 Welcome, Weirdos! I'm Darren Marlar and this is Retro Radio, old time radio in the dark, presented by Weird Darkness. Each week I bring you a show from the golden age of radio but still in the genre of Weird Darkness. I'll have stories of the macabre and horror, mysteries and crime and even some dark science fiction. If you're here, welcome to the show and be sure to subscribe or follow the podcast so you don't miss future episodes. And if you're already a member of this Weirdo family, please take a moment and invite someone else to listen in with you. Spreading the word about the show helps it to grow. If you're here because you're already a fan of nostalgic audio and print, you'll want to email WeirdDarkness at RadioArchives.com. When you do that, you'll get an instant reply with links to download full-length pulp audiobooks, pulp e-books and old-time radio shows for free. That's Weird Darkness at RadioArchives.com. Coming up, it's an episode from CBS Radio Mystery Theater with the Bram Stoker classic, Dracula. Originally broadcast on May 2, 1974, this episode is obviously based on the Bram Stoker novel of the same name, which was originally published on May 26, 1897. The novel itself is comprised of a collection of diary entries, letters and newspaper reports as opposed to a typical narrative story, so radio script writer George Louther had to adapt it specifically for radio, much as they had to do for the Bella Legosi Dracula film 43 years earlier in 1931. Making a radio adaptation even more of a challenge is the rigid time constraints for syndicated broadcasting. While the 1931 film was already heavily edited from the novel in order to make a one-hour 15-minute movie, the radio version was limited to about 42 minutes in total length in order to leave room for news, sponsors and local commercials. I'm sure it was quite a challenge editing and squeezing a novel of 418 pages down to less than three-quarters of an hour, but I think they did a good job, and apparently so did their listeners as it was so well received by the CBS radio audience that it was rebroadcast later that year on July 27th, and then they brought it back several times, including January 6, 1978, May 26, 1979 and on Halloween night, 1980. Now, bolt your doors, lock your windows, turn off your lights, and come with me into the weird darkness as we listen to CBS Radio Mystery Theatre from May 2, 1974, and Dracula. The CBS Radio Mystery Theatre presents Welcome. I'm E. G. Marshall. Welcome to the terrifying world of your imagination. Vampire. Perhaps in the safety of your home, the word means little to you. Oh, you've heard of vampires, of course, but do you believe that they exist? Not you. Well, all I can say is Minna Harker didn't believe either, Dr. John Seward. Not till that night in the graveyard when they gazed horror-stricken into that coffin and heard Professor Van Helsing say, No, Miss Harker, John, don't turn away. Look, see for yourselves the truth. Horrible. It's horrible. And Helsing, what can be done? A stake must be driven into the body straight through the heart and then the head cut off. Can you bring yourself to do that, Van Helsing? That is not the question, John. The question is, can you? Our mystery drama, Dracula, was specially adapted from the story by Bram Stoker for the mystery theater by George Lothar and stars Mercedes McCambridge. It is sponsored in part by new sugar-free diet 7-up and by the Kellogg Company, makers of Kellogg's special K cereal. I'll be back shortly with Act One. Horror in its purest form lies ahead for us. I would be remiss if I didn't warn you that if your nerves are not strong, it might be better for you not to listen. No, really now. Do you want it? Because as Minna Harker tells us in the diary she kept, there awaits you. An experience so loathsome, so horrifying, that I can hardly bring myself to write of it. If I'd known what lay ahead for me when I went to visit my dearest and closest friend Lucy Westenra at Hillingham, I could not have brought myself to go much as I loved her. Looking back now, I realize I had plenty of warning, but I paid no attention. For example, as I drove to the Westenra estate through that lonely, isolated country and heard the wolves howling in the distance, it occurred to me that it was strange to hear wolves in this part of the country as strange as the huge bats that flew alongside my car. I mentioned this to John, Dr. John Seward, Lucy's fiance, as we sat having a drink in the living room. It's strange, Minna. I've seen that bat myself. The thing must have a wing spread of at least four feet. Having the faintest