Endless night prevails over the great estate of Collinwood in the year 1971. For the darkness there, is not the darkness caused by the absence of the sun, but from the dark and evil heart of a ruthless warlock from the 17th century. He has managed to isolate the residents of the great house from the world outside with an ancient and dreadful plague causing the house to be placed under quarantine from the rest of the town of Collinsport. Four have escaped this imprisonment. For Professor Stokes and Desmond Collins have descended the stairway through time in the East wing of the house, seeking to find a way to defeat the monster who seeks to destroy all who live in the house. Quentin Collins and Willie Loomis have discovered a long hid entrance into the manor, through a forgotten tunnel at the base of Widow's Hill, and on this night, they draw closer and closer to gaining entry...
Camera opens on a dark old tunnel. Willie Loomis stands holding a lantern as Quentin Collins finishes pulling himself through a small hole in the wall. He stands and looks at Willie as he raises his own lantern. "Well, we've made it this far. I wonder how much farther we have to go." Willie scratched his head and said, "I dunno. Its so dahk down heah it's hod to see anything. Maybe if we put our lantuns togethah we can see bettah." Quentin replied, "I think you're right." Both men hold their lanterns side by side and peer into the vastness ahead. Quentin then said, "We're so far from the entrance that no light gets back this far." They both slowly begin to venture forward a few steps. Willie suddenly stops and says, "Now whadda we gonna do? The tunnel splits! Which way is the right way?" (Three dramatic notes sound)
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A long dramatic note sounds as the two men stand mystified at the predicament before them. Willie repeats his earlier question, "Which way is the right way?" Quentin looks exasperated and says, "We could each take one, but we still have the problem of not being able to see. Whichever way we go, we need to stay together. He then holds up a hand and says, "Shhhh." Willie is quiet, but looks at him with great curiosity. After a moment, Quentin says, "It's no use. I thought if we were quiet enough we could hear sounds from the house, but its deathly quiet down here." He then points to the tunnel on the right and said, "We'll try this way." Willie said, "What if it ain't the right one?" Quentin replied, "Then I guess we'll just have to come back. We won't figure out which way to go waiting around here." Willie nodded agreement and resignedly steps toward the tunnel on the right.
Trevor Halliburton opens the door to the bedroom that he and Carolyn share. Carolyn lies on the completely made bed fully dressed looking as if she is dead. Trevor closes the door and approaches the bed. "Now my dear, it is time to awaken from your deep slumbers." He reaches into his pocket and withdraws the Devil's Mark amulet and holds it before him. "Let the deep sleep that I have placed upon you dissolve. It is time to awaken to your new world; A world that I have designed. It is time for you to take your place in that world! Awake! Awake!" Carolyn moans and her head tosses to one side then the other. Her eyes then open and she looks about the room. She looks up seeing Trevor and smiles. "How long have I been asleep?" Trevor says, "Not too long. Just long enough I would say." She looked at him curiously because of the strange way he had said it. He held his hand out to her and said, "Come, my dear. I have a surprise for you." She smiled at him and said, "A surprise? Oh I love surprises." He helps her up and she excitedly follows him to the bedroom door. He opens it and waves her out the door. A wicked smirk is on his face as he closes the door behind them.
Barnabas and Julia still remain bound in the East wing drawing room. Both are slumped in their chairs. Barnabas slowly turns his head toward Julia as he hears her moaning in her sleep. "Nooooo. I'm sorry Dave, please forgive me. I'm sorry.! I didn't mean to do it. I didn't want toooo. Noooo." Barnabas eyes dropped in sorrow as in a flash, he also relived that awful night he had forced her so cruelly to kill Dr. Dave Woodard. He then softly called out, "Julia! Wake up Julia! It's only Judah's dream spell." Her eyes popped opened as she screamed out in fear. "It's alright Julia.! It was only a dream." He repeated. Now fully awake and realizing what had just happened, she turned to Barnabas and said, "Oh Barnabas, it's so real. It is just like living the whole thing over and over again!" Barnabas replied, "I know Julia, and I'm sorry. I am the reason you have to keep living that nightmare over and over again. Woodard should have succeeded in exposing my secret. Then you wouldn't be living this horrid nightmare over and over again. They should have found me in my coffin and driven the stake through my heart. So many lives may have been the better for it. A healer died, and a murderous monster continued living! If I could only change it, I would. I bear the responsibility for your guilt. You had no choice. I would have killed you, my dear friend. You did the only thing you could." Julia looked at him with endearment and said, "Thank you, Barnabas. But that murderous monster is gone. He wouldn't have apologized for anything. I know, because I remember him, and I remember him so well, that I can tell you that you are no longer that man! You have achieved what you so desperately sought. You are human! You have sorrow, you have feelings, you care about those around you. He did not. That man is gone forever, Barnabas! He's gone! Dave Woodard would have been proud of what you have become. He only saw what you were at the time. I knew him for a long time, Barnabas. He was blinded by the present circumstances. I'm sure if he could see you now, he would realize his death was not in vain. (Soft music tinkles out.)
