ACT V

(the music cue, "The Secret Room" by Robert Cobert fades as the scene also fades)

Walking into the living room, David sits by the fireplace, only soon to be joined by Dr Guthrie.

He turned to Maggie and asked, "Maggie, do you have some peroxide or an antiseptic? I will need some fresh bandages, too. I need to take a look at David's arm."

David protested. "No, it's fine. Really. I...it doesn't hurt anymore."

Dr Guthrie frowned as Maggie went into the kitchen to gather the ordered items. "Now, David, I'm not going to pay attention to this nonsense. I've got to check your arm, now give it to me." He sat on the fireplace bench and looked at David's arm. His tone never softened, but he smiled. "A boy your age will start taking girls to dances, and movies. and start holding hands with her and such. Now how do you think a girl will feel when you have an arm that has all sorts of... of creepies and...crawlies all over it, huh?"

David pulled his arm away and snapped at him. "I don't care. I want you to leave me alone."

Dr Guthrie placed his hand on David's shoulder. "Now David..."

Walking in just as Dr Guthrie's hand touched his shoulder, Maggie watched in shock as David jerked away violently. Backing up across the room with his eyes wide with fear, David warned Dr Guthrie. "Stay away from me! I don't want you to touch me!"

"David! What's wrong with you?! Why are you acting like this?" Maggie asked sternly. David only shook his head, "I...I don't want him to touch me. Please Maggie, please tell him to leave! I don't want him here anymore."

Dr Guthrie spoke first, and came to David and held out his hands to show David that he had nothing "David, I'm not going to hurt you. See? I'm your friend. I'm Maggie's and Jeff's friend, too. If they can trust me, you can too, right? I'm not hiding anything. We could've already been done by now. Now, come on, all I need to do right now is look at it, okay?" As he spoke, he stepped closer toward David in a very non-threatening manner, but David quickly backed away and retreated to the other side of the room, knocking over a lamp that was sitting on a side table. "I said NO!"

Maggie took her gauze and ointment and went toward David. "Here, I'll do it, David. Are you alright?"

David stared intently at Dr Guthrie while Maggie took David's arm. She took David's arm and began cleaning and dressing it while Dr Guthrie began picking up pieces of the broken lamp. Maggie broke the awkward silence. "Doctor, he's just edgy. He's been through a lot. I'm sure David will see that you're no one to be so frightened of." She turned to David. "Dr Guthrie is our friend, David. He's been very good to Jeff and me. He won't hurt you, I promise, okay?"

David never looked at or acknowledged Maggie speaking to him because he caught sight of something on Dr Guthrie's hand-a very peculiar ring. The ring was made of silver and had a solid black stone set inside of it. The shape of it was unique in that it was a large oval-shaped stone. David couldn't contain his curiosity. "What is that? Where did you get that?"

Bent over and picking up broken pieces of the cracked lamp, Dr Guthrie stood to his feet and looked in the direction that David was staring. "This? You mean this ring? Oh, this is something that I've had since I began my paranormal studies. It's a ring made of pure silver, and the stone inside is called a black jet stone."

Maggie finished bandaging David's arm, and she turned and gazed at the ring. Speaking softly to ease the tension, Maggie asked. "A jet stone? I don't think I've ever heard of that. What kind of stone is it?"

Dr Guthrie gave a half smile, but kept his distance so that he wouldn't frighten David. "Well, it's said to have a supernatural element. According to sources I've studied over the years, many ancients believed it to be a stone that absorbed negative energy. I believe that many spirits that manifest themselves in our realm carry with them a tremendous amount of energy with them, namely more to the negative margin. Much of it caused by their own unrest. They're always seeking to reconnect with their former life in some way. The greater the longing, the more that energy grows much more powerful in time, and their presence becomes more evident in proportion to that energy. The ancients believed this particular type of stone absorbed and dissolved that energy that evil manifestations carried with them when they returned. Their energy would be absorbed and vanish once exposed to it in close proximity, and their spirits would simply disappear into nothingness."

He continued, "I believe that this stone is vital for protection. There are some entities that have amassed so much energy and power that...well, they had the abilities to take over another human being and control them, almost like a possession. There have been some that..."

Maggie quickly interrupted, her voice weak and unsteady.. "May we please discuss something else? I don't want to talk about it anymore." Filled with fear, her eyes turned away and stared out the window. Dr Guthrie's tone was grave and apologetic as he looked down on the floor beneath him. "I'm...I'm sorry, Maggie...I just, sometimes I just ramble on about...well, nothing. It's not important. I'll, um...I'll get this cleaned up and take a look at that book."

