Subj: Designing Shadows Part Seven
Date: 12/31/00 5:10:03 PM Central Standard Time
From: N.E. Collins

CRASH! Julia Sugarbaker and Dr. Julia Hoffman both ran to the sound of the breakage. Dr. Hoffman had come over to check on the decorators. She was not convinced that everything was alright and although she felt it was dangerous for her to be there she didn't feel right about just leaving these strangers to the whims of the ghost who haunted the great house of Collinwood. As an afterthought she said to herself, why shouldn't I be up to my neck in some perilous adventure? I have since I first arrived! They entered the study just as Suzanne Sugarbaker made a great sweeping gesture that knocked all the porcelain figurines off the mantlepiece sending them crashing to the floor in bits and pieces!

"SUZANNE! What in the HELL are you DOING! Have you just LOST your MIND?" Julia Sugarbaker stormed up to her sister and grabbed one of her failing arms and gave her a good shake.

"JULIA! Let GO of ME and help me get that cat! It's driving me CRAZY!"

"Well, Suzanne, that would be a short drive indeed. Look what you have DONE to this ROOM! We are gonna have to pay for all this damage you've amassed!"

"I don't CARE about all the damage! I'LL pay for it! I just want to get my hands on that little beast that keeps tweaking me on the behind!"

The ghost of Carl Collins took that as his cue as he reached forward for another delicious squeak on poor Suzanne's rearend. "OW! There it goes again! Where is it? WHERE IS IT! Here, kitty, kitty, kitty..."

Dr. Hoffman felt a shiver go through her and she backed out of the room fearfully. She backed into the foyer of the great house and did not see the tall blonde figure descend the staircase. She backed right up the foot of the stairs and finally came to a halt when her foot bumped the first step. Julia Sugarbaker came into the room and at first her face registered anger, but it soon gave way to dismay and disbelief. "CHARLENE! What are you doing in THAT getup?"

Dr. Hoffman turned around and thought she saw, "BETH!" The doctor cried out in horror without thinking, and before she could explain she found herself crying out again for Charlene, who rather did look like Beth Chavez, raised an evil looking sharp knife and held it ready to strike!

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.