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Willie and Quentin slowly navigate the dark cavern, step by painful step, barely able to see where they are going. "Whadda ya thinks happenin' up theah?" Willie asked looking toward the ceiling of the tunnel. Quentin glances up as well for a moment and says, "God only knows what Judah is up to. He had to be responsible for what happened. Things like this just don't happen in the 20th century. He vowed to kill everyone named Collins, maybe this sickness is how he plans to do it." Willie then said, "If that disease is all through the house, weah just askin to get it too." Quentin replied, "That's a risk I'm willing to take. There are modern cures to these diseases. I'm guessing that's why he made sure the house got barricaded. He wants to make sure they won't be able to get the cure. We'll take as many of them as we can out the same way we're getting in. If we can get them to the hospital, maybe they'll get help." Willie then said, "If those deputies knew what weah doin' they'd throw us in jail. Ya know that don't ya?" Quentin nodded, "Yes, I'm sure they would, but if all they're going to do is stand around and see to it that nobody comes or goes, everybody in the house will die! I'm sure Judah planned it just that way." Willie turns and slowly begins down the narrow passageway. Quentin follows close behind. Both hold their lanterns high to provide the most amount of light. Willie stops and turns to Quentin, "I think we musta took the wrong one, Quentin. It keeps goin' down insteada up." He said in a worried tone. Quentin then replied, "If we don't find something soon, we'll double back and try the other tunnel." Wearily they trod on when suddenly a low rumble is heard. Willie feels the floor of the tunnel crumble as he loses his footing. A puff of dust arises as he plummets into a pit under the floor. His lantern falls hard on the ground and breaks. "Willie? Are you alright?" Quentin calls out from above. Willie tries to stand and realizes he sprained an ankle in the fall. He calls upward, "Yeah, but I think I twisted my ankle." Quentin holds his lantern up and looks about desperately for something to help pull Willie out of the pit. A look of exasperation crosses his face as he finds nothing useful. His thoughts are heard aloud, "My jacket. If only I had brought the jacket. It's back with the shovels!" He begins unbuckling his belt. "Willie, I'm going to lower my lantern down. I want you to just sit tight while I go back to the Old House. I'm going to try to find a flashlight and some rope." He hooks his belt around the lantern handle and slowly lowers it down. Willie reaches up and retrieves it. "I got it!" he called out. Quentin pulled the belt back up and said, "I'll be back as soon as I can." He then began feeling the walls as he traced his way back the way they came. Willie sits despondently with his back against the wall of the pit. (Sad music plays out.)
Barnabas and Julia still sit bound to the chairs in the East wing drawing room. The doors open and Trevor leads a blindfolded Carolyn into the room. "Alright Carolyn, we're here! You can remove the blindfold!" Smiling she reaches up and pulls off the blindfold she had been wearing. Her look of excitement quickly transforms into one of shock and confusion. She turns to Trevor and demands, "Trevor? What's going on here?" Trevor looks at her leads her right up to Barnabas and says, "You mean you don't recognize him, my dear; the man who victimized you and so many others?" Carolyn looked into Barnabas' face in confusion. Then off screen is heard, "I'm not going to hurt you! I would never do anything to hurt my own flesh and blood!" A look of sudden realization flooded her mind like a dam breaking. She gasped loudly and ran into Trevor's arms. "No, keep him away from me! Keep that monster away from me!" Barnabas was frozen in shock as he realized he must appear the same as he had when he had aged during the experiment so very long ago. "Wait Carolyn! Let me explain!" he cried out. Julia also cried out, "Carolyn, you're making a big mistake!" Carolyn scowled at Julia and said, "Don't YOU speak to me! You're just as bad as he is! Trevor, take me away from here! I must tell Mother and Uncle Roger! Please Trevor!" Trevor grinned and said, "Very well, my dear, we shall go. These two will never hurt anyone again." He leads Carolyn out the door and gives Barnabas and Julia one last cruel smile before closing the door. Barnabas and Julia exchange looks of horror as three dramatic notes sound.
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(Sharp dramatic note sounds as Barnabas and Julia still look horrified.) "Julia, I must get free! I must escape! She will tell them all, and she will make them believe the whole horrible tale!" Julia looked more frightened than she ever had in her life. She looked back at Barnabas and said, "She will also tell all about my involvement. Elizabeth now knows the supernatural is a reality because of Judah! She will know Carolyn is telling the truth. We'll both be arrested if we survive the plague! What will we do Barnabas? What will we do?" (Three dramatic notes sound.)
Barnabas Collins.
JONATHAN FRID
Carolyn Stoddard- Halliburton.
NANCY BARRETT
Julia Hoffman.
GRAYSON HALL
Quentin Collins.
DAVID SELBY
Willie Loomis.
JOHN KARLEN
Trevor Halliburton/Judah Zachary.
KEITH PRENTICE
Written and Directed by RUSS WILLIAMS
Story Developed and Created by ART WALLACE
Produced By PETER MINER
Associate Producer GEORGE DiCENZO
Fashions courtesy of ORBACH'S
Music composed by ROBERT COBERT
Scenic Design SY TOMASHOFF
Music Supervisor SYBIL WEINBERGER
Costume Design MOSTOLLER
Make up VINCENT LOSCALZO
Associate Producer KEN McEWEN
Assistant to the producer HARRIET ROHR
Unit Manager PATRICK PLEVEN
Technical Director J.J. LUPATKIN
Lighting Director MEL HANDELSMAN
Audio FRANK BAILEY HENRY PLIMACK
Sound Effects ED BLAINEY
Video RUDY PICCIRILLO ROSS SKIPPER
Series created by DAN CURTIS Executive Producer
Had this been an actual episode, the air date would have been June 18, 1971