idea where it came from, or the wolves either. Even Lucy's letters seemed kind of strange to me, John. What is the matter with her? No, I don't know. I'm completely baffled. I've had two other doctors look at her colleagues of mine, and they can't figure it out. I'm desperate, Minna. I'm so desperate I've called in my old friend and teacher, Professor Van Helsing. Van Helsing? He's one of the finest diagnosticians in the world, John. Yes, he'll be here from Amsterdam in a day or two. Amsterdam Hollow? Yeah. All the way from Amsterdam. Oh, John, you must be desperate. Lucy is dying, Minna. I'll do anything I can to save her. We must find a way to stop her from losing blood. Losing blood? It's this constant loss of blood that's killing her. Transfusions help for a time, but only a short time, and each transfusion is less effective. John, when can I see her? She's sleeping now. Our mother's with her, watching her. We take turns. As soon as Mrs. Westendra lets us know she's away. Oh, listen. Those wolves, they're at it again. John, hasn't anyone looked into this wolf thing? Have they suddenly come to be in this part of the country? According to the paper, the town police have looked into it. Well, that's peculiar, too. What? Well, they haven't been able to spot one single wolf. Oh, excuse me. We have a visitor. Oh, come in. Count, come in. Thank you, doctor. I'm on my way to town. I have a dinner engagement, and I thought I would stop to ask after Mrs. Westendra. She's no better, I'm afraid. I'm sorry to hear that. Can you stay for a drink? Well, I... I'd like you to meet a friend of Lucy's who'll be staying with us for a while. Oh, in that case, of course. Minna, this is Count Dracula, our new neighbor. Count Miss Minna Harker. How do you do? How do you do? Count Dracula? Yes, but do not hold it against me, Miss Harker. I cannot help being of a blood warrior. Well, why don't you two get acquainted while I go up and see if Lucy's awake yet? I shall do my best to entertain this charming young lady. I won't be a minute. You are a long way from home, Count. A very long way, Miss Harker. May I ask what brought you here? Business. Business? Good heavens. What kind of business could you have in this part of the country? I mean, it's so isolated. True. It does present difficulties, but I like living in a country. You must. Oh, forgive me. I'm forgetting my manners. Would you like a drink? I think so. A Scotch or a prison? Is there perhaps some wine? Red wine. Let me see. I'm not very familiar with the supply here. Ah, here we are. There's a bottle of burgundy. Ah, that glass of that will be... Miss Harker, what's wrong? I... I... What is it? It's the bottle, I'm afraid. I'm afraid it slipped. It slipped. That's all. I'm afraid I cut my hand. No, no, don't. Count, don't be upset. It's only... It's like... No, no. Count, what's wrong? Minna, overhand. I must leave at once, Doctor. Sorry, I cannot say something. I just remember. No, no, no. It's all right. I will see myself out. What in the world? But, Count... Minna, what happened? Minna? I dropped the bottle of wine and cut my hand. Yes, I see you did, but... I dropped the bottle because... Because I couldn't see him in the mirror. Couldn't see... What mirror? This mirror over the table, it reflects the whole room. Of course it does, but... John, John, I picked up the bottle to pour a drink and I looked into the mirror, and he was standing where you are now, and I couldn't see him in the mirror. He was there where you're standing, but he wasn't reflected in the glass. Minna, you're not making sense, and you're trembling. John, I'm scared. Of what? How can you ask? I look in the mirror and didn't see someone who should have been reflected in it. Is something going on with my eyes, or my brain? John, what? Minna, easy, easy. I don't want another patient on my hand. But, John, I... An optical illusion, something like that. Our eyes play tricks on us sometimes. Now, come on. Let's get a bandage for that cut, and then we'll go up and see Lucy. I believe, John, it must have been... It had to be a trick my eyes had played. What else? Well, we got a bandage for the cut on my hand, and then John took me to Lucy's room. I can't find words to describe the shock I felt when I saw her. She was white as new-fallen snow, and so thin. She almost seemed transparent. She's dying, but that was my first thought. She's dying, and nothing can save her. And I know she read the thoughts in my face I could see the sudden fear in her eyes. I am dying, Minna. Oh, you mustn't even think that, Lucy. You do. I? It was in your face when you looked