Level 9

Level 9

Dracula 2
Jonathan Harker’s Diary 2
Jonathan Harker’s Diary 2

Copyright © 2013 by Little Fox Co., Ltd.

All rights reserved.
Journal Entry: October 10, 1875
I don’t know how many days I spent waiting in my
room before the next time I saw the count, but some time
later he came to my room with another disheartening
request. He wanted me to write to my London office and
inform them that I would be staying on in Transylvania for
yet another month. My blood went cold, and the hair on
the back of my neck stood up. I felt coerced, but did as he
asked.
The next evening, I dressed for supper and went
out into the living room to meet the count as I’d done
previously, but when I arrived, he was not sitting by the
fire as he usually did. I was rather relieved until I saw that
there was a small note sitting on the table along with my
food and wine. It read: “Heed my warning: do not fall
asleep in any room of this castle except your own, because
if you do, you will be placing yourself in horrible danger.” be locked, but eventually, I stumbled upon a room that
I shivered with fear. was open and cautiously snuck in. The decor was suited
I suffered from terrible nightmares that night. for a woman’s taste: a frilly canopy bed sat in the centre,
Eventually I awoke, put on my robe, and left my room. and beyond it, a large window, accented with heavy velvet
Scared to return to my dreams, I wandered the halls of curtains, overlooked the mountain ridge that sat between
the castle, looking for something to occupy my mind and the castle and the small town of Bistritz. I walked over to
keep me from sleep. Most of the castle doors seemed to the window, attracted by the yellow moonlight that filtered

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into the room, and stared up at the stars, thinking of Mina.
Suddenly, something from outside the window
grabbed my hand─it was the count! I jumped away from
the window and shook him off, my eyes wide with shock.
He had scaled the outer walls of the castle, then climbed in
through the window, and began to crawl toward the door
on all fours.
With his black cloak wrapped around his body, he
looked like a large black dog. I expected him to attack me,
but thankfully, he just made his way out of the room, as
though he didn’t see me there. Relieved, I collapsed onto
the bed, shaking with fright. What was he?
I lay there for several minutes, overcome with
exhaustion. I felt my eyelids droop shut and soon, I was
warm and cozy, dreaming of my beautiful Mina. The
sound of women’s whispers gradually woke me from
my slumber, and when my eyes finally fluttered open, was so confused that I didn’t realize what I was doing, I
I realized that there were three gorgeous young women lifted my lips to receive them.
standing at the foot of the bed. I thought I heard one of I saw their ruby red lips and alabaster skin, and I
them say, “Oh, how handsome and strong he looks!” longed for their kisses too. “Kiss me,” I whispered as one
“Yes,” said another. “He is strong enough to give us of them brushed my lips with hers.
all kisses.” “AAAAaaahhhhhh!” she gasped. Something had
All three leaned down toward my face, and because I grabbed her and pulled her off of me. It was the count!

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When she saw that she would not get her way, I saw her
blue eyes flash a red color like the fires of Hell.
“Off!” he demanded. “He is not for you.” Everything
went black as I fainted.
When I opened my eyes again, I was in bed in my
own room, and it was daylight. I sat straight up in horror
and said aloud, “Vampires! They were trying to drink my
blood! Of course, it all makes sense now. The count must
be one as well; vampires cast no reflections and avoid
sunlight! What should I do?”
Two days later, the count called me out to the table by
the fireplace, where he had laid out a paper-and-ink set.
“You must write to Mina,” he said, “and tell her that your
business at Castle Dracula is finished, and that you will be
returning home shortly.”
At first, I was thrilled to hear that I would finally be
leaving this insane place, away from the madness of the later, there was a commotion outside the door and my ears
count. But he continued, “Tell her that you are in Bistritz caught the sounds of women giggling. I heard the count
and date the letter June 29th.” My heart sank, and I knew say, “Wait, my pretties. He will be yours soon enough.”
for certain that the count was planning to murder me on Then, he locked my door from the outside, trapping me
that day; when Mina received the letter, she would think within my room. I was frantic. What could I do? I had to
that I was lost at sea! Fearing for my safety, I composed try to escape to Bistritz. But how?
the letter and returned to my room to think. A few minutes The next few days seemed like an eternity as I waited

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for an opportunity to escape, but none presented itself.
Then, one evening, I was sitting in my room looking
out at the moonlight over the mountains when, from the
courtyard, I heard the voices of workmen.
“Maybe one of them will help me,” I said aloud to
myself. However, when I rushed to the window and peered
down, I saw the count hand one of the men a letter─my
letter! I quickly found my calendar and checked the date.
Sure enough, it was the 29th already. I was doomed.
I had to do something fast. I paced back and forth in
my room trying to think of a solution. It was then that I
looked up at my window and had a brilliant idea: I would
take down the curtains and weave them into a thick rope
that I could use to climb down to the room beneath mine.
With luck, the door to that room would be unlocked and I
could escape from there.
I knew that I could work freely during the daylight and a wooden trapdoor near the other corner. Hmm . . . this
hours, so I waited until sunrise and then went to work. was curious, I thought. What if this were a secret passage
I tied the rope into a tight knot around my bedpost and out of the castle? I turned the knob, gingerly opened the
began to lower myself out of the window. door, and came upon a short stone staircase. I slowly
I almost fell twice, but finally, my feet found the lower descended, careful not to make a sound.
ledge, and I hurriedly climbed into the room beneath my I came to another large room, but this one was
own. It was empty save for a small pile of gold in one corner not empty. There, in the darkness, was a collection of

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boxes─no, they were coffins lined up in rows, all filled
with fresh soil. And at the end of one row, I discovered
the count, lying motionless in a velvet-lined casket, arms
crossed over his chest. He looked younger; his hair was
black and his hands appeared more human-like. There was
fresh blood on his lips.
Just then, I heard the workmen approaching and began
to panic.
Were they vampires too? No, they couldn’t be─it was
daytime now, so they would be exposed to sunlight. But,
maybe they were cursed by the count and under his spell?
I couldn’t be certain if they would help me or kill me if
they found me in this room, so I quickly hid behind one of
the coffins and watched as two of them closed the count’s
casket and continued to unlatch a double door at the far
end of the room. What luck! There was another way out
of the room, and I could make my escape. Then, the other clothes on my back and this journal to keep me company.
four reached down and heaved one of the soil-filled coffins But I preferred to take my chances in the wilderness than
up onto their shoulders and carried it out through the face my fate back inside the castle. It would be days before
double door. I found help.
When all their backs were turned, I silently slipped
out behind them and realized I was in an open field behind
the castle. I was free! I had nothing with me except the

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