@Aisling "I wouldn't be so sure about them being well, unfortunately..." Dracula said to Mystique. "They all looked a bit underdeveloped. I suppose they were born too early."

"To the monkeys," Toma suggested. "They're funny."

@CountDracula

"I hope that they make it. Do you have any suggestions how to make sure they live?" Mystique asked as they walked towards the monkeys.

@Aisling "They might need special treatment," Dracula answered. "They don't look like they need an incubator, but I had the impression that mine had some problems with swallowing."

@CountDracula

"Mine was swallowing fine but had to rest frequently. If they are given a proper fortified milk, they will most likely survive. They become too weak the zoo team will use the gavage tube feedings. I am going to ask about them when we leave. Do you happen to have a membership? I am signing up for one. That will mean that Fiona and I will come herejust about every weekend.' Mystique spoke softly.

@Aisling "I know," Dracula said. "But if they are sick, not even the best care is a guarantee that they'll make it... and yes, I have a membership. I make use of it frequently."

@CountDracula
"I know that I may overly optimistic but it is much better than being pessimistic, isn't it? Sometimes a positive feeling will make a difference to animals. Let me tell you story...

Where I live, there was a family across the street who had cats. One day BJ -the young daughter named it for the two favorite letters of the alphabet- ran out of the house and into the street. A car hit BJ and kept on going and never even slowed down to the speed limit. My cats went berserk and kept meowing, going to the window and back to me like they were imploring me to help him.

The mother by this time was screaming n top of her lungs and crying. The little girl came out and saw BJ which she started to cry. I had reach the cat and carefully moved him off the road onto the grass. I told the girl that she had to not cry because that would make BJ cry more and he might die. Sissy stopped immediately and looked up at me. I told her that she was BJ's momma and she had to stay calm and strong for him.

I instructed Sissy on what to do to keep BJ calm and she did it without question. She sang softly to him, petted him gently and told BJ that he was going to be fine, ect.

I was then able to see the damage. His back leg was pulled out of socket, his lower leg was broke in half and who knew what was wrong inside of him. Her mother screamed to get away from BJ because he would bite her and such while we worked on him. She got two towels and cardboard box. Together we wrapped the leg in the smaller towel and laid him in the box on the other towel.

The father had heard the mother screaming from a block away and saw BJ. He said to let the cat be and it was going to die.
I told Sissy that she needed to think positive because BJ needed her. They did take BJ to the vet who said that was the calmest injured cat that he ever saw. The vet took BJ away and he began to scream so Sissy helped by keeping him calm until BJ was asleep.

Somehow BJ did make it through the surgery and lived for another few years when he died of old age. " Mystique spoke as she finished her sad but true story.

@Aisling "Yes, sometimes, that's true..." Dracula said. "If BJ was a human, they wouldn't have left him there either. Staying strong is good if you can do it, but you should be careful with it... if you play strong while you're breaking down on the inside too often, it might actually break you."

@CountDracula

"Yes, but that is my front. I can be strong usually at the time but when I get alone, I break down and cry my heart out." Mystique admitted.

@Aisling Dracula sighed. "I have to be strong when I can't... I always pretend to be strong when I'm in public, but in fact, I feel like a helpless little boy far too often."

@CountDracula
"Yes and I do understand now. I'll always stand by you even if I disagree with you. If I could change the past for you I would. I wouldn'tchange my past because I got to thinking when I was meditating and know what I came up?" Mystique asked.

@Aisling "That's kind of you..." Dracula said. "I don't know what you came up."

@CountDracula

"All of the hardships that I went through made me uniquely me. Let me explain..... I had a vision. Not a dream, mind you but a real vision. I am sure that it was a vision even if it came from the back of my subconsciousness." Mystique spoke....



"She spoke to me in a kind voice. Here is what she told me.

Mystique, you finally are able to hear me. I am glad for that. I want to speak to you about your life. I know that you had a hard life but each trial and hardship that you bore made you what you are. You are generally patient, kind towards others, have high morals and an interest in learning with a special curiosity of a child like wonder. Look at your past.......

My past life flashed up in mini scenes, reminding me of what I went through in life including you turning me.



"All of these things taught you one of life's lessons. You were fortunate not to have to repeat any of the lessons. A few have and there were a handful that did not need the lesson retaught so many times. Like your Mentor and your friend. They had to bear their lessons over and over then branded into their very being. Help them help themselves. Now your time is up but I will be back to check on you from time to time."

After she left and every once in a while I think of this bit of a vision." Mystique finished.

@Aisling "I'd prefer not to be who I am from having gone through all the shit," Dracula said. "Help to self-help... the lady is right about that. In fact, therapists can't do anything despite helping their patients to self-help. It's just that for some, it doesn't work."

@CountDracula

"I just wonder who the Lady is. Or if she is just a figmentation of my overactive imagination.

I will be listening to her if and when she comes again. Some lessons need to be erased in my opinion but that is very hard to do. The only two ways that I know of to erase memories are hypnosis and drug altering drugs. I wouldn't trust either one." she spoke softly.

@Aisling "She somewhat looks like someone I knew..." Dracula said. "And erasing memory isn't a good idea, since you can never truly erase it. Even with hypnosis and drugs, the memory is still deep within you, and it can and will strike back at some point in time."

@CountDracula

"That she looks like someone you used to know is very interesting. That is why I don't believe in using those techniques. Repressing them often times brings on unwanted dreams that usually escalate into nightmares. Now that is my opinion and experience so either take it or leave it. I used to use a journal method. It is an interesting idea and if you want to try it, I'll tell you how it is done." Mystique smiled at Count Dracula.

@Aisling "If you've ever watched a 'Dracula' movie or read the novel, you've probably heard of her," Dracula said. "Her name was Lucy Westenra. That was at a time where we actually had to break into people's homes at night and bite them. Mainly the reason why those books and movies make us look like creeps, but we had no chance. Otherwise, we would have died."

@CountDracula

"You have lived a great many years longer than I have and I didn't read the book or see the movie. I bet it was very hard in those days." she spoke.

@Aisling "Depends on how you define it. Many people did try to scare us away," Dracula answered. "But honestly - crucifixes, holy water and garlic aren't that scary. Like, what would you do with them? Pray me away, wet me and... smell me away?"

@CountDracula
"I think that the people of that time period were very superstitious. And anything that can't be explained by 'natural means' were either sinful or considered witchcraft. At least that is what I think happened." Mystique spoke as she gazed at the silly monkeys.