Harker

The Lawyer, Johnathan Harker has fallen and lies prone, weak and enfeebled upon the ramparts of Castle Dracula, 

unable to move, and barely able to speak -- 

He is Dying.

HARKER :

Spare me. 

DRACULA :

How? 

LAUGHS

DRACULA :

Answer me. Johnny, "How?"

How do I spare you? 

[ Meanwhile, back in The Present -- ]

VAN HELSING :

How indeed, Mr Harker? 

Mr Harker? Mr Harker... 

...you were about to explain 

How You escaped from The Castle. 

HARKER :

Yes. Y-you've read My Account. 

VAN HELSING :

Yes. Perhaps it will help to refresh your memory. 

(She shows him the ledger, and 

he reads, with growing alarm.)

"Dracula Will be Served." 

What is this? 

"Dracula is My Master." 

"Dracula Will be obeyed. Dra... 

"Dracula is the beginning and the end. 

"Dracula is all things. Dracula is God." 

What? I-I didn't write this. 

VAN HELSING :

When you were first brought here, 

you asked for a pen and paper. 

You were up all day and all night, 

and this is what you wrote. 

HARKER :

No, no, no, no, no. 

I-I thought I'd... 

VAN HELSING :

You thought you'd written an account of your stay at Castle Dracula. 

The only account you've given is the account you're giving right now. 

It's time to finish your story. 

DRACULA: 

Johnny, how? 

How do I spare you? How? 

HARKER :

(weakly)

Let me go. 

DRACULA :

You know why I'm going to England. 

You know that I'm going to kill people. 

A lot of them. As many as I need -- 

And perhaps even more...

HARKER :

But... 

(COUGHS)

..I won't... 

DRACULA :

You won't what? 

Oh, you won't tell anyone about me? 

Or try to stop me? 

You'll just let me slaughter all those innocents, 

No Questions Asked? 

LAUGHS 

Some lawyer you turned out to be, Johnny! 

HARKER :

I promise. I...I swe... 

I...I swear. I... I... I swear. 

DRACULA :

All right, then. Do that. 

HARKER :

(gasping) 

What? 

DRACULA :

Swear. 

I'm going to England to destroy everything and everyone you love, 

but if you give me Your Word that you won't try to stop me... 

..I'll spare you. 

HARKER :

It's a trick. 

DRACULA :

Give me Your Word. 

HARKER :

SOBBING: 

No... You're going to kill me anyway. 

DRACULA :

Look me in the eye 

and give me Your Word. 

HARKER :

Count Dracula... 

..I give you My Word. 

If you let me out of this place... 

..if you let me live... ..then I... 

..then I will do everything in My Power to Stop You. 

DRACULA :

Quite right. 

That's My Johnny. 

Welcome to The Mountaintop. 

BONES CRUNCH 

Back in The Present :

HARKER :

I'm not breathing....

VAN HELSING : 

Sometimes you do, but I think it's mostly habit. 

You have no heartbeat, either. 

HARKER :

I'm Dead. 

VAN HELSING :

Undead. But apparently, not yet a vampire. 

One must cling on to any good news that there is. 

WOLF HOWLS IN THE DISTANCE 

HARKER :

I Do Not Serve Dracula. 

VAN HELSING :

No, but he's in Your Mind. 

The Question is, 

Why are you not in one of His Boxes? 

HARKER :

I don't know. 

VAN HELSING :

It's not something one ever anticipates asking, but 

What Happened AFTER You were Murdered? 

[ Back at Castle Dracula : ]

DRACULA :

Oh, my goodness, that was quick. 

WHEEZES AND GASPS 

DRACULA :

Johnny, Johnny, Johnny... 

Usually, people have a lie-down first. 

GASPS 

DRACULA CHUCKLES 

You're going to be a lively one, aren't you? 

You came back so quickly. 

That was impressive. 

You even have the beginnings of 

a Will of Your Own. 

None of the others have much beyond Hunger, 

but look at you go! 

Well, don't you see? 

This changes everything. 

Stay. Stay! You could be 

My Finest Bride. 

The others just became beasts, 

but you've kept Your Spirit.

Johnny, You're Like Me. 

HARKER :

I am not Like You! 

PIERCING SCREAM SCREAMING CONTINUES SCREAMING ECHOES 

[ Back in The Present, again. ]

HARKER :

That's everything. 

That's... That's all I remember. 

VAN HELSING :

But why did he scream? 

What did you do? 

HARKER :

Nothing, I did nothing. 

I... I looked at him, and the next thing I remember was that I was here. 

VAN HELSING :

Oh, yes, yes, never mind that. 

We know what happened next. 

HARKER :

No, I... I don't... I don't remember. 

The River bore you out to sea, 

and the fishermen found you, caught in their net.

A drowned man walking and talking arouses a certain amount of curiosity, and you were brought to me, 

babbling of a girl called Mina whose face you had forgotten 

and an evil count who had stolen your soul. 

HARKER :

Why was I brought to you? 

VAN HELSING :

I am known to have some expertise in the realm of witchcraft and the occult. 

HARKER :

You're a nun! 

VAN HELSING :

We can discuss my imperfectly-suppressed fascination with everything Dark and Evil another time. 

For now, we will focus on why Dracula screamed. 

HARKER SIGHS 

VAN HELSING :

You were facing The Sun! 

Yes. I have sought to find God all My Life, 

and never found a sign of Him anywhere. 

Why now? 

Why you? Why him? 

HARKER :

I don't understand. 

VAN HELSING :

Then, think! 

Count Dracula fears The Cross. 

He fears the symbol of our Lord. 

HARKER :

The Girl didn't. 

VAN HELSING :

Never mind The Girl. 

She was nothing. 

Dracula, Prince among Vampires, fears The Cross. 

Do you understand what that means? 

HARKER :

No. Tell me. 

VAN HELSING :

God is Real. 

God is real, and I've found him at last. 

HARKER :

You have found The Devil. 

VAN HELSING :

If it takes the Devil to bring me to My Lord, then I say, 

"Bring on the Devil!" 

HARKER :

(SCOFFS)

I don't! 

VAN HELSING :

And why not? 

God saved you for a reason, don't you think? 

HARKER :

I'm not Saved! I'm Nothing. 

VAN HELSING :

Would Mina think that? 

HARKER :

If she could see me, yes, she would. 

Look at me. I can't even remember Her Face. 

VAN HELSING :

Yes. I think you have proven that to our satisfaction. 

SISTER ANGELA 

WEEPS 

VAN HELSING :

Mr Harker, I apologise for the deception. 

It was necessary she heard the story from your own lips. 

You may have forgotten your fiancee's face... 

....but I have not lost you yet.