Just a stylistic thing I tried haha, it counts down to the point where you take a bite of the apple and seal the deal as it were / meet Dracula. Tbh no one else noticed it when I even asked before so I was surprised someone noticed
I actually really like the notion of the countdown! It’s very poetic, it goes from the divine 7 to the singular choice that either dooms or saves. I really enjoyed this mini story and an hopeful for any updates!! Thank you for sharing btw .
Lol, I was thinking it was a spell or something of the sort, and that we’d need to remember it for something. I even started over because I thought I’d missed ten, nine and eight!
@AnneWest ahh, haha okay, then I understand I was a little afraid it was… well, very silly. I still feel quite new to this whole… creative writing thing, and I always wonder if any experiment I do writing-wise is just overtly excited noob behaviours that one should have gotten out of one’s system in stories that never see the light of day.
@HarleyQueen I have very explicit and detailed plans
@CynicalCream thank you! (And the site says above your message you haven’t commented in years—welcome back! I’m flattered you saw this little thing to comment on )
Hmmm
I just skimmed that, but I’ll say diamonds would be more likely or a sparkling lustful gaze (ok lol, I ew-d myself out, I can almost promise the game will be better than that…)
Just read and it’s very interesting so far! I feel as though you are taking me back in time with all these Victorian stories haha (not that I’m complaining!)
Also, when you say “early modern period,” about when are we talking? Because that’s technically from 1500-1800, but I’m assuming that’s not what you meant
OHHH MAN. i’m still playing through this short but i decided to come here after seeing the countdown. it’s a perfect description of “show, not tell” type of storytelling and i just enjoy it! and am i right that the count started from eight? the octet stuck in my mind on my first time seeing it, then i realized what you intended to do with it upon seeing seven and six. hmmm, i wonder why the count started from eight? is it to symbolize infinity and how dracula is an immortal vampire? ooorr, is it to symbolize dracula’s never-ending hunger?
THIS IS NOT FAIR, I ALREADY FELL IN LOVE WITH THE WOMAN DRACULA. It’s a cruel joke with our hearts, it’s a slow but assured death, because now we want more, God how a woman can be so sexy just by existing, one scene, that’s it, I fell in love.
The movie “bottoms” really didn’t make a mistake, we lesbians desperate for love just for one scene would open seven fight clubs for this Dracula. I don’t know whether to sleep and dream about Dracula or whether to test consecutively just to see the affection of this beautiful and magnificent creature.
@Anna_B Tbh, I just woke up, so I don’t entirely remember what date I had set, but I think it was the 1600-the 1700s. And not in a very advanced or prosperous part of the world, so the world/setting might still feel even older
@Kitty_Gaige Yay! I just felt the damsel perspective was so rare in IFs (which I think some people would be surprised about, but the damsel character to me is about being allowed to feel and struggle and ask for help——rather than being pathetic or constantly losing, etc. I think there’s something quite lovely with being soft, and accepting that one cant do everything alone, while still not being automatically relegated to something demeaning).
@yourgalaxies Omg haha ok so I actually asked this of someone, tho I didn’t get a reply so plz yall help me decide (sorry for showing yall behind the curtain) but I sent this to a friend:
I can’t decide if the vamp countdown should start with 8 or 7.
the eight is much earlier in the story, and kind of sets it as you enter the space rather than when you approach the “devils bargain”.
the idea was that 8 was to symbolise eternity of the vampire, a lil hint.
but most people seem to miss the 8, and instead only see the 7, which represents the godly number. so maybe i should remove the 8th reference or atleast the italics on it?
thoughts? I am starting to think 7 is the way to go
oh nooo it’s too bad a lot of people seem to miss it, and judging from the comments here, i seem to be the first one to point it out😅
but honestly speaking, i’d say keep it! it’s a nice little easter egg for the ones who get it and dracula’s eternal hunger🫣 and for those who didn’t catch it but decide to replay, they may get an “oh i didn’t notice this the first time!” kind of moment and it would be an enjoyable find, which from my point of view, makes me more excited to find what else i’ve missed while reading for the first time! and i’ll keep replaying until i’m 100% sure i haven’t missed anything lol
and 8 fits way better than 7, i think. it’s just very “dracula-esque”, if that makes sense. it just sets the entire vibe for me as soon as the mc enters the eerie castle and let me know something’s wrong, but that’s coming from me who noticed it so i don’t know about the people who didn’t!
edit: i was about to suggest to add bold to the font, but i fear that’s… overkill. so scratch that. it will lose the subtlety that made the octet scratch my brain in all the right ways😅
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aww thank you! I’m glad to hear it!
)
I feel as though you are taking me back in time with all these Victorian stories haha (not that I’m complaining!) 
