Chapter 8
It was dusk. After driving all day, Barnabas and Maeve finally arrived in Collinsport. As they drove through the downtown streets, Barnabas thought how grateful he felt that Maeve bought a car with special tinted glass. It was an eerie experience to be able to exist without his coffin. Now he could exist outdoors during the day with the protection of these special windows.
"How are you feeling, Barnabas?" Maeve asked interrupting his thoughts.
"I feel strange to be home after all these years. We need to come up with a story for the family. I believe some of them are still alive and may remember me."
"Yes, mentioning you are from England must have worn thin by now," Maeve chuckled.
Barnabas was not amused. "Take this right turn up ahead."
"I thought we are going to the main house. Where does this lead to?"
"A local bar, I need a drink," Barnabas answered, feeling nervous about meeting family again after 30 years. Maeve was right but he didn't want to admit it. He knew he couldn't present himself as the same person they knew in the 70's because he had not aged since he reverted into what he is now, which was just a short time after he left Collinsport.
"Barnabas, that's not going to solve anything," Maeve remarked as she turned the car right.
"Maybe not, but it's going to make me feel less nervous." They stopped in front of the familiar bar, The Blue Whale. The outside looked the same to Barnabas. They got out of the car and walked inside. This old town never changes, Barnabas thought, looking at the same tables and chairs he remembered from his last time he was into this establishment. Even the jukebox was in the corner playing the same music.
"Can I help you folks?" the bartender asked.
"Yes sir, two Guiness," Barnabas ordered and laid money on the bar. "It's pretty slow around here, isn't it?"
"We don't get too many folks in here any more since the mall was built ten years ago," the bartender replied as he poured the beers from the tap. He placed the two mugs on the bar and placed the money in the cash register. "Let me know if you need anything else." The bartender left them alone.
"Well, at least you will not be recognized before we get to Collinwood," Maeve observed as she surveyed the empty tavern. "This place is deader than I remember it."
"Yes, that's right," Barnabas frowned. "You were here back in 1971. I remember seeing you when I traveled back in time," Barnabas said drinking half the mug in one gulp.
"You aren't still mad about that, are you?" Maeve asked, concerned.
"It would have been nice if you warned me. I was very confused after all those dreams I had, one after the other. Then I woke up in the Old House and I thought I was still dreaming. I almost told Julia the whole story."
"Why didn't you?" Maeve asked curiously, taking a few sips of her brew.
"Maeve! I could not tell her the truth when I was not sure myself. After I believed I traveled back in time, I decided it was best to figure out why I was back here. You didn't leave me many clues."
"You understand now, don't you?"
"Yes, I learned about you and Julia's connection. I wish I could have told her. She would have been fascinated."
"Well, its better it worked out the way it did," Maeve commented, wanting to change the subject. "Let's finish our drinks and get out of here." After leaving The Blue Whale, they quietly drove to the Collinwood Estate and directly to the Old House per Barnabas' instructions.
"There it is, just as I remember it," Barnabas excitedly said, "the Old House. Isn't she a beautiful sight?" Maeve parked the car and they got out to stare at the huge white pillared house that was over 200 years old. Barnabas walked up to the double doors and placed his hand affectionately on the knocker. This was the first time Maeve visited the mansion except in her visions during the 'game' and in her dreams. She was impressed. Maeve stood next to Barnabas as he opened the door. In their excitement, they forgot to close the door behind them. Barnabas absently walked into the drawing room and looked up at the fireplace mantel. He stared at his portrait and remembered the day it was painted. Suddenly, a gust of wind slammed the front doors closed.
"Barnabas, shouldn't we be going to the main house and introducing ourselves?" Maeve asked, looking around and sensing a presence somewhere in the house.
"Everything is in its place. Nothing has moved but it looks like someone has been living here. It's so clean." Barnabas remarked, almost talking to himself.
"Barnabas, someone is in the house with us right now. Can't you feel it?" Maeve and Barnabas looked at each other and then they hear a female voice.
"Excuse me, what are you two doing in here?" the stranger asked from behind them. They turned around and stood face to face with a pretty, young brunette woman. She stared at each of them with a shocked expression. "YOU! It can't be!" the woman screamed looking at Barnabas and then fainted, falling on the floor.
Maeve rushed to the woman's side and touched her wrist for her pulse. Then she felt the woman's forehead. "Barnabas, help me get her to the chair." Barnabas lifted the woman into his arms and looked down at her pretty face. He felt like he had recognized her from somewhere, but where. He carried her to his favorite chair and carefully placed her in it. "Please, Barnabas," Maeve instructed, interrupting his thoughts, "go get a damp towel and some smelling salts. Hurry!" Maeve knelt down next to the chair and held the woman's hand. Barnabas watched for a moment, and then ran off to the kitchen.
After a few minutes, Barnabas returned with a damp towel and handed it to Maeve. "I couldn't find any smelling salts. It seems she is going to have to wake up on her own." They both looked at the woman until they heard a clattering noise coming from behind them.
Both of them spun around and saw a young girl running down the stairs. Maeve dashed to the entrance of the drawing and foyer but stopped short, unable to advance further into the hall. Barnabas joined her as they watched the young girl. "Barnabas, what's happening?" Maeve asked, in awe. Silently, they both watched.
The young girl reached the bottom of the staircase by jumping off the last two. She turned around and looked up the stairs as a woman walked down them.
"See, mommy, what I can do." She climbed up two stairs and jumped down to the landing again. Proud of herself, she turned towards her mother and smiled.
"Yes, Bree, you are very clever. Now, I must get into the kitchen and make you some lunch before your daddy gets home. He is going to be here shortly," the little girl's mother said. She turned towards the foyer and proceeded down the hall to the kitchen.
Barnabas gasped, "JULIA!" However, Julia and Bree could not see or hear him. He was unable to move into the foyer. Maeve watched Bree with interest and a sense of familiarity.
"Ok, I'll wait right here for him," said Bree, as she sat on the bottom stair.
"Barnabas, calm down and let's see what happens," Maeve said holding his arm and not taking her eyes of the little girl. She was fascinated by this event and curious how it would pan out. "Look, they are wearing 70's clothes," Maeve said. "Isn't that interesting?"
"Maeve, do you know what's happening here?"
"No, do you?"
"I have a suspicion, but it's different then before," Barnabas said as he watched Julia walking down the hall and out of sight. Just then, the front doors open and another Barnabas walked into the house. Bree jumped off the stair and ran into his arms. He picked her up and held her tight.
"Daddy! I have been waiting for you." Bree said and hugged her daddy around the neck. "Look, I got a splinter and mommy removed it for me."
Her daddy looked at her finger and kissed it. "I see it's getting better already, Bree." He placed his daughter down and walked toward the back of the house. Bree followed him as them disappeared of view.
Maeve grabbed Barnabas' arm and asked, "Barnabas, you said you know what's going on. Tell me, please." Barnabas walked into the foyer and looked towards the back of the house. It was as though no one was ever there. He turned back towards Maeve and walked into the drawing room to sit in a chair opposite the unconscious woman.
"Back in 1970, I discovered a room in the east wing of Collinwood that served at a conduit into Parallel Time. Professor Stokes, a friend, explained it as a time warp." Barnabas searched deeply in his memory, and then said, "There was a rip in time and if we stand in the right place, we can see people, sometimes ourselves, living different lives because we made different choices. I've been stuck in parallel time in 1970 for a short time. Julia came and rescued me. We barely got back in time."
"Barnabas, you said this was different. How?" Maeve asked.
"The people living in parallel time exist during the same time band as us. However, we just saw people living in a different time band. You said they were wearing clothes from the 70's."