Collinwood, in 1971. A house of sadness and great pain. The horrible plague imposed upon the house, has claimed the lives of three who were held dear. The wicked Judah Zachary revels in the heartbreak and misery he has brought upon the great house. On this night, there is one from the past, who seeks to rescue Carolyn from the evil he knows is to come...
Carolyn struggles as Adam carries her through a dark corridor in the East wing. "ADAM! Put me down!" Carolyn calls out to him in shock and dismay. Adam, looking nervous, grimaces in sorrow as he cups one hand over her mouth. "Please Carolyn. You must be quiet. Judah will hear us!" Carolyn looks at him in confusion at his last comment. He opens a secluded door and carries her inside. He sets her on a small bed in the room and says, "Carolyn. Please understand. It hurts me to treat you like this, but you don't know the danger you're in. An evil man has spread a deadly disease through this house. I must get you out of here before you get it. I don't want you to die, Carolyn!" Carolyn now grew quiet. Not because she believed what he was saying, but in utter amazement. "Adam! Your speech! You no longer..." Adam interrupted saying, "Speak like a child? No. I have learned much since you last saw me, but I'm serious Carolyn. That man here, in the house, he is evil. More evil than even Nicholas was." Carolyn looked puzzled and started to speak, "Nicholas, what..." Adam looked deep into her face pleadingly and said, "Carolyn. Please! We can talk after I get you out of here. Please promise me you'll sit right here while I find a way out?" Carolyn could see the genuine concern in his face and hear it in his voice. Not understanding, she still managed a smile and nodded that she would wait quietly for him. Quickly he rose and went to the door. He opened it quietly and looked and listened carefully, making sure no one else was around. He then quietly slipped out closing the door behind him. Carolyn sat for a moment, in shock. She couldn't help wondering what was happening. She looked about the room and then her gaze stopped. She rose to get a better look at what had caught her attention. She walked across the room and stopped at the bottom of a flight of stairs. She noticed that they rose up to a small landing butted up against a solid wall. She looked incredulously at the peculiar sight. (One dramatic note sounds) A door appears at the top of the stairs. Her hands dart up to her mouth in shock and she gasps. (Low music crawls as she takes first one step, then another, and then another... (Five ascending dramatic notes sound)
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Barnabas and Julia remain tied in their chairs in the East wing drawing room. They are both completely exhausted and are slumped over sleeping. The double doors open with a slight creak, causing them both to open their eyes. Adam steps inside the room. They all see each other at the same instant. "Adam!" Barnabas gasped. Julia looked wide eyed at Adam as if she were seeing a ghost. Adam looked at Barnabas with equal surprise at the number of years he had reached in such a brief time. "We thought you were dead, Adam!" Julia gasped. Adam looked at her and said, "Why, because Barnabas is aging?" She started to reply when Barnabas interrupted, "Adam, please untie us. We must escape from this room!" Adam looked at him and said, "Did Judah tie you here?" Both Barnabas and Julia looked at him in shock, that he should ask that question. "You know who Judah is?" Barnabas asked. "Adam then replied, "Yes. I will untie you... but only if you tell me a way to get Carolyn out of here so Judah doesn't see." Julia looked amazed and asked, "Carolyn is with you?" Ignoring her, Adam turned exasperated to Barnabas and said, "We're wasting time! Will you show me how to get Carolyn out?" Barnabas nodded quickly. Adam raced around the back of the chair and gave a couple of tugs. Seeing it was not helping he gave a mighty heave Barnabas' rope made a loud snap. Barnabas struggled to rise and Adam snapped Julia's bonds as well. Both rubbed their numbed hands and wrists trying to restore the circulation. "Come!" Barnabas said, "I will show you a way out. It is best that Carolyn doesn't see me right now, so I will show you, and then you can take her to safety."
Carolyn still takes each step slowly as she progresses toward the landing looking curiously at the door which had appeared out of nothing. (Thoughts heard aloud.) "Why do so many strange things happen in this house? A strange staircase that leads to nowhere one minute, and now this door! Where does it lead? Where?" Her hand moves slowly toward the door knob. She takes hold of it and slowly turns it. Ever so slowly it opens. She sees the swirling lights and her eyes widen and a gasp escapes her lips. "What is it? Why does everything look so strange?" Her thoughts are audible to the viewer. She takes one foot and lifts it slowly. It crosses the threshold when suddenly, "Carolyn!" Stunned, she turned and then sighed as she saw Adam standing there. "You frightened ten years out of me, Adam!" she said stepping away from the still open door. Adam looked horrified at the swirling light display and reached a hand toward Carolyn. "More crazy stuff. I have to get you away from this house. Come!" Carolyn carefully descended the stairs and joined Adam at the door. Both gave one last look at the strange phenomenon, then left the room, closing the door behind them. Camera returns to the open doorway atop the stairs. Suddenly, footsteps are heard on wooden steps. A moment later, a drunken Silas McGruder stumbles out on the landing. His eyes glazed and in his hand he tightly holds an almost empty liquor bottle. He staggers a couple of steps and in his drunken state, stumbles down the stairs. He lies unconscious at the foot of the stairs. (Dramatic drum roll out.)