at me. I read your thoughts. She's dying. You thought? And nothing can save her. I am, and nothing can save me. Oh, John can save you, and he will. He hasn't so far. You mustn't despair, Lucy. Despair, Minna? I don't have the strength to despair. We'd better go now, Minna. Go? Lucy dear, I haven't seen you in nearly a year. We haven't even started to tell each other everything that's happened. Later. Not now. I'm tired. I want to sleep. Oh, well, in that case, I'll come back later. No, not till tomorrow. All right, whatever you say. But I'll just look in on you, lady. No, I... Lucy. You mustn't, you mustn't. All right, all right then. But stop upsetting yourself. Go, go quickly. Oh, good Lord, at the window... It's nothing. Go, Minna, it's nothing. Nothing, it's that bat. That huge bat that followed my car. Oh, go, I beg of you. Lucy, the thing is trying to get in. Look, it's clawing at the window. Is that locked? Is that window locked? Yes, it's locked. But locks are useless against counter-acculent. Oh, good Lord. Mirrors do not reflect my image, Miss Harka. No, the locks keep me out. You, you, you were that bat. As the wolves you hear are not wolves, but like myself. Vampires. Vampires? The dead who live by night. The dead, undead. No, this, this can't be happening. It's a dream. It's a nightmare. That's what it will seem like when you wake up. Yes, you're going to sleep now. And yet not sleep. You will remember all you see in here, but when you wake in, it will seem like a dream. A dream you'll tell no one, not even Professor Van Helsing. Because you will not want to look foolish. You'll be ashamed to tell it for fear he will think you're a silly young woman. Enough. Sleep. Did I sleep? Did I dream? No. My sleep was a hypnotic trance into which he had placed me. And what I dreamed was reality. There in the moonlight that streamed through the window, I saw Dracula raise his arms and call. Lucy. Lucy, my dearest love, come to me. Come, my darling. My lover. Then I shall come to you. Embrace you. And now the strangest thing of all happened to me. As I watched what then took place, my love for my friend Lucy, my fears for her, made me feel as she must have felt so poignantly, so deeply that, yes, I became Lucy. I watched Dracula as he approached my bed. There was a deliberate voluptuousness in him which I found both thrilling and repulsive. Poor and lower went his head. As the lips went below the range of my mouth and chin, and seemed about to fasten on my throat, I could feel the hot breath of my neck. Then the skin of my throat began to tingle. I could feel the soft, shivering touch of his lips on the super-sensitive skin of my throat. And then too hard, dense of too sharp teeth, just touching and pausing air. I closed my eyes. I waited with a beating heart. And horror overcame me. And I sank into unconsciousness. I promised you horror. Have I kept my promise? Here then, another promise. Another warning. I promise that the horror you have just experienced is nothing compared to what is to come. Think twice before you return with me, shortly with Act 2. At WBVM News Time, 1049, Temperature in Chicago, 60 degrees. Visiting her friend, Lucy Westenra, at the Westenra's loneliest state far out in the country, Minna Harker comes face to face with horror in the form of a vampire, Count Dracula. She has witnessed the frightful scene of Dracula entering her friend's bedroom, biting her throat, sucking her blood. So gruesome was it all, or perhaps because of hypnotic suggestion, as Minna writes in her diary. I thought it must have been a dream, a nightmare, for nothing so vile and revolting could be real. But though I tried during the next day or two to persuade myself it was only a dream, there were signs, warnings, all about me that told me I was lying to myself. There was the nightly howling of the wolves, the screeching of that huge bat around the house. And yes, this scarf that Lucy kept wrapped around her throat. It's such a hot afternoon. How can you bear to wear that scarf around your throat? Hot? I feel cold. But Lucy, you're perspiring. Your forehead is damp. All I want to do is sleep. I'm so tired. I'm so deathly tired. I'll leave you for a while then. I'll look in on you later to make sure you're all right. Oh, sleep well. Minna? Yes, dear? If I'm asleep when you come back, promise me you won't remove this scarf from around my throat. Very well. You won't even touch it. Promise? I promise. Later that afternoon, toward evening, Professor von Helsing arrived from Holland. When John introduced me to him, he stared at me suddenly and hard. His eyes boring into