Hotel Transylvania: The Aftermath

chapter 10

One Last Promise

The sun still blazed above them, but Mavis didn't relent. Although Dracula could feel his skin beginning to burn, she didn't so much as hesitate, as if something was driving her on. He kept to the shade of the passing trees, but the open fields that surrounded the town outskirts were coming up fast. He had nothing in his mind that he could say to her. Her reaction wasn't her own, that creature had done something to her. He could feel it, like the air had become stale and all that remained to give him joy was disappearing into the distance. But he was a Dracula, and he would fight for what he loved.

There was no cover left for him. With little choice he dropped down and used the wheat field to avoid the sun. His hood was up but he wished that he could remain as a bat. Down on the ground he could barely see his daughter flying away. He struggled through the wheat as it scratched against him. Gradually he began to hear the sound of a roaring engine. It grew closer and closer by the second. Above the wave of crops he could see a scattering cloud of dust and wheat. He barely dived out of the way in time before the blades of the harvester trundled ever on.

His hood had been torn, leaving him wide open to the star above. He came to a crossroads and looked onwards, seeing the sight of the Hunter. His heart raised as he heard a gunshot. He closed his eyes and breathed heavily. Slowly he opened them, yet he was alone. He felt like he was going crazy. This town wasn't the same anymore, something was wrong.

He managed to catch sight of the small bat heading over the rooftops. With the searing pain coursing through is skin, Dracula kept behind the row of houses. He found himself sprinting through the alleyways once again. It was a curious moment. He had once been considered the Monster, but now he felt like this town was haunting him. Always he was drawn back to it.

The Count could feel a sense of dread spreading through the town. The people were anxious, many were heading for their cars or public transport. This couldn't be a concern to him now, he needed to find Mavis. He stopped and thought whilst he was alone. Where would she go? Of course, there could be only one place. He kept his back against the brickwork to stay hidden. He knew this house all too well by now. It was so different from its original appearance but there it was. Mavis stood alone, looking up at the closed window. She heard his footsteps and turned around. He managed to stay out of sight, exactly where Mavis had hidden from Humans so many years ago. He didn't know what he would say, for now he wanted to know what she was about to do.

The door was open, Dracula assumed that the residents had joined the fleeing townspeople. Mavis entered with no regard as to who could be left inside. The Count waited for a moment, giving himself time to figure out what he would say. Everything was riding on it. Opening the door as not to let it squeak, he peeped round the corner. The living room was very different. The archaic furniture had been replaced with modern, leather seats and the TV hanging on the wall was in stark contrast to the painting that once resided there.

Mavis hadn't stayed there long. Every room was empty. The kitchen door was wide open and that moment, Dracula knew where she was. She stood with her back to him, looking down at the pavement.

"Is this where you did it?" She asked quietly.

He couldn't see her face past her hood.

"She was dying. I had too…" He began to explain.

"Is this where you abandoned her!?" She turned to him and shouted.

Everything had changed between his kind and Humans, what he was about to say seemed cruel now.

"She was a Human, I had to protect-"

"She was just a girl! She was just an innocent person, dad! She was my friend… and I can't even remember her!"