Maggie didn't reply. She only held on tightly to David and kept her focus at the window.

(a musical interlude ensues, and Robert Cobert's "Opening theme from 'Night of Dark Shadows' begins playing very softly. The camera zooms slowly on Maggie's eyes, and a fade to outside the house begins. The volume escalates as the screen begins to fade)

(as the fade recedes and the music continues, the sun shines across the screen, and Jeff is seen outside by the piles of firewood he made. Pausing in deep reflection, he looks at the bright glow of sunlight over the horizon. With a deep breath, he places the axehead on the ground and leans on the handle. The cold autumn wind blows, and the trees behind Jeff begin swaying as falling leaves fly across the house behind him.)

(with the theme music playing at peak volume, a thin border of white mist forms around the screen as Jeff's mind flashes back to his own past. He sees himself painting beautiful portraits that he had done, and Maggie holding onto him tightly while admiring his work. He remembers happy moments at Collinwood when every one was laughing and life was good. He thinks of the moment he proposed to Maggie at the rose garden on the Collinwood estate, and the happiness they felt when he placed the ring on her finger. He reflects on the joyful warmth of bliss they felt as they embraced after she accepted his proposal.)

(the white border recedes, and the scene returns to Jeff staring in contemplation towards the sunlight. He turns around as the music begins to end and fade, and he sees Maggie staring at him outside their front door on their small wooden porch. She looks away as their eyes meet. She hangs her head in sorrow and goes back into the house and shuts the door. Jeff looks down and frowns. He gathers the firewood he has cut and carries it to the door.)

Upon entering the house, Jeff solemnly carries the firewood inside and places it inside the fireplace. David walks past Jeff without saying a word and walks toward the front door.

"David, where are you going? You shouldn't go outside.", Jeff warned. David looked back, "But I want to look at the moon."

Puzzled, Jeff stared at David. "The moon? David, it's early afternoon. The sun is still out."

David protested. "I know, but this time of year you can see the moon early during the day, and there's supposed to be a full moon tonight. I just want to see it. I won't go anywhere, I promise."

Maggie walked into the room. "Go ahead, David. Just stay close to the house, okay?" David nodded in agreement and walked out the door. Maggie stood with her arms folded, but she trembled, obviously uncomfortable to be left alone with Jeff.

Jeff tried to ease the tension between them by saying her name softly and by putting both of his arms around her. Maggie pulled away and walked across the room while Jeff stood there watching her walking away from him. With a deep sigh, Jeff gazed at the floor.

"Maggie, I...I know it may not mean much to you, but I'm really sorry for the things I did. I would never hurt you. You've known me for a lot of years, and I've never done anything to hurt you." Maggie kept her back turned to him and her arms folded.

(Though her back is turned to Jeff, Maggie's face and eyes are visible to the camera. Her chin is quivering, and her eyes shut tight. Tears roll down both of her cheeks)

"Jeff, I don't...I don't feel like I know you anymore. I don't even feel like I know myself anymore. We can never be the same or go back to the way we were...and there's something that I've been wanting to tell y-...", she paused.

Jeff walked toward Maggie and faced her, but she turned away again, determined not to allow Jeff to see her crying. "What, Maggie?"

Maggie hesitated, closed her eyes, and shook her head. "...Nothing. I don't want to discuss anything anymore." Regaining her composure, she turned around and faced him.

Jeff shook his head, exhaling slowly, his voice despondent. "Alright, Maggie. I won't say anything else, then." He walked across the floor and turned around, asking, "Where's Dr Guthrie?"

With her voice becoming more steady, she told Jeff and pointed, "In the kitchen. He's looking at that book that David brought."

Jeff asked her, "How long has he been in there?"

Maggie answered, "About thirty minutes. David and I have just been staying in here."

Hearing the door slam, both Maggie and Jeff turned quickly to face David who had just entered the house again, smiling. "I was right. You can see the full moon in the sky. Would you like to see it?"

"There isn't time, David." Dr Guthrie said as he walked out of the kitchen.

((Robert Cobert's music, "A Darkness at Collinwood" begins to play))

Jeff and Maggie both turned toward the doctor, staring at his unusually pale complexion. Jeff asked first, "Doc, what's the matter?" Jeff pointed at the diary that Dr Guthrie was gripping tightly in his hand. "Is it something in that book?"

His face pale and his tone chilling and grim, Dr Guthrie took a deep breath as he looked at both Jeff and Maggie. "We...we have to go back to Collinwood. We have to leave right now."

((I do not own the rights to DARK SHADOWS. My fanfic is intended only for the enjoyment of the reader)