The Story of Maria |
| The date was Sunday October 26th, which may not seem to be of any significance, but which is important if you are to understand what has happened to me in the past few days. I was doing my weekly tarot reading, but the cards that I drew, and a feeling that I had in the pit of my stomach made me uneasy. It wasn't all the cards, just those from Wednesday to Saturday, which caused this uneasiness. Wednesday's was no. 17 - The Star, Thursday was no. 6 - The Lovers, Fridays was no. 13 - Death, and Saturdays was no. 15 - The Devil. |
| Contrary to popular belief among those who are unfamiliar with the tarot, the card of death does not portend death; it simply indicates a major or significant change in life. But then again, what bigger change in life is there than the change to death? |
| The week was going fairly normally up until Wednesday. That night I had a dream. In the dream I was wearing my favourite red velvet dress and I could see a tall shadowy male figure in the room with me. There was a table in the room, and on the table was a beating heart, with a dagger through it, spurting out blood as black as the night. Perhaps I should have taken more notice of the dream, after all - The Star is a card that indicates the subconscious. It makes me wonder if, without realising consciously, I knew what was going to happen. |
| The next day I met him. He was the most gorgeous guy I'd ever seen, tall, dark haired and handsome. It was strange, I felt as if I'd met him before, but he'd just come to the US from Romania and was living in a old house on the edge of town, reputed to be haunted, which I'd never been to, so obviously I couldn't have. During English Lit., we got talking. It started with us discussing Bram Stoker's 'Dracula'. My favourite, and it turned out to be Alexander's, for that was his name, favourite book as well. I felt myself falling in love, and asked if he'd like to go to the Halloween ball that night with me. (We were having it a day early as there was a football rally the night after) He told me he was already gong with Claire, the blonde haired school beauty, who had recently broken up with my best friend Simon. |
| As I was leaving school that afternoon I heard my name being called. "Maria, wait!" I turned around and saw Claire approaching me, she wasted no time is saying what she had to say. "I just wanted to warn you away from the Alexander guy." "Why, surely it's his choice who he likes?" "No, not like that. I'm absolutely positive he's a vampire. I don't want anyone to get hurt. I'm going to destroy him tonight though." I laughed, I couldn't help it. "I suppose you just happen to have a wooden stake and some holy water handy!" I retorted, giggling helplessly. "I'm serious, Maria. I've got a spell of Simon's. I'm going to adapt it. I think that it should do the trick." I became serious. "Claire, don't mess around with Simon's spells, please, it could backfire. It's dangerous." "And so is Alexander. I'm doing this to protect everyone, and no-one's going to stop me!" Claire stated and stormed off. |
| I dressed that evening with care. I was going as a vampiress, as I always did. It had always been the most obvious choice for costume parties, with my pale complexion, my long gleaming dark auburn hair, and my intense dark brown eyes. I glanced in the mirror and smiled at the reflection of a noble vampiress. I could have been the bride of Count Dracula himself. I slipped the pointed caps over my eyeteeth, the final touch. Just at that moment the doorbell rang. It was Simon. We'd arranged to meet up and arrive at the ball on his own unique form of transport. |
| Simon lived on a farm out of town and owned two gleaming black stallions. Because we both had summer jobs at the nearby medieval theme park, I was well practised riding sidesaddle. In preparation, Simon had parked his horsebox at school earlier in the day. |
| I opened the door to find a fairly cute warlock standing there. Simon actually was a warlock, and was teaching me the ways of Wicca. It only took me a second to put on my velvet-hooded cape and grab the small velvet pouch I kept my things in, and then we were away. |
| We must have looked quite a sight riding through town. As it was cold, we went fairly quickly. We slowed the horses down however as we approached school, so as that we could walk the horses into the quad where the ball was been held. It was a full moon and I could hear audible gasps of surprise as Simon and myself entered through the archway, decorated to look like a castle drawbridge. Everybody watched as Simon dismounted from his horse and then lifted me down. I could sense everybody, but most of all Alexander, watching. |
