DARK SHADOWS REVIVAL SEASON 2
Episode 9
"PURGATORY"
"Barnabas Collins?" Peter whispered under his breath. "I wondered if I'd ever see you again. If only it were under better circumstances." He helped Barnabas to his feet.
"Peter? Why are you here?" Barnabas stood up, hunching over in pain.
"Come on, let's get you under some shelter." Peter supporting him as they made their way over a hilltop. The closer they came to Peter's shack, the more audible and distinct did the sound of waves crashing to and fro become.
The place had begun to remind Barnabas of Collinwood more and more. Though too few to mention, there were some notable dissimilarities.
They had finally departed the seemingly infinite woodlands; carrying onwards descending a hill which lead to the shore below where a fishing shack stood upon a bluff. The shack appeared to be quite small and dismal under the moonlight.
"Where are we?" Barnabas questioned.
"I'll explain everything when we get inside." Peter had assured him.
Upon entering, Barnabas was surprised to find the exact opposite of what he expected. There was a bed, makeshift stove, various fishing equipment, and a bookshelf with a desk all scattered throughout the room. The air was musty and damp—still an improvement over the coffin he had found himself enclosed in.
Barnabas took a seat on the bed as Peter hurried over to his bookshelf, displacing a journal and opening it to a specific page. "You haven't any idea how comforting it is to see a familiar face." He turned to look at Barnabas. "How good it is to see you again, my old friend."
"And I, you." Barnabas was still tired and disoriented from his journey. "I still do not understand where we are."
"This is another plane of existence. Based on my observations thus far, I believe this to be Purgatory. A world without variable conditions. The night is infinite, weather unchanging, and loneliness unsparing. What I don't understand is why we are only now just meeting for the first time on this plane. By my estimations, you should have arrived here before me."
Barnabas had forgotten of Peter's ignorance regarding the vampire curse Angelique had placed upon him so long ago.
Was this the right time to fill Peter in on everything? Barnabas had seen no reason not to. "Angelique was the witch. She was responsible for all of the death and misery experienced at Collinwood. She even went as far as to successfully frame Vickie for it all."
"Vickie? You mean Victoria?" Peter was confused as to Barnabas' peculiar use of unfamiliar modern verbage.
"Yes. Angelique cursed me for all eternity, damning my very existence. I became a vampire, Peter. Every night I would rise from my tomb in search of innocents to pray upon." Barnabas reflected with disdain.
Peter felt slightly disturbed. "So you were the mad man terrorizing Collinsport. No one knew for certain that it was you, but there were rumors."
Barnabas nodded his head, continuing. "I never harmed anyone out of pleasure, but survival. My father soon found out the truth about my curse. I had begged him to destroy me, but he could not. So he chained me inside my coffin, leaving me to journey throughout the centuries. In the year 1991, a man named Willie unchained my coffin in the hopes of discovering Collins' jewels. Shortly thereafter, I announced myself at a modern day Collinwood as being a distant cousin from England. It was then that I met Victoria Winters. After a considerable amount of time had passed, a seance was held at the Great House and Victoria was sent to the year 1790, taking the place of Phyllis Wyck.
Peter was awestruck. "How did you die, Barnabas?"
Barnabas smiled. "I was going to ask you the same question."
Peter's visage became morose; turning his eyes away from his friend as he recounted his death. "It was the day of Victoria's execution. I tried to save her from the gallows. I was shot by one of the spectators as I rebelled."
"Your death was not in vain, my friend. For Victoria Winters did not die that day." Barnabas assured him.
A surge of optimism flowed through Peter. "You mean to tell me that Victoria survived? How?"
"I wish I could explain at great lengths the science behind her traveling through time, but alas I am at a loss. It's my firm belief, however, that the spirits of Collinwood were somehow involved." Barnabas had tried to explain.
Before Peter could ask anymore questions, Barnabas readily inquired as to whether or not there were other souls of past loved ones in Purgatory. "Yes. So far I've interacted with Jeremiah, Josette, Sara, and Naomi."
"What of my father, Joshua?"
Peter shook his head. "As far as I can tell, Barnabas, only the souls of those who die prematurely are sent to this place. We're here because our lives were taken from us by force—and too soon. All we can do now is come to accept our current nature so that we may eventually pass over to another plane of existence."
"You mean to say that there have been those who have come and gone?" Barnabas was intrigued.
Peter nodded. "It's been happening for as long as I can recall."
He continued. "Based on what I've learned so far, Purgatory was established as a place for reflection. Just one of many levels of metamorphosis that our souls must go through. I have a feeling that my time is coming very soon, Barnabas. For so very long I felt that I had failed Victoria Winters. But now that you've told me of her survival, I feel as if though a great burden has been lifted. Thank you."
"I'm happy to have been able to help."
There suddenly came a high pitched frequency accompanied by a blindingly bright white light shining through the window of the small fishing shack.
"What is this?" Barnabas shouted out in confusion.
Peter looked into the light and then over to Barnabas who had continued to cover his eyes. "I think this is it—my time to pass over!"
Barnabas uncovered his eyes to watch Peter make his way towards the exit of the shack. Clenching the door knob with his hand, he turned it and pushed the door open. Before crossing the threshold, Peter turned to face his old friend for the last time. "What ever you decide to do, Barnabas, please stay away from Rose Cottage!"
Unfortunately, Barnabas was unable to make since of the last word that Peter had spoken due to a sharp pitch in the obstructive frequency. Stay away from Rose? Barnabas had pondered what he had meant as the light completely engulfed his friend. And, within a matter of seconds, the light had gone as quickly as it had appeared—leaving absolutely no trace of Peter Bradford behind.
Back at Collinwood, an anxious trio of Julia, Elizabeth, and Roger made their way towards the Old House where they were to meet with Sheriff Patterson regarding Barnabas Collins' death.
After arriving, however, they happen upon a strange scene. The Sheriff's car was parked outside but there was no sign of the Sheriff himself. Willie then ran out of the house towards them, crying out in distress. "Doc, quick, quick! It's Barn'bas!"
The three of them approached Willie. "What's all this about, Loomis?" Roger asked.
"Relax and tell us what's happened, Willie." Julia retorted, more patiently than Roger.
Willie wasn't sure how to explain the situation delicately. "Af'ter you left, I went up t' Barn'bas room and he was gone! Barn'bas' body has disappeared!"