A Monster's Heart

Part 12: Professor Van Helsing

Author's note: This was a very difficult chapter to write.  In this chapter, you will meet Professor  Van Helsing.  My version of Van Helsing was based off of a dear friend who committed suicide last year.  He was one of my best friends who shared a love for writing and wanted a career in academia.  It's really hard to be the one left behind because you always wonder if you could have saved them later.  Now, this is my gift to my friend: he has a chance to be a Professor now.  I miss you. 

"Mayst thou, the eternal state and fate of thine immortal soul, never forget."  Lux Semper Lucet

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"Can vee help you?" asked the elderly vampire with bifocals. I had entered the History and Philosophy Department to find a mostly empty front room with the elderly vampire, a sea creature and a young human man relaxing on the divans enjoying a cup of coffee between classes.

"I'm here to see Professor Van Helsing."

"Oh, you must be Rainy Lande," the young man said in a rather nasally, high voice that took me by surprise. "I'm Christopher Van Helsing. Can I get you a cup of tea or claw-fee?"

"Uh, no thank you." I said trying to keep my composure at finding out this young skinny scarecrow of a human was Count Dracula's right-hand man. He didn't look any older than me, much less like he could be a professor!

"And that may be for the best," the fish man interrupted. "That is the professor's ninth cup today."

"Peter, I need this! I am behind on grading and I have three lectures and my doctorate to prepare." Professor Van Helsing whined half-teasing and half-serious.

"Perhaps, we can speak in your office, Professor. You'll be away from that claw-fee pot." I smiled a little bit as I spoke.

"Oh, very well." He nodded his head and smiled his watermelon smile. "Come have a seat."

His office reminded of a gentleman's office from the early nineteen hundreds. He had a rolltop desk in one corner which was open to reveal a typewriter sitting there. He had two high-back black leather chairs and on his mahogany office desk was an ash tray with an old-fashioned pipe. I sat down across from the professor as he lit his pipe, blew a puff of smoke before asking me what brought me into his sanctuary today.

"I'm sure you already know my story. About how my grandmother put me through the system because I was human. Not to mention you already know about how The League was brought down recently. I didn't know until afterwards that there were a lot of other children like me both accounted and unaccounted for. I also know that you, as Count Dracula's right hand man, had some general responsibility for tracking them down."

Professor Van Helsing crossed leaned back, crossed his legs and let out another puff of smoke. "I will be honest with you Rainy, I only became his right hand last August when I started my career in academia. My uncle, who was the last second in command, told me that all I needed to know about the lost children was on a need-to-know basis. So, I know just as much as you."

I took a deep breath with a sinking feeling in my stomach. "Is there any chance that you and Count Dracula might be willing to hand that over to me? I have my own story and I can relate to those children."

He paused in his smoking. "It wouldn't be such a bad idea. I am already tied up with human-Transylvanian relations and my own teaching career. However, that is up to Count Dracula to decide in the end. I have a cabinet meeting with him this Wednesday. Can you wait a couple of days for me to bring it up in his meeting?"