#seward summary

provided nothing else hits me in the head with a metaphorical (or literal, for that matter) suitcase

but renfield's storyline is complete so i feel a bit better about delays! Seward is still, you know, a guy who owns an insane asylum in victorian times, so he's still kind of got that particular lens he's looking at the world through, but like. hou get what i mean.

It is now 1:43 in the morning, i've had my break, and I am committed to getting this out before the next email, so help me blob.

WARNINGS: violence

They are waiting for Quincey and Arthur to return. In the meantime, Van Helsing is trying to keep their minds busy. Mostly this is for Jonathan's sake, as he's been through a lot and has the white hair and haggard look to show for it.

Jonathan is very energetic, though, his passion might see him through to better days.

Van Helsing tells them about how he's been studying. He is more sure than ever that they need to kill Dracula, because in life the Count was an incredible man. He was brave and noble and, above all else, extremely intelligent and learned, and that intelligence survived his becoming a vampire. However, in some ways he's still comparable to a child, but he is learning and growing and experimenting to gain more command.

Jonathan wants to know what he means. Van Helsing explains that there was much about his abilities Dracula seemed not to know, but he is testing his limits. For example, using Renfield. Another example, he initially hired people to move his boxes of dirt, but then tried to help and found he could in fact move them alone. This is good for him because he can scatter them more discreetly, and only he will know where they are. He is immortal, he can take his time and do everything right.

The knowledge about the boxes comes too late to help the Count, though. If he'd tried sooner he'd be well beyond their reach by now, but as it is they've made all but one of his boxes unusable. Van Helsing expects to reach that one very soon, too, as they have more to lose and so ought to be more careful than Dracula.

Van Helsing expects Quincey and Arthur back soon, but the near-immediate knock on the door is a telegram. Van Helsing accepts it. It's from Mina, she warns them to watch out for Dracula as he hurriedly left Carfax and went south, possibly looking for them.

Jonathan is pleased, because he is very eager to meet the Count again. For murder purposes.

Van Helsing makes an effort to calm and placate Jonathan. They have to hope Quincey and Arthur get back here before Dracula does. They do, and Van Helsing fills them in. He also deduces Dracula's route from Carfax to here as being the longest possible.

They prepare their armaments as they hear a key in the lock. Quincey quickly puts together a strategy and without a word directs all of them, and they all fall into line with ease as this has become habit. Dracula's entry made clear he expected an unpleasant surprise.

The Count leaps into the room, to the surprise of all. Jonathan is first to act, blocking the door. The rest gather round. While Seward is busy questioning what, exactly, they're going to do, and whether or not their equipment will work, Jonathan pulls out a big kukri knife and goes for the kill. Dracula dodges back.

The knife misses the man but cuts his pocket and a bunch of money falls out. Jonathan raises the knife again as Seward advances with communion wafer and crucifix; Dracula cowers back.

They have him surrounded, but suddenly Dracula ducks under Jonathan's arm, grabbing a handful of the money on the way, runs across the room, and flings himself out a window.

They all run to see the Count run across the way to the stable. At the door he turns to give a villain speech about how he's only just begun, he has centuries on his side, and all the girls they love belong to him already and will spread his influence. Additionally, he has more places to rest than what they've destroyed.

He vanishes into the stable. The group determines they'll have no luck following. Van Helsing speaks up, to explain that clearly, Dracula is afraid. Why else would he move so fast and take the money? He tells them to follow as hunters while he makes sure nothing left here will aid the Count.

Van Helsing takes the remaining money and the deeds to properties, and then burns everything else int he fireplace.

The younger men all followed Dracula into the yard, Jonathan having gone out the same window, but he'd bolted the stable door and it was too late by the time they got it open. Nobody around had seen where he'd gone, either.

They determine to go back to Mina to protect her. There's only one more box of dirt to focus on finding. Jonathan is miserable about this.

Mina is in good spirits or at least putting on a good show. They have supper together, food and companionship do everyone good, then they fill Mina in on the day's events.

