Morning comes over the great estate of Collinwood. A bright new day which ushers in a quiet peace unlike its residents have never known. Barnabas Collins, Julia Hoffman, and Professor Stokes have returned from their long and frightening journey from the year 1841. The ghosts of Gerard Stiles and Daphne Harridge have been appeased. The reign of terror they brought to Collinwood forgotten by all except those who made the excursion back through to years to set things right. The stately manor was as they remembered it before their return from parallel time so many months ago. Their actions while in the past, erasing the tragic happenings which occurred in the timeline before their intervention. They had arrived back in 1971 just in time to join the rest of the family for the opening of the new historical center in Collinsport. They returned home late, and Elizabeth had persuaded Barnabas to spend the night at Collinwood. He now sat across the table in the kitchen with Julia sipping coffee and peering out the window at the beautiful dawn that he had feared so often he would never see again. Finally, he was free from the curse that had plagued him for so many dreadful years. He knew this time it would be for good. In his soul, he had the assurance that the curse was forever gone. The nagging doubts and fears that beset him during the experiments of Dr Hoffman and Dr. Lang did not even bother him in the least. This time, the curse had been lifted by the very one who had imposed it in the first place. The sounds of the birds chirping in the trees outside the mansion brought a feeling of aliveness and refreshing Barnabas had not known since before he had become the loathsome beast that warred with his very being. Julia poured another cup of coffee for them both, and then retaking her seat, tilted her head with that very familiar lilt that he had so often seen when she had something troubling on her mind.
"Oh Barnabas, Do you think Desmond destroyed Quentin's staircase like he said he would?" she asked with a touch of uncertainty in her voice. "We can only hope, Julia." he said wistfully. "Desmond knew very well how important it was. I can't help but wonder how he and Melanie fared in their lives after that dreadful nightmare was over"
Her lips pursed as she pondered it in her mind. "We can always read the family history to see what it says, Barnabas." She exclaimed. "You do realize that what we did back there changed history, so the old records we know so well, will be completely different than what we remember." He nodded acknowledgement as he sipped his coffee. He hadn't enjoyed coffee like this since his own era. "Let's go have a look at those journals now, Julia", he said as he rose from his chair. Julia arose with her cup and together they headed for the study where the family histories were stored.
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Professor T. Eliot Stokes sat puzzled in the easy chair pondering the events he had witnessed in 1841. More questions than ever before flooded his mind. Yes! A puzzle! So many strange events paraded in his thoughts. He considered every strange and dark thing that had occurred since he had come to Collinsport from Philadelphia. He had always had a curiosity about the supernatural and the occult, but had only encountered actual cases of them on rare occasions. That is, until he came back to the small village of his roots and heritage. Just as one who tries to arrange the pieces of an actual puzzle to make the image come together, he moved the fragments in his mind around meticulously trying to make it all fit into a clear and discernable image that made some kind of sense. Every time he thought the pieces were about to fit, another fragment that seemed not to belong to the picture at all would be there hindering him. For all the aid he had rendered to the afflicted members of this community, they still distrusted him. Had he not proven himself to be worthy of their confidence? He abruptly sat up, and placed the volume he had been perusing on the coffee table and went to the bar and poured himself a sherry. Just as he started to bring it to his lips, the phone rang. "Who in blazes could that be?" he said aloud as he set the sherry on the mantle and turned on his crustiest demeanor before picking up the receiver. "Hello? This is Timothy Stokes" he said, wondering just whose voice he would hear at the other end. "Ah, Professor Carstairs.!" He said with a tone of familiarity. "Yes indeed Professor! I have every intention of returning to the university first thing tomorrow morning. I have had all the leave I need for some time now." He continued to listen as his caller went on. "A new piece you want me to see?" he bulged his thick lips in the familiar manner when something struck his interest. Yes, I can be down in a half hour. will that be soon enough?" "Fine, I shall see you then." He paused a moment, wondering why Professor Carstairs had been so mysterious. He then took the sherry from the mantle, drank it down, then grabbed his overcoat from the hall tree and opened the door, he paused a moment, then remembered his hat. Placing it on his head, he then closed the door behind him. In front of the fireplace an eerie green glow appeared. First, as only a pinpoint, then enlarging until it formed two disembodied eyes. The eyes then floated over to the desk in the corner of the room. On the desk, lay the journal of Professor Stokes. The cover opened and pages began to turn.
