Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Wednesday Briefs: Dracula #9 (3.1)

  Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

While keeping an eye on the village blacksmith to keep him from finding out about Dracula and his wife, Avram converses with his friend, Father Gunther. But something isn't quite right and Avram knows it. See what's going on in this week's chapter of Dracula. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what they're up to. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Dracula #9 (3.1)

Gunther fell silent. Tendrils of anxiety wrapped about Avram’s heart.  Why was it beating so fast? Something was wrong. and whatever it was it was about to get worse. Someone dropped a glass, which shattered, and he visibly flinched at the explosion.

 This was no time to panic, and no time to borrow trouble. He forced himself to take deep breaths. Maybe he should step outside for a moment. He needed to think, but without all the noise. He glanced across the room. Bogdan was still there. One less worry.

He started to rise, but Gunther’s hand on his coat sleeve stopped him. His friend leaned across the table, speaking in a low voice that necessitated Avram’s full attention. “I’m afraid they’re beginning to talk, Avram.”

“Who is? What do you mean?” He slid back into his chair and moved it closer, keeping a suspicious eye on their nearest neighbors, although he didn’t think that’s who he meant. Whatever Gunther was about to say, though, he knew it wouldn’t be good.

The tavern door blew open unexpectedly. Avram jumped again, then reprimanded himself for his skittishness as one of the villagers entered and slammed it shut behind him. All sound ceased for a split second. “Watch out for the stafi,” the newcomer announced before joining Bogdan’s table.

Avram shivered. Not because he believed in the Romanian equivalent of the Irish banshee, but he knew these people did… and more. He turned his attention back to Gunther.

“I mean the people of the village. They notice things, some of them. Such as how young Dracula looks. Still

“How young he looks? He is young,” Avram bluffed. “How old do you think he is? Older than me, yes, but…” He gave up that losing argument before it was even truly begun. Despite his many years of existence—Avram wasn’t even sure how old the vampire was, to be honest—he looked to be no older than a man in his thirties, while Avram was already forty.  A well-preserved forty, to be sure.

His lips had turned suddenly dry. He picked up his ale and drank. How was he going to explain this?

“Some of the older people still remember his father and they say he looks exactly like him.”

“Is that surprising, that a son should look like his father?”  Of course that wasn’t true. Dracula’s father died centuries ago, none of them had ever seen him. And of course, Dracula resembled his “father”, as he was both father and son. How else to explain his many years as lord and master of the castle other than by changing his name on a regular basis so the villagers would not suspect his actual longevity? His ruse had worked for many ears. This was not good.

Calm down and listen. He lightly strummed his fingers across the brim of his hat on the table before him and waited.

“Avram, you’ve been my friend ever since we were little. I understand that you feel you owe him a debt. He took you in after your parents died. He’s been like a father to you, when most of the village turned its back on you.”

“Not your parents,” Avram pointed out. “Or you. Your family has been nothing but good to me. And things here have improved.” He ran one hand through his too curly black hair, the bane of his existence. ”Mostly.” Some people could never forgive him for being Jewish.  “And yes, I do owe Dracula my life. I don’t know how I would have survived without him. So please can we have no more of this nonsense?” In his heart, Avram knew he should hear more, learn what was being said. But he was suddenly more afraid than before that something truly bad was about to happen and he could do nothing to stop it.

“I don’t want to see you get hurt because of him.” Gunther paused, as if searching for the right words. What, was there something worse than what he’d already said? Avram grew more apprehensive as silence stretched between them, until at last, the words were spoken. “The old stories are being revived.”

Scheiss.

Avram didn’t bother to ask which stories Gunther meant. He knew only too well.

“Old wives’ tales, nothing more.” His lies fell limply onto the table between them like wounded birds… or bats.  Perhaps it was time to go abroad. There were women in other countries who would love nothing more than to see their favorite Count once more… women with money, which they badly needed. Not to mention, there was a certain Parisian publisher who was waiting for more material of the erotic kind that Avram wrote so well, even if Dracula did take the credit for his writing. That was a practicality, since it was easier to sell his books if people thought they were being written by a mysterious handsome nobleman than by a Jew.

