Subj: Dark Sanctuary Ch 4
Date: 12/21/98 5:13:18 PM Central Standard Time
From: Melody

Dark Sanctuary Chapter 4

"Barnabas Collins? Another member of the 'Addams Family' I presume?" Gabi caustically remarked.

"Yes, He lives in a cottage on the grounds. He doesn't associate with Marissa or Willie."

"Hmm, so Uncle Fester is the black sheep huh?"

"Gabi, please!" Meg was beginning to look annoyed. "He was a very nice man. One side of his face is scarred. I think he was in that fire that killed most of the Collins family."

Gabi felt bad for her last remarks. "I wonder why he doesn't live in the main house."

"I don't know but I have a feeling its best we don't mention that we saw him."

"Fine by me. Now let's get inside." Gabi proceeded to walk over to where her horse was.

"I have to admit, it wasn't so bad once I got the hang of it."

"Great! Let's ride all the way back to the stables!" Meg jogged over to her horse

Gabi looked as if she regretted confession but agreed.

******

Barnabas sat on the chair in his cottage listening to Bach on his record player.

He remembered the time long ago when his father told him of actually seeing Bach perform when he was a child. Thoughts of encountering Meg earlier in the day suddenly flooded his mind.

"She wasn't afraid of me." He said softly, still touched as well as surprised that there was someone out there who can actually overlook his hideousness.

"Such a pure heart and beautiful as well." Even after all these years of living in exile, he could still recognize pure beauty. The brief conversation they shared made him realize how alone he really was. Sure, Julia visited him once in awhile, but somehow he had this feeling those visits were merely out of obligation. Their relationship was never the same after what happened and he couldn't really blame her if she did harbor some bitterness.

"Would things be different today had I not been so earnest in thinking I was finally free?" Barnabas wondered.

He opened his journal and started to write 'Approaching the sun brings definitive changes. It's never the same. Appearing in our skies it was once believed to be a prophecy of extraordinary events. The birth of kings... the
death of empires. And today... as I looked at the sunrise, and it looked back on me... I want to know... I need to know... is this the end of my journey….'

He looked up suddenly to see the spirit of his beloved Josette smiling down on him and suddenly, he felt a renewed sense of hope. It had been years since Josette last appeared to him. Surely this was a sign. He looked down at what he wrote. "Is this the end of my journey…?" He then added with his pen…"Or is this my journey to redemption?"

*****

Meg and Gabi were sitting at the parlor with Marissa enjoying a glass of Sherry after a dinner of roast chicken.

"I forgot to ask, did you two enjoy your ride?" Marissa asked as she set her glass down.

"Yes, it was marvelous." Meg smiled. "The grounds are simply beautiful."

"It wasn't so bad once I got the hang of it."

"Wonderful." Marissa seemed pleased. "Did you see anything out of the ordinary?"

Meg realized she was pumping for more information.

"No." She lied. "We just enjoyed the scenery, and the serenity of it all."

"We'd like to go again."

"And you can whenever you are finished with your tasks but now I have to warn you. There is a relative who lives in a remote section of the estate." Marissa's eyes glared slightly. "His name is Barnabas. He is NOT welcomed here but because of a bequest, he is allowed to reside at the estate. We are supposed to provide him food and shelter for as long as he lives and that's what we do but we don't talk to him and its best you avoid him as well. He is not 'all there' if you know what I mean. Unfortunately one of your tasks is to bring him his groceries once a week but he usually leaves a list outside his door and all you would have to do is leave them there. I hope that isn't too much to ask."

"No not all." Meg said. "I mean that's what we are here for right?"

"Wonderful!" Marissa let out a sigh of relief. "I think you two will work out quite nicely." She got up and handed them a list. Breakfast is at 7:30; you can start at 8:30. The instructions are on the list, you shouldn't have any problem but if
you do feel free to ask Willie or me. If you get finished early, you are free to go riding, use the pool, explore gardens, anything you want."

"We won't let you down." Gabi said, breaking her silence.

"I'm sure you won't." Marissa smiled. "Now if you excuse me, I must say goodnight."

Marissa and Gabi both stood up and said goodnight and watched Marissa leave the room.

"WOW! She really hates this Barnabas!" Gabi remarked. "I wonder what he did to cause so much bitterness"

"I know. It's kind of weird. He seemed so nice when I talked to him." Meg sighed.

"Meg, I don't like that look." Gabi looked alarmed. "All this stuff is NONE of our business! We're here to relax. I've been through enough and I don't need to go meddling in some family's private affairs."

"Gabi! Don't worry! " Meg laughed at her. "I'm NOT intending to do anything! I just… Barnabas…he was so nice. It must be hard to be living in a place where you're not welcomed."

"True. " Gabi agreed. "But like I said it's NONE OF OUR BUSINESS! Meg you should have learned by now what happens when you wear your heart on your sleeve."

"I know." She sighed. "Its just hard not to sometimes."

"Let's get to bed." Gabi said. 'We have a long day ahead of us."

"Yeah. Besides, all of that Sherry made me sleepy."

"I KNOW!" Gabi exclaimed. "These people really enjoy drinking. It must be some sort of tradition."

Meg and Gabi were just leaving the room when the window suddenly blew open startling them, as a torrent of wind whirled around the room.

Meg struggled towards the window and shut, making sure it was locked as Gabi stood there with a look of terror on her face. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT MEG?"

"It was NOTHING!" Meg tried to reassure her. "I've seen this happen many times when I was living in Kansas. It was a microburst. It happens when high and low-pressure systems meet. Now lets go to bed.

Meg put an arm around the shell-shocked Gabi and they headed upstairs. Meg paused for a second and looked back at the room as if trying to try to accept her own reasons for what happened.

To be continued

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.