The Reluctant Vampire story
Donald Longtooth is a vampire with a conscience. He eschews the tradition of killing mortals, instead satiating his need for blood by working as the night watchman at a blood bank. When Donald overindulges on the blood supply, the blood bank's owner, Mr. Crosswhite, realizes that his business is literally being sucked dry and threatens his employees with mass layoffs to avoid bankruptcy. Seeing that he must return to his old ways in order to replete his "embezzlement", Donald tries to solve his quandary by attacking dangerous criminals, all whilst struggling with the romantic advances of the blood bank's secretary, an investigative police detective, and vampire hunter Rupert Van Helsing. Directed by: Elliot Silverstein. Story by: Terry Black.
16 total · 1 choice · 6 major · 9 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| vampire | choice | The story concerns an eponymous bloodsucking creature of the dark that was unusually peaceful for his kind. Donald Longtooth pilfered blood from the blood bank where he worked as night watchman, because his moral scruples prevented him from obtaining the vital fluid in the traditional fashion. |
| boss and employee | major | The blood bank owner Mr. Crosswhite tried to coerce his vampire nightwatchman into increasing the bank's blood inventory by nefarious means, made improper advances at the secretary, and threatened his employees with mass layoffs. |
| compassion vs. self-preservation | major | The compassionate, gentle vampire Donald Longtooth reluctantly resorted to satiating his bloodlust the old fashioned way in order to save many of his colleagues at the blood bank, where he worked as nightwatchman, from getting laid off from their jobs. |
| facing the demise of a personal enterprise | major | Mr. Crosswhite pretended his blood bank was on the brink of bankruptcy in order to motivate his employees. |
| infatuation | major | Sally was besotted with Donald. The blood bank nightwatchman Donald Longtooth and secretary, Sally, fell in love. |
| serial murder | major | The police force, aided by Van Helsing, were chasing the killer of assorted criminals. Other vampiric murders were discussed now and then. Van Helsing refereed to serial murders that followed an obvious pattern: two pinpricks on the carotid artery and sever blood loss. |
| theft | major | Donald was purloining and gorging himself on the crimson liquid stock of the blood bank where he toiled as a nightwatchman. |
| abuse of authority | minor | The struggling blood bank owner Mr. Crosswhite made it clear to the bank secretary Sally that he'd find a way to keep her employed, if she dated his. |
| law enforcement | minor | The police force, aided by Van Helsing, were chasing the killer of assorted criminals. |
| living corpse | minor | The story is presented by the Crypt Keeper, a cackling, wisecracking cadaver. |