| Virtually every girl in the school wanted to dance with Alexander that night, and he obliged. It seemed that there was an air of mystery about him that they wanted to figure out. One dance each, that was the rule. There were, however, exceptions. Alexander returned Claire and myself several times during the evening. We talked and laughed as we danced. My pulse racing with an uncontrollable urgency that I didn't understand, each time he came near. |
| "You make a very good vampiress, Maria." "Why thank you, Alexander!" I smiled, inclining my head in a gesture of appreciation. "You yourself make a very good vampire, you could be Count Dracula himself." "Indeed, in my country people believe that his spirit still exists." "Oh, just like Dracula the Undead'..." I caught Alexander's puzzled glance. "A sequel to Bram Stokers novel. It's very good, written in a similar style to the original." "I should like to read it." Alexander pondered. "I'll lend you my copy. I'll bring it to school tomorrow." Little did I know that tomorrow school would be the last thing on my mind. |
| It was around 11:30 when I realised that Alexander and Claire had disappeared. I suddenly remembered the conversation I'd had with Claire earlier. I wasted no time. I immediately found Simon and hastily told him a rough version of the situation. Then we went and got the horses, and set off for Alexander's house. |
| I was thankful that night that I'd had so much practise riding sidesaddle. It meant that we were able to gallop the horses through the town in order to get to Alexander's house as quickly as possible. We didn't know when Claire and Alexander had left, but I had a feeling that we had to get to the house before midnight. Before All Hallows Eve came. |
| When we arrived, the door was open. Almost as if we were expected. We tied up the horses and entered. The house was silent, offering us no clues as to where Claire and Alexander might be. But some feeling told me to head to the tower room. |
| I entered the tower room first, and was immediately struck by the pungent smell, and an overwhelming feeling of Deja Vu. It was my dream of the previous night. Alexander was the tall shadowy figure, and the heart. I almost puked as I realised where the heart had come from, as I saw the dead body of Claire lying on the floor. |
| Alexander followed my gaze. "Ah, I am afraid Maria, that I had no choice. She started chanting at me, and then became almost . . . . possessed. I did what I thought best. But obviously my actions have not remedied the problem." |
| I felt a touch on my shoulder and suddenly remembered that Simon was behind me. As I saw his puzzled expression I realised that I hadn't explained things fully. "Claire, for some reason, was convinced that Alexander was a vampire. She's somehow managed to get hold of one of your spells. I warned her not to use it. But obviously she didn't listen to me." Simon looked thoughtfully, first at me, and then at the heart. "It's obvious that she has. . . was . . . possessed by a poltergeist, or something similar. The spirits stayed in her heart. I'll have to get rid of it." With that Simon produced a book from his satchel. I recognised the book. It contained all of Simon's spells. I was not yet allowed to view the pages, so I backed away. However, Simon beckoned me back. "I'm gonna need your help, Maria." he explained. |
| It took us a while to complete the job. But eventually we managed it. Then Simon took Claire's body and carried it downstairs. |
| I busied myself tidying the room. As I came to one of the windows, I glanced out and was amazed by the view. "Wow, Alexander, you sure get a good view from here." "Yes!" Alexander replied, his voice surprisingly close to me. "I find it very . . . beautiful." |
| My next memories are all jumbled. I remember hearing the sound of a Grandfather Clock striking midnight, and the horses neighing. I also felt my choker being removed and a pair of fangs sinking into my neck. |
| Everything grew hazy after that. I guess I must have fainted. I vaguely remember being carried down from the tower. But after that, I recall nothing. |
| ********************************************************************** |
| I awoke to find myself lying on a gigantic four poster bed, with black satin sheets and red velvet drapes. I was alone, but there was a note on the bedside table. |
| "Maria, please make yourself at home and do not panic. If you value your existence you will not try to leave. I shall return soon, Alexander." |
| I looked around the room. There didn't seem to be a window, and the only visible door led into a bathroom. The fixtures crafted in ruby red marble. I decided to bathe. But as I was taking my dress off, my pointed caps fell to the floor. This puzzled me as I had been sure they were still on my teeth. I glanced in the mirror and saw nothing, then it hit me. |
