A Return to the Shadows -- 43

Subj: A Return to the Shadows Part 43
Date: 10/28/01 10:19:47 PM Central Standard Time
From: KimD

Maggie felt a sudden chill. She looked up and saw the fire was gone. All that was left of it was the charred walls of her home. She heard Roger call her name from the bed. Laura was gone. She knew that now everything was going to be fine.

Laura was found the next morning barely recognizable from the burns she suffered. Everyone regarded what happened as a terrible accident. Everyone knew that she had been placed in an institution because of the fires she started. They thought it was tragic that they hadn't been able to keep her in the institution.

Carolyn walked through the woods to the old house determined to end the suffering HE had caused. Not only everyone else's suffering but her own as well. She could still feel the pull of the hold he had once had over her. When she was awake she had to fight it and when was asleep she was haunted by nightmares of all she had suffered because of him. She longed to the carefree person she had once been, but that person was gone forever. HE had killed her. Julia still tried to help her, but the treatments hadn't worked since she had let herself out of the hospital.

Without knocking she let herself into the old house hoping that Willie wouldn't see her. She walked across the floor toward the door that led downstairs toward where he was sleeping. She heard the sound of boots walking across the floor. She hurried to the heavy door that led to the basement and quickly ducked inside. She heard the booted steps get closer then a voice. "Is someone there?" It was Willie. She could feel her hart hammering in her chest. She froze in fear of being found there with a stake and hammer in her hands. When she regained her senses she rushed down the basement steps. Just as the basement door was opening she ran into the room where the coffin was.

As she stood over the coffin she paused. Even though he was asleep she could still feel his magnetism. She felt the overwhelming desire to put down her weapons and wait here until he woke up. Then she would give herself over to him. She could feel desire course through her. Her grip loosened on the hammer and stake. NO, she screamed to herself. She couldn't let that happen. Her hands tightened on the hammer and stake. She threw open the coffin lid set the stake in place and hammered it in before she had time to change her mind. His eyes opened. For a frightening moment Carolyn thought that she hadn't really killed him. A deafening shriek filled the whole house. A few sighs escaped his lips as his eyes closed again, this time for good. She had killed him. She stood over him for a long moment contemplating what she had done. She didn't regret it. She felt free now, freer than she had in a long time.

She walked out of the room and found Willie standing at the bottom of the stairs, dazed. "Willie," Carolyn said softly. She received no answer. She called to him again louder.

He seemed to come out of his trance. "Carolyn? What's going on?"

"He's dead Willie. I killed him."

He looked at her in disbelief, then walked into the room where the coffin
was kept. "Willie, I need you to help me get rid of the body," Carolyn said. Willie already knew that when she said 'help me' she meant she wanted him to do it.

They walked back into the room and was surprised to see it lit up as bright at day. A shadowy female figure was bent over the coffin. She lifted her head when she heard the intruders. It was Josette. The light grew so bright Carolyn and Willie had to turn away. When it was dim enough they turned back to find two figures standing over a now empty coffin. It was Josette and Barnabas, both happy again after so many years alone and waiting. Without any warning they both disappeared.

His sudden disappearance was explained as a sudden family emergency in England. He had arrived in Collinsport so suddenly it didn't seem odd that he would leave just as suddenly. No one questioned it, except Julia. She pressured Willie to tell her the truth. She wasn't surprised Carolyn had killed him. She hadn't been very stable since she came home. Considering all that had happened since she came here she shouldn't have been surprised that Josette came back for him, but she was. Her logical, inquisitive mind wished she could have seen it.

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.