Subj: The Ingenue Pt.3
Date: 1/23/99 7:52:37 PM Central Standard Time
From: marcos1

It was a cold night. He walked down the beach, going from one trash can to another, looking for metal cans, or bits of food thrown away by locals and tourists during the day. He had a long beard, old clothes—torn—with patches. To the locals of Collinsport, his name was Old Joe. He would walk the streets, collecting trash, dragging a big bag behind him. What was trash to others, were his only possessions—his valuables. Sometimes, when people looked at him, there was a hint of familiarity, but then they merely shrugged and rejected the idea. He was Old Joe, a harmless bum.

He looked up at the night sky, constantly. {They will return. I’m sure of this. This time, they’ll take me. They won’t leave me here. There is nothing here for me, anymore.}

There was a brilliant flash of light in the sky. He stared into the light. The surrounding air was filled with a strange sound. It sounded like a loud whisper, but was sweet and soothing to his ears. He started to laugh, tears running from his eyes. “Vicki...Vicki...you have returned to me,” he said out loud, running towards the light, but it retreated from him, pausing only to give him a gentle nudge, that felt like a kiss.

Barnabas and Julia sat in the Blue Whale. They were drinking wine and making plans. There was a television on, up behind the bar. The movie called *Scarface* was playing. The black and white movie told the story of a gangster, that would do anything, to get what he wanted. The owner, Bob Rooney, washed beer glasses, and watched the movie.

“I placed the ad, today,” Barnabas said. “Hopefully, we can find a governess for Tammy, someone we can depend upon---cost is really no object. We still have millions, from mother’s jewels.”

“I worry about Tammy,” Julia said. “I nursed her mother at Wyndcliffe; she was so very sick and confused.” Her eyes lit-up. “You are such a wonderful man—my husband. I can tell how much you love the little girl.”

“I’m not a good man,” Barnabas said, suddenly. He swallowed his wine. “I’ve done some terrible things in the past. I’m just trying to be different for the rest of my life.” There was a far-away look in his eyes. “I still have nightmares—nightmares full of faces...if only I could change the past—I would.”

“You were a vampire,” Julia said. “Those terrible things weren’t your fault.”

“They were my fault,” Barnabas said. “I was evil, worse than anyone, because I knew better.”

He walked into the bar. There was a certain look in his eyes, that made people afraid. “SHE HAS RETURNED. VICTORIA WINTERS,” he shouted, before falling to the floor.

“Old Joe,” Bob Rooney said, walking over to him. “Poor, crazy, old guy.” He looked at the man lying on the floor.

Julia examined him. “He seems to be some kind of shock. We had better call an ambulance and get him to Collinsport General,” she said, raising his eyelids. “Bob, do you have any blankets to cover him?”

Bob nodded. “I’ll get a blanket and call for help.”

Barnabas stood beside her. “I wonder what he meant about Vicki. How would he know her?” He leaned down and stared at the face of the man, thinking.

“I don’t know...maybe he heard stories about her,” Julia said, wrapping the blanket around him.

“Julia,” Barnabas said, trembling. “We know this man...it’s not possible...but this is Burke—Burke Devlin.”

To be continued