Seward feels some resentment, and imagines he is not the only one to do so among them, toward God for rejecting Mina despite her goodness and strength.

Mina acknowledges that the group is bent on destruction, but it isn't out of malice. They work to free the souls whose bodies they destroy. So, she asks them to pity the Count, and not hate him, because imagine the joy of the real him when they kill vampire him.

Jonathan's not too happy about that, and says he'd condemn Dracula to hell even after they slay him, if he could. Mina doesn't like that, and explains that she's asking that because all she's been able to think about today is that if she turns, she could be in Dracula's position. Some other group of intrepid vampire hunters may have cause to hate her, and she hopes they could take that kind of pity on her.

However, she also knows he didn't really think that through - he's suffering and stressed and loves her deeply. His hatred toward the Count is currently driven by his love for her.

Everyone in the group cries. Van Helsing beckons Seward, Quincey, and Arthur out of the room, to give the lovers time alone.

Before bed, Van Helsing wards the Harkers' room against vampires. He gives them a bell to ring if there's an emergency. Seward, Arthur, and Quincey divide the night into watch shifts, Quincey first and Seward last. All too bed.

OKAY man I was really prepared for there to be more parts but I got through! Today's entry just has one more segment from Jonathan, but it's a far more reasonable length.

So. This is the dreaded 50-page entry, and I've struggled to even get started. I... I think I'm going to have to take this in chunks, guys, I'm really sorry I can't manage the marathon. It is 9:38 pm as I am writing this. I'm multitasking a bit, but let's see where I am at midnight.

WARNINGS: severe injury, blood, medical procedure, death, murder, vampire attack, aftermath of a deeply traumatic event

Seward begins with saying he must put down ever detail he can remember with absolute calmness.

He went to Renfield's room and found him, severely injured in a pool of blood on the floor. He had many injuries, particularly to the face, which seemed to be the main source of the blood.

The attendant reports that Renfield's back is broken, but cannot figure out how both that and the face injuries could have happened. He operates on the assumption Renfield was alone.

Seward sends the attendant to fetch Van Helsing immediately. He comes, gathers the gist of the situation, leaves to get dressed, and returns with his doctor's tools.

They send the attendant away as they prepare to operate. Inspection discovers the facial wounds are not the most serious injury, a severe head wound is. There is damage in the brain. They have to work very quickly.

Quincey and Arthur turn up, too. Arthur has a bad feeling. They sit on the bed as the doctors work. They have to take some time to find the best spot to operate. The tension as they wait is intense, and it's clear Renfield is dying. Van Helsing is adamant that they need to hear whatever he might be able to say.

Van Helsing performs surgery. Renfield comes to, though seems unaware of what's going on. He says he's had a terrible dream. Van Helsing tells him to tell them about it.

They get him some water and brandy, and in the time that takes Renfield comes back to reality a bit more. He's aware it really happened. Quincey and Arthur's presence reminds him of something.

Renfield is very aware that he will die shortly. He has something vital to say before he does. He speaks of the other day, when he begged to go home and was refused, and how there was something he could not talk about.

After that, he'd been in despair for hours, but then calmed. A man came to the window as mist, and evidently had before but less real. Renfield didn't ask him in yet, though he knew that was what he wanted.

Then the man started promising him many, many lives to consume, by summoning multitudes of animals. He promised this through the ages, if Renfield followed and worshipped him.

Before Renfield knew it he was opening the window and inviting the man in. He entered as mist.

Seward has to revive Renfield with brandy again, and he skips a bit of the story. Van Helsing is fine with this, doubts Renfield could go back or continue if made to.

Renfield waited all day for the man but got nothing. After moonrise he returned, came in without invitation or knock, as if he could do whatever he pleased. Renfield was very angry with him, and noted he smelled different. Renfield had almost thought Mina was there.

All four men listen closely. Renfield mentions Mina came to see him and was different, ill, anemic. He figured out that the man he'd invited in had taken her blood.

