Workshop Wednesday

This is another slightly shorter section this time, but that's laregly due to the fact that we have a big section coming up next week and I didn't want to split it in two. In fact, with the way things are spacing out, we're looking at two to three more parts after this before the script is finished. We're just about done with table-setting here, and then it's on to the real action...

If you haven't already read the previous parts of this series, I'd recommend hitting that first before diving into this section.

Dracula: Part 9

FADE IN.

INT: CARFAX ABBEY, LUCY'S BEDROOM, NIGHT, DREAM.

We see LUCY asleep in her bed, once more. She tosses and turns for a bit before sitting up, the sheets falling away. She looks around, as if hearing a noise, then stands, grabbing her dressing gown, throwing it on. She moves to her window, seeing the fog playing along the manicured grounds outside.

EXT: CARFAX ABBEY, MANOR GROUNDS, NIGHT, DREAM.

Suddenly LUCY is out on the grounds, running barefoot across the grass, towards the mists. She arrives at a sitting spot, two benches near pond, and there lounges DRACULA, naked, as the mists pour off of him. LUCY walks up to him and he smiles, revealing his fangs. But instead of turning away, Lucy smiles back. He stands and comes to her, bringing his hands to her shoulders, pushing the dressing gown off until she's naked, too. They embrace, him kissing down her neck, before biting down, blood tricking out from his mouth.

LUCY exhales in ecstasy, quivering from the shock of it. She rubs her hands along his back, kneading his muscles, as he drains her life force. But then she gets a wicked look on her face. She opens her mouth to reveal her own fangs, and the she bits down on his flesh, feeding on his blood as he feeds on hers. She lets go and looks up, blood smeared across her face and trailing down her chin.

INT: CARFAX ABBEY, LUCY'S BEDROOM, NIGHT.

LUCY sits up in bed, a horrified look on her face. She clutches the sheets to her, and then one hand comes to her mouth, checking her teeth for fangs. She lays back, relieved... and then that wicked smile plays across her face for a moment before she looks shocked once more. Wide awake, she gets up, grabbing her dressing gown.

INT: CARFAX ABBEY, KITCHEN, NIGHT.

LUCY comes into the kitchen from the guest quarters. There she finds DRACULA, sitting at the table, picking his teeth with a bone, feet up. He has boots and pants on but is shirtless. He sees LUCY stop short when she spots him, and he smiles.

DRACULA:

Couldn't sleep?

LUCY shakes her head, uncertain of what to do.

LUCY:

You?

DRACULA:

At this point I hardly sleep at all.

He motions to a chair nearby

DRACULA:

Won't you sit?

LUCY:

I- I really should get back to bed.

DRACULA:

But you're up.

LUCY looks around.

LUCY:

I- I shouldn't.

DRACULA gets up.

DRACULA:

Well, if you change your mind, I'll be up for a while. I thought about maybe taking a walk around the grounds, if you're interested.

LUCY:

NO! I mean... no thank you. I should sleep.

DRACULA:

Pity. The grounds hold such... alluring attractions at night.

He walks past, trailing his hand along her shoulders, and she shudders. Just as he reaches the door out, he turns.

DRACULA:

You know, it surprises me that a woman of your age is not already married.

LUCY's head snaps around.

LUCY:

What?

DRACULA:

I would have assumed you'd have several suitors, two or three, vying for your affections.

LUCY:

I... just haven't thought about it, I guess. The last few months have been such interesting, and I guess I just don't know where my life is taking me.

DRACULA:

Well, speaking as a man of nobility who knows a thing or two about about this kind of arrangement, a fine girl such as yourself would make an excellent Bride.

He then turns and walks out, leaving her there to stare.

INT: UNIVERSITY MORGUE, MORNING.

ABRAHAM stands in the morgue, like he's in shock, the body of the DETECTIVE on a slab before him. The DETECTIVE's wound is a gaping, ragged mess. Two of the plain-clothes officers come in and all three stare at each other.

ABRAHAM:

We know what we have to do.

PLAINCLOTHES 1:

Are we sure we have to?

ABRAHAM:

You saw what she became. We don't want that to happen to the DETECTIVE.

PLAINCLOTHES 1:

Are you sure it will?

ABRAHAM:

We don't know. If he somehow got any of her blood in his mouth he could turn. We can't take that chance.

PLAINCLOTHES 1:

How do we explain it?

PLAINCLOTHES 2:

The murderer shown up, attacked us, our superior went down in the fight.

PLAINCLOTHES 1:

How do we explain that wound?

PLAINCLOTHES 2:

We burn the body. Contamination due to the disease spreading through the city.

ABRAHAM:

Then we are agreed.

PLAINCLOTHES 2 nods emphatically. PLAINCLOTHES 1 eventually does as well. ABRAHAM turns around, then comes back with a bone saw.

ABRAHAM:

Anyone want to say a prayer?

Then he plunges the saw towards the DETECTIVE's neck.

INT: CARFAX ABBEY, KITCHEN, MORNING.