| I wasn't myself anyone. I mean; I was still me, but I wasn't... human. I glanced down at myself. My complexion had taken on a look of pure alabaster, and as I moved my hand to my mouth, I could feel two fangs. I shakily removed my choker and felt two pinhole size wounds in my neck. As I touched them, I felt them shrinking, and eventually disappearing, until my skin was a smooth as satin. |
| "You are awake, then, Maria!" I whirled around and saw Alexander there. He glanced at the choker in my hand. "Ah, you have discovered your change. I hope you weren't too shocked." Shocked? I was so shocked the only thing I was able to say was a whispered "Why....?" "I intended to merely satisfy my thirst. Unfortunately, I got, how do you say? Carried away." "You could have let me die!" "I felt a deep attachment to you. I wished to have time to get to know you better. Is that a crime?" "No, I suppose we have all the time in the world now. I said bitterly. "What about Simon? What have you done to him?" "I did nothing. The horsed panicked, reared up, and crushed him. By the time I found his remains, it was too late for me to do anything." |
| Tears sprang to my eyes. Simon had been my best friend. People had always said that we were like sister and brother, and now he was gone. Alexander looked at me with surprise. "You....um.....loved this Simon?" I answered honestly. "Yes, but as a very close friend, a brother almost." I paused. "Why is life so unfair?" "Life may be..."Alexander stated. "but in death, it is not so. All are equal in death." "But we're not dead, are we?" I snapped. "Nor are we alive? We're undead, an unnatural state that was never meant to be. Well, I won't commit evil. I'd rather starve!" Alexander was obviously shocked at my outburst. "Evil? I do not understand, what evil is this?" "Taking innocent people's lives just to, how do you say!" I mocked. "satisfy you thirst? Just as you did with me." |
| I ran to the bed and cried. My mind was in a whirl. All I could think of was simple things. Like not being able to see my family, and not being able to sunbathe any more. But then I remembered. Alexander had been out in the sun. |
| I dried my tears and walked over to where Alexander was sitting. "So?" I asked, sounding uninterested. "Which of those 'Dracula' myths are true then?" "All of them. Mr Stoker certainly did his research well." "But the sunlight." I protested. "You were out in it just yesterday and you didn't seem to have any ill effects." "It is only sunrise and sunset which are dangerous." he explained. "But all the rest, the crucifixes, the holy water, garlic, all weaken my........ our powers." "And you only fed from me once. I thought it had to be three times?" "Another exaggeration. To lengthen the book I imagine." |
| As I pondered this information, it struck me that I didn't know what day it was. "Alexander how long has passed since........well, what day is it?" "It is Friday still, why?" "I was just wondering." He looked at me thoughtfully, it was almost as if he were reading my mind. "If I tell you the truth about myself, will you answer my questions sincerely?" I thought for a moment. "Yeah, okay then. I guess I have nothing to lose." "And everything to gain - you see - I am Dracula. Obviously, I cannot use that name now, so I have used different names, Alexander being just one of them. However, when it turns midnight in Rumania, in the region which used to be Transylvania. I am once again to be crowned the Prince of Darkness, and I would like you, Maria, to be my Princess." I was in shock. I couldn't speak. Not that I had a chance to say anything, as Alexander continued almost immediately. "Are you comfortable - happy with you transformation?" I answered honestly "I'm still not used to it, I don't know. But if I attend this ceremony with you, will you tell me if there is any was to change back, should I want to?" "There is a way," Alexander said slowly. "But I will have to tell you later. We must get to the ceremony." "But how? I thought vampires had problems with crossing water." "It is All Hallow's Eve, magic is enough! Besides, we shall not be travelling on water." |
| With that Alexander waved his hand and a door magically appeared in the wall. Instead of leading me back up to the tower as I had expected, he led me down and down. When we reached the cellar, he opened a trapdoor in the floor to revel a flight of steps. He motioned me down. "Come, we must hurry. My boat will be waiting." We followed the steps for what seemed like hours, but was in reality only about fifteen minutes. Then I saw it; A gigantic boat with what looked like demons at the oars. Suddenly I found myself in the boat, seated amongst plush velvet cushions. |
