JULY 29

Derrel slumped in his chair at his post and tried to stay awake while still closing his eyes. He and the rest of the men slept only a few hours each night. Anfernee Lebedev, the second mate, came over and gently shook Derrel’s shoulder.

“Hmm?”

“Hey, why don’t you get some sleep? You look tired and I can do this job well enough myself.”

“No, I couldn’t, Anfernee,” said Derrel. “That madman is on the loose. We have to protect each other.”

“You won’t be able to protect anyone if you’re constantly nodding off,” replied Anfernee. “Just power nap for a few hours. I’ll be right here when you get back.”

Derrel smiled. He put his hands on his chair’s armrests and pushed himself up.

“Thanks, Anfernee. I am exhausted.”

Derrel left the room and closed the door behind him. Anfernee settled into the chair that Derrel had just sat in.

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“Maybe I’ll just rest my eyes for a second,” thought Anfernee.

His eyelids felt so comfortable closed. Anfernee imagined he was sleeping in a bed with cotton sheets and fluffy pillows. In his dream, he was wearing pajamas and snuggling under a thick duvet. His mattress floated through a sky of thick, white clouds.

Suddenly, Anfernee’s entire body felt cold. His eyelids flew open. In front of him was a tall, Black man.

“It’s you!” gasped Anfernee.

He clenched his fist and pulled back his arm for a bunch. Count Blackula made a sweeping motion with his arm, and Anfernee felt very loose and dazed. The sailor stood still, and his hands dangled by his side.

“Don’t fight,” said Count Blackula. “If your heart beats too vigorously, it makes such a mess.”

Anfernee wanted to fight, to flee, but his body was no longer his own. His arm moved of its own volition. He snapped his fingers in front of his upper right chest, his upper left chest, lower right chest, and lower left chest, in rapid succession.

snap snap snap snap

“Oh, sugar,” said Anfernee. “You can do whatever you want.”

“What am I saying?” thought Anfernee. “This isn’t me! I’m being controlled!”

A few hours later, Derrel came back to the empty workroom. He raised the alarm and the crew all searched the ship again. But Anfernee was gone.

The captain ordered everyone to carry a gun from then on out.