Journal of Dr. Jonathan Harker, Entomologist

October 3rd, 18—

The fiend reveals itself not under the pale moon, but in the cruel light of day! This morning, whilst taking my tea upon the veranda, I witnessed the devil’s work firsthand—a swarm of those accursed black-and-white banded legs descending upon the cook’s child. The wretched creature alighted with unnatural precision, its proboscis piercing tender flesh as the babe slept. Within hours, the child burned with fever.

These “yellow fever mosquitoes” are no ordinary pests. They are architects of suffering, breeding in the detritus of our modern world—every discarded teacup, every rain barrel becomes a nursery for their vile offspring. Their eggs possess an unholy resilience, surviving months of drought only to hatch an army when the rains come.

Most alarming is their feeding habit—like some depraved vampire, the female will take multiple blood meals from different victims in a single day, spreading pestilence with unholy efficiency. I have seen strong men laid low, their bodies wracked with dengue’s torment.

The local peasants speak of them in whispers, calling them “los vampiros pequeños.” They are right to fear. For while Count Dracula may be confined to Transylvania, this terror has gone global, stowing away on ships to infest every corner of the Empire.

Tomorrow I shall consult with Dr. Van Helsing at the London School of Hygiene. There is talk of a radical new approach involving bacteria that might sterilize these demons from within. God help us if we’re already too late.