The moon was obscured by the clouds and the only light in the area was the glare of Gary Drake's car headlights. There was not a sound in the air except the buzz of nocturnal insects. Gary Drake kept driving along the road in front of him even though he was no longer sure where it led. He looked back at the passenger seat and saw the kids fast asleep. They had set out from home five hours back expecting to reach Mount View ski resort by seven at night. He had followed all the signs along the way but still ended up getting lost. His family had been sleeping and he didn't have the heart to tell them that they were lost. So he kept driving in the hope of finding the correct route. Now that it was half past nine at night, he began desperately looking for a shop, a gas station, a toll booth —— anything or anybody that could guide him to a safe shelter for the night. Gary realized that he had been driving in circles for some time. The roads were all identical and they were all lined by trees and a dark forest on both sides. There was nothing that could easily distinguish one road from the other. Gary kept following the next two miles of dark road lit only up by his car's headlights. The night was getting chillier by the minute and fog was beginning to form. Somewhere in the forest wolves howled. "I need to find an inn, a hotel, a house...something!" thought Gary, "We can't spend the night in the forest." As he was busy with his anxious thoughts, Gary's eyes fell upon the roof of a tall building in the distance. Gary fervently thanked his luck and began driving towards the building. "Is it a house, a church, a hotel?" Gary wondered. "Or is it Count Dracula's castle?" he thought jokingly as he came closer to the ancient structure. Gary entered the driveway and was amazed to see how a house in the middle of a jungle could be so well maintained. He parked the car a little distance from the house and got out to ring the bell. As he approached the door, Gary noticed a sign that said "Richard Drake." He rang the doorbell, and a person whom Gary hadn't seen for ten years opened the door. As snowflakes began descending from the sky, the night fell like a soft blanket on the forest. The stars twinkled in the midnight blue sky and the sweet fragrance of night lilies filled the air. Gary and his long lost brother Richard stared at each with disbelief for a long time.
What is the best reason the author alludes to the Count Dracula?
A.
to heighten the anxious mood of the story
B.
to emphasize that Gary was brave and fearless
C.
to show that Gary was curious to see the house
D.
to heighten the comic mood of the story