LUCY comes into the kitchen once more, groggy and a bit disheveled. Drained, even. QUINCEY and ARTHUR are already in there, eating a hearty breakfast while they talk and read the paper. ARTHUR looks up with LUCY comes in, then gives her a look.

ARTHUR:

Rough night?

LUCY:

I didn't sleep well.

ARTHUR:

Due to anyone we know?

LUCY blushes.

LUCY:

Not like that!

ARTHUR:

No judgement here. Your cousin keeps me up most nights.

QUINCEY:

Doesn't she just.

LUCY looks at both of them, then blushes again. She sits down and grabs some bread.

ARTHUR:

So what was keeping you up?

LUCY looks down at her bread, picking at it.

LUCY:

I think the count... DRACULA... is courting me.

ARTHUR:

Him?

QUINCEY:

You?

LUCY:

What does that mean?

QUINCEY:

He's just... so much older than you.

ARTHUR:

You ever get the feeling like he's older than all of us. Something about his eyes...

QUINCEY:

Well, in maturity, everyone is older than you, dear friend.

ARTHUR:

Touche.

ARTHUR turns back to LUCY.

ARTHUR:

Are you interested in him, LUCY?

LUCY blushes again.

LUCY:

I mean... no. MINA would be upset, I think. But... when I think about him...

ARTHUR smiles.

ARTHUR:

Ah yes. I can see where this is going.

LUCY gives him a look.

LUCY:

It just... it wouldn't work.

ARTHUR:

He's caught your eye, though. Tall and dark and mysterious, from a foreign land.

LUCY:

I'm from a foreign land, remember?!

ARTHUR and QUINCEY laugh.

ARTHUR:

My mistake. You're a match made in Heaven.

LUCY:

What do I do?

QUINCEY:

Marry him and gain all his wealth. He's rich enough to make ARTHUR look like a pauper.

ARTHUR:

Now, there's no call for that. He just makes me look comfortably well off.

LUCY:

You think I should?

ARTHUR:

If he's really courting you? It wouldn't be a bad move. A girl of your station marrying up into nobility, that's quite the feat. You'll be the talk of London.

LUCY:

How do I know if he's really interested?

ARTHUR:

Well, the ball is tonight. The cooks and caterers and all the staff will be arriving shortly. I was going to arrange with them everything just the way MINA wants it. Which, since she left all this in my hands, is just the way I want it. But clearly I need to make some arrangements for you as well, my dear.

LUCY:

Like what?

ARTHUR gives her a big smile, stands up, grabs her by the arm, and drags her off with him.

INT: CARFAX ABBEY, BALLROOM, MORNING.

This is the start of a montage of the manor getting setup for the ball and banquet. We see servants rushing about, decorations being put up, food being prepared, furniture being arranged. And then there's a thread of ARTHUR and LUCY talking to some people, LUCY being dragged off. Scenes of her with fabrics and tailors are thrown in. Everything, from the manor, to the girl, all come together.

EXT: WHITBY ASYLUM, FRONT GATES, LATE AFTERNOON.

ABRAHAM pushes through the gates and heads to the main door of the asylum. As he pushes through we so a placard for the name of the building: Whitby Asylum for the Criminally Insane.

INT: WHITBY ASYLUM, FRONT HALL, LATE AFTERNOON.

ABRAHAM comes in to the building, finds it eerly quiet. There's no attendants around, and most of the doors in the building hang open, the lights dim or completely off.

ABRAHAM:

Hello? Dr. SEWARD?

ABRAHAM poked around the front area, looking for signs of life. Eventually, SEWARD comes out from a side hall. SEWARD is just tying a bow tie, getting ready for the party.

SEWARD:

Oh, ABRAHAM, this is most unexpected. Did we have an appointment?

ABRAHAM:

No, I just... I wanted to talk to you about something. Doctor to doctor.

SEWARD:

Of course, but can it not wait. You niece's ball will start shortly and we wouldn't want to be late.

ABRAHAM:

I don't think... Where is everyone?

SEWARD:

Now, doctor, you seem very stressed out. Could I maybe give you a little something to calm you? I have just the thing I give to my more troubled patients. Put you right at ease for tonight.

ABRAHAM looks around.

ABRAHAM:

You seem... different, doctor.

SEWARD:

Just looking forward to tonight. You should, too.

SEWARD grabs ABRAHAM by the arm and leads him back to the main doors.

SEWARD:

Now, just got back to where you're staying and get ready for the party. I'm sure there will be plenty of time after tonight's festivities to discuss whatever it is you wanted to talk about.

ABRAHAM:

But-

And the door is closed in the professor's face.

FADE OUT.

End of Part 9:

Oh yes, the party. I will admit that after I first had Minda tlak about throwing open the doors to the manor and inviting all of the gentry into the hall, I completely forgot about it. It was only when I went back through the script to get ideas that I remembered this plot detail that I'd dropped in and then promptly forgotten about. But now it's going to be the scene of quite the climax next week...

Things are about to get very interesting indeed.