“I’ve known you for a long time, Avram. You’re my best friend and I would do anything for you. Are you in any danger?”

The question caught Avram by surprise. Danger? Him? “From what?” His hand stilled on the hat brim, his brow furrowed as he met his friend’s gaze.

“I think you know what.” Gunther patted Avram’s hand. “You’re a good man, a very loyal friend. I just worry for you, that’s all. Worried that you’ve given your allegiance to someone who doesn’t deserve it.”

Avram forced a chuckle he was far from feeling. “I appreciate the sentiment, Gunther. I think you are a good man too, perhaps a little naïve. I mean, to believe such tales?” He clucked his tongue and shook his head, as if to dismiss the very idea.

“What are you saying about my wife?” An angry roar rose above the hubbub of the alehouse. All heads turned toward the source of the disturbance. It was Bogdan, who else?

Avram had a bad feeling all hell was about to break loose.

to be continued

Now go see what the other Briefers are up to!

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb

 

 

 

 


Sunday, March 24, 2024

Book Review: Spy x Family, Vol 11 by Tatsuya Endo

 

Spy x Family, Vol 11        


Author: Tatsuya Endo

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: March 19, 2024

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/comedy manga/208 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Loid Forger, aka Twilight, has a cover as a psychiatrist at a local hospital where he is loved by patients and staff alike. But there is one man who does not care for Loid at all – Chief Medical Director, Gerald Gorey.  Fiona, aka Nightfall, points out that Gorey is not only envious of Loid, but he has also been grumbling about him. This could be bad. Loid has to do his best to make the director look more competent than he himself is, which will be no easy task!

Yor Forger, aka Thorn Princess, comes up against an opponent who calls himself Steel-Gut Gullickson! She takes him down but hurts her hands in the process! She gives her family a cover story about a fire door. With unfortunate timing, Yuri Briar unexpectedly has the day off and comes to spend it with his sister. Alarmed at her injuries, he berates Loid that he has to help her (although he always does).  Yuri is determined to hold a competition – him against Loid – to prove which of them is more useful to Yor.

The Red Circus is an extremist group who have largely disbanded. But rumors have arisen that the leader is back in the country. What could they be up to? Meanwhile, some of the classes at Eden Academy are taking a field trip to the Berlint Museum, including Anya’s class. Having read Loid’s mind regarding his relationship with his Chief Medical Director, Anya determines to apply those techniques to Damien Desmond, aka Sy-on Boy.  But these plans go awry when terrorists board the bus and take it over!  Loid is out of town on assignment, and Anya has no way of contacting Yor. The terrorists know exactly who they’ve kidnapped, and they plan to make use of who these kids’ parents are! Things don’t look good for Anya and Sy-on Boy and the other kids!

I just love this series so much! In the first story, poor Loid has to mask his usual brilliance in order to keep the peace, no easy task! The second story made me laugh, with Yuri competing with Loid to help Yor (and he is just no competition for him). The last story is the best, with Anya using her abilities as an empath to her advantage so she can remain calm in a crisis, which the others mistake for her having nerves of steel. Whatever works, right? If you like the manga, you’ll like the anime. I just ordered Season 1 on Blu Ray.  I have pre-ordered the next volume and hope there will be more after that. At some point, I expect all the secrets to come out. At that point, they can create a whole new crime-fighting Forger family, not to mention I believe the Forgers will become a real family and not just a pretend one.

 

Saturday, March 23, 2024

Saturday is Horror Day #158 - The Other Side of the Door

 The Other Side of the Door


Sarah's (Sarah Wayne Callies) world collapses when her young son Oliver (Logan Creran) dies in an accident. She's having a difficult time accepting what happened, despite the best efforts of her loving husband Michael (Jeremy Sisto) and her daughter Lucy (Sofia Rosinsky). They live in India, having fallen in love with the country while searching for antiques for their business and relocated there. Sarah's housekeeper Piki (Suchitra Pillai), knowing how devastated Maria is, tells her that there is a way in which she can communicate with Oliver one last time, in order to get closure. But she warns Maria that there are strict rules that have to be follow. Whatever happens, she tells her, do not open the door.





