|
|
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
Part 1 Derek De Lint sat in the front room just off the foyer reading and memorizing his lines for the next scene of his popular series, Poltergeist - The Legacy. Many of the words and phrases came easily. They should because he'd been portraying the character of Derek Rayne for over four years. Rayne had become almost like a second skin to him. But knowing Rayne wasn't hard, Derek was very similar to the man with psychic sight. He himself had been known to have psychic dreams from time to time. Across the room sitting cock-eyed in an easy chair was his co-star and friend Martin Cummins. Derek observed Martin, his eyes firmly trained on the material before him. His expressions were funny to watch. He could always tell when a particular passage would get to him because one eyebrow would raise curiously followed by an exclamation of some sort. Today was no different. "Oh, come on, " Martin burst out after arching an eyebrow. Derek snickered at the sight. "Nick would never do that." Martin, like Derek, was also well versed in what his character would and wouldn't do. And he was sure ex-Navy SEAL Nick Boyle would NOT do this. Derek chuckled again. He was in such a good mood nothing could bring him down from his high cloud. "I see you've finally gotten to that part as well. I had the same reaction," he said in his obvious Dutch accent. "Except not so vocally." Martin made a face at his friend and positioned himself better on the easy chair. "But Derek," he wined. "Can you see Nick saying *that* or for that matter, *doing* that?" "No, not really, but I'm sure the writers know what they're talking about." Derek said trying to focus again on his script. "I sure hope so. But just in case, I'll pray that part gets rewritten." "If it doesn't, you'll improvise, right?" Derek tried to hold back his smile. "Damn straight. I have a reputation to maintain." *** Robbi Chong wandered through the large mansion flitting from room to room marveling at the ornate decorations that varied from one to another. She loved when they got to perform at the real castle on Angel Island. It was almost like they really were there to save the innocent from the evil forces of the world. The house just made the mood perfect for filming. For her, coming here was a thrill in itself. Elouise, the lady who owned the castle, had moved into the servants quarters out back to make room for the entire cast and crew. The only people there so far were the cast. The crew would be out the next day. The extra time gave Robbi not only time to study her script, it gave her time to do some exploring too. She loved trying to find all the secret passages Elouise talked about. "Elouise, I'm amazed every time I come here. This house is magnificent." "It is, isn't it? It's been in my family for generations and I plan on passing it to my descendants as well just like my ancestors did." Elouise was a frail forty-something woman who looked old for her age. Time had not been good to the woman. "Who will you pass it on to? I didn't think you had any children?" Robbi entered a regal looking red room and splayed her fingers across the satin comforter on a canopy bed. "I don't," Elouise said simply. "But my sister Grace does. She's my twin actually, only she's weathered better over the years than I. It must be the salt air. Anywho, I thought I'd pass it on to her daughter, Anne. She's like a daughter to me. So why not her?" The frail woman attacked a table with a dust cloth while Robbi stared out the window at the garden in back. "Lucky, Anne." Robbi said thoughtfully. "Yes, lucky Anne. In fact, I've invited her out here from St. Louis to let her in on the good news." Elouise fiddled in a nearby desk drawer. "I think I have a picture." She handed the younger woman a photo. "Ah, she's cute." Robbi commented. "If she's smart too, we won't be able to get Derek or Martin away from her." "Oh, smart as a whip, that one. Too smart to fall for either of those blokes, " she said winking. Robbi laughed. "Don't sound so cynical, El. Derek and Martin area great guys." Elouise gave the beautiful dark woman an uneasy glance. "Well," she said in after thought. "They do have their moments. But for the most part, they're great." Grabbing her copy of the script from a hallway table, Robbi joined the two men in the front room. Neither glanced at her or noticed her entrance. "I love this house more every time I see it." Robbi stretched and reached for the ceiling. "This is a lovely place," Derek said. "But not exactly a place to raise children." "Rachel raises Kat here." Robbi prompted. "Only because they're fictional. A real kid would find a secret passage way and get lost for sure." "You are such a cynic sometimes, Derek." "You're so cynical, Derek." Martin said from his easy chair. "I'm sure I heard Robbi mention that once already," Derek dead panned in his Derek Rayne voice. "Okay, so I wasn't totally listening. I'm trying to study my lines here." "At least the ones you want to remember." Derek said. "Right." Martin threw his feet to the floor and approached the other two actors. "Blocking is in ten minutes. Where can I get something to eat around here?" "Try the kitchen, Sport," Derek said in mock. "You might find something there." "Funny, Derek. Real funny." Martin went off in search of food leaving Robbi and Derek alone. "Okay," she whispered. "You know the plan, right?" "Right," Derek