Terror never ceases at the mansion over Widow's Hill. Tonight is no exception. A dark mystery is unfolding at the Old Collins Mansion not far from the Collinwood estate, a mystery that could affect the Collins family forever.
Night has fallen. The Old House sits deserted as all of its occupants have
left for the evening. (Camera pans the darkened drawing room and comes to
focus on the front door)
Sounds of tampering with the lock are heard and moments later, the door
slowly opens. (Camera focuses only on the intruder from the knees down.) The
intruder walks into the drawing room and to the French doors behind the arm
chair. The doors open and the intruder disappeared inside. A moment later
the intruder emerges once again. (Camera follows the two legs walking toward
the staircase. It continues to follow the legs as they ascend the stairs and
disappear. (Dramatic music ambles as the camera remains perfectly still
focused at the top step where the legs were last seen) On the second floor a
dark figure in a long trench coat is seen entering and departing the rooms
one at a time. (A moment later the view switches back to the camera in the
drawing room focused on the stairway, Two legs slowly descend the stairs
carrying something. As the legs reach the halfway point on the descent, the
front door opens and Adam enters and sees the figure on the stairway. His
eyes grew wide and he yells out, "YOU!" (Long dramatic drumbeats sound as
the camera reveals the wide eyed startled expression on the face of the
intruder)
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Adam seeing Nicholas Blair standing on the steps of the Old House caused the memory of the last time he had seen him in this house come rushing back over him like a tidal wave. Anger seethed within him. Nicholas had tried to kill him. Nicholas had spent months pretending to be his friend and then suddenly was going to kill him. Nicholas was alarmed only at being caught, and had no idea due to the darkness of the room and the aging Adam had gone through, just who this was that had apprehended him. Adam rushed the staircase, and Nicholas turned and ran back up the steps making his way to Josette's room. He quickly shut the door and sought frantically for an escape route. "Why! Why did I have to be returned to this time without my powers? I must find a way to escape this maniac!" he thought as he pulled back the curtain to see if he could escape that way, only to find nothing but a long drop to the hard ground below. Seeing no escape that way, he picked up the single lit candle and continued looking for some way to escape as the sounds of Adam trying to break in the door sounded in his ears. He rushed to an alcove only to find bare walls. His eyes widened in horror as the door gave way, and the huge hulking figure charged at him pinning him against the wall. He struggled in vain to escape the mighty clutches of the towering man who was now strangling the life from him. In desperation he gave one mighty heave which freed him from his confinement against the wall, but not from Adam's strong tenacious grip. The two men spun around with the stranglehold Adam had on him intact. Nicholas eyes bulged as his face turned red from having his circulation cut off. Adam thrust hard pushing Nicholas to the bed in Josette's room. The candle fell from his grip onto the rug as he choked and coughed. He felt his strength and life waning away. Flames now surrounded them both as Adam continued to crush the throat of Nicholas Blair. The entire room was now engulfed as the flames licked at everything in the room. Adam gave one final thrust and the body of Nicholas lay lifeless on the bed. Adam arose now seeing his predicament and frantically looked for a break in the flames. "Barnabas! Willie! Julia!" he cried out in desperation. But his cries were heard only by his own ears. His eyes grew wide. His head turned to and fro in horror as the flames rise hiding all else.
(Three dramatic notes sound.)
Julia Hoffman descended the stairs at Collinwood. She reached the bottom and
hesitated a moment, then turned and gazed at the portrait of Barnabas that
hang there. Her gaze lingered a moment, then she turned and entered the
drawing room. She wandered around the room aimlessly lost in thought. "Why
can't Barnabas feel for me the way I do for him? We've been through so much
together. Why is it so hard for him?'" Her unspoken thoughts resound in her
own ears. She sat down on the sofa and gazed into the empty fireplace. "My,
aren't we the pensive on tonight?" a familiar voice chimed out. Julia turned
to see Quentin with a half smile. He walked over and picked up a bottle and
glass and remarked, "You look like you could use one of these too." Julia
simply nodded in the negative as he continued pouring himself a drink. "Well
you definitely look like someone who needs to talk. I'm all ears, my good
Doctor!" he said sitting in the chair across from her. Julia hesitated and
then sighed saying, "It's Barnabas." Taking a gulp of drink, he replied,
"Now somehow I just knew he figured into it somewhere. Is he playing the old
hermit hiding out over at the old house again tonight?" Her eyelids
fluttering slightly, she replied, "No. He's in Collinsport at the theatre
with Selena Parker." Twisting his mouth up on one side, he remarked, "Hmm, I
don't believe I've met her. Where did he meet her?" Julia again rose and
walked around the back of the sofa as she said resentfully, "She's Trevor
Halliburton's secretary and legal assistant. They met recently and Barnabas
seems to be quite taken with her." Her bitter resentful tone was not missed
by Quentin as he replied, "Ah, so that's it." He said rising to refill his
drink. "I really think his involvement with her at this time is a mistake,
Quentin!" Taking his drink, he approached her and looked at her kindly and
said, "Somehow I think there wouldn't be any right time for him to be
involved with her if I see things the way I think I do. You care about him
very much, don't you, Julia?" Quentin gave his head a brief shake and wiped
his brow. Julia noticed he was perspiring heavily and asked, "Are you
alright, Quentin?" Quentin shrugged and replied, "Yeah, It just seems so hot
in here." Julia stopped for a moment as if trying to gauge the temperature
of the room herself and it didn't seem unusual to her. She walked over to
him just as he dropped into the chair. She placed her palm over his forehead
and recoiled immediately. "Are you sure you haven't been ill, Quentin? You're
burning up!" Quentin shook his head in confusion saying, "No, I just got
back from Boston, and I've been just fine." Julia took him by the arm and
said, "Well you're going to bed now! I have some medicines in my bag in my
room." Quentin rose to follow her upstairs when the front door burst open
and Willie ran in. "Julia! Quentin! The Old House is on fyah! It's burnin'!"