Despite the warnings, Maria can't help herself, and she opens the door. Has Oliver really returned? And what will the consequences of her actions be?


This wasn't a bad film, and I think it could have been better, having a different twist on horror. But it 


wasn't great either. I think one of the problems is that the underutilized Jeremy Sisto (whom I really like) overshadows the main actress. I think this movie might resonate more with parents, who can identify with the grief of losing a child and wanting to see that child so badly you'd disobey the rules to do so. I admit I didn't see the ending coming either. I'll give this movie E for effort and 3 Stars




Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Wednesday Briefs: Dracula #8 (2.4)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Avram goes to the local alehouse and spends time with his friend, the priest, but mostly he is keeping an eye on the blacksmith and worrying about what Dracula is doing. See what's happening in this week's chapter of Dracula. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Dracula #8 (2.4)

Despite his light-hearted words, Avram knew his friend was troubled by the defection of so many of his parishioners, but he never betrayed those feelings, either by word or manner, when he encountered those people as he went about the village. He treated them as he always had—with kindness and patience—and was always ready and willing to lend a helping hand to someone in need. If they felt guilty or disloyal in any way, that was a matter for their conscience, not his. Still, fewer church members meant fewer tithes, which made maintaining the church difficult. Avram (with the consent of Dracula) helped when he could, but when times were lean, such as they were now, money was difficult to find. Yet another reason to curb Dracula’s spending, although that was easier said than done. And attempting to explain economics to the man was well-nigh impossible.

“I have your bread, Father.”

Avram startled at the unexpected approach, nearly spilling his ale, before he recognized the newcomer as one of the young men from the village. Dracula’s behavior had him more on edge than he’d realized, he really needed to pay better attention to his surroundings. A quick inspection of the far corner assured him that the blacksmith was still there.  Gunther gave him an appraising glance but said nothing as the young man set a covered serving platter on the table. The enticing fragrance of freshly baked lipie bread wafted from beneath a bright red cloth. “Can I get you anything else, Father?”

“No, my son. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Father.” For a moment, Avram thought he was going to genuflect, but the moment passed. Instead, the man’s hand flew to the silver cross that hung on a chain about his neck, his eyes refusing to meet Avram’s. If the child only knew that symbol of Christianity was useless when it came to either vampires or Jews.

“I’m good, thanks for asking,” Avram quipped.

The server visibly flinched but made no reply as he backed away from the table and was quickly lost to view.

“Care to break bread with me, Avram?” Gunther made no comment on the boy’s behavior, but none was really needed. Not everyone loved Avram, both because of his employer as well as his religions. The priest lifted the cloth to reveal a loaf of golden-brown bread as well as a generous portion of the sheep’s milk bryndza cheese much loved by the villagers. Avram didn’t dare to keep this type of cheese at the castle for Dracula disliked its strong smell, being very sensitive to such things. But Avram had eaten it often, growing up, and appreciated the tanginess of this white cheese, as well as the slightly salty finish. It served as a wonderful accompaniment to the bread.

The smell of the bread was quite tempting. Only then did Avram realize he’d not eaten recently, too concerned with what Dracula intended to do to have an appetite. The priest used his knife to cut a hunk of bread and a piece of the crumbly cheese and handed them to Avram before taking some for himself.

“Eat up, eat up.” Gunther waved a piece of bread and cheese in the air before he popped it into his mouth. “So good, so good,” he mumbled before washing everything down with ale. He dabbed at his face with a cloth and emitted a loud belch of satisfaction before turning his shrewd eyes to Aram. “Is everything well with you, my friend?  You seem a little uneasy. Is there some problem with your employer? Is he not well?”

