Subj: DS:Ally 6
Date: 3/25/02 5:31:38 PM Central Standard Time
From: Aesgaard

Elaine Vassal felt as if she were a princess and Ally was her much older sister as Angelique welcomed her into the Old House. The hostess of the Old House was much more human and out-going than when she had visited Cage and Fish and put a hex into everyone. She was very lofty and friendly as she put her and Ally together in the same bedroom. The huge canopy bed had huge curtains on it and an Old World charm as she slid into bed under soft sheets, a heavy blanket and comforter as William slept in the room across the hall. Elaine fantasized about sneaking into his room in the middle of the night, but she didn't dare with Ally next to her.

It was sometime after midnight when Elaine was jarred out of a dead sleep. She wondered if Ally had woke her as she caressed her pillow like it was a secret lover. She listened to the distant crashing of waves a moment and closed her eyes as she envisioned Angelique's handsome son riding to her on a white horse. A slight gasp from Ally and Elaine buried her head into her pillow.

She thought she head the rustle of a long skirt. Wondering if Angelique had slipped in to check on her, she reared her head and looked around. Her eyes scanned over the rocking chair by the bed, to the Eighteenth Century furniture, to the fireplace and then to the door. The whole room was lit up with a blue, silvery moonlight. She wondered if it was the blankets and dropped her head.

She heard it again, only this time it was much closer. It was like the long skirts of a period costume. The rustling of fabrics pulled across each other across the floor was unmistakable. Elaine listened closer as she remembered the legend of Josette Collins wandering the house. As she lifted her head once more, she heard another noise. It sounded like a creaking in the hall.

"Ally, can you hear that ?" Elaine whispered. She heard a frightened gasp come from beside her. "I wish William was in here with us. Hold my hand so I know you're there."

Elaine felt Ally's fingers slide down her arm in the dark and into her hand. Ally was so scared she could barely talk.

"Ally, your hand feels like ice !" Elaine sensed a twinge of movement out the corner of her eye as the rocker stirred. It seemed to be jarred a moment then slowly creaked back by itself and rocked forward. The empty thing was rocking by itself barely three feet from her as she heard another noise. It sounded like gleeful laughter from over her head in the attic. Elaine shrank in fear under the comforter as her eyes shot from the rocker which was still moving to the closed door of the room. The footsteps were returning as the rocking chair stopped. Elaine heard the doorknob rattling and pulled the covers over her head. Through the darkness, she heard the door open and the steps come over to the bed.

"What are you doing ?" Ally pulled the sheet down. She slid back into bed and pulled the comforter over her. "Sorry I woke you, but William invited me to raid the ice box." She flashed her perky grin.

Elaine lifted her semi-frozen hand and stared at it as if she was losing it. "Who was next to me and holding my hand ?!!"

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.