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 and Dracula have been forced to flee Bistritz for safety's sake, but of course the vampire can't make it easy, can he? 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!
Avram released a grateful sigh as the early morning breeze lightly kissed his cheek even as the sun began to peek over the horizon behind them, lighting their way. Andrei had predicted they would be able to hoist the sail soon. And then they could relax for a bit, have something to eat. In the meantime, he was utilizing his long barge pole to propel them along the Bistritza River.
Dracula was already at rest below, but Avram couldn’t begrudge him that. He had actually worked all night, and it was largely thanks to his efforts that they had come as far as they had. And oh, what a night it had been!
Before they’d left the church the night before, Gunther had provided them each with changes of clothing—white woolen pants, wide-sleeved white shirts decorated with blue embroidered strips about the neck and along either side of the best, open sheepskin vest with matching hats known as căciulă—as he explained the plan he’d come up with to get them safely away from the village. Naturally, Nico had thrown a fit and refused to wear what he termed to be “peasant garb”.
Gunther had enlisted the aid of Andrei, the smuggler, who traveled up the river on a regular basis. But only as far as the Danube, where the river ended. There he would surreptitiously meet with another smuggler, and they would exchange goods. Andrei would return to the village with what the villagers desired, and the other man would take his newly acquired commodities to Vienna, where they sold for a pretty penny, leaving both men satisfied with their less-than-legal business arrangement. Normally, Andrei would enlist the assistance of his two brothers for the trip, as they would need to either row the boat for some distance or pole it along the shore as wind was not always sufficient to enable the use of the sails. In order to accommodate Father Gunther’s request, he agreed to leave his brothers behind and would therefore need Avram and Dracula to take their places, which the priest explained to them when he gave them the clothing.
“I am not a peasant!” Dracula bellowed.
“No, you are an entitled prince!” the priest yelled back at him. “I have arranged for your and Avram’s safety and all you can think about is your clothing? Would you rather I did nothing and let the villagers discover you for themselves? Luckily for you, I would not do that to Avram.”
“I am not afraid of them,” Dracula said disdainfully. “They know who I am and would never dare to harm me.”
“You think not?” the priest returned. “Well, I know who you are and I know what you are and I am not impressed. Besides, a little hard work will not kill you. You are more than capable of undertaking this task. Or are you a greater weakling than I had imagined you to be?”
They stood facing one another, toe-to-toe, nose-to-nose, in confrontational poses, trading insults and veiled threats. Avram thought he’d never seen two more hardheaded men such as these. What did Gunther really know about Nico? Or was he simply bluffing? Oy vey!
Avram had finally had to step between them to attempt to placate both men. Mostly Dracula, whose indignation knew no bounds. He had to make him understand the necessity for them to disguise themselves, and to help guide the boat on its way if they wished to leave this place in a timely fashion, which they undoubtedly did.
“Yes, I know we are leaving in the middle of the night, and most people will be asleep, but it is much better to not take chances on being recognized,” Avram argued. “Please, Nico! Time is not on our side. We must leave!”
Dracula had finally, grudgingly, agreed. Once he had removed the hideous suit and exchanged it for the other clothing, Avram offered to pack the suit in the trunk, knowing how much he liked it. But Nico only shook his head. “Burn it,” he said. He offered no explanation and Avram decided not to ask. Gunther surprisingly agreed to do just that, and they left the offensive garment in his hands.
Once the arguing had ceased—an utter waste of time in Avram’s eyes—they had finally left the church, trunk in tow. Gunther guided them to the outskirts of the village, to a hiding place on the river where Andrei waited for them in his flat-bottomed boat. Andrei and Avram were old acquaintances. He welcomed Avram warmly, but he seemed a little daunted by the presence of Count Dracula. And the vampire was more than a little peeved at learning he had to perform manual labor. But once they were underway, it quickly became evident that he had prodigious strength, and Andrei began to relax in his presence.
Of course, Avram was not about to enlighten Andrei as to Nico’s true nature. No one in the village needed to know that. However, once they returned to Bistritz—if they were able to return, that is—he would have to have a conversation with Gunther. But for now, all was well.
to be continued
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