Do you have any pictures of the dream? It would be great if you could post some.
Enjoy!
>>I must hear of the dream, says Barn. It began in the cellar of the Old House, says Jamison--I to play there before you moved in--this was different. . . We see Jamison walking downstairs into the cellar,<<
>>where he spots Barnabas, sitting in his I-Ching trance. He tries to wake him up. There are puppets talking to each other. One tells the other it's ridiculous. The other voice, a man, says to stop playing with that and listen to me. We see Carolyn with a puppet on her hand, and she repeats that it's ridiculous, having a party for him.<<
>>Roger reminds her it's his birthday; Carolyn says birthdays are for people who get older. Roger admires the table, set for the party, pointy hats and all, and says he'll be pleased with the presents they've given him. It isn't for him, says Carolyn, but for me, to keep me company when David's gone. Roger orders her to be quiet, but she says you can't keep it from him, he'll find out sooner or later. Roger forbids her to talk like that.<<
>>Carolyn mimics him with the puppet (which strongly resembles Minerva Trask). She laughs, calling Uncle Roger a fool. They must not ever let him know, says Roger. Carolyn says he must know sooner or later, and makes her puppet say Yes over and over, teasing him with it, running it up his arm. He orders her to be quiet, they're coming.<<
>>Elizabeth helps a very weak David downstairs, into the drawing room, onto a chair at the party table. They sing "Happy Birthday" to him (what? DC paid for the rights?)<<
>>David thanks them, and they all sit down at the table. Carolyn tells him to think of it as four happy birthday's all in one. Roger orders her to be quiet; she doesn't want him to know, does she? Know what? demands David. Liz tells him it's nothing, and suggests he looks at the lovely cake. She suggests he start cutting it, but he says Barnabas and Quentin aren't here. Carolyn tells him Barnabas can't be here--he sent his regrets. Will he come to my next birthday? Asks David.<<
>>Roger and Carolyn exchange sad glances. Liz says they should get to the cake. What about Quentin? asks David. Roger doesn't know him, so Liz tells him to look him up.<<
>>Roger takes the family history tome and looks for Quentin, but can't find anyone of that name. But you know Quentin, says David. I can't find him listed, says Roger. Liz again suggests the cake. Carolyn makes her puppet say I'm hungry, hungry hungry??starving to death!? Roger orders her to stop talking that way. Why? asks David. It' a surprise party, Liz reveals.<<
>>Playfully, Carolyn says she knows what the surprise is. What? asks David. The puppet says it's forbidden. David is frightened. Liz says she had the cake made especially for him. Quentin is suddenly standing there. David says, Quentin, you've come! Quentin, bathed in green light, grins.<<
>>None of the others besides David can see him, however. He's here, insists David. Liz says we're the only ones here. And one of us isn't going to be around much longer, hints Carolyn's puppet. Quentin IS here, insists David. He isn't listed, says Roger. Carolyn advises them to light the candles, there isn't much time left. "Carolyn!" objects Roger. David asks Quentin to sit at the table-I knew you'd come to my birthday--I knew Quentin wouldn't miss it--why can't you see him? Carolyn lights the candles on the cake. David says the number of candles is wrong. There are 12, says Roger. What about the extra one to grow on? asks David. Oh, well, says Roger. (LOL!) Liz says they decided to dispense with that silly custom this year. Let next year take care of itself, says Carolyn. David asks if Barnabas will come to his next birthday. Liz says it's hard to make plans in advance, so many things to do.<<
>>Carolyn finishes lighting the candles, but David doesn't want to blow them out-it will be so cold once the candles are blown out. Liz calls this silly. David says, I'm frightened. Carolyn asks of what. Roger forbids her to ask that. Liz encourages him to be a little man and blow out the candles. Carolyn tells him to close his eyes and make a wish. David asks if he can wish anything he wants. Almost anything, giggles Carolyn. David closes his eyes, makes his wish and blows out all the candles, taking several breaths. He looks up, but everyone is gone.<<
>>He's upset-I told them I didn't want to blow out the candles!--I told them I was afraid to be left alone in the dark. Quentin assures him, I'm still here. Oh, Quentin, says David. Quentin says, I'll never leave you, even after it's all over. After what's all over? asks David. Your life, replies Quentin. He won't even leave him after he dies. David says, I won't die for a very long time, I'm a young boy. A dying boy, counters Quentin--no one else would tell you that, but you have a right to know. Why did they all go away? asks David.<<
>>The look of death makes the living very uncomfortable, David-I learned that, you will, too, says Quentin. I don't understand, says David. Why couldn't they see me? asks Quentin-it's because I'm dead, and soon you will be, too. David, supporting himself on the chairs, walks away. "I don't want to die!" he cries. Quentin assures him it will be quick and painless, over before you know it-like your short, little life. Will they miss me? asks David forlornly.<<
>>For a little while, answers Quentin--but after a time, they'll get over it. And I'll be all alone, says David sadly. No, says Quentin, you won't be, you'll be with me-you'll like that, won't you David? Yes, says the child, but "I don't want to die!" No one does, says Q, but you can't pick and choose; I didn't want to die, either, but I had to. Why? asks David. Three things happened, says Quentin, of many, and if I could have changed any one of them, or known what they meant while they were happening, perhaps I wouldn't have died when I did die. What three things? asks David.<<
>>The first was the discovery of a silver bullet at Collinwood, says Quentin; then the one person who could have helped me, kept me alive, was murdered (he won't tell David who); the third thing was the worst-the one person in this world I truly loved turned against me--after that happened, there was practically no time left for Quentin Collins. I'm so frightened, says David. Don't be, says Quentin--it won't be so bad--why don't we sit down and eat the cake?<<
>>Quentin starts to cut into it, putting a slice on David's plate.<<
>>David realizes it's made of Styrofoam-it isn't real, it's a make believe cake for a make believe birthday!<<
>>Make the most of it, advises Quentin, because it's the last one you're ever going to have! Carolyn's puppet sings Happy Birthday to David again.<<
>>Then, says Jamison, when the singing was finished, David Collins was dead--I woke up screaming because it was so frightening.<<