whispered back. "I can't wait to see the fireworks from this crazy scheme of Elouise's. If this back fires, Martin is going to kill her." Part 2 Anne Steele despised flying. It wasn't so much the flying part she hated. It was the being high part. Anne and heights didn't go well together. Knowing you were thousands of feet in the air and could fall out of the sky at any moment was hard to get out of your mind. She clutched the seat handle when a particular heavy band of turbulence hit the airplane. She hoped they would land in San Francisco soon. The lady next to Anne watched her curiously. She could tell that something was not right with the woman. She was deathly pale and sweat trickled down her neck. Helen Shaver knew it wasn't because it was hot on the airplane. It was down right cold. The air conditioner to her left was hitting her full blast and it had to be the same for the woman seated next to her. So she decided her pale complexion must be due to something else. When they hit the turbulence, all became clear. "You seem a little tense. Are you all right?" Helen Shaver asked the younger woman. "I would be much better if we were safely on the ground." Anne said shakily. "First flight? After a few it gets easier. I fly all the time now. It's a piece of cake," Helen said snapping her fingers. "I hear it's safer than driving." "Tell my heart that." Anne felt another shudder of turbulence and had the sudden compulsion to throw up. Once the shaking was gone, so was her nausea. "Could I get a glass of water?" Anne asked the flight attendant. The leggy blonde nodded her head and disappeared into the kitchen unit. When she returned with Anne's water she said, " I just wanted you to know that we'll be landing soon." "Thank God," Anne said gulping down her ice cold drink. "You really do hate flying," Helen said with surprise. It was amazing how frightened people could get on airplanes these days. "Hate isn't a strong enough word," Anne said to the woman. The plane landed and Anne couldn't get off fast enough. By the time Helen grabbed her carry on luggage from the over head compartment, Anne was gone. *** Rain poured like a whirling dervish whipping and flying with the wind. It didn't look like it was going to let up any time soon either. Anne sighed. Just her luck. "Figures!" she said after she sighed again. "The only thing I hate more than flying is driving in the rain." She made a mad dash to her rental car and was drenched by the time she reached it. "This just isn't my day. God, what am I talking about... This just isn't my WEEK!" She thought about what had recently transpired over the course of the week. Her ex-boyfriend started a campaign to get her back after taking up with some gorgeous blonde aerobic instructor. Anne couldn't fathom going back to the jerk. She had been glad she'd gotten out of the relationship alive. James Bourne wasn't the type of man who embodied the phrase "knight in shining armor." He was more like demon in dull armor. It had taken months for her to discover that black magic and occultish things he was into. Sacrificing animals, pentagrams, the works. It was all so scary she couldn't see straight. It had taken the strength of both her mother and her aunt to get her away from the demon-man as she had come to refer to him. Trying to push the image of James away, Anne concentrated on her aunt. She wondered why she was so mysterious on the phone. She wondered why exactly she wanted to see her. It really didn't matter. Seeing Aunt Elouise was a joy in itself. Traffic on the bridge was horrible but Anne distracted herself by singing to the radio. Singing was the one thing that always calmed her. It was sort of like meditation but with her eyes open. The parking lot near the ferry was mysteriously empty except for a car on the far end. Usually at this time of day it was packed with people wanting to go to the island. She shrugged her shoulders. It didn't matter if there was no one on the island. She would relish the peace and quiet for a change. She left her rental car parked next to the ferry on ramp and grabbed her luggage out of the trunk. The rain was barely misting now but she could swear she heard her name. She turned to where the sound was emanating but no one was there. Turning around, she closed the trunk and began to walk to the ferry. She felt an eerie sensation run down the center of her back. It was almost like someone was watching her. Turning again she stared down the street. The rain pitter-pattered harder now and steam rose off the pavement. It gave the ferry road an mysterious aura. A mysteriously spooky aura. For a second she thought she saw someone but then decided it must be her over active imagination. She brushed off the feeling and gathered her things setting them on the far side of the ferry. As they debarked, she heard her name again. This time as a louder whisper. She glanced back to the ferry road. Although it was dark, she could swear a man was standing there waving at her. A second later, he was gone. Part 3 The water suddenly became unusually choppy almost violent as if an unholy force were disturbing it. Anne held onto the railing but found it rain slicked and difficult to hold on to. Anne tried not to concentrate on the waves too much. The motion made her queasy, but she couldn't help but notice how hard they pounded against the hull. The visual was anything but calming. What she needed right now