me from behind his thick lens glasses. You frightened Miss Hawker? Why? Maybe she hasn't recovered from that optical illusion the other night. Optical illusion? Yes, you see that mirror over the table there? Yes. We had a visitor, Count Dracula, a new neighbor, Carfax, a few miles from here. And Minna had the illusion that she couldn't see his reflection in the mirror. My eyes must have played a trick on me, Professor. Yes. This Count Dracula, John, he's new here, you say? Yes, he arrived from Hungary about six weeks ago. I see. Take me to see a fiance, John. Oh, she's sleeping, Lucy. We'd better wake her up. What is it? You seem suddenly concerned. I am. Take me to Lucy at once. All right, gently. Very gently. Lucy? Lucy, dear. Come on, wake up. Here, here, here. Let me. Pulse weak. Very weak. Eyes. No, she's not asleep. She's in a coma. What is her blood type? Oh, so is mine. Prepare for a transfusion, John. I will be the donor. And hurry, man, hurry. Yes, of course. Meanwhile, I shall have a look under this scarf. No, no, she didn't want the scarf removed. I'm sure she didn't, Miss Harker, but we're going to remove it. As I thought. What? What is it? Yes, Professor, what? Look. Look. There are two, two little holes. Moons. As if she'd been bitten by a large snake. No. Not a snake. What then, what? We must be quick with the transfusion very quick. And pray, God, pray, God, both of you, that I have not arrived too late. But he was too late. The transfusion revived Lucy a little. When we'd made her as comfortable as we could, the three of us, Professor Van Helsing, John and I went back down to the living room. And it was here that Professor Van Helsing told us the truth. The truth that made John Seward cry out. Vampire? You say we are dealing with a vampire professor. Have you gone out of your mind? My dear John, I don't blame you. Blame me? I should hope not. You ask me to believe me, a doctor, a man of medical science. Science? There's more to this word than science. But Professor of Vampire, I can't believe that there's a vampire. I tell you that witches exist. That warlocks exist. That vampires exist. And we are dealing with one here. If what you say is true. It is, it is. Ask her, ask Miss Harker. Me? You had an experience in this house that you are concealing. You choose to think it was a dream. When did it happen, child? Last night? No. The night before. Where? In Lucy's bedroom. What happened? I, I dreamed. No, it was no dream. All right then. I saw. Oh, heaven protect me. I saw. You needn't tell me. We'll need to put you through that. I would if I didn't know who our vampire is. But I do know. Who? The man whose reflection she could not see in that mirror. Your new neighbor, Count Dracula. I don't believe you. I cannot believe you. If you can't believe me, at least trust me. Oh, I'll answer that. Wait. Yes, Professor? If that should be Count Dracula, you did say that he calls about this time each evening, John? Yes. Say nothing. Do nothing to give away the fact that we are unto him. This is nonsense. She had wanted to... Do as I tell you. You may answer the door now, Miss Harker. Yes. Good evening, Miss Harker. Count Dracula. Come in. And how is Miss Westenra today? Not too well. I'm afraid she had to have another transfusion. I'm sorry to hear that, John. Very sorry to hear that. Thank you, Count. I do not believe I have met this gentleman. Oh, I'm sorry. No, you haven't. Let me present my old friend and teacher, Professor Abraham Van Helsing, a professor that says Count Dracula. How do you do, Professor? How do you do, Count? I wished only to inquire about your fiancée, John. I'm sorry. Indeed to hear she has no bet. It says anything I can do. Thank you. Meeting you, Professor, has been pleasure. Good night. Oh, Count. Yes? Mrs. Westenra keeps asking me to do this, and I keep forgetting. There is a custom in the Westenra family to ask visitors to sign the visitor's book. Ah, charming old custom. It's right here if you'll just... Wait a second. I'll get it, and then you can sign it. Is something wrong? It's a Bible. Well, yes. Why do you back away from me? Or are you backing away from the book? The holy book? I must... Oh, no, you'll stay and face this book. You'll know. You'll know. John, you fool. Shouldn't I have done this? I had to. I had to have proof. I will make you pay for this. You shall pay. Oh, no. Not now. Now that I have found out what you are. Oh, John, John. You think because you discovered my secret you can stop me? Fool. You've only delivered yourself into my hand. I meant to make Lucy one of mine, and that was all. But now you shall