Dracula Episode: September 18th

Cryptic Canticles presents Dracula

Episode Synopsis: A reporter for the Pall Mall Gazette investigates the case of a wolf that has escaped from the local zoo. She interviews Mr. Bilder, the zookeeper, to ask if he recalled anything suspicious surrounding the events. Mr. Bilder lays down some personal philosophy comparing the actions of humans and animals, and shares a few jokes with his wife before describing a man who had the animals upset the day before. Having described himself as being experienced with wolves, he brazenly petted Biserker, a ferocious-looking, but tame animal. That evening, Biserker was missing, and a zoo worker described seeing a large, grey dog through the bushes. As the reporter wraps up the interview, Biserker the wolf returns to Mr. Bilder's house. Dr. Seward realizes that he was supposed to be watching Lucy last night when a telegram arrives for him that should have been delivered the day before. He hurries to Lucy's house to check on her immediately. Van Helsing meets Seward shortly after he arrives to find no one to answer the door. The two break in through a window, and discover the four maids lying on the kitchen floor, having been drugged with laudanum. Seward and Van Helsing run upstairs and find Lucy's mother's body on the bed and Lucy near death. Seward wakes the maids who quickly draw a bath to warm Lucy back up again. Van Helsing and Seward agonize over how they can give Lucy more blood, depleted as they both are, when Quincey Morris, having arrived with a telegram from Arthur, steps in and donates his own blood for the necessary transfusion. Seward settles Quincey with a glass of wine. Van Helsing discovers a letter that dropped from Lucy while they were moving her into the tub, detailing the horrific events of the evening before. They decide to re-hide it in her bodice from whence it fell and not mention it when filling out Mrs. Westenra' death certificate, lest it create confusion. Quincy pulls Seward aside and asks him what could have drained Lucy of so much blood, recalling a vampire bat which once killed his favorite horse. Seward admits that he does not know, but he agrees to include Quincy in any and all further efforts to save Lucy's life. When Lucy finally awakes, she grieves for her dead mother. That night, Seward and Van Helsing are startled to discover her sitting up in her sleep, producing the paper from her bodice, and tearing it in half. Mina writes to Lucy telling her that Mr. Hawkins has died. The tragedy has impacted them both tremendously, but Jonathan in particular feels anxious about the responsibility that he must undertake in his work. Mina will try to visit Lucy when she and Jonathan are in London for Mr. Hawkins's funeral.

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