A major breakthrough in the disappearance of independent journalist, Sandra McHuskley, has been uncovered.

McHuskley was reported missing in early March after failing to return to her Inner West home for three days. According to McHuskley’s journals, she was due to meet with Mr. Vlad Dracula the Third at his North Sydney mansion earlier that day as part of a piece for the Sydney Morning Herald. However, Dracula claims that McHuskley never arrived.

Though numerous searches have been conducted since then, her whereabouts have yet to be ascertained. Consequently, NSW Police have been treating her disappearance as a homicide. Until recently, no evidence of her fate had been uncovered.

However, on Monday of last week, a member of the public discovered McHuskley’s recording equipment washed ashore Manly Beach. After spotting McHuskley’s name on the device, he alerted local authorities who handed it over to AFP’s Cyber Crime Unit. Though a great deal of water damage had been sustained to the storage device, an audio recording was successfully recovered.

The recording appears to be an interview between McHuskley and Mr. Vlad Dracula the Third. Although this contradicts Dracula’s previous statements about his involvement with McHuskley, he has yet to issue a statement to the press and NSW Police have not named him as a suspect.

Mr. Vlad Dracula the Third is the current CEO of Exsanguinate Inc. and the creator of Bloody Hard Work, the initiative that allows welfare recipients to fulfil their Work For the Dole requirements through the donation of blood.

With the permission of the NSW Police, the following recording has been published in its unedited state in the hopes that it will shed light on McHuskley’s fate.

- — — — -

Sandra McHuskley: Yep, ok, that appears to be working. Could you please say something, Mr. Dracula? I need to test this.

Vlad Dracula: Please, Sandra, we should not be so formal. Call me Vlad.

McHuskley: Of course, Vlad. Sorry. *McHuskley laughs awkwardly* Ok, that appears to be working fine. And thank you for letting me record down here, Vlad. I’m getting much better audio.

Dracula: Do not worry, this works well for me. The fine ladies of my life are currently entertaining *coughs* guests and it would be very rude of me to interrupt. Much better to have interview here in cellar.

McHuskley: I’m not even sure you would call it a cellar, it almost appears to be … a prison.

Dracula: Yes, it was originally convict prison block.

McHuskley: Really? I haven’t heard of any prison blocks in this area. But wow, you’ve kept it remarkably intact. Are those manacles on the walls of the cell?

Dracula: It adds a certain effect that I quite admire.

McHuskley *sounding flustered*: Sorry, I’m a little bit of a history buff. I must of read Fatal Shore a hundred times.

Dracula: That’s quite alright, Australians do not think enough about history right under feet. Foreigners like ourselves are different though.

McHuskley groans: Haaaa, well, actually I’m Australian.

Dracula: What? Surely not?

McHuskley: Yeah, uh, I get that a lot but I was born in Australia.

Dracula: But where -?

McHuskley: Well, my father is Scottish and my mother is Filipino. *defensively* Now can we get back to the interview.

Dracula: I do not mean to offend, Sandra. I am no bigot. I myself am immigrant. I was born in Wallachia before emigrating to London. But I faced much prejudice there so I came from London to here in 1890s.

McHuskley *briefly pauses*: You mean, the 1980s?

Dracula: Sure, why not. My point, Sandra, is that I am multicultural man. Over years, I have had servants of many nations: Italian, Greek, Vietnamese, Chinese, Sudanese. Quite a buffet, I’m sure you would agree. I am no bigot.

McHuskley: Right, well, let’s get down to business. Where did the idea for Bloody Hard Work first come from?

Dracula: Well, I was reading Guardian, not my usual newspaper you understand, too left wing, but I read article complaining that Work For Dole program was spiritually and mentally draining for welfare recipients and I thought to myself. ‘Spiritually and mentally draining?’ Where physically draining in this? Surely mother on New Start give up blood to spend more time with children. So, those who cannot work for dole give us blood instead. Everybody wins.

McHuskley: Plus it must be a tremendous boom for the Health Sector having such a large supply of blood on hand.

*loud slurping can be heard in the background*

Dracula: Whatever do you mean?

McHuskley: Well, aren’t they the people who are receiving the donations?

Dracula: Ah, of course. Yes, yes, very helpful.

McHuskley *suspiciously*: Who else would be receiving the blood?

Dracula: Enough! Next question!