Avram took a bite to forestall an immediate response. The slightly salty white cheese almost melted on his tongue. As a boy, he’d considered this to be a treat whenever he visited Gunther and his family. They had always been good to him and allowed him to stay in their home as long as he wanted. He suspected it was only fear of the nobleman that prevented them from offering him a permanent home. Dracula had been a surprisingly lenient guardian and encouraged Avram in his studies. He’d received no formal education, as he couldn’t very well attend the church school due to his religion, but Dracula made sure he had access to the vast library at the castle. Avram had availed himself of that generosity and became a voracious reader.

But he could avoid the question for only so long. “We may have to go abroad again soon,” he said obliquely.

“Business reasons?”

Avram nodded. Maybe strictly speaking that was not the whole truth, but it was close enough. As close as he felt comfortable speaking, anyway. It wasn’t exactly a lie either. The way things were currently going, they might actually need to leave the country, at least long enough for each of them to do what he did best in order to earn money. Unconventional? Perhaps, but also necessary.

His people had a saying: Di kats hot lib fish, nor zi vil di fis nit ayn-netsn. The cat loves fish but doesn’t want to get her feet wet.

Sometimes you just had to get your feet wet if you wanted to survive.

 to be continued

Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them!

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb

 

 

 

 


Saturday, March 16, 2024

Saturday is Horror Day #157 - The Barrens, May

 The Barrens


Richard Vineyard (Stephen Moyer) is trying to bring his family closer together. He has a daughter Sadie (Allie MacDonald) by his late first wife. He's married to Cynthia (Mia Kirshner) now and they have a six-year-old son Danny (Peter DaCunha). Sadie doesn't respect Cynthia and finds Danny annoying. He decides to take them on a camping trip to a place called The Barrens, in New Jersey, where his late father used to take him. The trip will also serve to scatter his dad's ashes in this place where they once bonded. Danny doesn't want to go because his dog Oscar is missing, but he is persuaded to go.





Along the way, they pass a sign advertising the Jersey Devil. Richard assures Danny that it's just a story, nothing to worry about. They arrive and check in to the camping area, then head to a site to set up. To their dismay, a number of people are there, not quite the idyll he had anticipated. That night, there is a campfire and ghost stories, and a young man scares Danny, which angers Richard and he overreacts. The same young man makes friends with Sadie, which doesn't sit well with him either.



The family ends up leaving the the next day for another site. But so far this trip hasn't helped in any 


way, and Richard is acting more and more oddly, favoring his arm. But he won't let his wife look at it. And he is not only overprotective of his daughter and paranoid about his wife. Things go from bad to worse when they run across an abandoned camp with a couple of dead bodies. Richard becomes convinced it's the work of the Jersey Devil, and he's been after him ever since he was a child.





I'll be honest, I was primarily drawn to watch this because of Stephen Moyer, but I really liked this movie. It kept me guessing the whole time as to what was going on, whether Richard was imagining things because he was ill or was there really a monster known as the Jersey Devil? The acting was good, it felt like watching a family disintegrating in so many ways, but it's also about the love that ultimately keeps them together. Plenty of suspense and scary moments. This was written and directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, who also brought us Repo the Genetic Opera and a couple of Saw films, including Spiral, which I plan to rewatch soon. This was a good film. I'll give it 4 Stars.

May


As a child, May (Angela Bettis) had few friends because of her lazy eye. Her mother gives her a strange doll in a glass case, warning her not to remove it from the case, and she becomes May's only friend. May grows up socially awkward and lonely and becomes a veterinary assistant at an office where she works with Polly (Anna Faris). May is still shy, but Polly is always nice to her, and May is good with the animals. One day she spies a good-looking young mechanic named Adam (Jeremy Sisto). she develops a crush on him, especially his hands, and goes out of her way to insert herself into his life. She is ecstatic to become his girlfriend, but things don't work out. Then May and Polly get together, and once again, things don't work out. So May decides to take the best parts of the people who have wronged her and make herself a friend.



