?"
I shook my head.
"You are a clever man, John," said Van Helsing as he sat down next to me. "But you think toologically. You have to realise that there are things in this world that are beyond science and reason."
"Professor, I don't understand.
"Do you know what vampires are, John?" Van Helsing interrupted.
His question took me by surprise. "Vampires? You mean blood-sucking monsters? They don't really exist, do they?"
The Professor nodded slowly. "I have spent my whole life researching the supernatural- vampires do exist, John, and one of those evil beings drank Lucy's blood and turned her into a vampire too."
"Professor!" I exclaimed. "What are you talking about?"
"It couldn't be more obvious," said Van Helsing. "Lucy is the mysterious woman who kidnapped all those children. She needs their blood to survive."
I sat there stunned, momentarily unable to speak.
"Professor, are you mad?" Iasked.
"I wish I was," he responded. "No, unfortunately, everything I saying is true. And I can prove it if you'll let me."
I wasn't quite sure what to say.
"Come with me to the Westenra tomb," said Van Helsing.
"But why?" I asked.
"Please, just trust me," he said.
It was almost dark by the time we reached the graveyard. The Professor unlocked the door of the tomb and then lit a small candle.He searched for Lucy's coffin and when he found it, began to unscrew the lid.
I was horrified. "What are you doing?" I exclaimed.
"When I open this coffin, you will see that what I've been saying s true," said Van Helsing. The Professor urged me to look inside and, to my great surprise, I saw that the coffin was empty!
"She is out hunting for her next victim!" said Van Helsing.
"Maybe the bodywas stolen?" I suggested.
Van Helsing sighed. "So you need more proof? Fine, we will return again tomorrow."
He closed the coffin and blew out the candle. Then, we left the tomb and locked the door behind us.

27 September
I reluctantly accompanied the Professor to the graveyard again this afternoon. I expected to find the coffin empty and was shocked to see Lucy inside it. Her cheeks wereplump and rosy and her mouth was stained with blood. The Professor pulled back her lips to reveal a set of long, sharp teeth.
"This is how she made the holes in the children's throats. Now do you believe me, John?"
I nodded slowly. "Yes, I suppose I do..." I said.
The Professor was delighted to see that I was starting to accept his terrifying theories.
"So what do we do now?" I asked.
"Lucy isneither alive, nor dead. She is 'undead' and must be destroyed. I am going to cut off her head, fill her mouth with garlic and drive a stake through her heart."
The Professor's words made me shudder.

"But first, I'm going to send a telegram to Arthur," said Van Helsing. want him to be here when we kill her."

29 September
Arthur met us at my office this evening. The Professor explainedhis theory of the 'undead' to him and told him that we had to cut Lucy's head; off. The Professor added that Lucy had to be killed so that her soul could be freed from evil. Arthur was understandably shocked and furious. We managed to calm him down and eventually persuaded him to come to the graveyard to see for himself.
We arrived at the graveyard just before midnight. Van Helsing unlocked the...