was peace and quiet not more violence. She'd had enough violence to last her a life time, which is why she'd agreed to come out and help her Aunt Elouise get the castle ready for guests. Night descended quickly making the already dreary sky a blanket of darkness. The moonless sky cast an even eerier glow on the Angel Island Ferry which bobbled along toward shore. Her mind drifted back to the shadow she'd seen on the mainland. It wasn't really a spooky image, just an unsettling one. It had been unnerving to see the figure looming on the mysterious landscape of the rainy road. The mist surrounding the figure did nothing but make the image more prominent in her mind. It was probably just someone waving at the ferry captain, nothing more. As the image began to fade, all she could think about was the warm bath and soft bed awaiting her on Angel Island. Aunt Elouise was sure to have her favorite room made up and ready. She couldn't wait to see it again. The ferry lurched suddenly and a horrific sound came out of the engine room. People on the deck above her scurried about like rats running from light. The ferry began to slow as the noise became much louder. It sounded like the engines were being put to the test. Suddenly, the ferry captain appeared from atop the ship and ambled toward Anne. "Is everything all right?" she asked shouting above the engine noise. "Are we going to make it to shore?" The captain removed his hat and scratched his head. "From our estimates, we should just get there. Who knows if it's in one piece or not," he joked. Anne didn't laugh. Noting her reaction he continued, "The changing weather isn't helping matters. "We'll let you know." With that, the gray haired man climbed back up to the next deck and disappeared through a door at the top of the ladder. "This is just great!" Anne said to the wind. "Turbulence, rain, traffic and now choppy waters. What could possibly happen to make this night any worse?" As if in answer to her question, the skies opened up dousing her with another dose of rain. "Hey," she screamed. "Aren't my clothes wet enough already?" Grabbing her suitcases, she raced to refuge inside where it was warmer and dryer. The conditions inside the ferry weren't much better than outside. The rain was still able to get in if gusts of wind hit the waves just right. Anne sat on a bench not caring any more. If she made it, she made it. She leaned her head back on the wooden rail behind her and tried to rest her eyes. "So we meet again," someone said from behind her suddenly. Anne jumped imagining the mysterious shadow man from the pier. Anne opened her eyes to see the woman from the airplane standing before her. "Hi, I'm Helen Shaver," she said as if Anne was suppose to know who she was. "Anne Steele." she said not wanting to be rude. "Elouise's niece? I should have known. You do favor her a lot." "You know my aunt?" "Sure, she owns the castle where we're going to be filming tomorrow." "Oh," Anne said finally remembering something her aunt had told her. "You must be from that sci fi series. Are you an actor?" "Yes, but I'm also directing this episode as well." "Hummm." Anne said not impressed. "I hope it goes well." Anne walked away and leaned against the railing watching the waves whip to and fro. Helen Shaver humphed and sat down in the spot where Anne had been. She observed the woman who obviously didn't watch her series and thought about all the great things she's heard about her from Elouise. Maybe this girl just wasn't good with first impressions. Maybe tomorrow she'd be in a more friendly mood. The ferry docked but not before it lurched again throwing it into the small dock. Anne grabbed the railing for support but her suitcases skidded across the deck. Helen stopped them by sticking her foot out. Anne said nothing. Helen rolled her eyes and picked up her own suitcases. "You're welcome," she said as she passed Anne. "Thank you." Anne said softly but only because Ms. Shaver had forced her to. Anne knew that if Helen Shaver hadn't told her she was an actor Anne would have probably treated her like any other human being. But she did say she was an actor. Anne hated actors. Her father had been an actor and he had abandoned them. She didn't think she'd ever be able to trust any actor again. *** The next morning Derek De Lint sat in the dining room eating a scone from Elouise's special breakfastbuffet. He was getting concerned when the crew didn't show up for the morning meeting. Derek and Helen were both working in a double capacity on this shoot. She as director and he as co-executive producer. Elouise was in the kitchen making an omelet for Martin when the phone rang. Elouise grabbed the extension. "Mr. De Lint? I believe this call is for you." She handed the phone over to Derek and went back to her skillet. "Derek De Lint." he said matter of factly. The call was short and Martin could tell it wasn't good news. "What's wrong?" Martin asked shoving another bite of omelet into his mouth. "That was the ferry captain. Last night the engine failed on their way back to the mainland. They had to wait until this morning to get a tug boat out to them. Consequently, the crew won't be making it here today." "Whoo Hoooo!" Martin screamed. "Day off!" He downed the rest of his breakfast and tied a loose lace. "I'll be off for my run then. See ya later, Derek." Like a shot, Martin was gone. Derek shook his head in disappointment and went off