For Better Or For Much Worse

While Dracula may write in his journal to muse about lessons learned or setbacks he may have endured, at times he'll write about his sadistic manipulations of and triumphs over we humans whom he holds in such contempt. Reading over such entries, you can't help but get a sense of Dracula's amusement at our predictability, and how easy we are to entrap. We could almost admire his canniness, if it didn't present such a deadly danger to us.

Take Vinnie, out hunting bats in the English countryside. It's not often you hear of hunters who hunt bats, particularly for trophies--how often do you see bats mounted on a hunter's wall? But the question will soon be moot in Vinnie's case, when, in choosing his latest target, he unknowingly becomes the hunted.

You can almost hear Dracula chuckling at Vinnie's ignorance of just what he's hoisted over his shoulder. But it seems Dracula's threshold for amusement with this diversion has been reached--and, rifle or no rifle, Vinnie is going to suffer this night for his presumption at his treatment of the Lord of Vampires.

Attaboy, Vinnie! Armed, you're a match for any crazed lunatic who tries to jump you at night.

Unless your target keeps advancing on you.

There's no way Vinnie could immediately comprehend Dracula's parting words, so for an instant he may be under the impression that he's home free. But like a cat with a mouse, Dracula is toying with him--and Vinnie would be wise to heed Dracula's instructions, and run like the wind.

In Dracula's encounters with humans whose petty concerns mean little to nothing to him, his journal notations at times reveal him to be a fair judge of character--having grudging admiration for some, while regarding others as a waste of space. Richard and his wife, Kitty, taking a drive in the night, appear to fall into the latter category, as Dracula reflects on the loss of sanctity in present-day marriages. Tonight, we'll see that sanctity is the last thing on Richard's mind.

But while Kitty likely feels a tightness in her chest as Richard's meaning and intent become crystal clear, Dracula, watching this scene play out, feels a sadistic opportunity taking shape.

If it's difficult for you to see how Kitty's death could gain her revenge for her, well, you're not thinking like a vampire, are you? As for Richard, well, with Kitty out of the way, he and his mistress, Cindy, have some hot and heavy celebrating to do. And given that Cindy would rather not know how Richard dealt with Kitty, these two seem like a match made in heaven; but as Dracula's plan reaches fruition, they can look forward to spending eternity in a more southern locale.

Where Dracula is concerned, it's not likely the man is ever going to have writer's block, is it.