#although I don't see how you have the experiences that Jonathan Harker had and don't convert to Catholicism

[astrangergivingthestrangewelcome]

Rip to Jonathan Harker you would have LOVED the Anglican Rosary

[canary0]

Aug 15th - Dracula 2023

Jonathan Harker's Diary

After we saw that bat in the window the night after our wedding, I've been feeling better. Unsurprising that he would come after me again - draw out whatever joy he gets in my torment. Mina and I have done what we can to try and protect more of the house, but it's hard to work around Lucy's mother. She's quite religious, and sees things like crucifixes as idolatrous, and worse (to her), Catholic. Working with the limited knowledge we have is making protecting ourselves difficult, and all of us know that he's here somewhere.

Lucy's mother doesn't, but between clearly having some intense levels of anxiety and a heart condition, it could genuinely be as dangerous to her health to tell her as not. Considering she believes that sleepwalkers throw themselves off cliffs and was nervous about Lucy getting vaccinated during COVID, we decided probably less is better in her particular case.

We've all (that is, Lucy, Mina, and I) been talking with Quincey and Jack about the situation. Dr. Seward in particular didn't quite believe us at first. We showed him my journal, and while he was still disbelieving afterward, it wasn't me he disbelieved so much as whether the experiences that he believes that I have were supernatural in origin. Admittedly, I can think of ways it could be done, but not a lot without electricity. He did agree with that.

Eventually, he said that he knew someone who could help, a multi-disciplinary scientist of his acquaintance by the name of Van Helsing. Dr. Stankiewicz will be arriving soon, as well. She couldn't make it to the wedding due to work, but the hospital has virtually forced her to take a vacation, so she's taking the offer up to visit, at least.

Between a man who apparently has published a paper on just about every subject you can think of and a medical doctor from the Count's region of origin, perhaps we'll have some concrete steps to take soon.

In the mean time, I have been spending a great deal of time on the internet and in Whitby's library. The town isn't huge, and the library matches its scale, but it has some resources, and that's more than we have on hand.

---

Mina Harker's Diary

I'm writing quite late tonight - I think it must be the wee hours of the morning, though I don't really want to check my phone at the moment to see just how late it is.

I am growing worried for Lucy again. She's been sleepwalking quite a bit lately, wandering around her room in just her nightclothes, trying the door and window over and over again. I've been listening to her each night lately. She is quite energetic during the day, which feels quite surprising given her level of activity at night, but I wonder if part of it is having an interesting project to work on to distract herself from Arthur's absence. She's been quite thoroughly throwing herself into our situation.

However, I think we both must have fallen asleep last night, because Lucy managed to get herself out of the room tonight. I woke with a start after I realized I had fallen asleep and got up as soon as I realized I wasn't hearing anything from the next room.

I unlocked the door only to find the window open. The window, of all places!

I ran out of the house... admittedly, completely forgetting to wake Jonathan in my panic. I only remembered how important it was for all of us not to be alone after it was all over.

I hurried out into the streets and across the bridge over the River Esk, looking around in a panic in the form of Lucy. It made it more difficult, not knowing what she might have dressed herself in... although it turned out, not as difficult as I thought. She hadn't changed, as it turned out. I saw a form in the moonlight lying prone on our seat up in the graveyard. Someone was nearby, maybe close to her. It was hard to tell from so far away, but I ran over to her as fast as my legs would carry me in my pajamas, a pair of sneakers, and a housecoat.

The figure left before I arrived - I wonder if they must have seen me tearing toward them at full speed. The figure was indeed Lucy, thankfully.

I shook her awake as gently as I could and still get her there. She was still sleepy and disoriented. I gave her the housecoat. Despite it being summer, the late nights are still chilly enough for me to worry for her, especially with bare feet, too.

I got her back into bed and closed up the window, but there was only a latch rather than a proper lock. I shall have to speak with Mrs. Westenra about getting one installed. She will likely be amenable, given her worries about sleepwalkers and roofs and cliffs and whatnot.

I am honestly not sure how Lucy managed to get down from the window, but her limbs are uninjured, at least.

It's time for me to get some sleep. The danger has already taken place, and Lucy always sleeps soundly after one sleepwalking incident.

(A/N: I promised and I did it! Go me! I'm so tired. Time for me to go to sleep. Fortunately, I only talk in my sleep. XD)