🧛 Dracula – Chapter 6 (Adapted, ~600 words)

Title: Sleepwalking and Storms

Mina Murray arrived in Whitby, a quiet seaside town in England. She had come to visit her best friend, Lucy Westenra, who was staying with her mother for the summer. Mina brought her notebook and wrote in it every day.

“Lucy looks so beautiful and happy here,” Mina wrote. “But sometimes she seems tired during the day. She says she sleeps well, but I’m not sure.”

Lucy loved to walk outside. She often sat on the bench near the old graveyard, watching the sea. One night, Mina woke up and saw Lucy’s bed empty. Panicked, she ran out to find her.

She found Lucy outside—sleepwalking! She was wearing only her nightgown and had bare feet. Her eyes were open, but she said nothing.

“Lucy!” Mina cried. “Wake up!”

Lucy did not move. She was standing at the edge of the cliff, near the graveyard. The moonlight made her look like a ghost.

Suddenly, Mina saw something else—something like a tall, dark figure behind Lucy. She blinked, and it was gone.

Mina quickly led Lucy back home. In the morning, Lucy remembered nothing.

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Meanwhile, strange things were happening in the town.

A Russian ship had crashed on the beach during a terrible storm. The ship was empty—except for the dead captain, who was tied to the wheel. His face showed great fear.

“There were no sailors. No one on board. Just a large black dog that jumped out and ran away,” one of the townspeople said.

Mina read the news in the paper and wondered if there was a connection. That night, she again found Lucy missing from her bed.

She ran to the cliff. Lucy stood in the same place, her face turned toward the sea. Again, a dark shape seemed to be near her—this time closer.

Mina rushed forward and grabbed Lucy. Her skin was cold, and she had small red marks on her neck.

“You’re safe now, Lucy,” Mina whispered. But she was frightened.

Back at the house, Mina took care of her friend. Lucy’s mother thought it was only the sea air making her tired.

But Mina wasn’t sure.

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📘 Glossary

Word	Definition
Seaside	A place next to the ocean or sea
Graveyard	A place where people are buried; cemetery
Sleepwalking	Moving around while asleep without knowing it
Panic(ed)	Feeling sudden fear or anxiety
Nightgown	A long, loose dress worn for sleeping
Moonlight	The light from the moon
Blinked	Quickly closed and opened the eyes
Crash(ed)	To hit something hard; in this case, the ship hit land
Wheel	The steering part of a ship
Marks	Small spots or signs on the skin

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. Why did Mina go to Whitby?

2. What was unusual about Lucy’s behavior at night?

3. What did Mina see behind Lucy during the night?

4. What happened to the Russian ship?

5. What did the townspeople see leave the ship?

6. What marks did Mina see on Lucy’s neck?

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✅ Answers

1. To visit her friend Lucy Westenra.

2. Lucy was sleepwalking and left the house at night.

3. A tall, dark figure, which disappeared when she blinked.

4. It crashed on the beach during a storm and had no living sailors.

5. A large black dog jumped off the ship and ran away.

6. Small red marks.