to tell Helen the bad news. *** Martin jogged along the path around the castle. He did two rotations and was about to make his way to the beach when he heard a blood curtling scream. It came from a window just above his position. Dashing in the back entrance, Martin bounded up the stairs and into the room where the screaming was emanating. A girl with long brown hair was sitting up in bed her eyes still closed. "Get away from me," she screamed. Martin stood back observing the girl. She must still be dreaming, he thought. "You can't be alive. You're dead." Martin cautiously approached the girl contemplating waking her from the nightmare. "You're dead," she said again. Martin got up his gumption and shook the girl lightly. She awoke immediately. "Oh, my god," she said to the man before her. "He's not dead. James is alive. I have to find out for sure." She reached for the phone but Martin pushed her hand down placing it back on the hook. "Why is it so important for you to find out if this guy is really dead or alive?" "Why?" she said in shock. "Why? Because I killed him, that's why." Part 4 Over the last year Anne Steele had lived a real life horror story. She'd not only been abused by her boyfriend... She'd actually been the one who killed him. Knowing this fact weighed heavily on her mind. Her mother and aunt hovered around her wondering what was wrong but Anne couldn't bring herself to tell them. It was all her fault. It was all her fault that James had abused her, and it was all her fault that he'd died. Now this man in front of her was hovering and all she wanted was for him to go away. "What are you talking about?" Martin asked. "You don't look like the type of person who commits murder." Anne steeled herself trying not to feel the anger. She didn't succeed. "I am, okay? I'm a murderer. So why don't you just go away and leave me alone." She said as she plopped her head forcefully back into the pillow. Martin stood up and headed for the door. "Hey, whatever you want, sister. I just thought I could help." Her eyes stared at him with an icy calm and the room grew colder. "You can't." Martin shrugged and walked out the door to continue his run. Anne fidgeted on the bed. She didn't know why but she couldn't let him go away thinking she'd done it on purpose. "Wait!" she yelled. "Come back. It wasn't like that. Not at all." Martin hadn't traveled very far, in fact, he'd only stepped to the side of the door hoping she'd call out to him to explain herself. For some reason, in his gut, he knew she wasn't like that... That she couldn't kill someone. He again filled the doorway, his presence overwhelming her. "Then explain it to me. Make me understand." "I didn't do it on purpose. It was an accident." Tears suddenly poured forth. Tears that had been waiting a year to be shed. "James was drunk and on one of his benders." She said between sobs. "He broke into my apartment and tried to... To... Rape me." Martin found himself walking over to the bed where Anne was crying. He sat down next to her. "It's all right. You can tell me about it. I'll understand." Somehow she knew he would. "It was a miracle that I managed to get out of my apartment at all. I ran to his car. The keys were still in the ignition. Before I got out of the driveway, he jumped in through the open window." Martin reached for Anne's hand, stroking it. "Go on. You can do it." She cleared her throat and wiped her eyes. He really did understand. "Now he had a gun. I don't know where he got it." Suddenly, Martin felt like he was intruding into this woman's life. "You don't have to tell me this. You don't even know me. I'm a complete stranger to you." He patted her hand and released it. "I didn't mean to pry. If you don't feel like continuing, that's okay." "No, I'm the one who's sorry. I shouldn't be burdening you with this. It's my problem. But for some reason I felt the need to explain to you what happened. I keep wanting to think it wasn't my fault but in the back of my mind..." Anne paused. "In the back of my mind, I knew I wanted him dead. Maybe I did it unconsciously, knowing that deep down I wanted to kill him. I had wanted to so many times." The man before her sat down on the bed again offering her his support. "What happened? How did he die?" he asked. "He forced me to drive along the shore line. The road wound around some pretty steep cliffs. At one point he grabbed the wheel and before I knew it we'd gone over the edge. " Anne finally took a moment to catch her breath. "That's all I remember until I woke up in the hospital." "Sounds like the bastard deserved it. You shouldn't be sorry for it. It wasn't your fault." "But I was driving. It *was* my fault!" Anne screamed. "It wasn't your fault." "Thanks for trying to make me feel better. But I think this will haunt me forever." "You're welcome. Anytime. Sorry I couldn't have been of more help." Martin got up and started to leave. "Did he break his neck? " Martin asked turning at the doorway. "I don't know. They never found the body." *** James Bourne had been waiting for the chance to repay Anne Steele for over a year. Now that she was back in San Francisco, the opportunity was too great to pass up. Tonight James would be born again and little Miss Annie wouldn't know what hit her. Part 5 "You can't tell him, Helen." Derek announced, grabbing her by the arm. "Do it for Elouise. She's been your friend for years." "I don't know about this, Derek," she