When the man came again tonight, Renfield was ready. He grabbed hold with all the strength he could muster, but it wasn't enough. The man flung him around and dissolved his strength. The mist slipped away under the door.

Renfield weakens and Van Helsing stands. he bids the others fetch the same weapons they took to Carfax; his own tools never leave him. They may not be too late to stop the Count tonight.

They pause only briefly before breaking into the Harkers' room. They have to break the door down.

Jonathan is lying still on the bed, breathing heavily and unable to wake. Mina is kneeling on the bed, held by the Count. He's pulling her arms out away from her with one hand while using the other to force her face to his chest, forcing her to drink from an open wound.

He throws Mina back onto the bed to leap to attack. Van Helsing drives him back with the communion wafers. They are able to cow him with their crucifixes held out.

A cloud passes over the moon and by the time they get another light, he's disappearing as a vapor under the door. The men move to tend the Harkers.

Mina screams. She takes a long moment to process what happened, and then begins wailing into her hands. Van Helsing covers her, Arthur flees the room, and Van Helsing works to revive Jonathan from the Cunt's hypnosis.

Seward opens the window and sees Quincey running and hiding behind a tree in the moonlight.

Jonathan revives and starts up suddenly. Mina's first instinct is to move to hold him, but she stops herself and puts her face back in her hands.

Jonathan is alive with activity, questioning what's happened and figuring it out in the span of a few sentences. He begs for God and Van Helsing to help Mina, while dressing himself to hunt for the Count.

Mina grabs hold to stop him, and cries out that she's been through enough tonight without fearing for his safety.

Seward and Van Helsing try to calm and reassure them both. Van Helsing gives Mina his little crucifix, and tells her it will protect her. They need to discuss, but she's safe for the moment.

Mina panics again at the sight of the blood her mouth and throat wounds left on Jonathan's clothes, declaring herself unclean and that she can't be near him, that she's his enemy.

Jonathan is having none of this. He holds her close and declares that he'll never let anything come between them. She cries, and he waits until she begins calming.

Jonathan is passionate and resolute but still gently holding Mina, as Seward tells him everything he missed. Arthur and Quincey return as he finishes.

Arthur checked through the asylum and didn't find Dracula, but did find that he'd been to the study and burned their manuscripts and Seward's phonograph cylinders. Seward remarks, thank goodness the other copy was in a safe. Arthur also looked in on Renfield, and the man is dead.

Seward feels Arthur is keeping something to himself, but must have a reason for it. Quincey, for his part, went outside to see where Dracula would go after leaving. He saw a bat fly westward from Renfield's room - decidedly not toward Carfax. Dawn is breaking, they're safe tonight.

A moment of silence, before Van Helsing asks Mina to tell them her account of everything that happened. They need to work very quickly now, and need to know everything. She takes a little time to steady herself and organize her thoughts.

She took the sleeping draught, but it didn't work and she grew very anxious. She breaks to ask Jonathan to be her anchor as she gets through this, then continues - she set herself to sleeping since the medicine didn't work on its own, and promptly lost consciousness.

Next thing she remembers, Jonathan was next to her and the room was filling with mist as it had before. She wrote about that in her diary, she'll show it to them later. She was alarmed by the feeling that she wasn't alone, and tried and failed to wake Jonathan.

She then saw the Count beside her. She would have screamed, but was paralyzed. He then threatened to kill Jonathan gruesomely if she made any noise. He told her this is at least the third time he's drank from her, which she was confused by, and then he proceeded to feed.

She then describes how he told her she must be punished for helping them work against him. He'd get to the rest of the group, in time, but for now she'll be his servant and helper, and do as he bids. To that end, he fed her his blood.

She's in deep despair and shock, still over everything. Understandably.

The sun is rising. By it's light, Seward sees Jonathan's hair has turned white. They arrange for the Harkers not to be alone while they figure out their next moves.

Hey we get a nice big chunk of Jonathan's journal next! There IS more Seward later but this actually makes a pretty good stopping point for this part of the Summary. It's not midnight yet. But that was also, A Lot, I'm taking a break.