IDrakula - Bekka Black [12]
We had to leave the door open to let it air out. I tried not to think about how it must be Lucy making that smell. Lucy, my best friend since kindergarten. It didn’t feel real, but it is.
Abe brought a crowbar, but when we got to her coffin, we froze for a long time. (I mean, breaking open a coffin? I’ve never done anything like that before. What if we got arrested? What if I had to see her body again and it was all rotted? It all felt so wrong and sad and messed up.)
If it had been me, I would have left. But not Abe. He is a man of action.
He broke open her coffin.
It was empty. No Lucy and no Mr. Bubbles.
The logical explanation is that someone stole her body, which is creepy enough, but…if someone took her body, why did they take Mr. Bubbles, too?
In the back of the crypt, where the really old bodies are, we found a large box made out of a black wood and filled with dirt. Remember the ebony boxes the Count had you ship from Romania?
Mina
-----------------Attachment Below-----------------
From: Mina Murray
To: Jonathan Harker
Subject: Re: I’m so sorry
Sent: June 25 7:26 PM
* * *
Jonathan,
Abe hired some guys to take out the box, and we took a boat into the harbor and dumped the dirt into the ocean (yes, we had to pay them extra as it’s illegal apparently). Afterward we burned the box and scattered the ashes. Some sources say that a vampire must sleep in the soil of his native land to regenerate. I know I’ve gone beyond crazy. It’s all adrenaline and insanity now.
When you get this, call me. I need the address of the house the Count bought in Manhattan. We’re going to see if it has the other two dirt boxes.
I know, it all sounds super nuts and probably is. But, if I’m wrong, what harm can there be in throwing away dirt? (except for the illegal part and also that we’re clearly stealing it, so delete this email)
Call.
Mina
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Text message from Mina Murray to Abe Van Helsing
From: Mina Murray
To: Jonathan Harker
Subject: Re: I’m so sorry
Sent: June 26 2:41 PM
* * *
Jonathan,
It was good to hear your voice, but you sound terrible. I’m sorry I cried on the phone. It’s been hard losing Lucy and then you. Except for Abe, I’m all alone. I miss the Three Musketeers. Here’s your status report. It’s all I can give you right now:
Abe and I went to that address. Door was locked. But Abe called a locksmith who was only too happy to break us in. He didn’t even ask for ID! Abe is really most amazing. I was a nervous wreck. I’m such a goody-goody at the weirdest times.
Inside we found no trace of the Count, but we did find another box of dirt. We had it hauled off and dumped it in the harbor like last time, (expensive!) Whatever the Count was using it for, that’s over. There is only one box left. I don’t know if we could afford more. We both had to stop by the ATM to get enough for this round. There goes months of baby-sitting money. I thought of asking Mom for money, but how can I possibly explain why I need it?
I don’t know what to believe anymore but am acting on faith. What disease do you have? Did the nuns really cure you? Where are Lucy’s body and Mr. Bubbles? Where is the Count? What killed Lucy?
Just found out that Renfield died last night. I called his father, which was just as terrible as you can imagine. But it was the right thing to do. You should call him, too. I know you probably won’t, but you should. Be prepared for him to cry into the phone. And try to suck it up and not cry yourself. I managed but have had a stomachache ever since.
According to the attendants, Renfield talked to himself just before he died using two different voices. One voice begged the other voice for something, and the other voice was angry. The attendants weren’t worried about it. (What would worry them, I wonder?)
Around midnight there was a tremendous banging and crashing. The attendants rushed to check. When they unlocked the door, Renfield was lying in a pool of blood, barely alive.
He was alone in a locked