752 - (Grayson Hall) - Collinwood. The year is 1897 and another night is ending--a night that has brought death to a young girl and despair to Beth Chavez, who has spent the dark hours searching for the ailing Quentin Collins. Now the morning has come, and Beth Chavez will learn that daylight holds even deeper despair than the darkness and terror of the night.
Beth sneaks Quentin up to the west wing. She asks if he's sure he doesn't remember anything. I don't, he insists. You ought to change your clothes, advises Beth--don't worry, everything will be all right. He says like hell it will; Magda's put a curse on me! Beth speculates--maybe the gypsies drove you crazy with fear by talking about the curse, then when you went running off into the woods, they sent some gypsy fiend after you. Satisfied with that explanation for the moment, Beth tells Quentin that it's all over now, so you can relax and get some rest. All Quentin can say is, whatever Magda did to me, it's not over yet.
In the drawing room, Judith complains to lawyer Evan Hanley that Quentin has not lived up to his end of the bargain by leaving Collinwood
--use your legal powers to do something to make him leave! Beth joins them and reports to Judith that Quentin has returned, but still isn't feeling well. Judith asks if he's well enough to talk to Evan. The phone rings, Judith answers. Trask tells er the shocking news of Dorcas Trilling's murder. Judith thanks Trask for calling, then hangs up and relates the story to Evan and Beth--a teacher was torn apart by a wild beast. Beth looks nervous when Judith says this, and Evan notices her reaction. Beth excuses herself and leaves. Judith goes on about how poor Reverend Trask has been through so many trials lately--"Yet he always thinks of others--even though he's busy with the police, he took the time to call us and warn us." (sarcastic cough!) Evan asks, are you all right? Thinking of that heroic Reverend Trask inspires me to courage, replies Judith. Evan goes to speak to Quentin.
Beth is back in Quentin's room telling him about Dorcas' murder, and assumes this murder was committed by the same beast that attacked Quentin--but you were lucky and escaped with your life. Bewildered, Quentin notes, the only strange thing about it is that I don't have a scratch on me, yet I was covered with blood. Evan knocks on the door. Beth hides Quentin's blood-stained clothing under a chair, then Evan is told to come in. The lawyer says he must discuss a delicate matter and asks Beth to leave. She does only after Quentin says she should. Evan reminds Quentin that Judith still expects him to leave Collinwood since he's been paid to, but stops talking when he notices that Quentin doesn't look quite right and seems distracted. Quentin admits, I'm sick with fear, but he doesn't know what he's afraid of. He breaks down and begs Evan for help--Magda put a curse on me, then something bizarre happened last night. He asks Evan to find out what the curse is--it's terrible not to remember anything. Unseen by Quentin, Evan sees the clothes that Beth hid. Evan asks Quentin if he's really sure he doesn't remember anything about last night. No, replies Quentin, absolutely nothing. Evan agrees to help, but for a substantial fee. How could you? asks Quentin--we're friends!
Evan brings Quentin up to snuff on some basic facts of life--there's no such thing as a friend. Anything--what is your price? demands Quentin. I'll let you know when the time comes, Evan assures him (isn't that Angelique's line?) Judith comes in at that moment. You should find Quentin cooperative now, Evans says, then leaves. Quentin offers Judith the money back in return for his being able to stay at Collinwood. She refuses--that's not what I want. I'm staying anyway, announces Quentin--and to prove it he tears up the paper he signed promising to leave. The matter is settled! declares Quentin
At the Old House, Magda is reading tarot cards when Evan arrives. He asks her about the cards. She replies, I'm reading them to forget her anxiety over the wild animal that's running around loose out there somewhere--it killed a young girl. Evan asks her what the cards say about Quentin "and how your curse is working." She pretends not to know what he's talking about. There's no point in your pretending, says Evan--I know everything, except, what the curse is. She's surprised Quentin told him about it. Evan explains that weird things happened to Quentin the previous night--what did you do to him? She refuses to tell him. He becomes forceful. She admits that she TRIED to place a curse on Quentin, but it didn't work. Then there'd be no harm in telling me what the curse you "tried" was, says Evan. She still won't tell him, dubbing herself a poor ignorant gypsy. He eventually reveals to her that he's noticed she's wearing a pentagram, so there's no need for her to be scared. Now Magda gets nervous. It's just a piece of gypsy jewelry, she says. He offers to buy it for a hundred dollars. I can't sell it because it belonged to my late mother, says Magda. And what did it protect HER from? Evan asks pointedly. Magda grows increasingly unnerved and offers to sell him other pieces of jewelry. Evan lays it on the line--I knows what the pentagram is
--worn with two points facing down, toward the devil, it protects against all sorts of dangers--evil witches, malevolent demons--Evan's voice becomes more threatening--"Now which is it you've set abroad in your curse, Magda?"
