Subj: Dare Story -- 1
Date: 8/18/01 1:00:41 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Julianka

Moonlight Stroll or Take a Walk on the DS Side :)
By Julianka

Another Dark Shadows Festival weekend and I can't go, I thought gloomily to myself.

I had so hoped last year that I could go this year, as it being in New York City, it would have worked out so much better for me. But money and time limits worked against me. The central air conditioner would have to be replaced at the hottest time of the year and my daughter Melissa's college fees had to go up, then George W.'s nice little tax check wouldn't stretch to meet such a trip.

So what do I get to do while many of my friends from DS lists are meeting the Stars?

Chasing my Houdini of a dog! Rascal so aptly named, had escaped again! Melissa was out on a date, my son Robbie was still at work and my sweet husband, John was snoring like a buzz saw. So sighing as I thought to myself, it's up to me to catch Rascal and bring him home.

Trotting down the sidewalk as quickly as I was able, squinting into the black pockets between the street lights while trying to keep Rascal's dark form in view, seemed to be a thankless task.

Following him down an unfamiliar side street, I lost sight of him.

Hearing a small yip from somewhere ahead of me, I continued forward. The cooler evening breeze was a relief after the humid and stifling heat of the day. The scent of honeysuckle drifted in from a open field to the right.

Did he turn this way? Couldn't hurt to look, I thought and so on I continued. The darkness was intense now that I couldn't see my hand before my face!

Fool! I chided myself, why did you come without a flashlight?

Hard hands suddenly grabbed my arms and to my shock, I feel my feet swing out into empty air! But just as I was about to scream, The same hands set me gently back onto my feet.

As I turned a voice spoke from the darkness, "You about walked right off the edge of a cliff!"

"Who..who are you?", I stuttered.

"Hang on just a sec. I have flash light here somewhere."

A bright white light blinded me. "Hey!" I yelled. "Oops! Sorry about that!"

Blinking I cleared my vision. Looking at my savior in the beam of his flashlight that had now turned from my face, I saw a handsome thirty something man.

"Hello", he smiled. "Nice to meet you."

"Hello yourself", I grinned at him, "Thanks for saving me."

"No trouble, I was out for a walk and stopped to rest here. I was just thinking, my mind was miles away in New York City when you came along. It was too late to warn you, so I just grabbed you. I hope I didn't hurt you."

"You saved my neck! I'm Donna Cole by the way. I live on Lovers Lane."

Putting out his hand, he introduced himself, "Jon Fellrath, I.."

I was reaching for his hand, when his name caught my attention. I interupted him, "Your who?"

"Jon Fellrath." he answered puzzled.

"Does the name Julianka mean anything to you? Or the C-L list? And are you sitting here thinking of NYC because that is where the Dark Shadows Fest is?" I ask in shock.

"Julianka...C-L...Dark Shadows? Whoa... wait a minute here!"

"I don't know what is going on here. I know you live in Texas and I live in Indiana. And unless I miss my guess you aren't just visiting in my neighborhood."

At that moment, a voice came from the darkness, "I don't know about you two, but as Dorothy said to Toto, 'I don't think we're in Kansas anymore!"

Turning as one Julianka and Jon saw two women walking from the darkness toward them.

"Hello" they both said. "We over heard what just happen and don't freak, but I'm Kim."

"And I am Connie." said the other lady.

"This isn't possible! Are you all saying you are people I know? From the C-L list? But we're all from different states!" Now completely confused, I continued. "How do you all come to be in a little hick town in Indiana?"

Another voice came from the darkness, coming into the light, following Connie and Kim. Looking into the direction that the two voices came from, Julianka spotted two more women.

"As someone said, Kim?, I think," The newcomer stated, "your away from home. And we are all with you. Extending her hand, the one woman said "hi, my name's Carol, or as you know me best as Carolinamoon. And this is", turning to her companion, "is Shadowalker."

"And," Shadowalker looked out all around them stated, "where we're standing appears to be Widow's Hill!"

"Hey!"called another voice. Another woman came into the group. "I'm Scarlett! Are you as weirded out by all this as I am?"

Everyone started talking excitedly at once. Finally they worked out that each and every one of them had for one reason or another gone out for a walk this evening, gotten lost or whatever reason and ended up here.

Nervous laughter filled the group. Jon laughing the hardest. "Look, here we are. Maybe aliens carried us off, or we stepped through a fairy ring or who the hell knows, but why not make the best of it? Let's explore!"

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.