become mine and you. Yes, and you. No, I beg you. I shall have you all, but first... Lucy, I shall take her. Take her. Now. She's mine. She's no longer this world but of mine. I leave you. Look, he turned into a man. Look, he turned into a bat. Leave bat. And he flew right through the wall. John. Oh, John, why did you do this? Why, after I warned you... I had to know one way or the other. I had to know. There's only one way to finish a vampire. Oh, the first thing you must do is find out where he sleeps during the day. Lucy. Professor. Quickly. Professor. There is no hurry now. And he said he meant to make her his own. He had already done so. It was true. Lucy was dead. We went to her bedroom and found her. Dead. I felt as if I'd been stabbed to the heart. We buried her, my dearest friend, in the West End revolt at Hillingham Cemetery, not far from town. Lucy is gone. Dead? No. No, not dead. Not dead, Professor. She has become the undead. She has become a vampire. What are you saying? John, listen to me. Believe in me. You didn't believe before. Believe now. Yes, yes, yes. I believe you. Go on. John, you feel you've been through hell. I must tell you that you have been through only the enter room to hell. What do you mean? Now, listen to me. Listen carefully. There is only one way in which a vampire can find peace. Can be changed from the undead to the dead. What you must do, terrible as it will be, will release her soul from the horrifying bondage in which it finds itself. Her soul and Dracula's. Dracula's? Do you think a vampire wants to be a vampire? I don't know. A vampire's soul is chained, pinioned, held mercilessly to this earth by Satan himself. And we, we who believe in God, are the only ones who can free them. It is our duty to destroy them. Then let's destroy them. We shall, if you have the nerve to do what, what must be done. I have the nerve. Professor, you frightened me. I mean to, in order to prepare you, but no matter how well I prepare you, when it comes to doing what must be done, your sanity could snap like, like that. So first I will ask you both to take as much time as you need to, to think, to ask yourselves how much did you, do you really love Lucy Westenra? And be sure, be positive beyond all doubt that your love for her is greater than the hell that lies ahead, lies ahead for you and you this very night. One section of Minna-Harker's diary ends at this point. I've read the next and final section, and I can tell you this. Van Helsing said that John and Minna had only experienced the anti-room to hell. He was right, fearfully right. I'll be back shortly with Act 3. This is WBBM, Chicago News Radio 78. We come now to that final section of Minna-Harker's diary. You've been warned about what lies ahead, so I'll not warn you again, but quite honestly, I wish someone had warned me before I read it, this final section. Why? Because I've never quite gotten over it. That's why. I thought I knew what horror was until I read it. I changed my mind. You will too. I'm ready, Professor. I knew you would be, John. We'll wait now for Miss Harker. No, no, there's no need to wait. I love Lucy enough. More than enough. She was my dearest friend. Is your dearest friend, for she is not yet dead. She is as yet the dead undead. Let's nearly sound down. Let us go to the cemetery at once. The cemetery? We'll be dark by the time we get there. Harker, she cannot go on living, or let me say being the undead without drinking human blood. To find it, she must of course leave her coffin. The instant the sun goes down tonight, she will be on the prowl for little children. Children? Yes, children are innocent, gullible, naive. Make easier victims. And the inexperienced vampire must practice. Yes, she will be seeking children. It's revolting. Well, that is only a word to you at the moment. In a short time it will be reality. Do you really think you can bear what is to come? I can. I must. Good. I have preparations to make. So do you, the two of you. Dress warmly. Warmly? But it's hot out. Child, there is no chill like a graveyard chill. We drove to Hilliam Cemetery in John's car. I'd never been in a cemetery at night. How many people have? I found it a very unsettling experience to say the least. It was a moonlit night, the moonlight spilling like milk over the gravestones, which in turn through land, black shadows an owl hooted and dogs barked or I couldn't help thinking, were they wolves? And then we reached the West End revolt. The revolt where we put Lucy's coffin that afternoon. Now what do we do, professor? We go into the vault. Why? And how? I have the key to