said uncertainly. "She's a good kid. Give her a break. Elouise adores her. What happened to make you dislike her so much?" He motioned to a chair and they both satd left. Anne and her mother never saw him again. So, essentially, she's closed herself off from the actors among us." Helen laughed again trying not to smirk that 'this-will-never-work' smile. "And *this* is who you've been trying to get together with Martin?" She stood up and made her way to the bar. "Good luck, but you can count me out," she said pouring herself a drink and disappearing into the next room. Derek observed Helen's demeanor. She was angry. Whatever had happened between her and Anne ticked d left. Anne and her mother never saw him again. So, essentially, she's closed herself off from the actors among us." Helen laughed again trying not to smirk that 'this-will-never-work' smile. "And *this* is who you've been trying to get together with Martin?" She stood up and made her way to the bar. "Good luck, but you can count me out," she said pouring herself a drink and disappearing into the next room. Derek observed Helen's demeanor. She was angry. Whatever had happened between her and Anne ticked her off. When Helen exited, he turned to Elouise. "Why didn't you tell me this before?" Derek said, his accent stronger now. "Martin's not exactly one of her favorite species. How do you expect to get them together when she's working to overcome a past like that?" "Have faith, Derek, my boy. All things happen for a reason, and I believe Martin Cummins is the one who will lift the veil and finally let her live again." Elouise smiled and patted him on the back. "But an unlikely father isn't all she's concealing. Another secret she hides is lying in wait. It's very near now, and she'll need the strength of the Legacy to pull her through it." Derek closed his eyes in disbelief and shook his head. "But Elouise, the Legacy isn't a real organization. It's fiction. How can it help her?" "You may pretend to be Derek Rayne, Derek, but you have talents you haven't told other about. Talents like in your show. It's is that which will help Anne. But you're not the only one. You all equal one. You, Robbi, Martin, Helen. It will take you all to save her. Derek turned to pour himself a drink. "May I offer you one Elouise?" he said holding up a brandy snifter. She indicated she didn't and turned the corner into the next room. "Save her? I thought we were trying to get them together. Elouise what - ?" Derek stopped short when he stepped into the next room and discovered an unusual fact. Elouise was gone. Part 6 Anne tried to sleep, but the nightmare kept returning. A shot, blood, an arrow, a scream. It's all she could remember but enough to cause her sleepless nights. The nightmares had begun only a year ago -- after the accident, after James' death. As time went on, she thought the dreams would go away. They had only gotten stronger. She rose from her tangled sheets and made her way to the bathroom. As the molten hot water slid down her body, she steeled herself for the day to come. Wasn't the nightmare enough to deal with? she thought. Did she have to be bombarded with actors as well? Anne dressed with care, paying special attention to her hair and wardrobe. She was a fussy sort and always carried more clothes with her on vacation than she would possibly need. Picking out a velvet skirt and a shiny ivory blouse, she put her look together and lastly, before leaving her room, she clipped her hair up in a French twist. It wasn't exactly the style she preferred but it was easy to maintain for a day of cleaning. Her job today would be vacuuming the first and second floors. Elouise was left with the dusting and Fred, the handyman, did all the things a handy man was convenient to keep around for. The castle was quiet as Anne made her way down the elaborately styled staircase to the front room. She knew from what her aunt had told her last night a few of the crew had arrived but most were stranded at the dock on the mainland. This little fact didn't worry her. It made her smile, actually. All she had to do was stay away from the few people already on the island, and soon the weekend would be over and she would be back on a plane to St. Louis. The vacuuming on the first floor went quickly. Just then the man who had barged into her room this morning walked in through the front door. Sweat was pouring down his face and stained the sleeveless shirt he was wearing. He didn't notice her and started to climb the stairs to the second floor. Anne tore her eyes away from him. It was hard but she had vowed to never get involved with another man as long as she lived. James had made sure she was scarred for life. She wanted to trust them, men in general, prove she was worthy to be loved, but two images haunted her. One was of her father leaving her and the other was James' face as the car dove off the cliff. The two men she trusted most had betrayed her. She could never trust another one again. Dragging the vacuum to the hidden elevator behind the stairs, Anne punched the button to go up. As the doors opened two hands grabbed her and pulled her inside. She screamed as the strong hands clawed at her slippery shirt. Martin barely made it to the landing on the second floor when he heard another scream coming from downstairs. He reacted quickly racing down the stairs taking them by twos. The sound of struggling came from somewhere