Subj: In The Shadows Of Hell's Gate-chapter 3
Date: 5/2/02 9:55:47 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Julianka

Quentin paused to to smell the lilacs before going into the great house. Daphne, he thought with the sting of sad nostalgia and looked up at the star filled night sky. Another regret, another lost love. If only.... but that was a useless game to play, wishing on a star to go back and change things. Quentin sighed and wrenched his thoughts back to the present.

He'd enjoyed talking to Julia about his friend Larry Talbot and sharing some his memories of his travels through the long years after leaving Collinwood over their lunch at the rootbeer stand. After they came back home, they took a long walk on the beach and he'd managed to get Julia to talk about her life before she came to Collinwood and gotten involved with his often troubled family. Being in Julia's company was a welcome break. With her he could let down his guard. He didn't have to watch what he said to her. She knew all his secrets.

He'd tried to talk her into going to the movies with him, but she plead too much work to do. How could he fault her for that? It was on his behalf that she was working, to find a cure. So after dinner with the family, Quentin took a solitary drive along the coast road to think and reflect. Larry Talbot and Malvea were very much in the forefront of his thoughts, every since he received their telegram telling of their coming to see him. He knew whatever prompted the visit had to be important, as in all the years he had known them, they had never left Europe. He'd better get inside and turn in. Worrying about tomorrow wouldn't make it get here any faster and whatever was going to happen-good or bad would be better faced if he was rested.

He was surprised to find the front doors of Collinwood locked. After he fished his key out of his pocket, he opened the door to to find a white faced Elizabeth standing in the foyer.

"Elizabeth? Elizabeth are you alright? What the hell?!"

She stood stiff and staring since he had opened the door. Quentin rushed to her and grasped her by her shoulders. Shaking her a little and calling her name. She finally blinked and gasped.

"I..I..Quentin? Thank God it's you!" She grabbed his jacket with both hands.

"What's the matter? Is everyone ok? Are you?" He couldn't think what could have made the always calm, always in control Elizabeth Stoddard Collins act like a zombie one minute and the next be on the verge of a panic attack the next.

Letting go of his jacket, she turned away from him. Taking a deep breath, she answered, "I'm fine. Everyone's fine. I'm sorry if
I startled you."

When he just looked at her with concern and puzzlement, she continued, "I had a dream..a really bad dream. I came downstairs to make a cup of tea. When the door opened...I..well..I don't know what I thought." She shuddered.

"Would you like me to get Julia for you? She could give you something to relax you, maybe help you to sleep?"

"NO!" Elizabeth cleared her throat. "Excuse me. I didn't mean snap at you like that. No, thank you though." The thought of being drugged and caught helpless in the nightmare was too much for her.

"You said something about a cup of tea. Would you like me to fix you one?"

Elizabeth gave him a little smile. "Quentin, you are very kind. Thank you. Why don't we make it together." She couldn't tell him that after the hellish nightmares she had, his mere present was a god sent blessing.

They went into the kitchen. As she went about the small chore of preparing the tea and setting out a plate of cookies, her hands
stopped trembling. Quentin noticed the first thing she had done, though coming into the kitchen had been to pull the curtains closed over the sink as if to block out the night.

They sat at the kitchen table, sipping the tea. Quentin made small talk. Chatting about his drive, the spring flowers blooming in the garden, anything he could think of. When he felt she had relaxed, he asked, "Would you like to talk about it? Your dream?"

Elizabeth set her cup down slowly. She crossed her arms, hugging herself.

Quentin gently coaxed, "It might help."

Chewing her lip, she looked at him. After several minutes, she began speaking, quietly. He had to strain to hear her at first.

"I woke up sweating..at least I thought I was awake. I was sweating and freezing at the same time. I know that doesn't make sense. But I was. And I was scared...so very, very scared. I had to get out of my room. I started downstairs when I noticed nothing felt right. There was an eerie flatness to everything. I told myself it was the aftermath of the dream. Then ... it got worse. Everything had a sharpness to it. I thought maybe it was me, that I was sick with a fever..had a stoke ..I don't know, something. That would explain my distorted preceptions. Next I realized that the colors were fading from the room, like an old photogragh. I turned to run back down the hall. To get Roger. To get him to help me. B..but..the hall elongated, stretching out so far I couldn't even see the other end. My feet sank into the floor, holding me trapped. I couldn't free them. I tried to scream! I tried! But no sound came out. I tried until my throat hurt. So then I thought, I'll make noise some other way. I clapped my hands..nothing happened. I pounded on the wall! Again nothing..just deadly silence! Then...Then!! I ...Then I felt it. Eyes watching me. Taking pleasure in my fear and pain. And I knew that whoever it was.....was going to destroy me. That he would take my family...my home and drive me mad. That's when I really woke up. I was on my knees, beating the mattress with my fists."

Quentin went around the table and knelt by Elizabeth's chair and hugged her tightly while she softly cried. In a little while, when she regained control, he gave her his handkerchief. He refilled her tea cup.

"That was a horrible nightmare. No wonder you freaked out when I came in." He consoled her.

"That's not all." She looked at him questioningly. Should she tell him about the nightmares from the night before? Would he think her insane? She had to. She had to unburden herself or she would go crazy. "Last night I had two other dreams.." Elizabeth went on to tell Quentin of the terrifying night before.

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.