Dr Julia Hoffman and Barnabas Collins poured over the volumes of the history of the Collins family. They learned that Quentin and Daphne made good their oath to not return to Collinwood. They lived happily in Bangor the rest of their days. Kendrick and Leticia married and served as caretakers of Collinwood for Tad, who returned as Master of the estate on his 21st birthday. Quentin and Daphne had another son, whom they named Josiah. Josiah was killed in his 17th year rescuing a woman from being ran over by a runaway coach. Quentin lived until 1872 and died quietly. Daphne grieved bitterly and also died 6 months later. Carrie Stokes and Jeremy Grimes eventually married and moved to Boston where they had 2 children and prospered. The eerie and supernatural happenings at the estate did still occur as they have up to the present day. Julia turned to Barnabas and said, "You know Barnabas, we didn't really change anything!" With a look of awe, he looked at Julia and replied. "How can you say such a thing? Daphne and Gerard are gone from Collinwood, the disaster that took place here was averted, Quentin was cleared of being a warlock, and Judah Zachary was defeated and destroyed". Julia stood up, holding the volume from the 1840's. She turned to Barnabas and said, "Barnabas, when you were released from the mausoleum, who was in control of Collinwood?" Puzzled, he remarked that Elizabeth Stoddard was. "Yes, and she is a direct descendant of the Collins family" If we hadn't gone back to 1840, the estate would have belonged to Gerard. It would be his offspring living here instead of the Collins family." Barnabas looked astonished and shaking his head replied, "You're not making any sense Julia, you're simply proving my point. We did make an impact". "Yes, we did, but don't you see it, Barnabas? We did before too! It's a time paradox!" "A time paradox?" he replied in amazement. "Yes, you woke up to find Collins' in control of the Collins empire instead of the Stiles'. That can only mean that we also intervened in the original timeline. Like an endless loop. We were meant to go back and correct things!"
Barnabas paced the room in unbelief. "That's impossible! Gerard Stiles should have been in control the whole time! We weren't around to fix things until long after his death would have occurred." "You're thinking logically, Barnabas. In the world of the supernatural, the rules of logic seldom apply. We simply must accept that we were destined to intervene." Barnabas shook his head in disbelief, then turned to Julia and reminded her they should return to the old house to see how Willie was doing. They had been away for a long time. She nodded agreement, and they departed to the house that Barnabas called home.
Willie Loomis applied furniture polish to the cloth he was holding and applied it to the banister in the foyer. His thoughts trailed off wondering where Barnabas and Julia could be. Though they had been gone for months, they returned only briefly after they had left. Nobody knew about the alternate time stream, because it was as if it had never happened. He was greatly troubled about something. It was obvious as he nervously guided the cloth up and down the decorative railing. He gasped loudly when the door handle turned. Barnabas and Julia entered the front door and saw his nervous reaction. "What's the matter, Willie?" Barnabas inquired. "Weird things has been goin on heah, Barnabas. I don't understand it."
"Come Willie. Come sit down and tell me about it." Barnabas said reassurningly.
Willie tucked the cloth into his back pocket and came into the drawing room
of the old house.
"Look over here Barnabas, there's a book missing from the bookcase. I been the only one heah, Barnabas! It ain't David neither, cause he's been in Boston with Roger. Now look over at the desk. The books theah, and it's open. I ain't had no books out of the shelf, Barnabas, and it was in the shelf last night!" Barnabas pondered the situation a moment, then reassured Willie, "Now Willie, I admit that it is indeed a bit odd to say the least, but I seriously doubt that its anything to shook, uh, to get shook up over. Perhaps someone else from Collinwood was here doing some research and simply forgot to replace the book when they were finished with it." Willie shook his head side to side in disagreement" .Who up at the big house would come in heah without askin' ya Barnabas? They ain't that impolite. They all got real good manners." Barnabas thought for a moment, and replied. "Of course you're right Willie, under normal circumstances. Julia and I have been away for long time. They may have simply come on in because I wasn't here for them to ask permission." Willie scratched his head. "Yeah, maybe dats it. I'll jus put da book back in da shelf." "That would be a good idea Willie" Barnabas replied turning toward the front window so Willie would not see that he didn't quite believe his own reasoning. Who would be in here going through the books? Who?
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Barnabas sat sleeping in the armchair, in the drawing room of the old house.
His head tossed side to side and he moaned. A dark dream filled his mind as
he slept.
