Operation Dracula is here!
*cue the screams*
It is here!
Download and listen to Operation Dracula, our intrepid volunteers from around the globe reading an excerpt from the original Bram Stoker. Our selection is the (abridged) ship's log from the doomed vessel, the Demeter, which carries Dracula to England.
Music generously provided by Michael Gordon Shapiro. Thank you so much to Mike as well as all the readers, especially those jumping in bravely at the last minute!
Transcript of lines and readers:
Titles - Molly and Zach
kimuracarter - On 17 July, yesterday, one of the men, Olgaren, came to my cabin, and in an awestruck way confided to me that he thought there was a strange man aboard the ship. He said that in his watch he had been sheltering behind the deckhouse, as there was a rain storm, when he saw a tall, thin man, who was not like any of the crew, come up the companionway, and go along the deck forward and disappear.
Karanja - 24 July.--There seems some doom over this ship. ... last night another man lost, disappeared.
Steve - Like the first, he came off his watch and was not seen again. Men all in a panic of fear.
Molly - ...sent a round robin, asking to have double watch, as they fear to be alone. ...crew in a panic.
Zach - Mate and I agreed to go armed henceforth.
joemorf - ...30 July.-- Awakened by mate telling me that both man of watch and steersman missing. Only self and mate and two hands left to work ship.
Tony - 1 August.--Two days of fog, and not a sail sighted.... We seem to be drifting to some terrible doom.
Rich - 2 August, midnight.--Woke up from few minutes sleep by hearing a cry, seemingly outside my port. Could see nothing in fog.
Ben - Rushed on deck, and ran against mate. Tells me he heard cry and ran, but no sign of man on watch. One more gone. Lord, help us!
Katy - 3 August.--At midnight I went to relieve the man at the wheel and when I got to it found no one there. The wind was steady, and as we ran before it there was no yawing.
Amanda - I dared not leave it, so shouted for the mate. After a few seconds, he rushed up on deck in his flannels.
Sally - He looked wild-eyed and haggard, and I greatly fear his reason has given way. He came close to me and whispered hoarsely, with his mouth to my ear, as though fearing the very air might hear, "It is here.
Peggy - ...I know it now. On the watch last night I saw It, like a man, tall and thin, and ghastly pale. It was in the bows, and looking out.
Gillen - ...I crept behind It, and gave it my knife, but the knife went through It, empty as the air." And as he spoke he took the knife and drove it savagely into space.
Douglas - Then he went on, "But It is here, and I'll find It. It is in the hold, perhaps in one of those boxes. I'll unscrew them one by one and see. You work the helm."
mikailborg - And with a warning look and his finger on his lip, he went below. There was springing up a choppy wind, and I could not leave the helm.
Celia - I saw him come out on deck again with a tool chest and lantern, and go down the forward hatchway. He is mad, stark, raving mad, and it's no use my trying to stop him.
Kevin - So here I stay and mind the helm, and write these notes. I can only trust in God and wait till the fog clears. ...It is nearly all over now.
avari_maethor - Just as I was beginning to hope that the mate would come out calmer, for I heard him knocking away at something in the hold, and work is good for him, there came up the hatchway a sudden, startled scream, which made my blood run cold...
Justin - ...and up on the deck he came as if shot from a gun, a raging madman, with his eyes rolling and his face convulsed with fear. "Save me! Save me!" he cried, and then looked round on the blanket of fog.
faroula - ..."You had better come too, captain, before it is too late. He is there! I know the secret now."
snorklewacker - "The sea will save me from Him, and it is all that is left!" Before I could say a word, or move forward to seize him, he sprang on the bulwark and deliberately threw himself into the sea.
Marcus - I suppose I know the secret too, now.
kirstenfleur - It was this madman who had got rid of the men one by one, and now he has followed them himself.
gavinworld - God help me! How am I to account for all these horrors when I get to port? When I get to port! Will that ever be?
Ali - Still fog, which the sunrise cannot pierce, I know there is sunrise because I am a sailor, why else I know not. I dared not go below, I dared not leave the helm, so here all night I stayed, and in the dimness of the night I saw it, Him! God, forgive me, but the mate was right to jump overboard. It was better to die like a man. To die like a sailor in blue water, no man can object.
Kevon - But I am captain, and I must not leave my ship. But I shall baffle this fiend or monster, for I shall tie my hands to the wheel when my strength begins to fail...
Kim - ...and along with them I shall tie that which He, It, dare not touch. And then, come good wind or foul, I shall save my soul, and my honour as a captain.
shmuel - I am growing weaker, and the night is coming on. If He can look me in the face again, I may not have time to act.
(If you signed up via LJ, I used your LJ username. If you got volunteered by someone else, or signed up on Facebook, I used your first name. More or less. Thus concludes my organizational system for Operation Dracula.)
In related news, I highly recommend this brief and hilarious comic-strip version of 'Dracula'. Thanks for finding that, Katy!
