UNIVERSAL STUDIOS DRACULA take IV

It was evening with MJ sitting nervously with her handsome, blonde fiancé Jason Harker on the loveseat. They had been sitting for a few hours in the parlor, they had been facing each other. Jason was smartly dressed in a full suit with, in place of his usual arrogant demeanor was a concerned expression. Mina Jane has dressed herself in an open-neck gown, with a thin scarf wrapped around her slender throat.

“I laid in bed for quite a while…reading,” the beauty began “And just when I was commencing to get drowsy, I heard dogs howling.”

Jason gently took the hands of his nervous fiancé in hopes of calming her. Mina Jane was his and he did not like her being subject to fear.

“And when the dream came, it seemed the whole room was filled with mist,” Mina Jane could feel her heartbeat quicken, “It was so thick, I could just see the lamp by the bed, a tiny spark in the fog.”

As MJ explained her dream to Mr. Harker, her father, Dr. Jarvis and Professor Lumpkin are come down the steps into the parlor. The Professor then stopped and puts out his hand up out until came midway to Edwin’s torso. The Doctor read Willie’s actions and stopped.

“And then I saw 2 red eyes staring at me,” Mina Jane Javis said, sitting fearful and put up her hands and brought them slowly to her chest, “and a whit livid face came down out of the mist.”

Jason concerned for the red head, he gazed into her vibrant green eyes.

“It came closer and closer,” she continued as she put her hands on her cheeks, “I felt its breath on my face…and then, its lips!”

MJ gulped in fear as her father and the Professor slowly approached the loveseat.

“Dear, it was only a dream,” Mr. Harker replied, trying to comfort her.

Willie, filled with concern, slowly approached Mina Jane from behind.

“And then in the morning, I felt so weak,” the young woman continued on, “It seemed as if all the life had been drained out of me.”

The worried father slowly followed the Professor, but he saw Willie stop by his daughter's fiancé and so Edwin walked farther past Professor Lumpkin. Jason took hold of her hand again, in hopes of distracting her.

“Darling, we’re going to forget all about these dreams and think about something cheerful,” MJ hears her fiancé tell her and then looked up to meet is gaze, “aren’t we?”

Professor Lumpkin gently taps Jason’s shoulder, “Allow me.”

Mr. Harker immediately looks up unsure about this old man but removes himself

“Oh, certainly, Professor,” agrees the blonde, then walked away, not at all happy with the circumstances.

"Think for a moment,” says the Professor as he sits quietly in front of Mina Jane, “Is there anything that might have brought this dream on?”

MJ just shook her head, “No.”

Jason walks over to her father, grabbed his arm to pull him close, and whispered, “Doctor, there’s something troubling MJ, something she won’t tell us.”

Both men look towards Mina Jane with concern. Neither of the men know how to confront her.

“And the face in the dream…,” Willie asked as moved to put his glasses on with both hands, “…you say it seemed to come closer and closer?”

The red-head nods, still in fear. She knew she could trust this old man with anything.

“The lips touched you?” Professor Lumpkin continued, “Where?”

Mina Jane raised her right hand to touch the scarf around her neck. The old man leaned forward with concern to her.

“Is there anything the matter with your throat?” questioned Willie.

“Why, no, but I…!” said MJ alarmed.

“Then, permit me,” replied the old man as he went to remove her scarf.

“Oh, no, please!” the woman begged, she did not want to anyone to see the marks.

“Yes…yes,” says the Professor as he fully removed the scarf.

He witnessed the young woman gasp and quickly shut her eyes. Willie took a closer look and touched with his fingers while the beauty folded her hands in her lap. The 2 other men in the room looked on expectantly.

“How long have you had those little marks?” asked the old man as he examined her throat.

“Marks?!?!” cried Jason, alarmed as he and the father of his fiancé rushed over.

Professor Lumpkin upon seeing Mr. Harker’s expression, he gently touched the blonde’s shoulder as he kneeled in front of Mina Jane and took her hands in his, “at ease.”

Dr. Jarvis stood to the side worried about his daughter. What father would not worry about their child.

“MJ,” Jason worriedly, “why didn’t you let us know?”

“Do not excite her,” the Professor gently ordered the younger man.

The young woman just looked down with partially lidded eyes. The red head did not know what to say.

“Well, Mina Jane?” she heard the old man ask expectantly.

MJ slowly opened her eyes further, then looked upward to her left; she looked down then up again. The beauty was unsure of what to say.

“Since the morning after the dream,” she admitted.

Mina Jane then looked down and closed her eyes, she felt ashamed. Jason Harker turned his blonde head to look up expecting an answer. He then let go of MJ’s hands, and then stood up to and turned to Professor Lumpkin.

