Dark Destiny, Part 7

Collinwood was greeted with a beautiful morning. Melissa had breakfast with Carolyn and David. Quentin had an early appointment and had already left the estate for the morning. Melissa was anxious to start to work in the garden, with such a nice day, the thoughts of spooks and ghosts were far from her mind.

"I have a meeting over a property rights issue in town this morning, it shouldn't take long to settle, if it works out with what you have planned, would you be interested in meeting for lunch?" David asked Melissa.

"Yes, I think I can work that in." Melissa said with a grin. "Fine, I'll be back here around 12:30 or so, I look forward to it' David said as he raced out of the dining room with his attaché case.

"David, if you run late, Give Us a Call' Carolyn yelled in a commanding voice. "David can sometimes get absorbed in his duties and keep people waiting on occasion." "Oh, I won't mind if he is a little late, I plan on working hard in the garden today anyway. Its such a beautiful area, and I can tell that the garden was once well taken care of."

Carolyn cut in, "Oh, you're too nice, that area has been neglected for over 20 Carolyn cut herself short sensing the conversation may take a turn to a more uncomfortable issue. Carolyn resumed, "Well, I know you know a lot more about gardening and landscaping than I do, I know you will do a superb job."

"Thank you," Melissa said with a smile.

Melissa had been working in the garden for nearly three hours now, and was ready to take a break. It was nearing noon, and she wanted to be ready when David returned from town. As she was leaving the garden area she noticed a barren area, like a spot where too much fertilizer was applied.

She knelt to dig around this area when she suddenly felt a shiver UP her spine. The temperature was rather warm, but Melissa had chills, and she began to break out in a cold sweat. She tried to get up, but fell backwards and passed out. Next she heard a low, ominous, booming voice laughing. She tried to say something, but no sound came from her mouth. This apparition then yelled "you, You, YOU"

Again Melissa, now overcome with fear tried to scream, but could not. She felt as if something was creeping toward her. This apparition again laughed, the laughing getting louder and louder. Then it stopped as suddenly as it started, Melissa felt another chill, but this was a refreshing kind of chill like that of a crisp autumn evening. Melissa opened her eyes and to her great astonishment everything appeared very dark, like at night. In front of her was a peaceful looking apparition. Melissa tried again to let out a scream, but again she could make no sound. This apparition spoke to her in a sweet, feminine voice. "Marissa, don't be afraid, it's OK." Melissa felt more relieved, but realized she was being addressed as Marissa. Again she tried to speak, but no sound came from her mouth. The apparition spoke again,

"Marissa, its OK. Marissa. Marissa. Marissa, are you OK? Marissa, MELISSA!"

Melissa shut her eyes and opened them again to find David hunched over her, "Melissa, are you OK?"

Melissa sat up, brought her hand to her head, looked around to find herself sitting in the garden with a warm breeze blowing on a nice sunny afternoon. She looked at David and asked, "David, did you call me Marissa?"

"Marissa?!, that's a silly question, I know your name, its not Marissa." Melissa stood up, "I think I am OK, I was just working around this area where there is no grass or weeds, and then something, I am not sure how to put it There was someone, very evil, then someone else, she was very nice"

"She?" David interrupted.

"Well .... she or it addressed me as Marissa, she said everything was going to be OK, then her voice trailed off and then I distinctly heard your voice asked Marissa are you OK? and then you were there."

"I don't know about the spirits, but I do know that I did not call you Marissa! "

Just then, Carolyn came running across the lawn towards David and Melissa, "Have either of you seen Luther today?"

David Responded "No, I don't know where Luther is at, but I know where he hasn't been today. The stairs from the garage to the house are still in disrepair."

"He was supposed to take a package from the front table and deliver it to the post office in town first thing today. Its still there, Luther knows how important it is that the package is delivered on time. Sometimes I just don't understand him," Carolyn said very disgusted.

"Well, we need to go by his cottage on the way to the main house, maybe he left a message for us there," David said optimistically.

The three of them chatted about the experience in the garden when David suddenly looked rather withdrawn. Carolyn asked "David, what is it?" as they approached Luther's cottage.

"That's strange, Luther always keeps his place locked tight, look, his front door is wide open." David approached the front entrance cautiously, leaving the other two behind him a few paces. David looked inside, the blinds where pulled down and it was dark and rather musty inside. he turned on the light, and yelled "Oh my God, LUTHER! Carolyn, get Dr. Hoffman here QUICK!!

Dark Shadows, 1974 – Part 8
Dark Destiny PART 8
Date: 10/3/97
From: MelodyX

"Betty mentioned that Julia had called her last night. She was going out to pick up Julia A few minutes before I went out the door." Carolyn said

"Good!" David said. "You go to the garage and meet up with her."

David and Melissa watched as Carolyn darted off to the garage.

David turned and looked at Melissa, putting his hands on her shoulder.

"I would not blame you one bit, if you decided to leave Melissa."

Melissa patted his shoulder. "Don't be silly. You hired me. I intend to stay until the very end. And I'm sorry for freaking out over there, I think I spent too much time under the direct sunlight."

"Don't worry about it." he smiled "And I'm glad you're staying. You are a very strong woman you know."

"Thank you."

Melissa looked at the door which was now hanging on by only one of its hinges. "My God! This door was slammed so hard it almost came off!" She gasped

"It was probably one of his drunk friends that did that." David said. "I'm going to go inside Melissa. Would please out here. I don't want to subject you to anymore trauma."

"Okay." She watched as he stepped inside toward the hunched over body lying in the bathroom doorway.

Betty and Julia were pulling up to the garage when they say Carolyn waving frantically to them.

"Something has happened." Julia said plainly

Betty, a nervous woman in her early fifties shook her head. "Oh Julia, I've got a bad feeling about this."

"Do not say anything!" Julia warned "If it's come to be, it's come to be. Perhaps we should have never tried to alter the events. You know that they say you can never hide the truth forever, so all we can do now is wait, pray, and hope for the best."

"But what we did was for protection of the family." Betty cried

"Yes that was we intended." Julia agreed " But All things have a purpose, a fate. Perhaps we should not have hid the truth for so long. But be that as it may, We will not say anything unless we absolutely have to. Now let's go see what's wrong because I am really looking forward to talking with Melissa. I need to see how strong she is before I decide anything else."