Paint the town red

Dracula by Bram Stoker

I found the third opening most effective. This is because I liked the way in which the writer drops in little hints such as the howling of the dogs that portray as sense of foreboding. The tone is very dark and ominous and leaves suspense in the air. I liked the way in which it made reference to the blue flame suggesting that something was going to go wrong and leaving us to guess what was going to happen. Since it was very sudden it grabs our attention and makes us feel quite chilled and scared and share the same feelings as the narrator. By describing the wolves in the way that they were described in the excerpt it immediately paints a picture in our mind, it also makes us wonder about the significance of the driver-especially when the wolves disappear as he returns.

Painting the town red

“Finally out of bed are we? I’ve made you toast with jam and there’s cranberry juice if you want it. A red-themed breakfast for Scarlet”
I leave her to laugh at her stupid joke while I tuck into my breakfast. Too much jam, way too much. Too sticky, too sweet. Sickly sweet. Cranberry juice. Horrid, I think I’ll pass.
“Umm, blood.”
“Shut up Joe, it is way too early in the morning to listen to your crap”
“Language!” Mum shrieks.
“I don’t have time for this, I’m off to school”
“Oh don’t go off in a strop, love. Finish your breakfast at least.”
“I’ll have it” Joe pipes in “I need as much blood in my system as I can if you’re sending me out in the light Mum.”
“Oh. Joey” Mum says in her sickly mumsy voice. I leave them both to carry on bonding.

“Glad to be out of that hell-hole,” I mutter.
“Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby”- I could recognise that voice miles off. It was Nigel, head to toe in red, if his dad wasn’t so uptight I think he would have dyed his hair red instead of wearing that hideous red bandana. He looked ridiculous.
“Bugger off Nigel” I shout and decide to go down the side street to get away from him. God, he’s so creepy. Does he think that by dressing in red he can win my heart? What an idiot. And he calls me Ruby, can’t find a song with Scarlet in it he says.
Mum would do her nut if she found out I took the ‘dangerous’ route to school. I don’t see what the problem is. It’s quiet that’s all. A bit dumpy too. Litter, clothes all dumped. Not a person in sight. Silence so loud that covering your ears wouldn’t drown it out.
How do I get to school via this route? I should have just walked to school using the normal route and just ignore Nigel like I normally do. It’ll take way too much time to go back. Why is it so deserted? Oh, no there is someone, a woman I think, yeah a woman sitting outside, what looks like, a café. I’ll ask her.
I approach her, noticing that a sudden chill was in the air now. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. No come one Scarlet, you’ve come this far just ask this lady for directions.
“Excuse me, hi I’m Scarlet. I was wondering if you knew how to get to…”
She lifts her head; drapes of black hair framed her pale face. She looks at me and opens her mouth as if to speak. She begins screaming. I can feel my ears ringing. Blood spitting out of her mouth, out of her eyes dripping onto her ice white clothes. She carries on screaming. I try to say something but her screams drown out my words. She was out of control getting louder by the second. Blood coming out of her nostrils now, her dress had turned red. Scarlet red. I try to cover my ears to drown out the sound. I try to run away but I fall on the solid concrete. I look at my hands. They are covered with blood; blood from my ears, my tights have ripped, my leg bleeding, my body burning as if being attacked by the vicious flames of hell. All I hear is screaming. All I smell is blood. All I see is red. Scarlet. Ruby. Blood red. My blood dripping and painting the street Scarlet. Is this hell?