Dracula (Can You Survive) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Dear Reader,

  How to Use This Book

  An Important Note

  Prologue: “Be a Better Person”

  1. The Road to Transylvania

  2. Castle Dracula

  3. Strange Happenings

  4. No Longer Alone

  5. Dracula’s Lair

  6. Fight or Flee

  7. Strangers and Friends

  8. Lucy’s Tomb

  9. In Search of Count Dracula

  10. The Carfax Estate

  11. Mina’s Misery

  12. In Pursuit of the Count

  13. Back in Transylvania

  Epilogue: A Better Choice

  Can You Survive These Titles?

  About Bram Stoker

  About His Book

  About the Author

  Dedication

  For my brothers, Jason and Scott

  Acknowledgements

  A special thanks to Karen Wadsworth and the folks at Media Masters Publicity.

  Edited by Dana Kuznar

  Cover art by Elizabeth Hurley

  Logos by Shane Nitzsche

  Author photo by Cheryl Rozek

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2012941105

  Copyright 2012 by Ryan Jacobson

  Published by Lake 7 Creative, LLC

  Minneapolis, MN 55412

  www.lake7creative.com

  All rights reserved

  ISBN: 978-0-9821187-8-8 (paperback)

  ISBN: 978-0-9883662-4-4 (ebook)

  Dear Reader,

  Do you like scary stories? I sure do. And vampire stories are some of the best. That’s why I chose to retell Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It’s one of my all-time favorite books, and it’s the novel that started the world’s vampire craze. In fact, Dracula is one of the most popular books ever written.

  Yes, Dracula is definitely a great book, and there’s only one thing better than reading a great book: Reading a great book where you make the choices! I’ve loved Choose Your Path books since I was in fifth grade, and I’m excited to share this adaptation with you now.

  Bram Stoker’s classic horror novel is full of life-or-death situations. I have taken great care to keep much of Stoker’s own writing intact. But please consider this book a shortened introduction to Dracula.

  When you reach a time in your life where it is appropriate for you to do so, I encourage you to read Dracula in its entirety. For now, I hope this version of the story will do.

  —Ryan Jacobson

  How to Use This Book

  As you read Bram Stoker’s Dracula, you will sometimes be asked to jump to a distant page. Please follow those instructions. Sometimes you will be asked to choose between two or more options. Decide which you feel is best, and go to the corresponding page. (But be careful; some options will lead to disaster.) Finally, if a page offers no instructions or choices, simply go to the next page.

  Your choices will always be located on their own separate page. This allows us to ensure that your choices appear together, with no page breaks in between.

  Enjoy the story, and good luck!

  An Important Note

  This ebook is best read by holding your eReader vertically, as shown above. It allows the book to be viewed one page at a time, rather than two. This helps to avoid any potential confusion, after making a choice, about which page to read next.

  Prologue: “Be a Better Person”

  You hate to admit it, but you’re a little scared. And why shouldn’t you be? This is definitely out of your comfort zone. Your parents are on one of their “be a better person” kicks, and this time they dragged you along for the ride—literally!

  Two weeks ago, they decided to donate a bunch of stuff to charity. They went through the entire house and filled seven boxes with things they don’t need anymore. Then they made you load the boxes into the back of their minivan. In case that wasn’t enough, your mom volunteered the whole family to serve lunch at a local homeless shelter.

  And here you are; today’s the day. Your parents went inside the shelter about twenty minutes ago, but you refused. There’s no way you’re going in there! You only came along because your parents promised to stop at the store on the way home. You’ve been saving up for the new Zombie Surfers video game, and you finally have enough to buy it.

  So for now, you sit alone in the back of the minivan, waiting for your misery to end. You close your eyes and try to imagine that you’re somewhere else—anywhere but here.

  That’s when you hear a jangle of hums and crashes. It seems to be coming from behind you. You twist around and look at the pile of cardboard boxes soon to be donated. From a box to your left, the peculiar sound rings loudly. You slide closer to it and pry open the flimsy box cover.

  The noise becomes instantly clearer. You hear screams, shouts, and the echoes of gunfire—sounds of an adventure. Yet there’s nothing inside that can explain the bizarre commotion. The box is full of crumbly, battered books: The Call of the Wild, Treasure Island, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and more. But the sounds seem to be coming from one book in particular: Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

  You’re afraid to guess what will happen if you pick up the book, yet you can’t help feeling curious. Could this be the thrill of a lifetime? Will it be dangerous? Is there a chance you’ll get hurt, or worse? You feel strangely certain that the answer is “yes” to all of the above.

  The sound begins to fade. Your instincts tell you it’s now or never. You must decide, and you must decide fast. Will you pick up the book, or will you leave it be? What will you choose to do? (Choices are on the next page.)

  Pick up the book.

  Leave the book alone.

  You hesitate for a moment, weighing your options. As the sound grows fainter, you decide that the risk is too great. You turn around and sit again, forgetting the boxes behind you.

