Lucy's death
When heard from Arthur the terrible news of Lucy's strange illness, I went to her immediately. I could see that she was very ill. She lay in bed all day and did not move. She was as white as a ghost and she was very thin. When night came, she was afraid to sleep, and in the morning, on her neck there were two strange little wounds. did not know what was wrong with Lucy. She was losing blood. But how? Was it through these two little wounds in her neck?
l decided to send for my old teacher Professor Van Helsing from Holland. Perhaps he could help.
He came immediately, and when he saw how ill Lucy was, he said, "We must give her blood at once “
‘She can have my blood!' cried Arthur, 'All of it - to the last drop!.
Van Helsing was right. With Arthur's blood in her, Lucy began to get better immediately. But before he left, Van Helsing did one more thing. He brought some flowers with a very strong smell, and he put a circle of them round Lucy's neck. "My dear," he said, "these are garlic flowers. Do not take them from your neck tonight, and do not open your window.
Van Helsing had to return to Holland for a few days and before he left, he told us: 'You must watch Lucy every night and be sure that she wears the garlic flowers.
Lucy's mother was ill herself - her heart was not strong - and Arthur had to go back home because his father was dying. So for a week l watched over Lucy myself at night, and sometimes, when sat by her bed, I heard strange noises at the window. Perhaps it was a tree, or the wind, l thought.
was working at my hospital during the day, and after a week I was very tired, so one night I did not go to Lucy's house. I needed to sleep, and l knew that Lucy's mother and the servants were there. Also, Van Helsing sent new garlic flowers every day, for Lucy to wear at night.
The next morning at the hospital I had a note from Van Helsing. "Watch Lucy carefully tonight," he wrote. "I shall be with you tomorrow." But that was now today! The note was too late!