Julia shot a horrified look at Quentin then at Willie. Torn between her
desire to remain and care for Quentin and to run to investigate. Quentin put
a hand on her shoulder pushing her toward the door. "I'll be alright, Julia,
let's go!" He said as the three rushed out the door.
(Rapid drum beats roll to a sudden crescendo)
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Flames leap and flicker from The Old house as Julia, Quentin, and Willie look on helplessly. Quentin wiped his brow once again and said, "I'll see if there's any way in. Somebody may be in there." Julia grabbed him by the arm and yelled, "It's too late. Nobody could survive that. If anyone is in there, they won't be coming out!" Quentin relented and stood looking as if he still could not give up hope of rescuing whoever may be inside. In the distance, the faint sounds of fire engines can be heard. Julia turns and says, "We may as well return to Collinwood. We'll only be in their way if we stay here. Both Quentin and Willie turned once again to take one last look at the burning structure, and then reluctantly turned to follow her.
The front door of Collinwood opens and Quentin, Julia and Willie enter. Julia runs to the phone and picks it up and dials the operator. "Operator, I need the number to the Collinsport Theatre. Picking up a pen and paper she scrawls out the number the operator gives her. "Thank you, Operator. Yes, connect me please." She waits for an answer. Willie spots the portrait of Barnabas, and turns to Julia and Quentin and says, "He's gonna be hurt. Real hurt. He loves that house." Quentin sighed and Julia then said, "Yes, I need you to locate a patron. His name is Barnabas Collins. Oh no, I see, alright thank you." She hung up the phone and said "The show ended fifteen minutes ago. All the patrons have left. Where could he be? Where could he be?
Barnabas and Selena sit together at a table at The Blue Whale. "It was wonderful program, Selena. I want to thank you for inviting me. I haven't patronized a theatre for many years." He said looking into her eyes. Selena smiled and replied, "Oh the pleasure was all mine, Barnabas. The owner of the theatre was in the office yesterday and left them. I couldn't see one of the tickets going to waste. I'm glad you could join me. I hate going to things like that alone. I had a wonderful evening." The barmaid brought drinks to the table and Barnabas handed her a bill from his pocket. She smiled, nodded and left the two of them to continue their conversation. Barnabas sat poised with the wolf's head cane between his hands looking into Selena's eyes. She returned his look of endearment and as the sounds of music from the jukebox play, their conversation is not heard, but the looks of adoration are evident. Patrons around them dance to the music as they continue their own dance of growing passion. After a few minutes, they rise and leave the building. Standing outside the door of The Blue Whale, with the faded sounds of the music in the background, they look into each others eyes. Almost as if destined, they drifted together. Locking in a tender embrace, Barnabas lips and hers meet.
Willie Loomis stands looking out the door of Collinwood as if watching for someone. After a moment, he returns to the drawing room with Julia and Quentin. Julia is pacing and then says, "Where could he be?" Willie rubbed the back of his head nervously and said, "Maybe he took huh home. Maybe theah havin' a drink or sumpthin." Quentin then said, "Did you try The Blue Whale, maybe they went there." Julia bit her knuckle nervously and said, "No. maybe I'll…" Quentin raised a palm and said, "I think maybe you should get off your feet for a minute. I'll call." He walked over to the phone in the drawing room and lifted the receiver. He placed it to his ear and reached to dial the number. Suddenly his eyes grew wide and he clutched his stomach. A moment later he doubled over and moaned loudly. Julia turned and saw him almost completely fallen to the floor. "Noooo. It can't be," he groaned loudly. Julia looked at him as if to ask what he meant when suddenly her eyes grew wide she turned to Willie and said, "Willie, we have to get him to the mausoleum. There's no time to explain. Hurry Willie!" Willie looks puzzled, but grabs Quentin under the other arm and they lead him to the door. .
All is quiet inside the Collins mausoleum. The aged walls still maintained all the integrity of the day they were built many years ago. The big iron gate rattles and then opens as Willie Loomis and Julia Hoffman lead Quentin inside the dark structure. Quentin sits on one of the stone vaults in agony as Willie grabs a ring under a carved lion's nose. He pulls it and the secret panel creaks open to reveal the hidden room behind it. They help Quentin to his feet again and Julia said, "Quentin, we must lock you inside here for the night. Have you ever seen this room opened from the inside?" In agony he shakes his head, no. They quickly help him inside and Julia said. "We'll be back in the morning, Quentin." She nods to Willie, who then pulls on the ring once again as Quentin almost screams inside. The big stone panel locks in place and all is silent for a moment. As Julia and Willie open the iron gate to leave, from behind the panel they hear sounds of animal like growling. Julia bulges her eyes and gasps, then turns closing the iron gate behind her.
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