AS LANG/LIT
CONTINUATION OF BRAM STOKER'S 'DRACULA'
Matt Craddock
LETTER (BY HAND) TO VAN HELSING FROM MRS. HARKER
My dear Doctor-
It has been too long since we have spoken, which has disappointed me. I have read such adventures as ours; the affliction of the Count, and horrific as they have been, it has been said they form bonds alike to man and wife. Perhaps this is true only amongst men, but otherwise, I have been saddened by our lack of correspondence since your visit on meeting our boy. We have a daughter who is yet to thank you for her life, for without you she would have none, nor her parents.
It is therefore with two motives I write you now.
You must return to us, here in England. No doubt your work fills many hours of the week, and I would only ask this of you in desperation. Arthur leaves Lady Godalming and little Lucy for London tonight, and Jonathan has been sent for. He has worked along the East of the Americas, gone for near a month and three weeks now.
If I am honest, I must tell you this pleases me. I am apologetic that I ask this of you yet pray Jonathan not return as yet, but I am with child; our third. I am two months nearly gone, and I fear for this infant. Jonathan has not to know it yet, although he has been informed. I myself only was sure a week gone, and wrote him a letter in the hour. We must await his reply with much anticipation; in fact, I find myself smiling as I write this, in spite of times.
He knows little of my fears as of yet. I can hardly bring myself to write these next few words, and have found myself thinking of poor Lucy, and Mr. Holmwood, each day of late; I swear, it is the Gordian knot, though I know not what bold stroke might fix this.
I have not long to write this now; post leaves at noon for Amsterdam, and I wish you aware as soon as able. Arthur arrives at Kings Cross at half past the hour, and has agreed to meet with me at his platform.
I leave this letter now. Attached is a collection of terrible news, which I have spent the fortnight gathering, and, as far as I am capable of, confirmed. I trust you will understand. I have yet to meet a man so smart as yourself; this is why, and I pray the only occasion, that I ask of a friend to enter peril on my behalf. I have never forgotten the bravery of those who were once my men, and am loath to do as I must.
These clippings hold all that I know. After the tragedy upon the Heath those many years ago, we would be fools to merely ignore all that we have witnessed, and all that now unfolds. I pray you understand that it is not my will to disturb the graves of friends for the sake of conspiracy.
I apologize again and a thousand times over, and wish that at least this news finds you well.
Make haste, Doctor. You have my thanks, and all blessings on you. On us all, now.
Yours,
Mina Harker
P.S. I know little of your present association with Dr. Seward. He has however received copies of the below articles, and responded to inform you his diary in phonograph form ought to reach you shortly. I am yet to lay my hands on those, although from his brief report in letter it appears patients of the asylum are somewhat out of sorts – even for his lunatics. We remember Renfield.
THE WHITBY GAZETTE, 23 AUGUST
Lives Remembered
OBITUARY
TRAGIC DEATH OF LOCAL YOUTH
With our condolences, we regretfully must inform the community of the death of one Abigail Hindle. At fourteen years of age, father Mr. Christopher Hindle and daughter 'Abby' had recently emigrated from the London Borough of Hampstead Heath, and it is with much sadness we report of her passing.
Abigail fell close to death several years previously due to illness unknown, and recently exhibited similar symptoms before passing away on Thursday gone.
Her mother had accordingly passed of a similar blight soon after childbirth, many years previously. The family move was due to unspecified circumstances, and Abigail had begun to attend local functions hardly a week earlier at the town hall, when she was reported to have returned home prior to the finish, faint. Residents of the Bay remember her, however brief their interaction with Abigail, as a zealous girl, a devout Christian and delightful spirit. Doctor Vincent of the Heath will attend to her autopsy Tuesday.
Our commiserations are with Mr. Hindle throughout his mourning.
THE WESTMINSTER GAZETTE, 21 SEPTEMBER
Extra Special
THE HAMPSTEAD HORROR RETURNS TO THE HEATH
MORE CHILDREN INJURED ON ANNIVERSARY OF BLOOFER LADY
We have received intelligence of yet another victim in a series of reported assaults across the heath; a chain of attacks in equal abhorrence and intrigue as the recent deaths at the ethereal hands of the elusive “White Woman of Whitby.”
The neighbourhood of Hampstead inevitably draws comparison to the September of 1897. Our cartoonists have taken reign of the theory; the once parodied 'Bloofer Lady' has returned, and on her anniversary no less.
Over half the week, police have once again had dealings with numerous all-to familiar incidents, involving several local children straying from their homes. Always past dinner, the children are discovered missing each night after dark, sharing the familiar excuse of a visitation. They each excuse themselves with the alibi of a young woman leading them astray from their beds for several hours, as our readers will unfortunately recall, found early the following morning. And once again, little is known of the time these children wander alone, all too young to sensibly recall their outings.
Each however, on interviewing, states the familiar title of a bloofer lady. All are found without company at dawn, and fail to recount their abduction in detail.
As during her initial appearance, the children have taken to gossiping the phrase, and play the renowned imitation of her visit often - imagining one of their own the lady, and another feigning her victim.
Several of these children found missing were in fact disappeared on her original spree. More to the concern of the police of our division, slight tears on the throat have appeared whilst they out, and the victims ascertained emaciated. A correspondent notes that the rate of incident appears to have upped. All reports of straying animals or peculiar sightings are in want of police attention at present.