behind the staircase. He could see Anne and another man standing between the doors of an elevator, an elevator he never knew was there. The man was trying to pull her inside and Anne was fighting him. "Let go of her, you creep!" he yelled, trying to throw off the stranger off balance. Martin instinctively executed a round house kick into the man's stomach somehow managing to miss Anne in the process. His hold on Anne wasn't firm enough and he ripped her shirt as he was catapulted into the back of the elevator. Anne ran to Martin standing behind him. The stranger held the elevator doors opened long enough to whisper. "You're mine, Anne. And I'll never let you go." The doors closed in on him and the elevator lowered to the basement. As she watched the arrow above the doors stop on B, an image of another arrow, an arrow from her dream slipped into her consciousness. The man next to her, the man she didn't know, held her close and whispered to her in soothing tones. "You're going to be all right. He's gone. And I'll make sure he doesn't hurt you again." "He'll never leave me alone. He'll haunt me forever!" she cried. "Who, Anne? Who was that man?" "James. It was James." *** Elouise flitted from room to room attacking dust demons and corner cobwebs. She didn't mind the job. Cleaning was what she loved to do most, well--maybe cooking was her P1real' first love. She could never decide. It annoyed her twin sister Elaine to no end when she'd visit and immediately start cleaning. she couldn't help it, really. She only did what came naturally to her. Just then, a tingling over came her body. She wasn't frightened of it. It was something that happened many times before. The tingling ceased and a vision appeared. It was night. A blue crescent moon barely lit the apparition in her mind. She squinted to see things clearly. A hand thrust upward. The knife glinted in the pale moon light. It was silhouetted black against the moon's radiance. After the thrust up, it came down, hard. Screams emanated from an unknown location and the sound of their horror curled Elouise's toenails. When the knife appeared to her again in the vision, Elouise gasped again at the blood dripping from it. Suddenly, the vision snapped away as if someone had turned off a television in her mind. Her visions were like that. One moment there, then gone. She rested her hands on a small table in front of her. Its mahogany surface felt smooth beneath her fingers. She leaned over trying to bring her ragged breath back to a normal pace. "It can't be," she said to herself. "I thought the tragedy was over. We have to change it. There has to be a way to change it." She started to scurry from the room when the door, as if by a will of its own, shut before her. Elouise tugged at the handle, but it wouldn't open. It was either stuck -- or locked. The key was on her side and even when she turned it. The door still remained shut. She was locked in. Wind whistled through the room like a specter. It send shivers down her spine. Elouise noticed that the wind outside was calm. The leaves on the trees weren't moving outside the window but the wind inside was greater. She gasped again and tugged harder at the door. A brilliant blue light enveloped the room casting everything with its unusual radiance. Elouise tensed up, afraid to turn around and face whatever demon lie in wait behind her. She'd lived so many years without evil discovering her. Today was the day of truth, she decided. Either the evil would win, or she would. "Go away," she said shakily. "Go away, back to wherever you came." The light didn't respond. It only beamed brighter. "Go away, I tell you! I banish you from my presence." The simple spell failed and still the light remained. Elouise gathered up what courage she had left and turned to see what awful future might befall her in the next few minutes. Her eyes grew wide - wider than possible for their eye sockets. Trying to remain standing was as difficult a task as she had ever faced. But the light was stronger than she. Elouise dropped to the ground silently. She never screamed. She only lay there unconscious. Part 7 Robbi sat asleep in a chair near the corner of the room. A book poised carefully on her knee was moments away from finding itself heaped on the floor in a mass of bent pages. It wasn't clear exactly what had roused her from slumber. All she knew was that a sudden sense of panic filled her chest. She sat straight up and the book, now forgotten, found itself tumbling to the carpet. Brushing the long black curls away from her face, she tentatively glanced around. No one was around but still the emotion persisted. In her haste to discover why this feeling overwhelmed her, Robbi stepped on the forgotten book making her way toward the door. If the book had been a person, it would have been wary of ever being read again. The storm from the night before had mysteriously reemerged. The house had never seemed more vacant or gloomy. Thunder cracked causing her to jump a little and rain ran crazy streaks like highways toward the window sill. The thunder and rain seemed an odd omen of what was to come. Little did she know how true that thought would become. Her breathing increased ten-fold as the storm increased. Once shallow in sleep her breathing now was rapid, almost as if she were gasping for air. At that instant, she couldn't get enough oxygen into her system. Not exactly the best way to wake up from