“What could have caused them, Professor?” Mr. Harker asked with concern.

The maid then announced a visitor after having just opened the door for him.

“Count Dracula,” she declared.

Having been announced, Vlad stepped out to stand next to the maid, wearing a Tuxedo of the era. The dream-walker took a bow out of curtesy then entered the parlor and smiled as he approached Dr. Jarvis. The Professor watched the new arrival carefully with curiosity and suspicion as the pale, dark-haired, mustachioed man walked over to Edwin Jarvis with curiosity and suspicion.

“It’s good to see you back again, Doctor,” the nosferatu told Edwin, as the beautiful Mina Jane Jarvis turned her green eyes to him with a solemn expression, “I heard you had just arrived.”

Dracula then turned his attention to MJ as she sat up as if to get a proper look at him. The red head did not understand but she felt almost excited as she raised her right hand to touch her open scarf.

“You, Ms. Mina Jane you’re looking exceptionally—." Vlad before he is cut off.

Mina looked down as not understanding her what she is feeling. For some reason this stranger was exciting her.

“Pardon, Doctor Jarvis” the oldest man spoke up, but upon hearing the Professor speak Mina Jane looked down and began to fidget, “but I think Ms. Mina should go to her room at once.”

“Professor Lumpkin, I don’t believe it’s as important as you seem to think it is,” MJ states defiantly.

Her hand remained just below her throat, however. She did not fully understand why their guest had decided now to visit but she was willing to entertain him.

“Excuse me. Count Dracula…,” the balding man introduced the 2 men by pointing to the Count then to the smaller, skinnier gentleman after he approached the black-haired foreigner, “…Professor Lumpkin.”

The men give a slight cordial bow to each other. Afterall, it was only appropriate.

“Lumpkin,” replied the dream-walker as he took the short, wiry old man’s hand in a firm grip, this man was another dreamer, “A most distinguished scientist whose name we know…even in the wilds of Transylvania.”

Willie smiled under his thick, white moustache at the man’s praise and gave another slight bow in gratitude. As she watched this, Mina Jane lowered hands onto her lap.

“I had a frightful dream a few nights ago,” MJ told the Count as she fiddled with the dangling ends of her thin scarf, “and I don’t seem to be able to get it out of my mind.”

“I hope you haven’t taken my stories too seriously?” falsely laments Dracula.

Professor Lumpkin concerned, watched the young woman’s interaction with the Count alongside the handsome blonde, Jason Harker.

“Stories!?!” asks Jason in a worried and slightly jealous outburst.

Both MJ and Vlad turned their heads to the blonde man. Mina Jane had not expected Jason's response.

“Yes,” responded the older man to the younger as he turned fully to him, “In my humble effort to amuse your fiancé, Mr. Harker, I was telling her some rather…grim tales of my far-off country.”

“I can imagine,” Jason snapped as he walked off jealously.

It was bad enough he had to watch HIS woman give this FOREIGNER such attention. Mina Jane raised her right hand to brush the base of her throat while she, alongside the Professor and the Count watch her fiancé walk away in a jealous huff.

“Why, Jason!” gasped MJ at her beloved’s rude actions.

The beauty and Vlad’s expressions turned to amused smiles as they watched the blonde walk over to the other side of the room. Jason opened the cigarette box with a mirrored lid and went in for a cigarette. The Professor then made his way toward Mr. Harker as the Count and MJ watch the blonde take out a cigarette and light it. Once next to the younger man, Professor Lumpkin stroked his thick moustache and is quick to find that the new arrival did not cast a reflection within the mirror in the lid.

“I can quite understand, Mr. Harker,” apologized the Count, “I’m sorry.”

The nosferatu then turned his attention back on to the red-haired beauty as her father approached him from behind.

“I’m afraid it’s quite serious,” Dr. Jarvis informed the Count, and then turned his attention to his daughter, “My Dear, I’m sure Count Dracula will excuse you.”

Willie continued to keep tabs on the mirror as he observed everyone’s reflection without their visitor.

“You must go to your room, as Professor Lumpkin suggests,” insisted the balding man.

The wiry, mustachioed Professor continued to observe the conversation with the mirror then glanced back at Dracula, while MJ’s fiancé observes the old man. Jason could not understand what the geezer was looking at.

“Oh, but really Father, I’m feeling quite well” Mina Jane insisted.

“You had better do…as your father advises,” Vlad agreed.

The blonde’s curiosity made him check the mirror only to find that the Count did not cast a reflection. His fiancé and her father were there, but the Count was not despite his standing right next to Dr. Jarvis.

