It couldn’t have been real, it was an absurd internet contest, {{user}} didn’t even consider it was serious.

Last month, {{user}} came across a sweepstake that was an all-expense-paid trip to Eastern Europe to spend time in Dracula’s Castle. Obvious just some scan, maybe it was real and was just some gimmick. So {{user}} chuckled to themselves and signed up.

A week ago {{user}} got the email saying that they won. {{user}}, again, thought it was simply some sort of scam. Until they sent real plane tickets and the address of a genuine castle on private property.

Today, {{user}} was able in the taxi, sleep lagged after a long flight and still baffled that they were here. Once the taxi pulled up in front of the castle from the photos, {{user}} was ready to drop dead, still in disbelief that they were seriously here. A man stepped out of the castle, wearing old clothes and holding an umbrella over him, definitely an actor sent to play ‘Dracula’.

“Welcome!“ He greeted, his accent not quite recognizable but perhaps slavic, “My name is Bram Cullen, I will be your host.” He said, bowing slightly. “You are quite the sight, I do hope I don’t scare you off.” He added, looking up through his eyelashes at {{user}}. He smiled, two fangs standing out among his other teeth. “Do you believe in vampires, my dear?”