  Almost at once, the peculiar noise fades to nothing. Thank goodness. You close your eyes and try to clear your mind. Some part of you, however, can’t help but wonder if you’ve just missed a rare opportunity—one that might have changed your life forever.

  “Oh, well,” you tell yourself. “It’s too late to think about that now.”

  You grumble, wishing your parents would hurry up and get back. It’s a selfish thought, and you know it. But why should you have to sit here and suffer? You haven’t done anything wrong. It’s not your fault they’re wasting their time, trying to be “better people.” You just want your video game and some time to play it.

  Your own problems are all that matter to you right now. And as long as you ignore the problems of others, your own problems are all that you will ever have.

  Try again.

  The decision is an easy one. Before the sound dies away, you quickly reach down and snatch the book from the box. It feels rough and flimsy.

  As you pull the book toward you, the sounds grow louder again. The book wiggles in your hands, and you stare at it, gathering your courage. You take a deep breath, squeeze each end of the book and yank it open.

  Your seat begins to spin. A wind starts to blow. The air grows black and cold. You feel your body being pulled downward. An invisible force pushes you closer to the pages before you. A sharp pain stabs at your forehead.

  And then, suddenly, everything is still.

  1. The Road to Transylvania

  Your name is Jonathan Harker, and the year is 1888. You are traveling through Europe, on your way to Transylvania. There, you will
meet a nobleman named Count Dracula. You will help him purchase a property in England.

  You miss your wife, Mina. You wish the two of you were together now, at your home in London. Without her company, you do not sleep well. You have all kinds of strange and terrible dreams. Yet, aside from that, your travels go well.

  When you get to the town of Bistritz, you find your way to the Golden Krone Hotel. A letter from the Count awaits you. You retreat to your room and read the note.

  My Friend,

  Welcome to the Carpathian Mountains. I am anxious to meet you. My carriage will meet you tomorrow at the Borgo Pass. Sleep well tonight, and enjoy your stay in my beautiful land.

  Your Friend,

  Dracula

  The next morning, the hotel landlord and his wife secure a place for you on a stagecoach to the Borgo Pass. But when you tell them where you are going, they look at each other in a frightened way and pretend they do not understand you.

  “Do you know Count Dracula?” you ask. “Can you tell me anything of his castle?”

  The landlord and his wife make the sign of a cross over their hearts, but they refuse to answer. Instead, they hurry away.

  Later, just before you are to leave, the woman finds you again. She cries, “Must you go? Oh, young man, must you go?” She is so excited. She seems to mix up several different languages as she speaks.

  “Yes, I must,” you say. “I am on important business.”

  She asks, “Do you know where you are going and what you are going to?”

  She is in such distress that you try to comfort her. She goes down on her knees and begs you not to go. “At least wait a day or two before starting,” she pleads.

  It seems ridiculous, but you feel afraid. However, there is business to be done. You reply, “Thank you, but I must go.”

  She rises and dries her eyes. Then she hurries away, disappearing inside the hotel. A minute later, she returns. She presents a sharp wooden stake and a bag filled with garlic. She also takes a crucifix—a cross necklace—from her neck and holds it out to you.

  “God willing, these items may protect you,” she says. “Please, choose one to take on your journey.”

  It seems rude to refuse an old lady meaning so well and in such a state of mind. You will accept one gift, but which will you need? And why? The decision is yours. What will you choose to do? (Choices are on the next page.)

  Take the wooden stake.

  Take the bag of garlic.

  Take the crucifix.

  “Thank you,” you tell her. “I will take the wooden stake, and I will always remember your kindness.”

  The old woman puts the stake in your hand and says, “For your mother’s sake,” before leaving you.

  Whether it is her fear, or the many ghostly traditions of this place, or the stake itself, you feel suddenly uneasy. Yet when the coach arrives, you climb aboard.

  The driver steps away for a moment to talk with the landlady. Every now and then they look at you, and some of the nearby people stop and listen. Then they all turn and look at you with pity. You hear a lot of words often repeated, and the words are not cheerful. Among them are “Satan,” “witch,” “werewolf,” and “vampire.”

  Click here to continue.

  “Thank you,” you tell her. “I will take the bag of garlic, and I will always remember your kindness.”

  The old woman hands you the bag and says, “For your mother’s sake,” before leaving you.

  Whether it is her fear, or the many ghostly traditions of this place, or the garlic’s smell, you feel suddenly uneasy. Yet when the coach arrives, you climb aboard.

  The driver steps away for a moment to talk with the landlady. Every now and then they look at you, and some of the nearby people stop and listen. Then they all turn and look at you with pity. You hear a lot of words often repeated, and the words are not cheerful. Among them are “Satan,” “witch,” “werewolf,” and “vampire.”

  Click here to continue.

