The Journals (6)
Date: 10/14/98
From: barnster

Daniel sat in his Merc, debating if he had the nerve to knock at the door of the cottage.

For the last three days, he had noticed a strangeness about his brother. And he had learnt the hard way, not to mention Cindy's name, while he was in earshot.

Deciding to find out what was going on, he finally got out of the car, and walked over to the cottage.

******

When Cindy opened the door, high hopes brightening her comely features fell on seeing him.

"Hi, Dan," she said, glumly. "I thought it might be…"

"Barnabas?" he finished for her.

"Yeah," she said dispiritedly. "Come in," she offered, opening the door wider so he could enter.

"Get you a coffee?" she asked over her shoulder, as he walked in. "I was just about to make one."

"Thanks."

She disappeared into the kitchen for a few minutes, when she came back; she smiled uneasily, and said, "Won't be long."

Daniel looked at her curiously. Then deciding that getting straight to the point, might be the best way to go, he plunged ahead, and said, "Look, tell me to mind my own business, but have you and Barnabas fallen out?"

The undeniable look of pain that flashed across her face told him that what he had suspected, was true.
"You could say that," said Cindy quietly. The abruptly changing the subject, she said, "I'll make the coffee," and disappeared back into the kitchen.

"Here let me take that," he said, when she returned a few minutes later, coffee mugs in hand.

"Thanks!" she said gratefully. "Make yourself comfy," she said indicating the sofa.

A silence ensued, both seeming reluctant to break it. Daniel stared at her over his mug, and wondered what the fight had been about. They had seemed so happy, so…in love only a few days before.

"Want to talk about it?" he asked, finally ending the unrelenting quietness.

Cindy stared into her mug, glumly. "Thanks Dan, but I think I should really talk to Barnabas. If he'll see me, that is."

"Must have been some blue, huh?"

"Yeah, you could say that." She looked up at him, her green eyes, filling with tears.

"Hey what is?" asked Daniel, putting down his mug on the table, and going over to her.

She shook her head, unable to speak.

Daniel, his arm around her shoulders, demanded, "What'd he do? Come on Cindy, tell!"

She turned to face him, astonishment replacing the distraught expression. "You mean you don't know? He hasn't told you?"

"Know what?"

"I'm pregnant."

He stared at her in shock. "Pregnant?" he repeated dumbly.

She nodded. "When I told him, he was furious. Said that I'd done it deliberately. That I'd tried to trap him, and ruin his chances of being a doctor."

Daniel frowned. "When did you tell him?"

"About three days ago. He walked out, and I've not seen him since."

Three days ago? Then that would tie in with his weird way he was acting.

"He walked out on you?" asked Dan, in astonishment. Then angrily he said, "You mean he dumped you?"

Cindy got up, and went over to the window. "I don't know, what I'm going to do Dan!" she said, brokenly. "The way he looked when I told him, I thought he was going to hit me."

"Did he?" he asked from behind.

Cindy shook her head. "No, he just stormed out," then turning to face Daniel once more, she said, "Hasn't he said anything? Anything at all?"

"Whenever your name is mention, he gets furious. He's been acting weird for the last three days. Now I know why. And when my father learns what he's done, he's going to be furious."

"I don't want anyone knowing," insisted Cindy. "It's between Barnabas and I."

"You still love him, don't you?"

Cindy nodded. "I love him, Dan! I love him so much!" she sobbed.

Daniel took her in his arms, and smoothed her hair. "It's all right, Cindy," he whispered. "It'll be all right."

Though he spoke to her gently, his eyes blazed with anger. How dare his brother treat her this way!

Cindy moved out of his embrace slightly, and looked up into his face, that bore only a slight resemblance to Barnabas. "What are you going to do?"

"Ask what the hell he's playing at," he said angrily. "He's been like this, since my mother died. I have an idea, he still blames Julia. And it's about time, he hear a few home truths."

"Daniel, it'll just make things worse! Please, don't say anything!"

"Don't worry, he might be older than me, but I know how to handle him."

He stared into her tear-streaked face. Then, cupping her face gently in both hands, he gently lowered his mouth to hers.

Cindy started to respond, and then realising what they were doing, broke the kiss and embrace.

"I think you'd better go," she said quietly, her back to him. "If Barnabas ever found out…"

"Let him," said Daniel angrily, his eyes blazing. "After the way he's treated you…"

She turned face him again. "I like you Dan, " she said. "But not that way. I love Barnabas. He's the only one I want."

He nodded. "He's a fool, in walking out. He doesn't know what a great girl he's got. Well, he will by the time I'm finished with him!"

---------------------------------------------------------

Barnabas Jr was sat at his desk reading the journal. A pile of medical text books within easy reach, so if anyone should enter the room, it would look at least look as if he were studying.

The last date he had read had been for October 22. He had already discovered that his father hadn't kept a daily report of what happened from day to day.

He had also learned that a great deal of the pages had been torn out. Only the remnants of the torn pages remained, as proof that they had once existed.

The next entry in the journal was April 19 1967. The writing was almost unreadable. Suggesting perhaps, that the writer was unfamiliar on holding a pen.

He flipped through to the more legible writing, to compare the writing between 1795, and 1967. There was a marked difference. The author had been more at ease with a quill pen, rather than with a ballpoint pen.

It also indicated, that the large amount of missing pages, were relevant to his father finding out that Angelique was the witch, and the placing of the curse.

And April 19 1967, must have been the date he was released from the chained coffin.

He frowned as he tried to make out the writing: -

'April 19 1967. Am free at last! The chains are broken! But where am I? What place is this? And what are these 'things' that this foolish excuse of a man calls 'a car?' Ho much time has passed? Too much I feel. I am alone in the world. In a world of strangeness, and it frightens me.'

Suddenly the door burst open, and a furious Daniel stood glaring at him.

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.