The Seducer: A Gone From Daylight Inspired Story - 26. William Harker’s Journal: Entry 26

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Friday, October 19, 1989

Well, about a week’s past. It was pretty much a routine week. I’ve been alone a lot. Dr. V had to go to a conference so he’s not been around and his classes were cancelled this week. I’m still staying at his place and he’s encouraged me to move my stuff out here and close my dorm account. I think that might be best. I really don’t want to go back there.

I’ve not had any more weird dreams about wolves or whatever. Thank God for that! It’s stupid to think this, but I can’t shake the feeling that it was a wise decision not to wear that wolf pendant Dr. V gave me while I sleep. Would I be crazy to think that an inanimate object could cause me to have nightmares?

Since I didn’t have class with Dr. V and no Romanian lessons with him since he’s gone, I had some time to do some research on missing people in the past few years. I looked up newspaper articles on micro-fiche and it’s, kind of, terrifying how many people just disappear without a trace! The articles will talk about a family missing someone and that police are looking for them, but in a disturbing number of cases, there’s never any follow up because these people are never found!

I was doing this for a couple of reasons. The first is Jake. He’s just…gone! No one has seen him and no one really cares that he’s gone. I still doubt my having had that experience with him a couple of weeks ago, but the fact that he’s gone missing and no one seems to know or care that he’s gone is really starting to freak me out, I’ll be honest! Just for a moment, I’ve even considered that what I saw was what truly happened to Jake - that he was carried off by a green glowing mist! Where did this mist take Jake and what happened to him after he was shoved out of my dorm room window?

Second, that skeleton I found in the woods. Who did that belong to and were they one of the several people that seem to go missing in the Bay Area every year? Was it possible that the skeleton belonged to Jake? No…I don’t think so on that one. That skeleton had been out there for a long time. Even I could tell that.

Something is even weirder about that whole skeleton in the woods thing - that crash I heard last Sunday. That just happened to be from some trees the incredible winds blew down during that freak storm! Those trees also just happened to be the ones over that poor soul’s gravesite! That area is now buried in tons of collapsed forest! What’s more, only that area was affected! No other trees fell in the surrounding woods! That has to be just coincidence, though. Doesn’t it?

But, there are so many ‘coincidences’ out here…

This estate is truly haunted. Maybe not by ghosts, per say, but definitely by something - even if it’s just bad luck! I have to wonder, if this place is haunted by a ghost, could it be the ghost of whoever it was that died out there?

Such thoughts I do not need just before turning in for bed!

But, Dr. V’s place just breeds these kinds of thoughts! It feels like…well, it feels like something is trying to warn me I’m not in a good place! Like, I’m in danger, but that I’m being protected somehow. That’s my takeaway from my weird wolf dreams I’ve been having.

All these experiences and ‘coincidences’ - they are starting to add up to something. Even this situation with my dorm and Jake and not being able to go back there. I have a weird feeling I’m getting stuck up here on this estate!

I also get the feeling something is about to happen. That something about all this is coming to a head! When it pops…do I want to be around when it does?

Also, why do I have this very strange feeling like I know more about what’s going on than I think I should? THAT is the weirdest feeling of all! It’s like having a word just on the tip of your tongue, but you just can’t remember it! It is a very frustrating feeling.

If only I could just remember!

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Saturday, October 20, 1989

Rochelle came by this evening! She looked so-o beautiful tonight, for some reason. It wasn’t anything she was wearing because all she was wearing was a t-shirt and some jeans, but it was something about her face! It was like it glowed! She was also happy to see me which…may have been a factor. I thought it was so sweet of her to come all the way out here just to visit. Dr. V must have called her and let her know I was up here by myself.

In any case, she brought some videos for us to watch. They were some oldies, but goodies. Since it’s October they were naturally horror movies, but the fun ones from the thirties and forties. Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, The Invisible Man, The Mummy - that sort of thing. But the one that got me, the one that actually put a shiver down my spine, was the old ‘Dracula’ with Bela Lugosi! There was something about hearing old Bela’s real Romanian accent and his sinister, yet seductive ways that reminded me of Dr. V for some reason! All the fantastical tales he told me by the fire and what I’ve been learning about real Romanian history sort of put old Dracula into a new perspective for me. I was almost sympathetic to the character which is very strange, because Lugosi didn’t play Dracula to be, in any way, sympathetic.

I also had a strange feeling like I was betraying Dr. V in some way because I was watching Dracula which is based on Bram Stoker’s book. Dr. V actively hates that book. He hates how Stoker portrayed Romanians as a backward, illiterate people and how he turned Vlad Dracula into a blood-thirsty monster when he’s considered a national hero in Romania! I consoled myself with the fact that it was Rochelle’s choice. It’s ‘her favorite’, apparently, so how could I refuse to share it with her?

There is a part of the story as it was told in the movie that disturbed me a little. It was the fate of the character Renfield! The character is the one who first encounters Dracula at his castle at the beginning of the film. Renfield is offered every hospitality by Dracula at first, but, in the end, he becomes enslaved to Dracula presumably by being bit by the vampire. Renfield also became quite insane from whatever ordeal Dracula put him through.

I’ve never read the book ‘Dracula’ which is supposed to go into more detail about that part. I am now curious, though, since the movie didn’t go into much detail about Renfield’s experience within Dracula’s castle. Maybe I could check out the book from the university library and read it without Dr. V knowing. I could, at least, get an education as to why the Professor hates the story so much.

In any case, Rochelle was much needed company tonight and I am very glad she came by! I was half-hoping that things might get a little more…romantic, but I supposed I’m still just in the ‘friend zone’ at the moment. Despite my growing attraction for Dr. V and my first and only sexual experience being that with another guy (if that actually happened), I still have feelings for girls, particularly Rochelle! So, I guess I’ve not turned completely gay! What do they call that…bisexual?

Maybe it’s just that I love beauty wherever I find it? That’s a nice thought, isn’t it? Maybe, that’s what I’ll start thinking and not label myself as anything in particular - gay, straight, bi - whatever!

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Sunday, October 21, 1989

Well, Dr. V is home from his conference! He came in late last night while I was still sleeping. I didn’t even know he was back until this evening when he came out of his room looking somehow younger and more refreshed than I’ve ever seen him before! My feelings for Rochelle aside, my heart beat a little faster when I saw my Grand Professor tonight! I suppose, with my new philosophy of ‘loving beauty wherever I find it’, that I considered Dr. Valahi quite ‘beautiful’ this evening!

Per usual, he didn’t have dinner with me, but did keep me company. I asked him what went on at the ‘symposium’, but Dr. V had very little to say about it. If anything, it was like he was trying to avoid the subject altogether. As a matter of fact, despite his fresh appearance, he looked a bit tired and grim any time I brought up the subject. So, I stopped with trying to make conversation that way.

I mentioned Rochelle’s visit and, just like I thought: “Ah, good! She did come to visit you like I hoped she would! She is a most dependable young lady and, I know, she likes you very much.” Dr. V confirmed it. He’d been the one to inspire her visit. I had, kind of, hoped that she’d thought of it all by herself, but, then again, she may not have known that I’d needed company if Dr. V hadn’t told her. It did take out the sting at bit when Dr. V mentioned that she liked me! I hope she does, but, I’d love to know in what way does she ‘like me’.

I didn’t mention watching ‘Dracula’ or the fact that I want to read Stoker’s novel so that I can, maybe, get why Dr. V hates the book so much. I don’t want to offend the good Doctor, but I am curious and I think that’s what I’m supposed to be as a student.

In any case, it was nice having Dr. V back and I’d love to know who did his make-over because he really does look fine this evening!