Later, Evan returns to Quentin's room and draws a huge pentagram in chalk in the middle of the floor. He calls it a haven and sanctuary against many evils--though I'm still not sure what we're dealing with, this pentagram may help. He tells Quentin to place two black candles at the bottom points of the pentagram at sunset, then get inside the pentagram and stay put. Quentin asks what will happen then, but Evan can't answer that. Skeptical and afraid, Quentin doesn't appreciate how little Evan learned about his curse, and rubs out part of the pentagram with his foot to show his disdain Evan, pissed over the desecration of his art work, stops being delicate and relays to Quentin the cold hard facts: it's possible you may die inside the pentagram. I won't be getting in the pentagram in the first place, Quentin assures him--I'll just kill Magda instead. Evan says that would make matters even worse, and Beth warns that, if he does that, there might be no hope at all. Quentin, fed up, orders Evan out. The lawyer gives Beth a stern caveat--get out and stay away from Quentin tonight, go far, far away. Evan leaves.
5:00 PM - Beth and Quentin wait for something to happen. He accuses her of being scared. She admits, I am. He orders her out of his room. Are you sure? She asks. Yes! He shouts. She's about to depart when Quentin starts to feel the pains of transformation and pleads for her to stay.
The pentagram! She snatches up the chalk and starts to redraw the lines of the pentagram that Quentin rubbed out earlier, then puts a chair in the middle of the pentagram and helps Quentin to sit in it. She picks up the black candles, and as she's trying to remember what she's supposed to do with them, Quentin collapses. Fearing he's dying, Beth puts down the candles and drags Quentin out of the pentagram, where he passes out again. Hearing a growl, Beth stares in terror, calling out, "Quentin! Don't come near me!"
NOTES: Uh oh, sounds like Quentin has transformed in front of Beth, who now must realize HE is Dorcas' killer. The question is, will she live to tell anyone? Will getting into the pentagram really help her?--will she even have time to do so? Strange--didn't Magda realize that she and Sandor are in as much danger as anyone else? I realize she has the pentagram to help her, but she doesn't know yet how far-reaching her curse is--and that she's done a terrible thing.
753 - (Terry Crawford) - Collinwood before the turn of the century. And Quentin Collins has become the victim of an evil curse that will follow him all the days of his life. On this night, with the rising of the full moon, a young woman finds out the terrible thing he is destined to be.
The werewolf (who incidentally looks very dapper in Quentin's suit, if at least a foot and a half shorter), chases a screaming Beth around the room. It leaps from the floor and chases her inside the pentagram. Unable to get at her because of some magical barrier, the werewolf gets frustrated and leaves to seek easier prey.
Meanwhile, at Worthington Hall, Jamison is trying to escape from the closet he's locked in, but he's unable to reach the window.
Tim enters the classroom, and Charity comes along a moment later. They discuss Dorcas's murder and the wild beast that's still running around loose. She isn't pleased with him for skipping Dorcas' funeral, and less so when he says he went for a walk. She reminds him the animal that killed Dorcas is still running around loose. I had to be alone for a while, says Tim. Charity remembers Dorcas' devotion to her father, and explains, my parents have accompanied Dorcas's body back to her family, and I have been left in charge of the school for the evening. She admits that on this particular night being left in charge makes her nervous--she believes Dorcas' death is a warning that ALL of them are doomed.
Tim feels less hopeless about it all. Stay with me, she asks Tim. He assures her, I'll be there all night marking papers. She offers to help, but he says marking papers is one of those things he prefers to, to mark the children's progress, so she leaves to do a bed check. After she's gone Tim locks the door, then he gets food out of the desk and goes into the closet where Jamison is imprisoned.
