331 - (Joan Bennett) - There is terror in this night. One boy will live through an experience so terrifying that his mind will reel--and for an instant, his heart will stop beating.
By the time Roger and Liz respond to David's frantic cries for help, the bat has gone, the window is closed and locked, and both Aunt Liz and his father think the kid really has problems. Accusing them of not believing him, David throws himself on his bed, sobbing. Roger sends Liz to call Dr. Woodard. Liz lies to David about believing him in order to calm him down. Barnabas sent that bat, cries David, he wants to kill me! Liz hugs him despairingly and David cries in her arms.
Barnabas continues to stare evilly out the Old House window. Roger pays him a visit and unfortunately shoots his mouth off about everything--David's imagined bat attack, that they called in Dave Woodard, that David was prowling around the Old House (which Julia warned not to tell Barn), that David is sure Barnabas is hiding a spooky secret in his locked basement, that Sarah visited David again and warned him away from the Old House, David's dream about seeing Barnabas rising from a coffin--the whole enchilada.
Barnabas feigns puzzlement, then immediately suggested that he and Roger work on Liz about sending David away--Pluto would be nice. Roger is sure Liz will say no, she's so possessive about David, but Barnabas contends it would be the best thing--for all concerned.
David, slowly heading for sleep after a sedative, tells Dr. Woodard about the bat, and how ghost Sarah came to warn him away from the Old House, that she also revealed Willie's innocence, but didn't tell him who IS responsible for Maggie's kidnapping.
Sarah was right about Maggie being alive, David points out, and falls asleep muttering, "It is true."
Liz adamantly tells Roger that they aren't sending David anywhere; he needs his family more than ever now. Woodard comes down to reassure them that David is physically fine. Roger asks about recommending a shrink, but Woodard says it's possible David ISN'T fantasizing--what David is saying is strange but extremely fascinating!
The three adults eye each other, perplexed and worried.
Sarah appears in David's room and wakes him up. He's glad to see her, but she's angry at him for going to the Old House when she told him not to. He explains why he had to, but she repeats, over and over, that he must stay away from the Old House, especially the basement. He wants to know more, but she says she doesn't have all the answers. She gives him an ancient toy soldier as a "special gift"
and tells him to hang on to it, that it belonged to someone a long time ago and will keep him safe. He gets up, all set to run get Aunt Liz and show her Sarah, but his little friend fades away again, leaving him alone to forlornly call, "Sarah!"
NOTES: Poor David is now worrying the adults in his life to the point that some want to send him away, while others want to call in a shrink to deal with his delusions. At least Dave Woodard seems willing to entertain the possibility that David isn't nuts, that his "fantasies" are based on reality. Of course, this puts Barnabas in jeopardy, and a Barnabas in that state tends to want to kill first and ask questions later.
That toy solider belonged to Barnabas himself, so why would it protect him from his vampire cousin? Would Barnabas know it's another sign from Sarah? It seems that whoever Sarah decides to protect is effective enough against Barnabas, but why the soldier? Will she ultimately save his life? And his mind?
332 - (Grayson Hall) - A beguiling and deceptive calm pervades the night air that has settled over Collinwood, and even the mild autumn chill holds no hint of the dangers locked within the dark. But evil, like a savage beast, shows its full cruelty only when threatened, and through this night, and the day and night to come, the threat will mount, and the evil will feel itself forced to exercise the fullness of its power.
When Julia tells him it's time for his treatment, Barnabas advances on her and threatens her with a treatment of her own, from him--he starts throttling her because she was disloyal and didn't protect him! He learned about David's little visit, and he's pissed as hell at her! He says he dealt with David, but not with any violence, and she insists the only way he'll be forever safe is if her treatments are successful. "I'm frightened," he quietly admits, and you can see Julia's sympathy for him. His quest isn't over--he wants his bride, and nothing must stop him.
Only his own hysteria will do that, Julia reminds him--if you are destroyed, so am I; by protecting you, I'll protect myself. Her tender speech causes Barnabas to remove his jacket as a sign of acquiescence, and you sense these two have turned a corner. (Their exchange here reminded me of the "You jump, I jump" scene in TITANIC.)
Over morning tea, Roger tells Julia about David's encounter with the imaginary bat. She says she HAS seen bats, but Roger says not as big as the one David claims to have seen. They discuss David's fear that Barnabas wants to kill him, and Julia suggests sending him away to school. Barnabas is all for it, but Liz won't allow it, says Roger. Julia is visibly fearful when Roger tells her he told Barnabas everything about David, even what she told him not to tell.
David, eavesdropping on this discussion about sending him away, begins talking to himself. He won't let it happen--he's going to get proof! Even though he hears Sarah's voice reminding him not to go to the Old House, David resolves to steal Aunt Liz' keys and break into the basement to prove he's not telling lies.
Vicki catches David slipping something into his pocket (the stolen Old House keys), but when she asks about it, he instead pulls out the toy soldier Sarah gave him and says he found it in the woods. He angrily accuses Vicki of not believing him, getting very testy, and says he's going upstairs to study (good one!) When Vicki suggests he show the soldier to Julia, he says he will, later, not now. While Vicki is in the drawing room describing David's antique find (Julia remembers seeing it in a family album, a photo of a boy holding a soldier and a girl holding a doll), David is busy sneaking out of the house again. Vicki has sent Julia upstairs to ask David about the toy soldier herself.
David unlocked the front door to the Old House and takes the soldier from his pocket. Julia reports to Vicki David's not in his room and figures he went to the Old House. Julia, agreeing with Vicki that David's in no danger, lights out of Collinwood as fast as she can (she knows a few things Vicki doesn't, after all).
It's dusk as David tries different keys in the basement door (Barnabas is rising from the coffin), and he opens it and heads downstairs, clutching the toy soldier for protection. David spots the open coffin and gazes at it, eyes wide.
Barnabas slams the coffin shut and he and David stare at each other, David probably frightened into leaving skid marks in his underpants and Barnabas glaring with murderous intent.
NOTES: I still remember this episode and how much it terrified me! That David had the cojones to steal the basement keys and find Barnabas rising from his coffin. . .wow! He won't allow Julia to hypnotize him into forgetting THIS, we know that, so what's going to happen now? Is the kid dead meat?
Barnabas admits his fear to Julia, and in a manner that generates sympathy. The two of them have gotten themselves into a seriously difficult spot now, and while Barnabas was lucky with Willie, can he possibly be so fortunate a second time? Keep watching!
Love, Robin
