Subj: DS:The Next Generation 6
Date: 6/17/02 1:55:45 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Aesgaard

Elizabeth Victoria Loomis was never one to admit that being grounded was to stop her. Having Russell drop her off at the bottom of the hill, she lurked across the estate as a cat burglar back to the bed sheet rope left dangling out of her window. Of course, she hadn't thought this quite out thoroughly. Running across the estate in the moonlight left her out of breath to climb
the fifteen feet up to her window. A gasp for air, she tugged the line, her foot to the bottom window sill, pulled up to the ledge, foot to the top of the window ledge, dangled a bit and grunted and heaved herself along the edge to her window left ajar. She grinned to herself for being so clever as she put her foot through to the floor. Her mother needn't know....

"Lizzie !!!"

The thirteen year old girl spun awkwardly on her ankle as her mother flicked on the light. Lizzie's blue eyes widened in shock as her lucky steak came crashing down to earth in a ball of glory. She forgot to lock her bedroom door !!

"I have tried to be lenient in this,," Carolyn cocked her head as her now short blonde hair swayed. "But now you've left me no choice. I'm sending you to boarding school."

"Mom !!" Lizzie freaked as she saw her life destroyed. "Please, not that !! I won't do it again ! I promise !! Please, give me another chance !!!"

"This was your last chance !" Carolyn scowled as her voice began adamant. "I am not putting up with a sex-crazed daughter who runs around loose and embarrasses me in public...."

"And how is that different from when you were my age !!!"

"This is not about me !!" Carolyn shook her finger as her temper flared from her daughter running around in a bustier, leather jacket and hip-hugging jeans. Pictures of Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and Paula Abdul were all over the room along with all the current Eighties icons. "I never gave my mother the amount of grief you're giving me. It ends now ! Now, wash that crap off your face and get to bed ! We'll be talking more in the morning !!"

"But, mom !!!"

Carolyn slammed the door of the room that used to be hers. She gasped secretly after letting her rage possessed her and listened through the door as her daughter jumped on the bed and cried her heart out. The mother in Carolyn wanted to go back and apologize, but the guardian in her thought she wasn't strict enough.

"So you did it...." Willie mumbled half-asleep as she slipped her robe off and returned to bed.

"She gave me no choice." Carolyn flicked on the light and pulled the brochure out for Eastland Academy from her nightstand. Willie grunted from the light and rolled over as Carolyn scanned the colored paper in her hands.

Nestled in the rolling wooded hills near Peekskill, New York, the girl's school sounded perfect for Lizzie. Even the head master, David Parker, agreed with her when they talked that Lizzie needed structure and discipline, but then the mother in Carolyn did not want her daughter that far away from her.

"Willie," She looked toward his hairy back poking out over his shirt. "Am I doing the right thing ?"

"I thought we both thought so." He mumbled. "I wonder if they'll take J.R. !"

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.