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Barnabas and Julia wander through the deserted secret passages within the walls of Collinwood. "Barnabas, did you see Adam's face. His youthfulness is completely restored. We thought the reason you were aging was because he was dead! Why? Why is he so young and alive while you are aging?" Julia asked. Barnabas rounded a corner, brushing away years of cobwebs. "I don't know, Julia." He replied. "What is it you're looking for, Barnabas?" she asked. Continuing on as he spoke, he said, "Eliot said he would place Judah's journal inside a body of armor stored in this old abandoned passageway. He said finding it there would mean he was trapped in the past. I must see. I must know!" Julia nodded quietly. She remembered that he had mentioned this to her. Suddenly she said, "Barnabas, look!" She pointed in a dark corner. Behind several stacked trunks, stood the old armor. "I wonder how Eliot knew this armor was here. When was he ever in this part of the house?" Barnabas asked as he wrestled the chest out of his way. Julia thought for a moment and then replied, "Janet Findley! When Janet Findley, the medium he introduced to Collinwood was missing, David accidentally revealed this passageway to him. He must have seen the armor while he was looking for David in here." Barnabas had now made his way back to the armor. He raised the visor on the helmet and reached inside. Julia watched as he felt deeper and deeper down into the body cavity of the armor. A look of mixed shock and defeat crossed his face as he reluctantly withdrew his hand and sighed, "It isn't here." Julia looked puzzled and said, "What do you think it means, Barnabas?" Barnabas thought for a moment and replied, "Judge Vail likely refused to release the journal to them, and now he trapped in that time period. I must help him, Julia! I must! But how?" (Sad music twinkles.)
Silas McGruder lies passed out at the foot of the stairway. He moans slightly and begins to move. He looks up at the strange surroundings. He manages to get to his feet, but still appears to be quite incoherent. He walks about the strange room. Never had he seen a room such as this. On a small table by the bed he saw an odd looking device. He picked it up curiously. It was long and tubular and flared at one end. It seemed transparent on the flared end. He pushed a small button on the long shaft and a ray of bright light flashed in his eyes. In a panic, he dropped the device. The impact on the hard floor jarred the batteries, and the flashlight went dark again. Warily, he shied away from the strange device. He opened the door leading out into the corridor. He wandered down the corridor until he made his way to the main hallway. It was unusually quiet in this strange place. He walked a few steps and stopped at the door to Willie's room. He stepped inside and looked about. On the bedside table, he saw another shiny object. He picked it up and quietly said, "Silver!" He opened the lid on the device and saw a small wheel. He flicked the wheel with his thumb, and a flame erupted from it. Again in a panic, he dropped the lighter on the floor. It ignited the throw rug by the bed. In a panic he stomped at it until the flame went out. He then picked up the lighter again and tried to strike it again, but the wheel was hot now, and burned his thumb. He dropped the lighter and in a superstitious panic fled the room. Standing in the main corridor, he looked at the door at the end leading to the main house. Camera pulls in tight on his curious eyes. He then walks to the end of the hall. He opens the door and disappears through it, closing it behind him. Camera focuses on the closed door as dramatic music rolls and camera fades out.)
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Adam and Carolyn walk down a dark spiral staircase in the East wing. Reaching the bottom, they walk over to a half boarded up door leading to the outside of the house. Adam walks up to the door. The small window is crusted over with years of dust and moisture which had set up over the years. He rubbed on the window vigorously in an attempt to see outside. Clearing a small place, he peered out through the area he had cleared. He turned back to Carolyn and said, "We can't go out this way. There are two policemen outside. If we leave, they will kill us." Carolyn looked shocked and said, "Kill us? Why?" Adam took her by the arm and led her back to the base of the stairs. He then paused and said, "The house is quarantined, Carolyn. The house has been infected with an ancient disease. Nobody is allowed in or out of the house. We have to find a different way." Camera switches to the main corridor of the East wing. A door opens and Adam and Carolyn emerge. They walk to the door leading to the main house. Adam reaches for the doorknob when a loud click is heard. "ADAM! Where are you going?" Terror filled Adam's eyes as he turned toward the sound of the familiar voice. Trevor Halliburton stood pointing a pistol at the two of them. Then Trevor asked again, "Where are you going Adam... WITH MY WIFE?" Long dramatic dirge rises as Adam's eyes widen in horror as he looks first at a frightened Carolyn, and then at Trevor, standing there grinning and nodding, with a most evil glee in his eyes. (Dirge reaches a fever pitch and concludes in a sustained climax.)
Barnabas Collins.
JONATHAN FRID
Carolyn Stoddard-Halliburton.
NANCY BARRETT
Julia Hoffman.
GRAYSON HALL
Adam.
ROBERT RODAN
Silas McGruder.
MICHAEL STROKA
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 22, 1971