Subj: Shadows Return Chapter 11
Date: 5/20/99 1:47:18 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Kim Monroe

The two spirits exchanged worried looks. They were invisible to nurses, doctors and orderlies that bustled in and out of the room. "I spoke to her, and I believe that she is UNABLE, not unwilling, to return to the world of the consciousness. She did emerge from the coma once, perhaps if you were to speak to her--" The first, a male spirit said.

The other spirit, a female, looked appalled. "No, If I were to help Callista, there's no way to possibly know what she is capable of by herself. No, I believe it's better if we let her do this on her own."

The first spirit nodded. "Perhaps you should at least allow Barnabas to see you. He doesn't know about Callista yet."

"Yes, think I will." With that the female spirit left. The male spirit glanced around, then left to help Callista.

Callista was resting in the fog. She wanted to leave but was unable to. She had to escape this fog--the future of Collinwood and the Old House depended on her. Suddenly, once again she found herself on the beach, and Jerry was there. She smiled. "Jerry, you must help me," she began to plead. He cut her off, "You must hold on to me, and you will feel as though you are being torn apart, and the light will hurt your eyes, but you mustn't close your eyes. You must stay alive by sheer will, but I won't allow you to die."

She screamed. She saw things, beings reaching out to her, she heard screams of the damned, and the ravings of the mad. Yet she held tight to Jerry. She felt the light, before she saw it, and when she did see it, she felt as though her eyes would surely burn. She forced her eyes open until she realized the light came from a fixture on the ceiling. She looked around the room. Jerry watched now from the side of the hospital bed. She saw him and Jerry gave an encouraging smile. He pressed the doctor buzzer and faded as he heard the footsteps of the doctor.

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Barnabas prepared to bite Scully when they both heard Fox Mulder pound mercilessly on the door. Scully, caught up in the allure of the vampire, reached out to hold Barnabas' face in her hands. "Ignore him," she bade.

Barnabas turned, "Dana, I don't think you understand, what I nearly did, I couldn't do," Barnabas was too stunned to finish. He quickly crossed to the door and let Mulder in.