| Within seconds we were moving, gliding along the river of molten lava. I was still trying to come to terms with what had, and still was happening to me. I was so lost in my thoughts that I lost track of the time. And I had barely taken in the boat and the lava river, when the boat stopped. "We have arrived." stated Alexander, proffering his arm in order to escort me off the boat. |
| As we stepped onto dry land, the huge underground cave seemed to transform into a great hall, and hundreds of creatures; vampires, demons, werewolves; appeared seemingly out of thin air. The ceremony began almost immediately. Alexander and I were escorted to two enormous gilded thrones. Then a voice started speaking. I turned around in order to identify whom the voice was coming from. The man if you can call him that, was fairly small with a pointed beard, almost the classic image of the devil. All you needed to add was a pair of horns and a tail. "We are here at this time to crown our Prince of Darkness. A ceremony which has been occurring for two thousand years. We remember the first Prince of Darkness, the human King Herod, and how he ordered the deaths of hundreds of innocent young boys in order to rid the world of the un-evil one. His successor did rid the world of Jesus, Yet had to wait 68 years for the honour. This year, I, Lucifer, King of Hell and all things evil, am crowning the previous Prince again. A rare move, which I have chosen to do because of the total lack of any suitable successors. There was of course, the human Adolf Hitler, but unfortunately, he believed that he was doing the right thing. The Prince of Darkness must know he is committing evil, even if he does not admit it to others." he paused, surveying the gathering with his glowing red eyes. "And so, The Prince of Darkness once again is Count Dracula." |
| Suddenly there was applause. It didn't seem right. But the whole ceremony didn't seem right. Here we were, in what probably was Hell itself, with creatures getting rewarded for being just plain evil. Yet we could have been in Hollywood for the Oscars, or on Broadway for the Tony's. |
| Lucifer continued, addressing Alexander, or Dracula, as I now knew him to be. "You have a new consort, I see." "Yes, I would like to introduce my new countess, Maria." "You are very honoured, my dear. I welcome you to our group. I hope everyone will treat you with the respect you will now command as our Princess of Darkness." |
| After speaking to me, Lucifer turned to the assembled crowd and made a small gesture with his hand. At once everyone bowed down as if they were worshipping a religious idol or something. I suppose to them we were their idols though. In this strange world of evil which I had found myself thrown into. |
| Suddenly the worshipful hush was broken by a sultry voice breaking through the silence. "My Anton, or should I say Alexander. You broke your promise to me." Alexander looked puzzled "I'm sorry, I do not recall this promise you refer to." "That I would be your consort the next time you were named Prince of Darkness!" "My dear, you forget the part where I said you would be my consort if you remained faithful to me, which you have not been." "I couldn't let him die, could I now." "Of course you could have." Alexander reprimanded her. "It is part of life. mortals live, and then mortals die. You usually only make a mortal one of us if you have feelings for the mortal in question, therefore, I consider that you were not faithful, and so the promise does not have to be honoured." The strange woman seemed to be speechless at this, then, after a short pause, she suddenly started speaking again, with a slight mocking tone in her voice. "Where is your usual politeness, Anton. Won't you introduce me to your new Princess?" "Of course." Alexander replied, seemingly not noticing her tone. "Maria, I would like you to meet Satania. An... old friend of mine. Satania, this is Maria, my countess." I could tell by the look in Satania's eyes that she was planning something. I suddenly became aware of the pool of bubbling hot lava behind me. I looked at Alexander out of the corner of my eye. I sensed that maybe he suspected that Satania was up to something as well. As I stared at her, waiting to see if she would make a move, I noticed that the crowd had been slowly dispersing and that we were virtually alone. |
| Suddenly Satania rushed towards me, anger in her eyes. I knew then that it was her intention to kill me. Then Alexander suddenly pushed me out of her path. I watched in horror as Satania and Alexander tumbled into the lava pool, to their untimely ends. For as they disappeared beneath the boiling hot bubbling lava. I knew, somehow, that they would perish forever. |