a nap, she thought. To ease her mind, Robbi wanted to find Helen, Derek and Martin. She had to make sure they were all right. She'd never been one to really experience the psychic sight of her character, Alex Moreau, but it didn't hurt to check it out. There could always be a first time. Robbi had barely made it to the end of the dark, sullen hallway when the dim bulbs flickered making her realize how spooky the castle on Angel Island could be. Hastening her step, she hurried toward the stairway and turned the corner quickly. It was inevitable she would run into anyone who chanced to mount the stairs at that moment. And that person happened to be Martin with his hand on the shoulder of a very shaken Anne Steele. At the chance encounter, Martin whipped back his fist and pushed Anne down a few steps. His touch wasn't forceful enough to make her fall but it was sure enough to let her know he was again protecting her. Robbi's eyes grew wide as she nearly ran into Martin's fist. She jumped back nearly two feet in fright. "Jesus, Robbi!" Martin grunted in relief. "I nearly gave you a knuckle sandwich." A cautious grin spread across her face. "Yes," she said, with relief in her voice as well. "I noticed that." Anne crept up a few steps to stand next to Martin. His hand again fell protectively on her shoulder. "You all right?" he asked her. "Yeah. But I could do without all this excitement. I came here to get away from all this." Martin threw Robbi an even more curious glance. The more he learned about Anne Steele the more confused he became. "What happened?" Robbi couldn't help but ask. "I'll tell you later. Could you take Anne to her room for me? I have to find Derek and Helen. We all need to have a serious talk. Something strange is going on on this island." Martin handed Anne over to Robbi's capable hands. "You'll be all right," he said again. "Robbi will take good care of you. I promise." Before he could search down the other two cast members, Robbi grabbed the back of his running shirt. "I don't know what's going on, but be careful." "I will, Robbi. I don't plan on letting this jerk get the best of us." He stalked off down the hall leaving Robbi to wonder exactly what had happened. *** It had taken Martin nearly ten minutes to hunt down Helen and Derek who had locked themselves away in the study pouring over the details of the next episode of Poltergeist: The Legacy. Helen was directing. Derek co-executive producing, and when the two of them pulled double duty they spent a lot of time huddled together behind closed doors. "Guys, we have a problem." Martin said when he finally discovered their hiding place. "What's wrong?" Derek asked standing to his full height. Derek's voice was a whisper, maybe more of a drawl, that dripped with a confidence he didn't realize he possessed. He had a calm way about him which helped to make any situation seem less impossible to deal with. His presence also made Martin feel more calm himself. "Someone attacked Anne," he said simply, deciding the straight forward approach was best. Helen also rose from her chair. Even though she wasn't fond of Elouise's niece, it didn't mean she wouldn't care if she was injured. Sometimes the pretend doctor she portrayed revealed itself in strange ways. Today it revealed itself as empathy. "I didn't think anyone was on the island except us," Derek added. "Neither did I," Martin said. "Did Anne know her attacker?" Derek fell easily into the role of leader. "She called him James," Martin said. "And from what I've been able to get out of her --she thinks he's dead." "Dead?" Helen was taken aback that anyone could really believe in ghosts. "Why would she think that?" Derek inquired. He needed more information in order to find the man who had attacked Anne and protect the rest of the group from him. "Oh, I don't know," Martin said, sarcasm dripping in his tone. "Maybe because she drove him over a cliff a year ago." He threw them both a righteously indignant glance. "Martin, this is not the time for sarcasm. If this man is after Anne, we're all in danger, and I seriously doubt he's the ghost she claims him to be." "He didn't seem dead to me -- especially after I planted that footprint on his chest. He felt very solid and very human." "Where is she now?" Helen said, gathering up the materials from the desk. "I had Robbi take her up to her room. She should be safe there for now." Derek nodded. "As long as they stay together, they should be safe. There's safety in numbers." *** Robbi walked Anne to her room. The girl who had apparently been a hysterical wreck moments earlier, now was unusually calm and introspective. She didn't think that was a good sign. "Are you going to be all right?" Robbi said, not thinking of anything else to say. "Yes." Anne's one word answers weren't making her feel any better about the situation. Anne's room was bare except for the furniture Elouise had provided and two big steamer trunks piled in the middle of the floor. The two of them didn't talk much during their time in Anne's room and Robbi was beginning to wonder if Anne liked any of them at all. She seemed very reserved. Martin had been the only one to halfway crack her hard outer shell. Maybe Elouise was right and Martin was the one. Robbi knew that Elouise's room attached to Anne's by a side door. Elouise had spoken many times about the fun the two of them had staying up all night talking through the doorway. There