Jamison is extremely grateful to have something to eat besides bread and water. He asks Tim to release him from the closet, but Tim apologetically says he just can't do that, because it would be too risky. Jamison asks why he's being punished when he didn't really cheat on his exam. Tim tells him it's because Reverend Trask can't tolerate a smart kid with independence and enterprise who dares to buck him--and you are all those things. Jamison figures, I'll have to use that mind to figure out a way to get out of the closet--without help. Be careful, advises Tim.. Charity knocks on the classroom door, so Tim tells Jamison to keep quiet, then exits the closet and lets Charity in. Why was the door bolted? Wonders Charity. I needed to be alone while grading papers, says Tim. You're lying, says Charity--were you in the closet giving aid and comfort to our little prodigal? He denies, telling her to stop sounding so much like her father. Charity doesn't believe him, so she goes into the closet to question Jamison. He steadfastly informs her he's been alone in there all evening. She notices he's hiding something in his shirt. When Charity spots the food, Tim comes in and tells Jamison, we might as well tell her the truth--the boy can't live on bread and water alone. Charity is appalled. She insists Jamison needs discipline--and I'm going to have to tell my father about this. She insists on giving Jamison her father's very large book of meditations--read it and realize the error of your ways! She commands. She and Tim leave Jamison alone to mediate, Charity locking the door on Jamison again. Instead, he looks at the book, then at the crate that wouldn't allow him to reach the window before. Using his intelligence, he puts the oversized book on the crate, reaches the window with ease and escapes.
Out in the classroom Tim is trying to talk Charity into not telling her father about this incident. She insists not telling him would be the same as lying. Just then they hear a noise from inside the closet and go in to investigate. They find Jamison gone, and Tim is delighted to note (aloud) that he used the book of meditation to help him escape. Charity calls Jamison "insufferable" while Tim insists the kid is "very original." They argue over whose fault it is--she wouldn't have given the boy the book if Tim hasn't first given him the food. Charity fears, I'm going to be in big trouble with my father now. Tim says he'll go find Jamison, but Charity disagrees--most likely Jamison will go to Collinwood, so we'll just go there and get him.
Jamison is working his way through the woods when he hears footsteps. As he continues on his way, the werewolf climbs up on a nearby rock.
At Collinwood Beth is on the phone with Charity, who tells her of Jamison escape. Beth looks scared--was he alone? Don't let the boy out of your sight when he gets home, orders Charity. Tim and I will be over shortly. They hang up. Beth is all set to go out looking for Jamison, but he arrives before she's left the house. I think Reverend Trask was following me, says Jamison--I heard him out in the woods. Beth asks if he saw him, and the boy is forced to say no--where's Quentin?--he'll help me. Jamison is about to leave out the back way, but Beth stops him. There's a knock at the door; Beth sends Jamison to hide in the drawing room. She lets Tim and Charity in, then denies Jamison is here.
Charity says she wants to talk to Edward, but Beth tells her that he's at the Old House with Barnabas. Since she can't phone him there, Charity decides she and Tim will wait for his return. That could be very late, warns Beth. Charity asks to go into the drawing room. Beth reluctantly lets her in, and Charity notices her hesitation. There is no one to be seen when they enter the room. Charity wants to search the house, but Beth insists Edward must give permission for such a search. Charity suspects that Jamison is hiding behind the drapes and orders him out. She doesn't find him there, and figures he must have escaped through the window. I opened the windows myself, says Beth. Tim suggests that he and Charity go back to the school and call the police--Reverend Trask would be quite angry if he gets back to the school and finds that Charity isn't there like she's supposed to be. Charity decides Tim is right--they should leave--Tim will help her explain to her father what happened. She heads for the front door. Tim whispers a thank you to Beth when Charity is out of earshot. After they leave, Beth goes to the drawing room window and calls to Jamison--but there is no response.
Later, Beth, armed with a gun, searches for Jamison to the woods. She arrives at the boulder where the werewolf waits, crouched on top.
He growls at Beth, who screams and aims the gun at him, preparing to shoot.
NOTES: Clever little Jamison, using the book of meditation to escape his prison! What a smart boy. He knew the meditating wouldn't help him, but using that BIG book to get out the window sure would. Good for you, boy!
I can't imagine why Tim would want to marry Charity, who orders him around and doesn't seem at all affectionate or loving toward him. This is probably an arranged marriage--arranged by Trask and agreed to by Charity only to make Daddy happy. Yuk! Barnabas' vampire control over Charity doesn't seem evident at all, does it?
Will Beth kill the werewolf--and thus, Quentin? Can she murder the man she supposedly loves, even if he's about to leap on her (and not in a good way). How will this all end for everyone?
Isn't it nice that Barnabas and Edward have become friends?
Love, Robin
