Dracula: A Retelling ✔️

Come to Die

The next day I go to classes, and I stay behind so I could put everything away so it could be ready for the next class in the morning, as it is my job to do as the Professor's assistant. He allowed me to continue as his assistant, but I haven't been left alone in his office since the day I got caught, there was always somebody around.

Tonight was the first time that I was completely alone. When I know no one will disturb me I find the hidden key to the laboratory and open the door, only to be surprised to see it vacant. Everything had been striped away, all the books, materials and specially all the samples from the mysterious substance. I look around the office trying to see if he had hidden it somewhere in the office but I can't find anything. When I was ready to give up I notice an irregularity in one of the wall's panels near the floor. I take a closer look and notice that it comes out.

Carefully I take off the panel and look inside, smiling in happiness when I see the jars and the samples I was looking for all put away together in this hiding spot. I was just about ready to take one out when I hear the sound of a door opening and someone approaching. I put the panel back on the wall and get up pretending to be busy with something else. I look at the intruder and see that it's my father.

"Father, what are you doing?" I ask him shutting the door of the office behind me.

"I've come to grab you away." he says putting down his coat and gloves on the table. "I don't work this late and I actually am a physician." he jokes

"I just... I have a few more things..." I try to explain wanting more time to look at the substance considering it could be a while since I get another opportunity to be alone such as this.

"Hiding here, avoiding me, avoiding everyone." he continues saying

"I'm not avoiding anyone." I protest

"Mina, let me speak." he begs patiently "What is the American to you?"

"He's...I don't know, I can't explain it, but..."

"But? Tell me, Mina." my father asks really interested in what I had to say.

"But Alexander...He exerts a kind of magnetic force. And no matter how hard I try, I can't...I sound like a fool."

"No, not at all." my father reassures me approaching me and taking my hand in his.

"I loved one woman in my life. But my path to your mother was hardly a straight line." he tells me "So I did the only possible thing when it comes to happiness. I followed my heart." he advises me "I saw you two dance, at the party and last night at the dance, and if you could see the look you have on your face when you look at him, or even when you talk about him...you love him Mina, and by the way Mr. Grayson looks at you I would say the feeling is reciprocated."

"I'm scared" I confess never having said it out loud before.

My father laughs quietly at my confession.

"Oh my darling, that's alright. Love is scary." he says squeezing my hand "That's how you know it means something."

He kisses my head gently and sends me to pick up my things, that I had enough of working tonight.

Perhaps my father was right and I was avoiding everyone by staying so many hours at university, but this was the only place I could be by myself and think only of the matters of science, it's in here that I distract myself when I need to stop thinking about something else that is bothering me. And it was in my class room, that I found myself reading a book when my silence was disturbed by Jonathan.

"Jonathan"I say surprised. We have not spoken since the day of the party.

"There was a time when you trusted me more than anything" he starts saying "I need you to trust me, at least one more time Mina."