May is a quirky and unusual film, not your run of the mill horror story. I found it hard to actually root 


for May, because she is not very tightly wrapped, when you get down to it.  You gotta worry about someone who takes advice from a doll, and holds conversations with it. And though Adam was good to look at, he wasn't necessarily nice inside. Polly really cared about May but she wasn't serious enough to settle down. It is an interesting film, but sometimes I found my mind wandering, so it didn't completely catch my attention. It is worth watching, though, even if not exactly my cup of tea. Worth it to see Jeremy Sisto.  I'll give this film 3.5 Stars.




Thursday, March 14, 2024

Book Review: In Search of Dracula: The History of Dracula and Vampires ( by Raymond T McNally & Radu Florescu)

 

In Search of Dracula: The History of Dracula and Vampires (revised)   


Author: Radu Florescu and Raymond T McNally

Publisher: Mariner Books

American release date: October 31, 1994

Format/Genre/Length: Hardback/History/320 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★

 

Everyone has heard of the infamous vampire Count Dracula, immortalized by Bram Stoker in his novel Dracula, first published in 1896. But not everyone knows that there was a real Dracula, Vlad Dracula, aka Vlad Tepes, a Wallachian prince who lived in the 15th century, a powerful ruler who was both feared and admired by people of his time. (And yes, Transylvania is a real place!)

Dracula experts Radu Florescu and Raymond McNally have taken their original book, first published in 1972, and completely revised and updated it. The real Dracula’s story is a fascinating one, filled with violence and intrigue. The authors explore his life and the circumstances that molded his character. The things he did were often cruel, but at the same time he was a product of his times, a violent era filled with wars and shifting political and religious allegiances. It’s hard to know who to trust when even your own family conspires against you, and survival depends on caution and knowing when to act. There is no doubt he did some terrible things, especially impaling many people, innocent women and children among them. But even to this day, he is revered as a hero by people in his own country.

This book delves into his life, as well as the life of author Bram Stoker, who brought the Romanian prince back to life, so to speak, in the form of his vampire count.  Did you know that Stoker was gay? Besides being an author, he was a long-time manager of the famous actor Henry Irving, whom he also had a crush on. In the section on Stoker, the authors talk about the research that went into the writing of Stoker’s novel. They also discuss the vampire on stage, in fiction, and on film.  The appendixes include stories about Dracula told by people of various nationalities. For example, there are the Turkish ambassadors who appeared before him, wearing turbans. When Dracula requested they remove the turbans, the men said they could not for national reasons. So Dracula assisted them in their desire to keep them on by driving nails through the turbans into their heads and sent them back to their sultan. (Keep in mind, Dracula had good reason not to like the sultan, and had been held hostage by him for five years as a boy).

This book was very fascinating, and is a must-have for anyone who enjoys history and Dracula, whether the real one or the fictional one.  These authors are foremost in their field for a reason.

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Wednesday Briefs: Dracula #7 (2.3)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Avram has gone into the village since Dracula is out and about, but he can't help but be worried that the vampire is being foolish. See what's going on in this week's chapter of Dracula. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Dracula #7 (2.3)

Avram shook his head as he pushed open the heavy wooden door of the alehouse after leaving his horse stabled nearby. An uneasy feeling had taken up residence in the pit of his stomach. He wished Dracula wouldn’t take such risks just for sexual gratification, particularly this close to home. And a married woman at that. What if the husband found out? While he was sure the vampire could more than handle himself in a fight, the ramifications of being outed would be detrimental to both of them. Dracula may be on the immortal side, but he was neither invincible nor invulnerable—given the right circumstances, he could be killed. At least Avram didn’t have to worry that he was using this woman for her blood. That would be disastrous indeed.

Sometimes I think the man is just meshuggeneh.