“Very well,” the red head caved, and she stood and turn to the Professor, “Good night.”

He gave a slight bow in recognition, then he watched the young woman look at the blonde man, “Jason.”

With a disappointed sigh, MJ turned around with her head hung slightly, and walked away with Vlad in tow, although all she heard was footsteps. Her blonde husband-to-be started to follow her, but the old Professor touched Jason’s arm with his hand while still looking at the small mirror in the box lid, the younger man stopped. Mina Jane stood at the large door frame of the parlor knowing someone was behind her but was not aware who.

Vlad smiled as he stood behind her, “Ms. Mina Jane, may I call later to inquire how you are feeling?”

“Why, yes, thank you,” replied MJ.

She did not know why, but the young woman was relieved and afraid at the same time to know it was the Count that was behind her. Professor Lumpkin could not believe he had missed it as he straightened fully, he grinned under his moustache. Mina Jane Jarvis continued on and climbed the stairs to her bedroom.

The short, old man then shut the cigarette box while he stood with Jason and Dr. Jarvis while the latter having joined the other 2 earlier.

“I’m sorry, Doctor,” stated the Count as he turnd around, “My visit was so ill-timed.”

“Not at all,” replied Edwin to his guest.

“On the contrary, it may prove most enlightening,” said the Professor, “In fact, before you go, you can be of definite service.”

“Anything I can do, gladly,” recited the foreign gentleman as he walked toward the 3 men.

Jason Harker smothered his cigarette then walked away with his fiancé’s father, both men watched the other 2 carefully. Willie gently lifted the closed cigarette box and approached the Count with it, he needed to confirm his suspicions.

“A moment ago, I stumble upon a most amazing phenomena…something so incredible, I mistrust my own judgement,” explained the old Professor, then quickly lifted the box as he opened it to show the mirror, “Look.”

Surprised, the undead King wheeled back and as his reaction to his distaste of mirrors, he knocked the box out of Willie’s hand and on to the floor. Dracula's feelings of annoyance at this situation caused him to growl in anger as he gave the old man a **** glare. Professor Lumpkin feigns interest as he starts to stroke his chin with his left index finger. Vlad looks the other 2 men in the room who are in shock by his actions.

“Doctor Jarvis, my humble apology,” said the dream-walker after he turned to the Doctor and his daughter’s fiancé, “I dislike mirrors.”

The enraged guest then glared at Willie Lumpkin before preparing to leave add, “Lumpkin will explain.”

Professor Lumpkin could only give a smug grin as the Count turned toward a large deck to leave but turned slightly, “For 1 who has not lived even a single lifetime, you are a wise man, Lumpkin.”

The nosferatu then turned back around and continued out. No 1 knew what to say.

“Whew!” exclaimed Jason.

“What on earth cause that?” asked Dr. Jarvis.

He looked on to where his guest left and then walked up to the shorter, white-haired man. Mr. Harker looked to the balding Doctor and then to the short Professor in a hope for an answer.

“Did you see the look on his face?” the blonde asked, “Like a wild animal!”

“Wild animal?” responded the Dr. Jarvis, “Like a madman!”

Jason now intending to find out where the Count had gone hurried on to the porch while MJ’s father retrieved the box. Neither of the men knew what the eldest man in the room was going to say or how much it would shock them.

“What’s that running across the lawn?” Mr. Harker asked while pointing and looked to other 2 men with a confused expression on his face, “It looks like a huge dog!”

“Or a wolf?” hinted Willie.

Jason looked outside to try to locate the animal thought he saw but nothing was there. Then he looked back to the other men in the house.

“A wolf?” asked Mr. Harker, as he reentered the house.

“He was afraid we might follow,” responded the old Professor.

“Follow?” Edwin questioned; he was not understanding the older man.

“Sometimes they take the form of wolves but generally of bats,” explained Professor Lumpkin.

“What are you talking about?” asked Jason, he could not believe what he was hearing.

“Dracula,” Willie simply stated.

“But what’s Dracula got to do with wolves and bats?” the blonde man questioned.

“Dracula is our vampire,” continued the aged Professor.

“But surely, Professor—,” Doctor Jarvis began, he could not believe this, they were scientists!

“The vampire casts no reflection in the glass,” the eldest man explained, “That is why Dracula smashed the mirror.”

“I don’t mean to be rude but that’s the sort of thing I expect 1 of the patients here to say,” mocked Jason, as he chuckles almost amused.

“Now these old geezers are getting ridiculous,” the arrogant blonde muttered quietly to himself.

“Yes, and that is what your English doctors would say, your police,” said Willie, as he continued on, “The strength of the vampire is that people will not believe in him.”