| I panicked. I was suddenly alone in Hell, and I didn't want to hang around to become more familiar with the place. So I just ran, suddenly I saw Alexanders boat. I ran up the ramp. As if they were almost programmed to do it, the crew started rowing. I glanced and realised that they weren't demons at all, but zombies. I tried to ignore my terror as we sped along the blood red lava river. I was so lost in my thoughts that it was only when the boat jolted to a halt that I realised we had arrived back under the house. |
| I ran off the boat and up the stairs towards the cellar. As I was making my way through the cellar towards the door. I noticed a steel case, usually used for transporting top secret information or expensive property. Intrigued, I tried to open the case, but it was locked. Then it struck me. I turned the number dials to read 1897, the year in which 'Dracula' was first published. As I lifted the lid, a wave of dizziness overwhelmed me. I looked at the vial which I had removed from the case. It contained what looked to me like water. Then I realised that it must be holy water. Slipping it into the pocket of my cloak, I continued to make my way out of the cellar to the main part of the house. |
| As I was about to go out of the front door, I checked my bag. I'm not sure if it was out of habit, or if some strange instinct made me do it. But I checked, and to my amazement saw that my false fangs were in there, along with my choker, which I was sure I'd dropped in the room. |
| I walked out into the cool night air and set off towards the wood. The wood where Simon had shown me which plants were useful for particular things. All the memories came flooding back as I wound my way through the trees towards the pool on top of the hill. I'm still not sure why I went there. It was almost as if some force were guiding me. As I walked, I realised that my watch seemed to have magically reappeared on my wrist. I knew from the time that dawn would be in a couple of hours, so I figured that I may as well enjoy the beauty of the world while I was could. |
| As I sat there thinking, I realised that the ceremony had shown me that this life of evil wasn't for me. I intended to drink the holy water at sunrise, striking two weaknesses at once. I made up my mind to enjoy this dawn. I didn't expect that I'd ever see another one. |
| As the minutes ticked away. I found myself thinking about my life and what it had meant. I came to the conclusion that it didn't seem to be quite finished, and now I'd never have the chance to finish it. |
| In the East I saw the sky beginning to brighten. I took the vial from my pocket and prepared to end my existence on this planet. As the sun peeked it's first over the horizon, I glanced one last time at the reflection of the full moon in the pool, then I drank the holy water and watched the sun come up. |
| I think that I was expecting myself to crumble to ashes, but instead I suddenly felt very sleepy. So I simply lay on the ground and fell to sleep. |
| My sleep was troubled. I had nightmares in which angels and demons battled for my soul. Eventually the angels won and my sleep became much more restful and peaceful with dreams of idyllic beaches with calm seas and a pleasantly warm sun, or of fields, full of flowers. |
| I awoke to find people looking over me. My parents, some doctors and nurses. They asked what had happened to me, where I'd been. I couldn't tell them. They would have had me certified insane before I'd known where I was. So I said that I couldn't remember. That we'd decided to go for a late night ride through the woods, but the horses had become agitated and I'd gotten thrown off. They told me that Simon and Claire were dead. I had to pretend to be shocked. They may have gotten suspicious otherwise. I asked them to leave me alone. That I needed time to think, which I did. I realised that the combination of the full moon, the pool, the holy water and the sunrise had somehow reversed my transformation. That I was again mortal |
| I never suffered any lasting effects. Sometimes I wasn't even sure if it had happened, that it wasn't all just a dream. But then I thought of Simon and Claire, and then there was the vial, and my teeth are still slightly pointed. I've also gone off meat. I'm a total vegetarian now. |
| I don't know if writing this story down will do any good. But if it helps someone to avoid suffering the same fate that my friends did, and the fate I myself nearly suffered. Then I believe that it will all have been worth it. |
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