the vault. How did you get it? I asked the undertaker for it or rather told him to give it to me. He assumed I was a member of the family. Now you need not come with me. Not now. But why shouldn't we come? I wish to save you as much shock as I can. Now she will not be there in the coffin. We'll be a shock for you to find it empty. Well, on the other hand it will be less a shock than what is to follow. Yes, it will prepare you. Come then. Now I shall open the coffin now. If she, if she isn't in it, how could she have got out? I could tell you, but it is better that you see for yourself. Later. Now this won't take long. I need only unscrew the top part. Now to lift off the top of the lid. Yes. Empty. She is gone. Gone where in God's name where? In search of the life giving blood, John. In search of a small child. It's horrible. It's horrible. John. Yes. Come. We go outside the world. Now to lock the door. That's most important. And now what I must do will take a little time. Yes, make yourself as comfortable as you can. Make ourselves comfortable. Professor, what must you do? Well, I have here a paste made of garlic, flour and water. I must seal off every crevice with it. Seal all around the door so Lucy cannot get back into the vault, into her coffin. She could? Through the crevices, yes. How do you think she got out of the coffin? I can't believe. Yes, yes, yes. It is unbelievable. It is so. Now, forgive me. I must get to work. I can't express in words how fresh and clean the light air seemed when we came out of the tomb. How sweet to breathe the fresh air that held no taint of death or decay. John was silent, and so was I. As for Professor Van Helsing, he was very busy at 10 o'clock. I hope both of you took my advice, dressed warmly. Have a long way ahead of us. How much longer, Professor? I'm chilled to the bone. Everything depends on how long it takes her to find a small child. At nearly 2 o'clock there's been gone several hours. Soon now I think it comes. See there? Amidst the headstones? Yes, a woman. Dressed in white. Make no move. No noise. See, she is carrying something in her arms. A child. Control yourself. Ah, there. Yes, she's coming toward the vault. See, she draws back. The mixture I used repels her. Why are we doing this? Why are you keeping her out of the vault? Her coffin? Yes, she is leaving, hurrying away from along the headstones. Come, we must follow. Follow where? To Dracula, I hope. Unless I'm mistaken, she's going to him for help. Hurry, hurry. We must keep her in sight. No, wait. What is it? She is heading for that tomb. Dracula must be there. Good. Now what? See, now she's putting the child down on the ground. And now I'm... Where is she? She's vanished. She's simply slipped into the tomb through the crevice around the door. Wait here. Yes? What's he doing? He's picking up the child, I think. Right now. Here, Miss Hocker, you take the child, keep it warm. Oh, this poor thing. Poor little thing. Look, it doesn't move. It doesn't make a sound. It's lifeless. No, no, only in a trance. It will recover. But remember, when I ask you to do what must be done, remember that we have saved not only this child, but God knows how many others. I'll remember. And now we will return to her tomb and wait till dawn. Till dawn? She will return to the tomb then. She has no choice. Dracula cannot help her. She must sleep in her own coffin before daybreak. How are you feeling, Miss Hocker? I'm all right. Thank you. John, I'm okay. It's almost dawn. Why doesn't she come? Soon, now. How's the child? Still asleep, if it is only sleep. It is, it is. It will not come to its senses until daybreak. Now, prepare yourselves for in a very short time. Now Lucy should... Ah, there, there. Yes, she's coming. And this time, she'll be able to enter the tomb. Could you remove the garlic mixture? This time, I want her to enter the tomb and her coffin. It will be there that you will do what must be done. Oh, there she is. Oh, Heaven help me. She is as beautiful as she always was. Hold on to yourself. She isn't dead. She can't be dead. Lucy! Lucy, my darling! John! Now, come back, Lucy! Come on, my dearest. Come to me, John. Come to me. I have never seen anything so horrible. And God saved me from ever seeing it again. Lucy's eyes shone with an unholy light. And her face became wreathed with a voluptuous smile. As she advanced toward John without stretched arms. Come to me, dearest. My arms are hungry for you. Come. And we can rest together in the tomb. Come, my lover. Come. And John suddenly opened wide his arms and started running to her. And she to him when the Helsing