It is here!
Download and listen to Operation Dracula, our intrepid volunteers from around the globe reading an excerpt from the original Bram Stoker. Our selection is the (abridged) ship's log from the doomed vessel, the Demeter, which carries Dracula to England.
Music generously provided by Michael Gordon Shapiro. Thank you so much to Mike as well as all the readers, especially those jumping in bravely at the last minute!
Transcript of lines and readers:
Titles - Molly and Zach
kimuracarter - On 17 July, yesterday, one of the men, Olgaren, came to my cabin, and in an awestruck way confided to me that he thought there was a strange man aboard the ship. He said that in his watch he had been sheltering behind the deckhouse, as there was a rain storm, when he saw a tall, thin man, who was not like any of the crew, come up the companionway, and go along the deck forward and disappear.
Karanja - 24 July.--There seems some doom over this ship. ... last night another man lost, disappeared.
Steve - Like the first, he came off his watch and was not seen again. Men all in a panic of fear.
Molly - ...sent a round robin, asking to have double watch, as they fear to be alone. ...crew in a panic.
Zach - Mate and I agreed to go armed henceforth.
joemorf - ...30 July.-- Awakened by mate telling me that both man of watch and steersman missing. Only self and mate and two hands left to work ship.
Tony - 1 August.--Two days of fog, and not a sail sighted.... We seem to be drifting to some terrible doom.
Rich - 2 August, midnight.--Woke up from few minutes sleep by hearing a cry, seemingly outside my port. Could see nothing in fog.
Ben - Rushed on deck, and ran against mate. Tells me he heard cry and ran, but no sign of man on watch. One more gone. Lord, help us!
Katy - 3 August.--At midnight I went to relieve the man at the wheel and when I got to it found no one there. The wind was steady, and as we ran before it there was no yawing.
Amanda - I dared not leave it, so shouted for the mate. After a few seconds, he rushed up on deck in his flannels.
Sally - He looked wild-eyed and haggard, and I greatly fear his reason has given way. He came close to me and whispered hoarsely, with his mouth to my ear, as though fearing the very air might hear, "It is here.
Peggy - ...I know it now. On the watch last night I saw It, like a man, tall and thin, and ghastly pale. It was in the bows, and looking out.
Gillen - ...I crept behind It, and gave it my knife, but the knife went through It, empty as the air." And as he spoke he took the knife and drove it savagely into space.
Douglas - Then he went on, "But It is here, and I'll find It. It is in the hold, perhaps in one of those boxes. I'll unscrew them one by one and see. You work the helm."
mikailborg - And with a warning look and his finger on his lip, he went below. There was springing up a choppy wind, and I could not leave the helm.
Celia - I saw him come out on deck again with a tool chest and lantern, and go down the forward hatchway. He is mad, stark, raving mad, and it's no use my trying to stop him.
Kevin - So here I stay and mind the helm, and write these notes. I can only trust in God and wait till the fog clears. ...It is nearly all over now.
avari_maethor - Just as I was beginning to hope that the mate would come out calmer, for I heard him knocking away at something in the hold, and work is good for him, there came up the hatchway a sudden, startled scream, which made my blood run cold...
Justin - ...and up on the deck he came as if shot from a gun, a raging madman, with his eyes rolling and his face convulsed with fear. "Save me! Save me!" he cried, and then looked round on the blanket of fog.
faroula - ..."You had better come too, captain, before it is too late. He is there! I know the secret now."
snorklewacker - "The sea will save me from Him, and it is all that is left!" Before I could say a word, or move forward to seize him, he sprang on the bulwark and deliberately threw himself into the sea.
Marcus - I suppose I know the secret too, now.
kirstenfleur - It was this madman who had got rid of the men one by one, and now he has followed them himself.
gavinworld - God help me! How am I to account for all these horrors when I get to port? When I get to port! Will that ever be?
Ali - Still fog, which the sunrise cannot pierce, I know there is sunrise because I am a sailor, why else I know not. I dared not go below, I dared not leave the helm, so here all night I stayed, and in the dimness of the night I saw it, Him! God, forgive me, but the mate was right to jump overboard. It was better to die like a man. To die like a sailor in blue water, no man can object.
Kevon - But I am captain, and I must not leave my ship. But I shall baffle this fiend or monster, for I shall tie my hands to the wheel when my strength begins to fail...
Kim - ...and along with them I shall tie that which He, It, dare not touch. And then, come good wind or foul, I shall save my soul, and my honour as a captain.
shmuel - I am growing weaker, and the night is coming on. If He can look me in the face again, I may not have time to act.
(If you signed up via LJ, I used your LJ username. If you got volunteered by someone else, or signed up on Facebook, I used your first name. More or less. Thus concludes my organizational system for Operation Dracula.)
In related news, I highly recommend this brief and hilarious comic-strip version of 'Dracula'. Thanks for finding that, Katy!