Subj: Secrets and Alibis
Date: 3/19/00 8:25:32 PM Central Standard Time
From: KimD
When Barnabas returned to the Old House, he found a stranger there. The stranger was tall, blond, and well dressed. “Yes,” Barnabas said. “What I do for you?”
As Barnabas opened the door, the stranger walked in the house and quickly surveyed his surroundings. “I come with a word of advice for you, Barnabas Collins,” the stranger said.
“How do you know who I am?” Barnabas asked suspiciously.
“How I know you isn’t as important as what I know about you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t you think the woman you marry should know about you past?” He paused for a moment, waiting for a reaction. “I see that I have given you something to think about. So I will say goodbye to you for now.”
Barnabas was so shocked by the man’s statement that he didn’t realize when the stranger left. How could he know, Barnabas thought. Who could have told him?
There was something different about that man, but he couldn’t quite think of what it was. He admonished himself for letting the man go. He would have to find him quickly, before he caused any trouble. But what would the stranger do? He had mentioned the woman he’s going to marry. He felt immediate fear. Vicki, what did he have planned for her?
Barnabas went into Collinsport, hoping to find the stranger and discover what he was up to. He had given a description of him to several of the town ’s people in hopes that someone would recognize him. He was able to find out that the stranger’s name was William Haynes, and he had been in town for almost two weeks. When he found out that William had been seen talking to Vicki, he felt a fresh surge of fear. He had hoped to find out where William was staying, but nobody seemed to know. The innkeeper at the Collinsport Inn hadn’t even heard of him.
He was contemplating returning to the old house when he heard a feminine voice behind him. “I hear you’re looking for William Haynes?” the voice asked. He turned to find a tall thin woman with dark red hair.
“Can you tell me about him?”
“I can do more than tell you, I can show you where he is.” She led him down the street, and into an alley. “He’s renting an apartment. The only way in is through the back.”
As they went into the alley she seemed to lead him further away from any other people. He felt a prickle of apprehension as he followed the unknown woman, but she seemed to be the only one that seemed to know about him. “He’s in there,” she said indicating a door to their left. As he made a move toward the door she turned to face him. Two sharp fangs glinted in the moonlight. He turned to run, but he was too late. She descended on him before he had got far. He sturggled to get away. She bit into his neck and drained him until he no longer had the will to struggle. She then finished draining him as she had been instructed to do.
She smiled with satisfaction after she finished her work. She then fled into the night, leaving barnabas lying on the hard cold concrete alley, pale and seemingly dead.