Shadows of Collinwood
Disclaimer: Dark Shadows, and all related places and characters are the intellectual property of Dan Curtis Productions, Inc. This is all in fun, but if I step on any copyrights, I will take this story down.
Background: This story basically follows the original storyline, but it's a 'what could have happened' thing, so some of the characters are completely different. I'm sorry if the story starts off a little slow, I promise it will get better. I hope you enjoy it!
Part I-
Victoria Winters sat alone towards the back of the train, desperately trying to stay warm. Thoughts of her past floated back to her, triggered by this cold December evening. She didn't know very much- what she did know was that she was found on the front steps of Holy Name cathedral in Chicago by an old priest, and she was taken into an orphanage. After she turned 18, she had made a job for herself by working as a maid for wealthy families in the city, but she didn't have much money, and the nuns who ran the orphanage agreed to let her stay if she looked after the children for them.
Then the call had come, completely out of the blue. A Mrs. Stoddard from Collinsport, Maine, had called the orphanage and requested that Victoria come and work for her as a governess. At first, she wasn't sure about the position. She had never left this city, much less been away from the orphanage for any great length of time. But after some persuasion from this Mrs. Collins, she had agreed.
Victoria snapped back into reality when a man approached her, a warm smile on his face. "Good evening," his deep and rich voice intoned, "would you mind if I sat here?" He made a dramatic gesture at the bench across from Victoria's.
"Of course not!" She said, smiling back at him. "Finally, someone to talk to! I've been on this train for hours, and so far no one has said a word to me except the conductor." The man laughed, and Victoria blushed. "I'm sorry," she said. "How rude of me to start talking without even introducing myself. I'm Victoria Winters," she extended her had, and the man accepted it.
"Devlin, Burk Devlin," he said.
After some small talk (most of which was done by Victoria), the conductor walked down the Isle. "We'll be arriving at our last stop, Collinsport in about half an hour," he boomed, and then walked back up the isle again.
"That's my stop," Victoria told Burk.
"Really," Burk smiled. Something about his smile disturbed Victoria. It wasn't quite right, like trying to look at a stone through rippling, shimmering water.
"Miss Victoria," he asked, "Where in Collinsport are you going? It's a fishing town. No place for a girl like you." Something about the way he said 'a girl like you' made her feel uneasy.
"I'm going to be working at Collinwood as a governess," She told him slowly. She wasn't happy to be talking to this man anymore.
"Really, Collinwood…" Burk smiled again, his eyes flashing a strange scarlet color. "Have you heard about Collinwood, Miss Victoria?"
"No, I had never heard of it until I was called by Mrs. Stoddard,"
Burk leaned forward. "Well, now. I believe I'm going to be visiting the Collins estate very soon."
Victoria was glad when the train finally pulled into the train station, and even more glad when Devlin didn't get off. She hailed a taxi, but the driver refused to take her to Collinwood. "Can you at least take me to a hotel?" she snapped irritably.
"Sure, ma'am," The driver said. "I know just the place."
"Would you like something to drink?" The pretty young waitress asked her. Victoria was sitting in the hotel café while she waited for her room to get prepared.
"A cup of coffee would be nice, thank you," she replied. The waitress nodded, and walked the 15 feet or so to the counter.
"So where are you from? And why are you here in Collinsport?"
"That's funny, the man on the train asked me the same thing-" It was then that she remembered something. Collinsport was the last stop of the night, and the man hadn't gotten off… She probably just didn't see him. It was dark out.
"What's wrong," The waitress asked, bringing back her coffee, and sitting down in front of her.
"Oh, it's nothing," Victoria replied. "Well, I came here because I received a call from a Mrs. Stoddard-"
"Mrs. Stoddard!" The waitress seemed surprised. When she saw the look on Victoria's face, she laughed and told her to continue. "She wanted me to be a governess. But it's strange. I've never met a Mrs. Stoddard- I've lived in Chicago all my life! So why did she call me?"
The waitress though a moment, then shook her head. "The Collins' are a strange family. Some say Mrs. Stoddard is a bit crazy- that might have something to do with it."
"Why do they say she's crazy?"
"Well, she never leaves that place, Collinwood. Not since her husband died… but that was ten years ago! By they way, I'm Maggie Evans. It's nice to see a guest in here for a change."
"Victoria. It's nice to be someplace warm for a change!" They laughed. Then Victoria returned to the topic at hand. "She hasn't left her house in ten years? That's hard to believe. Maybe she just comes to town at odd hours…"
"Maybe," said Maggie, "But no one I've talked to have seen her any time recently."
Mrs. Elizabeth Collins Stoddard stood at the large window in the sitting room. Her brother Roger paced back and forth, a glass of brandy in his hand. "Really, Liz, He is my son, and I say he should be sent to a boarding school!" Elizabeth turned around. Roger hadn't noticed how pail she looked…
"Roger, I am not in the mood. If you recall, this is the day that… ten years. Has it already been that long?"
He set his brandy glass down, and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Liz. But do we really want some… orphan coming and poking around our business?"
"It's the best for David"
"Is it, Liz? Is it really best for David, or is it best for you?"
"How dare you say such a thing, Roger? While you are in my house, you will do what I think best for the family!" She turned back to the window, gazing sadly at the bare trees.
"Liz, I'm sorry. But so much has happened lately. What with Quentin graduating from college, and Carolyn already home…"
Elizabeth sighed, and walked over to a couch, sitting with her usual grace and composure. "Roger, father left this house to me. Quentin may not be Collins by blood, but he and Carolyn have been friends since they were three. If I want him to live here, then he will live here!"
An owl hooted, and the curtains on the window began to flutter as a cool breeze blew through the room. Roger walked over to the window and shut it. "No wonder you aren't healthy, Liz! Always standing by that opened window!"
"I am perfectly healthy, Roger."
"I'm going to bed," He walked out into the front hall.
"Wait-" Elizabeth called after him. Roger turned slightly. "Never mind. Good night, Roger." He sighed in exasperation and walked up the stairs.
As he walked by his son, David's room, he heard a crashing noise, and opened the door with such force it hit the wall. David had apparently been playing with his toy cars, and was pushing them off a ramp he had made out of books on his desk into a wastebasket. "David! What the bloody hell are you doing?" Roger boomed. "It's past midnight! Why aren't you in bed?"
David stood up from behind his desk, and began to gather up his cars. "I couldn't sleep," he shrugged.
"Then take one of those sedatives Dr. Hoffman gave you! I don't want to hear another peep out of you!" Again, the door slammed.
David replaced his cars on his shelf, and wandered back to his bed. "Father doesn't know anything," he said bitterly. There was a pause, as if he was waiting for a reply. "Now where did you go to, Sarah? You know you've gotten me into trouble. Father got a doctor to talk to me about you. They don't think your real! Why can't you just show yourself to them sometime?" He yawned, lying down on his pillow. "Father doesn't know anything," David said sleepily. Within minuets he was asleep.
Victoria tossed and turned, calling out in her sleep. Disturbing dreams kept coming to her. In one, A little boy and girl took her hands and playfully led her into a looming house, laughing and singing all the way. They took her through narrow and curving halls, until they came to a door. The boy and girl backed away in fear then ran as fast as they could.
Victoria wanted to follow, but couldn't. Her hand, of its own accord reached out and turned the antique handle. She was in a stone room, covered in spider webs and dusty candles. In the center of the room was a coffin.
She tried to scream, but no voice came to her lips. A horrible voice rang in her ears. Who was laughing? Then a looming shadow came towards her, gnarled hands outstretched. She whirled around, and saw…