  “Thank you,” you tell her. “I will take the crucifix, and I will always remember your kindness.”

  The old woman puts the cross around your neck and says, “For your mother’s sake,” before leaving you.

  Whether it is her fear, or the many ghostly traditions of this place, or the crucifix itself, you feel suddenly uneasy. Yet when the coach arrives, you climb aboard.

  The driver steps away for a moment to talk with the landlady. Every now and then they look at you, and some of the nearby people stop and listen. Then they all turn and look at you with pity. You hear a lot of words often repeated, and the words are not cheerful. Among them are “Satan,” “witch,” “werewolf,” and “vampire.”

  At last, your stagecoach departs. The crowd you leave behind all make the sign of the cross. The scene is not very pleasant for you, just starting for an unknown place to meet an unknown man. But everyone seems so kind-hearted and so sad. You are touched.

  The gray of the morning passes, and the sun moves high over the distant horizon. You soon forget your fears in the beauty of the scenery, for the mighty Carpathian Mountains lie ahead.

  Eventually, the stagecoach reaches the mountains and begins winding its endless way upward. The sun sinks lower, and the shadows of the evening begin to creep around you. As evening falls, it begins to get very cold. Sometimes, the darkness seems to be closing down upon you.

  Through the dark you see a patch of gray light ahead: the Borgo Pass. Suddenly there are black, rolling clouds above you. The horses begin to neigh and snort and plunge wildly, so the driver has to stop.

  Then, amidst the commotion, a carriage with four horses appears from out of the darkness, drawing up beside the coach.

  You can see from the flash of lamps that the horses are coal-black. They are driven by a tall man with a long brown beard and a great black hat, which hides his face. His eyes appear red in the lamplight.

  He says to the driver, “You are early tonight.”

  The man stammers in reply, “The Englishman was in a hurry.”

  The stranger smiles, and the lamplight falls on a hard-looking mouth, with very red lips and sharp teeth as white as ivory. “Give me the Englishman’s luggage,” he says.

  Your bags are quickly loaded onto the carriage. Next, the new driver helps you out of the stagecoach and into your new means of travel. His hand squeezes your arm with a grip of steel. The stranger climbs back into his seat. Without a word he shakes his reins, and you are swept into the darkness of the pass. You feel a strange chill and a lonely feeling.

  The carriage goes at a hard pace straight ahead. Then it makes a complete turn and goes along another straight road. It seems to you that you are simply going over and over the same ground again. You would like to ask the driver, but you fear to do so. Instead, you wait with a sick feeling of suspense.

  At midnight, a wild howling of wolves begins. It seems to come from all over the country. The horses begin to strain and rear, but the driver speaks to them soothingly, and they quiet down. Nevertheless, they shiver and sweat from fright. You wish you could jump from the carriage and run. But in a few minutes, your ears get used to the sound, and the horses become calm enough that the driver is able to climb down and stand before them.

  As he pets and soothes them, you realize that you are on a narrow roadway. You are hemmed in with trees and great rocks on either side.

  It grows colder. Fine, powdery snow begins to fall. The wolves sound nearer, as though they are closing in on you from every side. You grow dreadfully afraid.

  Suddenly, on your left, you see a faint blue flame. The driver sees it at the same moment. He at once checks the horses and then disappears into the darkness. As he nears the flame, you watch the driver’s motions. He gathers a few stones and forms them into something.

  There appears a s
trange optical effect. When he stands between you and the flame, you can see its ghostly flicker through his body. This startles you, but you guess that your eyes are playing tricks on you. The wolves continue to howl around you.

  The driver goes farther away, disappearing from sight. During his absence, the horses begin to tremble worse than ever. They snort and scream.

  You are nervous and afraid. The horses, the dark, the wolves, the blue flame—all of it is getting to you. You sense trouble, and you feel the need to move. Should you venture into the darkness and find the driver? Or should you stay where you are and wait? Both options feel dangerous, but they’re the only options you have. What will you choose to do?

  Find the driver.

  Stay and wait.

  Danger is near, and you are in no position to defend yourself or the horses. Your only hope is to find the driver—and find him fast.

  You carefully step down from the carriage, plunging yourself into total darkness. From this lower position, you cannot see even the trees that lie ahead. But you do know the direction in which the driver has wandered, so you begin your search.

  You step into the forest as quickly as you dare, arms extended. Your progress is slow, and your hands often scrape against the cold, rough bark of a tree. Twigs snap beneath your feet. Leaves rustle all around you.

  And then you hear a low, soft growl. The sound seems to be in front of you. Then behind. To your left. Your right. Then everywhere at once. The wind picks up, and you shudder. Not from the cold, but from the dreadful realization that you are surrounded by wolves.

  You scream in terror, “Help me!” And you run.

  The wolves are waiting. You hear a snarl just before the first one is upon you. He leaps against your chest, knocking you down. A second and a third join the attack. Then another, and another, and more after that.