A very sad end for a favorite character of mine, and a very bloodthirsty, jolting one (for daytime TV, anyhow) for another.
Somewhere in the woods, Tim hears three gunshots. He races to the farmhouse to find Judith standing motionless, holding the gun--and Rachel lying on the floor, with a huge bloodstain blossoming on her chest. Judith murmurs that she had no choice. Rachel tells Tim it hurts. Don't talk, Tim replies. Everything will be all right--it _must_ be all right! he declares fiercely. I'm frightened, Rachel murmurs, and cold--so cold. Judith puts the gun on the lid of Dirk's coffin as Tim gently holds Rachel in his arms.
At Collinwood, Edward tells Trask about his frustrating hunt for the vampire. Barnabas is sure it's Dirk, Edward says, but Trask suggests that it might be Barnabas instead, and not only that, but that he's helping Tim and Rachel. Edward points out that Barn has nothing to gain from helping them. Trask sneers that because Barn is a Collins, he's above suspicion. Just then Judith returns, still holding the gun. Fearfully, Edward asks for it, but she just hands it over. He explains to trask that it's Judith's own gun, brought back from France (!) by their grandmother (!!!) (This would be the late, great Edith. We never do find out why she she went to France or why she brought back a fancy French pistol for her granddaughter.)
Trask and Edward follow her into the drawing room. Is Judith completely mad? asks the bewildered Edward. Not mad--possessed! Trask replies. She is possessed by a will much stronger than her own. What should we do? Edward asks. Take her up to bed, Trask suggests. Sometimes sleep separates the real from the unreal and strengthens the mind. What about the three missing bullets? Edward wonders. That will come out in time, Trask replies, but right now, I want to thank the powers that be for sending Judith back to us, then seek divine guidance against the evil spirit possessing her and plaguing this house. I've been successful with the higher powers in the past. I hope your success continues, Edward observes dryly. Judith needs it desperately. He takes his sister's arm and gently suggests, Why don’t you get some sleep. Yes, I must sleep, Judith says unresistingly. While Edward helps her upstairs, Trask closes the drawing-room doors, then kneels, spreading his arms out in prayer. Oh Lord, I ask for your help, he intones, adding presumptuously, Together, we must help this poor, afflicted woman possessed by an evil spirit of darkness. With your help, we shall drive the demon back to the hell from whence it came.
By the time Tim carries Rachel back to the Old House, it's long past sunrise. Carrying Rachel in his arms, Tim reaches the Old House. He shouts for frantically for Barnabas, then anyone, but unfortunately it’s well past sunrise. He settles Rachel on the couch and assures her that she’ll be all right. I feel very weak, she murmurs. Of course, he says soothingly. The pain is gone, she says. That's good, Tim replies hopefully. No, it's bad, she says. Tim shouts repeatedly for Barnabas, then gives up. He doesn't hear me, he says in discouragement. I don’t think he’s here, Rachel says. You’re badly hurt, Tim says, but that doesn’t mean.… His voice trails off, then he assures her desperately, You'll be all right--you need a doctor to fix you up. No doctor, she tells him. Yes, he insists, I'm going into town to get a doctor. I hate to leave you here, but I have to. I don’t want you to go, Rachel protests. I must, he insists. You'll be all right, really. No, I won't be, she says, and if you go into town, they'll catch you. I'm willing to take that chance, Tim argues. Please, she begs him, they're looking for you. I only have to go to the edge of town to Dr. Brooks's office, Tim says. No, she says again. Please stop saying no, Tim begs her. You don't understand, she says. If they catch you, they'll kill you! Her body convulses as the pain returns after her exertion. I'm going for the doctor, Tim declares. Please stay with me, she begs him. It wouldn't do any good for me to stay, Tim insists. Her mind wandering in her pain, she asks, Do you remember how when we were children, we pretended our fathers were whaling captains? That's why we were at the school. We used to sing sea chanties. I remember, he says, terribly upset. We used to sing softly, so Trask wouldn't hear us, Rachel recalls. Her strength is obviously fading. There's no point in us keeping up this pretense, Tim says roughly. You're dying--you know it. Yes, I do, Rachel replies quietly. Desperately Tim says, If I don't get help, you're going to die! Do you want that?
A rather smoky fire is burning on the hearth in Judith's room as Edward watches her sleep. She dreams about Dirk and hears him calling her in his mind. I did what you said, she tells him. I know that, he replies around his very large fangs, and you were quiet when they tried to make you talk. Come to me so that I can reward you--let nothing stand in your way. Judith mechanically gets out of bed and mechanically leaves the room. Edward almost stops her, then realizes that Barnabas was right. She’s going to _him_--the vampire--so Edward follows her instead.
Tim kneels by Rachel’s side as she lies dying. Faintly she asks him, Can you keep a secret? What is it? he asks gently. My father is coming back, she replies, to take me home to a big white house. I used to tell you about the beautiful white house overlooking the ocean. He’s going to come soon, but you mustn’t tell Reverend Trask, she whispers. It must be our secret. With a little sigh she dies. Tim checks her pulse, his voice trembling as he calls her name softly. He leans over her, sobbing quietly. The faithful friend and confidant of his childhood--his only true friend in the wide world--is dead.
Her hands resting on her master’s closed coffin, Judith tells him, I have come as you commanded me to. Edward arrives a moment later and orders her sharply, Stand away from the coffin! Calmly Judith tells him, You have no right to be here. Is he here? Edward asks. Is this where he hides during the day? He only summoned _me_! Judith says crossly. Get out of my way! Edward orders her. You mustn’t hurt Dirk, Judith protests. I won’t let you hurt him! I’ll hurt him and more, Edward snarls, then pleads with her, I’m trying to help you, Judith! I’m trying to save us all! Judith pounds uselessly on the coffin, calling out, Dirk! Dirk! He’s going to destroy you! You mustn’t let him! But her call is only a murmur, and she faints. Edward catches her and sets her down on the floor, then opens the coffin. He sees Dirk slumbering helplessly within. It’s Dirk, he whispers, shocked despite Judith’s calling his name, then slams the lid back down. It’s almost night, he mutters to himself--there isn’t much time. Now that he is somewhat prepared, despite his horror he acts quickly. He finds a large rock on the floor, then hurries upstairs, going just outside to look for a piece of wood to use as a stake. It is now dusk. He runs back down with a stake [perhaps he whittled one quickly?], opens the coffin again and poises his weapons to strike. As the sun sets in the world outside, suddenly Dirk opens his eyes. Edward hesitates just long enough for the vampire to reach out and grab him--but Dirk is out of time. Sick with horror, Edward drives the stake home despite Dirk’s shrieks. The blood pours from Dirk’s mouth as he fall back, eyes wide and staring, into the coffin.…