He glanced around him as he made his way across the room to the bar, as if he were looking for someone. Most were faces familiar to him, lifelong residents of Bistritz. He returned their greetings, albeit somewhat distractedly. Truth be told he was searching for one face in particular. When he didn’t see him immediately, a chill coursed up his spine. But then he heard a loud bray from the far side of the room. He glanced over to spy a tall, broad-shouldered ape of a man, seated at a table with a few of his friends. He seemed to be entertaining them with an amusing tale from his undoubtedly limited repertoire. Bogdan the blacksmith. Dumb but strong. Generally, he was known as a good-natured fellow, but when it came to his pretty wife, he was said to possess more than a small streak of jealousy. At least since he was currently sitting here, he could be nowhere near Dracula’s vicinity. The whole group seemed rather ferschnickered. None of them were likely to be going anywhere soon, not in their drunken condition. Avram released a sigh of relief and prayed that the vampire would take his pleasure and quickly leave the village.

“Would you like some ale, Avram?”

Somewhat mollified by the presence of the blacksmith, Avram turned his attention to the young woman behind the bar whose father owned the establishment. Instinctively he checked her neck for any sign that Dracula had been there, despite knowing the vampire was dallying with another woman. Seeing nothing, he relaxed a little. “Yes, please.”

She poured him a tankard of ale and set it on the bar in front of him. “Looking for someone?”

“No, no one,” he assured her. Found someone he had but he wasn’t about to tell her that. Turning slightly, he surveyed the room more carefully, deciding where he should sit. He needed a vantage point from which he could watch Bogdan as well as the door, in case the blacksmith developed the sudden urge to leave. He couldn’t allow that to happen, at least not for a while.

The large public area contained a dozen or so tables where villagers could spend their free time, drinking ale and socializing with their neighbors. Simple iron sconces dotted the larch wood walls to supplement the inviting fire that blazed in the hearth, lending an air of comfort and warmth to the establishment. Avram was familiar with most everyone he saw as visitors were not common in Bistritz, usually tradespeople picking up or delivering trade goods from neighboring towns. These tended to conduct their business during the day before hastening elsewhere. Thanks to the infamy of some members of Dracula’s family, the area had developed a sinister reputation, especially after dark. Outsiders tended to stay away after nightfall, although the residents were not quite as wary. They realized that the days of Vlad Dracula were long gone, and no one had been impaled in many years. But even they weren’t so sure about some of the mythical creatures said to roam about the countryside. Tales abounded of dragons and ogres, werewolves and ghosts. And of course, the ever-popular strigoi, also known as the vampire. Avram prayed the truth would never be discovered.

“Avram!  My friend! Over here!”

Avram glanced toward the caller, a pudgy man about his own age, whose close-cropped blond hair showed more and more scalp with each passing year. Avram teasingly referred to it as his tonsure. The man had bright blue eyes and a contagious smile. Avram couldn’t help but return that smile as he turned his steps toward the table where he sat. Father Gunther, the parish priest at the Old Church. Avram considered the priest to be a friend despite their religious differences, but they never let those interfere with their friendship. In fact, those same differences often led to rather lively and entertaining discussions between them.

As Avram drew near, the priest shifted from one seat to another, leaving Avram a chair that held a better view of the room. Father Gunther had known Avram since they were both boys and knew, as did everyone in the village, who he worked for. Despite the friendly faces, there were still those who eyed Avram with open suspicion. Some went so far as to cross themselves in his vicinity, as if that were protection against either him or Dracula. That was no more effective than their use of the sign of the horns to ward off evil. But if the gesture was of comfort to them, far be it from him to interfere with their peace of mind.

“How are things with you?” As Avram took a seat, he noticed sullen glances from some of the villagers who sat nearby, but these turned their heads quickly, as if afraid of being noticed. “Save any sinners this week?”

The priest chuckled. “No, I sent them all to the new church. We have to keep Father Damien employed, don’t we?” He raised his own mug and Avram followed suit. “To your health, my friend.”

L’chaim,” Avram readily responded. To life.

to be continued

Now go see what the other Briefers are up to!

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb