Subj: Dark Shadows: Angelique's War -- Episode 4
Date: 10/17/98
2:02:06 PM Central Daylight Time
From: David Young
"How did
it happen?"
"It was probably a heart attack. If you could see her
face, it looks as if she was scared to death. I had to know if you had
seen anyone near her room."
She didn't need to see anyone near the
room, the killer was obvious. Alexis must have killed Elizabeth as a
warning. It made sense, in the dark Collinwood nights, a shadowy figure
materializes inside of one's room, a frail heart gives out under the
pressure. Simple murder wasn't her style though, Elizabeth must have some
clue to the upcoming onslaught!
"Roger, were there any signs around
her body? Was she holding anything?"
"No, she was just thrown on
the bed."
"If Alexis did leave a clue, the only way to find it is
to bring Elizabeth back." thought Angelique, still struggling to
comprehend the madness behind the attack.
"I'm so sorry for the
loss Roger, are you going to wake Carolyn and David?"
"No, why
should they be troubled with it? Who am I kidding, why would they even
care?"
"So I'm the only one who knows?"
"Well since the
police wouldn't think of coming up to our haunted house and no doctor
would come here before daybreak, there aren't many others to tell. The
servants would sooner spit on her corpse than cry at her funeral. There's
nothing else we can do tonight, unless you remember seeing
something."
"No Roger, you're probably right, it was just a heart
attack. If you don't need anything else, I'd like to go back to my room.
This whole matter is so overwhelming."
"You're right, it must be
hard to deal with a death on your first night in the mansion."
**********
Back in the relative safety of her room, Angelique
could almost laugh at Roger's ignorance. She's spent more years in this
room than Roger has spent in the whole mansion. If he had seen the lines
of gypsies, witches and werewolves that had died here already, he wouldn't
complain about a single woman's death. Of course, Elizabeth was more than
an ordinary woman, she might have some clue, some way of stopping Alexis.
The problem at hand, however, is finding out what that clue is.
Speaking to the dead isn't as easy as seen in soap-operas and movies.
Seances seldom do what's expected and spirits never know when to leave.
They usually end up taking over someone's body. Having Elizabeth's ghost
roaming the halls could only hurt the plan. Since only Roger knows she's
dead and he's drunk most of the time, it would be far easier to simply
bring her back to life. Unfortunately, that would require certain items
that are rather hard to find in one's kitchen.
The mausoleum however, would be filled with ingredients.
*************
The suns early rays blasted through the wooded
path to the moss covered mausoleum. The light, warm safety swarmed around
her, throwing her into the danger. Cold winds blew over her face as the
heavy doors swung open, the sun's warming hug seemed to cower behind. It
didn't matter though, she knew what needed to be done.
Secret
panels and hidden levers gave up their prizes to the one who knew how to
play their game. Molding mazes showed the way to her destination, she had
traveled the path in her mind so many times, always preparing for the last
trip. Then she found the end, the tomb of Barnabas Collins.
Subj: Dark Shadows: Angelique's War -- Episode 5
Date: 10/18/98
7:50:27 PM Central Daylight Time
From: David Young
As
Angelique paws at the rusted chains laid upon the ornate coffin she begins
to talk to herself, confident that her plan will succeed.
"So
Barnabas, this is your new bed. Do you like sleeping alone, my dear? You
swore to me that we would never sleep in separate beds, but then you found
Josette and your words melted like sweet, empty sugar. It was that night I
cursed you, in anger of your betrayal, but I've spent too many years since
trying to make amends. I can't tell you of the nights I've thought about
coming back here to speak with you, to hold you again. I also can't tell
you how many times I've dreamed you would attack, kill me without thought.
Of course, it doesn't always happen in dreams. How many times have you, or
one of your alternates rather, killed an Alexis or a Miranda or even an
Angelique? The timelines are infinite but they all end with my death. In
all likelihood, this one will too, but not today. No, today I've come with
a cross in my hand during your daylight rest so that you can help me. You
will bring Elizabeth back to life, my hungry one. My own magicks are
failing at best but the youth in your blood should allow me to revive
her."
As the chains flew off, Angelique stood back with an
irrational fear. Isn't it possible that he could still be awake? What if
the curse had begun to fail, just as the visions now eluded her? In either
case, the coffin was now open, the ageless Barnabas trapped in his
daylight trance. She pulled a knife from her coat's pocket, and then a
doll with Elizabeth's name written upon it. With one easy stroke, she
pierced Barnabas' skin, and wiped the blood upon the dolls
face.
"Drink from the life, Elizabeth, it will be your savior, and
perhaps mine as well."
Angelique knew that the blood would only
revive Elizabeth, and the effects would only carry her through another
year at most. The frail old body would give out sometime and as Elizabeth
aged, the cost of revival wouldn't match the result. She could always
unleash the vampire curse upon Elizabeth, that would give her eternal
life, provided that she would avoid sunlight, a vampire's only true enemy.
A stake in the heart only turns the body to ash, once the stake is removed
from the casket, the body would reform. A cross might burn, but death
would be nearly impossible. She had no desire to unleash that curse upon
another person again. It had already turned her true love against her, who
knows what might happen when cast upon an aging stranger? The blood must
save her, or else the farewell kiss of infinity would be her only
reward.
"It is done. Once I seal the casket again, I must go back
to see if it's worked."
"See if what worked?" asked David Collins,
stepping out from behind a large stone sculpture.
Subj: Dark Shadows: Angelique's War: Episode 6
Date: 10/19/98
10:40:49 PM Central Daylight Time
From: David Young
"David! How long have you been there?"
"Long enough to see your
little trick. How did you know my name? Another spell?"
"Nonsense,
there aren't any real spells, I was just saying a little prayer to honor
all of these poor departed people. Do you know much about them?"
"I
know that this room is a secret and I'm the only one who knows about it. I
know that you're a stranger. I know that you must be a
witch."
"Come now, there are no witches. You have such an
imagination, I'm just your new governess."
"You're already lying to
me, how do I know that you're not lying now?"
"Why would I lie to
you?"
"Because you don't want me to tell the others. I won't tell
you know. Father wouldn't believe me and now that Aunt Elizabeth is
dead..."
"What do you mean Elizabeth is dead? She must be sleeping.
I'm sure that you probably made a mistake."
"She had no pulse and
her eyes were starting to get foggy, like in books."
"I'm sure if
you go back to the mansion, you'll find out that she was just
asleep."
"Did your spell bring her back? If you teach me some, I
won't tell anyone, not even Aunt Elizabeth if she comes back to
life."
"All right, I'll teach what you want but remember, this
stays between us."
"Do you mean me and you, or do we include him
too?"
"Barnabas isn't a problem. He's dead."
"Then why did
he bleed when you cut him? Nobody has been put in here for a while so he
should have turned to dust by now."
"Things don't happen like they
should in Collinwood."
"Does that mean you've been here
before?"
"Years ago, now go back to the mansion."
"Not
without you. You might try something else."
The stubborn fool would
never leave her alone, she knew that but sometime before sundown, she
would have to return to the casket. If she were to lock it now, the
temptation of forbidden magicks might prove too exotic for David's
curiosity and he would only come back later to remove any seals. Perhaps a
little ancestral lore might quell the youthful curiosity. If not, she
would just get him lost inside the secret passageways.
************************
As they walked back to the mansion,
tree branches reached out in futility, trying to hold them back, trying to
hold onto her. As the autumn leaves changed from vivid green to empty
yellows, then into blood stained reds and finally into deep dead browns,
the seasons of her past came flashing back. The cold lonely nights she had
wasted, pining for the love she could never truly have were enough to
force the welled up tears into the corners of her eyes. You shouldn't cry
for your killer though, you should only hate them, curse them and one day
destroy them, love had never been a weapon, except upon the
lover.
With the fire of hatred blowing the cold winds away, she
hadn't noticed the doors that had been silently approaching. The oak doors
swung open, just as Angelique had reached for the knob. Roger tried his
best to remain calm, but something was definitely wrong. David pushed the
door further and suddenly, she knew why Roger was trembling. At the top of
the staircase, Elizabeth Collins stood, perfectly healthy, but 40 years
younger.