*further slurping can be heard*

McHuskley: Alright, well, uh, there’s been a lot of criticism lately of the low taxation rate of Australia’s millionaires and billionaires. As a push back, the ALP has suggested increasing taxes for high income earners. Some people have argued that with higher taxation, the rich lose their ability to donate to a variety of NGOs usually not favoured by governments in funding. As a billionaire yourself, what would you say to that?

Dracula *disinterestedly*: I knew I should have brought more blood.

McHuskley: Vlad?

Dracula: Yes, yes, lots of criticism of vampire. Left wing socialist use slur like ‘bloodsucker’ and say we are monster.

McHuskley: … I asked you about billionaires.

Dracula *talking over her*: Yes, I know bad vampire exist and bad vampire treat mortals badly, but solution comes not through vampire hunter and killing vampires. Solution comes from good vampire stopping bad vampire. Do not slave for bad vampire, slave for good vampire. Do not get bitten by bad vampire, get bitten by good vampire. It is marketplace.

McHuskley: Wait, do you believe in vampires?

Dracula: Good vampire is important part of community. Good vampire take drug dealer off street, good vampire take gang member of street, good vampire take shoplifter off street. Let’s see socialist vampire hunter do that.

McHuskley *laughing nervously*: Once again, I need to remind you that I was talking about billionaires.

Dracula *pauses*: What did I say?

McHuskley: Vampire.

Dracula: Bah, same same. Billionaire work hard like vampire.

McHuskley: Oh, OH! So you mean, billionaires are metaphorically vampires. Oh, that’s surprisingly progressive for a billionaire to say. I’ll have to note that. *she laughs with a lighter ease*

Dracula: Did you bring blood with you by chance?

McHuskley: *pauses*

McHuskley: Uh, no, no I didn’t. Let’s start on the next question.

Dracula *groaning*: I would prefer blood, but if you insist.

McHuskley *her voice trembles*: A lot of young people are finding it hard to get a fair go in Modern Australia. Housing prices are through the roof, starting wages are insufficient, and the weight of debts and student loans all create an environment that make it difficult for young people to get ahead. Do you think this is a systemic issue or do you think millennials can find their feet in this economy?

Dracula: Pfft, mortals are lazy these days. They just need to work hard. I am self-made. My sire kick me out door with nothing! Everything I have now I did through hard work, grit, and determination.

McHuskley *suspiciously*: That’s odd, because according to my records, you inherited Exsanguinate Inc. from your father, Mr. Vlad Dracula the Second.

Dracula: Yes, yes, it was much effort to set that up. Lots of lawyers for years and years. But it was all worth it, a thousand years later and I am Prince of Darkness. Me, I did that, no one else.

McHuskley: Prince of Darkness?

Dracula: Yes, Lord of All That Is Dead But Hungry.

McHuskley *the microphone rattles*: Ah, well, um, that sounds like a lot of work…

Dracula: So much work. Bah! Are you sure you not bring blood?

McHuskley: Uh, no, no I didn’t. Could we get back on topic please?

*A chair scrapes*

Dracula: See, I think you did bring blood.

McHuskley: Excuse me?

Dracula: I hear it ringing about your veins. I can smell it, that tang of Filipino, that Scottish acidity. You smell delectable.

*A chair scrapes. Something rattles. There’s a thud and something scratches against the microphone*

McHuskley: I think I better be going now.

Dracula: Oh, but you only just arrived.

McHuskley: No, really I must get going. Could you please move aside.

Dracula: Oh, Sandra, why would you want to leave.

McHuskley: Get back!!!

Dracula: Maybe stay and a have a drink. I insist upon it.

McHuskley *takes a deep breathe*: I’m sorry, but I don’t usually drink with vampires.

Dracula chuckles.

*There is a sharp hissing sound before it becomes impossible to make sense of the audio. Inarticulate screaming can be heard followed by heavy thud against the floor. There is loud scratching for several seconds.*

Dracula: Ah that is better. More Irish than Scottish in flavour, I think. Now, where was I, oh yes- Sandra? Miss. McHuskley? *sighs* This what I mean. Mortals are so weak these days, do not even have strength to resist simple bite.

*Inarticulate gurgling can be heard from within the room.*

Dracula: Do not think I make you vampire after that display. Such weak willed millennials. Can never get off arse.

Footsteps recede into the distance. Fifteen minutes of gurgling sounds can be heard before audio cuts off.

- — — — -

If you have any information about the fate of Sandra McHuskley, please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.