Faces! An endless barrage of faces wandered in and out. Jeremiah, Ruby Tate,
Maude Browning, Abigail Collins, His sister Sarah Collins, Suki Forbes,
Nathan Forbes, The Reverend Trask, Phyllis Wick, Angelique, Willie Loomis,
Maggie Evans, Victoria Winters, Dr. Dave Woodard, Jason McGuire, Sam Evans,
Adam, Danielle Roget, Eve, Tom Jennings, Joe Haskell…
On and on it went. Every face that swirled into view had tragedy associated
with it. Many of their tragedies had been his doing. Barnabas moaned loudly,
his head shaking back and forth when suddenly he was awakened by a hand
shaking his arm. "Hey Barnabas, ah you ok?" He looked up to see Willie
standing over him with a look of concern. "Wuh ya havin' a bad dream,
Barnabas?" Willie asked. Barnabas rose from the armchair and walked over to
the fireplace looking up where his portrait hung, but wasn't really looking
at it as much as looking through it. He started to tell Willie no. That he
it really wasn't anything he should be concerned about. His thought then
rambled over the years since Willie had released him from his imprisonment.
Both of them had become different men as a result. Willie and he had been at
odds with each other many times, but Willie had been as good a friend as
anybody could ask for. He turned away from the fireplace and faced Willie.
"Willie, I was having a dream", he started. "I was seeing every person whose
life I've brought pain to. I'm tired of it. That curse made me one of the
cruelest of men, and I recognize it." Things are going to different now,
Willie. Quite different"
"Now Barnabas, you done plenty of good things to since I've known ya."
Willie said, as he got closer to Barnabas. "I was headed fa prison, or a
early grave fore I met you, an ya got rid that Nicholas Blair and Cassandra
Collins, and that Jeb Hawkes charactah, and a lotta otha things too…"
Barnabas interrupted him, placing a hand on his arm. Thank you, Willie, but
does it outweigh all the hurt and pain I've brought to this world as well?"
he asked, not really asking Willie, but himself. Suddenly, he turned about
looking directly at him. "Willie, I want you to go into Collinsport. I've
lived in the past long enough. Have the installers come out and put a phone
on that desk over there. Have them put one in the kitchen as well." Willie
looked at him in astonishment. "Are ya sure, Barnabas?" he asked, not quite
believing what he was hearing. "Yes Willie, I'm sure. I haven't lost my
mind. There have been too many times when having one here could saved a lot
of trouble, and I want to be ready for that if the need should ever arise."
Willie turned to go, scratching his head. "If you say so Barnabas." He said
as he closed the door behind him.
Only moments passed, before he heard a knock on the door. He walked to the
door and opened it to see Professor Stokes standing there. The look on his
face was grave. "Do come in Professor, what brings you out here this time of
the day?" he asked quizzingly.
The Professors familiar pouting look of deep pondering was on his face. "Do
you mind if I pour myself a sherry?" he said, "I rather think you should
have one too when you hear what I came to tell you." Barnabas looked
cautiously at him, wondering just what alarming bit of information Timothy
Stokes was about to impart. He liked Stokes very much, but at the same time
feared the ruthless streak of curiosity and razor sharp intelligence of the
man. If anyone from this century could discover his long hid secret,
Professor Timothy Eliot Stokes was that man. He took a sherry glass in hand,
poured it about half full, turned to the fireplace and walked a couple of
paces and turned to face Stokes. The Professor, tasted his sherry, a
momentary look of delight crossing his face, only to be replaced immediately
by the familiar of drama when he was about to say something Barnabas knew he
would not want to hear. "I got a call this morning from a colleague at the
university, Mr. Collins. It seems that a new exhibition piece has arrived in
the history department. He felt it would be something I would want to see
and so he persuaded me to come take a look at it. At first I was a bit
perturbed that he didn't just wait to tell me tomorrow morning, when I was
scheduled to return. Now I'm glad I went" Professor Stokes then paused, he
then looked directly into Barnabas' face and said, "It was the encased skull
of Judah Zachary"
Barnabas' eyes widened in shock and horror at the news as he wondered what
awful dread this might come to mean. (3 dramatic notes sound)
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Barnabas Collins…
JONATHAN FRID
Julia Hoffman…
GRAYSON HALL
Willie Loomis…
JOHN KARLEN
Professor Stokes…
THAYER DAVID
Written by RUSS WILLIAMS
Directed by RUSS WILLIAMS
Fashions from ORBACH'S
Series created by DAN CURTIS Executive Producer