rushed forward between them. And he raised something he held in his hand up against her face. It was a crucifix with a cry of rage and agony. Lucy flung herself away from John and toward the tomb John. John, are you all right? Lord, help me. Lord, help me. And he shall come into the tomb. It's time. I'll first let me put the bag I brought over here. Oh, now I will remove the coffin lid again. Professor, is this really Lucy's body or some kind of demon in her shape? Oh, she's hideous. Yes. Yes, your friend who was so sweet and pure is now a foul thing. But if you can do what you must do, you will see her once again as she was. Whatever it is, we'll do it. The wooden stake I have bought is this pointed stake. You must drive it through Lucy's heart with this hammer. Oh, no. When that is done, cut off her head with this surgical knife. I don't... You must do it for her sake, John, for the sake of the woman you loved. Give me the stake and the hammer. I took the stake in his left hand, the hammer in his right. I saw him tremble as he placed the point of the stake over Lucy's heart. Saw the point dig into her white flesh. And then I could see him gather all his strength, all his self-control. He raised the hammer high above his head and looked at Van Helsing. Yes. John struck with all his might. The thing in the coffin writhed in a hideous blood-curdling screech came from the open lips. The body shook and twisted in wild contortions. John never faltered. He struck and he struck again, driving the stake deeper, deeper. His blood from the pierced heart welled and spurted up around it. And then the writhing and quivering of the body became less. The teeth stopped chomping and the thing lay still. It was over. I'll just have enough, Professor. Enough. I think I'm going to... I've got you. There. Now go outside, get some air. No. Both of you go. I must still her head. No. You have done all that can be asked of you. No more. I will sever the head. Now go now, but before you do, look at your beloved Lucy for the last time. They're longer the foul thing we dreaded. But Lucy, as we had seen her in life, her face is beautiful as it had been then. You will want to know that later on, Professor Van Helsing freed Count Dracula from his earthly bondage. And in so doing, brought his bloody career to an end. Unhappily, that Count Dracula was only one vampire among... how many? I don't know. Hope I never find out. Hope you don't either. I'll be back shortly. I've been asked, do vampires really exist? No one will deny that strange, bizarre, and, yes, gruesome things happen in this world which no one can explain. As Professor Van Helsing himself said, what science cannot prove, science claims, does not exist. Well, anyhow, I play it safe. Use plenty of garlic. I'm afraid it keeps my friends at a distance as well as vampires. But then, you can't have everything. Our cast included Mercedes McCambridge, Paul Hecht, Stefan Schnoble, Michael Wager, and Marion Salvis. The entire production was under the direction of Hyman Brown. I'll prove you of our next tale. I saw the glowing tips of two flip cigarettes. And then... Kiss me, Richard. Stop it! Stop it! Marion, go inside. Why, if you have anything to say, you can say it here, instead of Richard. Go inside! Now listen, you leave her alone, let's go over! He broke my grip on a rom and hit me away. This shelf made me slip to my knee. I came up swinging at space. I missed. He pinned my arms from behind. No, listen, what's the matter with you? Are you crazy? I broke out of his grip, stepped back from him, and fell across the shovel. I grabbed the handle, jumped up... No, no! and swung at Emory. Too late for me to stop the swing. Hit! I stood there, honing the shovel. I'm unable to move. Radio Mystery Theatre was sponsored in part by Anheuser-Busch, Incorporated. Brewers of Budweiser. This is E.G. Marshall inviting you to return to our Mystery Theatre for another adventure in the Macabre. Until next time... pleasant... dreams... Thanks for listening to this week's Retro Radio, old-time radio in the dark. If you haven't done so yet, be sure to subscribe or follow the podcast so you don't miss future episodes. And if you like the show, please share it with someone you know who also loves old-time radio and pulp audio. If you want to hear even more, drop an email to weirddarkness at radioarchives.com and get an instant reply with links to download full-length books, pulp e-books, and old-time radio shows absolutely free. That's Weird Darkness at radioarchives.com. I'm Darren Marlar. I'll see you next time for Retro Radio, old-time radio in the dark.