wasn't much to stimulate her senses since Anne was asleep, and the doorway drew her attention. It wasn't the door itself that garnered her gaze but the light beneath it. The brightness grew in intensity until she couldn't look at it any longer. She softly knocked on the door. "Elouise?" she whispered. "Elouise, what are you doing in there?" The door was pulled open, but no one was on the other side. That's strange, she thought. How did that happen? Robbi hadn't opened the door and no one was on the other side. It was then she saw Elouise. All thoughts of the unusual occurrence was cast aside. Robbi ran to her side. Elouise was sprawled on the floor clutching her arm. "I think I'm having a heart attack." she managed to whisper. Robbi didn't know what to do. "Anne," she yelled from Elouise's room. "Anne, wake up!" When Anne didn't come, Robbi left Elouise's side and ran into the next room. "Anne, call an ambulance." Her breath was more affected now than earlier. Derek, Martin and Helen rushed in to find Robbi standing in the middle of the empty room. Derek was the first to notice her distress. "What's wrong?" "It's Elouise. She thinks she's having a heart attack." Derek and Helen hurried into the next room to help their friend. Martin stayed behind, his eyes darting around the room. "Robbi? Where's Anne?" "I don't know. She was in her a second ago." In the distance they both heard a subtle scream. It sounded far away. They both sprinted to the window. The vision they saw wasn't what either of them was hoping for. James was dragging a hysterical Anne toward the beach. Martin burst out of the room like a bat out of hell and bounded down the back stairwell. "Martin, wait!" Robbi tried to stop him but it was too late. He'd already started running through the yard toward the back gate. She prayed he wasn't making a mistake going after Anne's attacker alone. Part 8Echoes of incredible thunder rolled in waves across the island like a warning to the residents to take cover. The sky was still overcast leaving a dark imprint on all of Angel Island. The rain had relented some and now a cool, rather strong, breeze wafted in from the bay. Martin didn't know if the storm was gone for good but he hoped it held out until he could find Anne. Martin raced toward the beach like the devil was hot on his heels. And he thought, if the devil is behind me, I hope God is up ahead. The thought flashed through his mind like lightening. The man up ahead was definitely the most evil thing he'd ever come across -- at least in real life. Jumping over hedges, he trampled some of Elouise's best roses while trying to dodge a large statue of a woman. Damn things were everywhere. The back yard was definitely not conducive to chasing down a kidnapper. Too many obstacles. He could hear his own breath ring in his ears like the voice of Darth Vader. In and out. He tried to pace his stride. He had to catch up to them, and tiring himself out wouldn't help Anne any. They didn't have that big a head start as far as he could tell. Martin's eyes darted back and forth searching for any sign of the route they'd taken. He found his first clue in the mouth of a large storm drain. Now he had two avenues. Take the storm drain which led to who knew where, or continue up the beach. The clue he unearthed gave him his direction. It was a woman's shoe. As he felt it, he found it was recently worn, like someone had lost it not long ago. He had a gut feeling it was Anne's shoe. It was directly in front of the storm drain. His breath came in bursts, his heart beating faster than the mild exertion demanded. The storm drain veered off in several directions but Martin decided to keep to the main one. The farther he ventured forward, the more he felt like someone was watching him. It was an eerie, evil sensation. He continued on for well over a minute before he stopped dead in his tracks. Something wasn't right. Martin hadn't heard so much as felt the presence behind him. He darted a glance over his shoulder sure he would catch a sight of whomever was watching him. No one was there. Then a slight movement in the shadow of the side tunnel made him take a closer look. Suddenly, a blood curtaling scream penetrated the air and a muffled curse followed. The sounds of a struggle ensued. Martin raced to aid Anne. Before he could get to the first T-joint, Anne appeared in the dim light of the tunnel. Her face marred with fright and her hair caked with mud. Somehow she had managed to get away. Martin grabbed her hand and they made their way to the end of the small tunnel where it was lighter and he could survey her injuries more closely. "Are you all right?" he asked while noticing a large purple welt on her cheek. "Now," she said breathlessly. "I'm all right now. Now that you're here." Anne collapsed against his shoulder. Sobs racked her body. "I thought he was going to kill me. For... for..." "For killing him?" Martin said, finishing her sentence. "Yes." Martin pulled something red from his back pocket and handed it to Anne. It was her shoe. She laughed. It was a little strained but he'd take what he could get. Martin smiled back at her his thousand kilowatt grin. "Well," he said sheepishly. "I thought you might need it." Then on a more serious note. "We should get out of here. We don't want dead head following us back to the mansion." Anne nodded and glanced at her hand which was still firmly in Martin's grasp. He looked down noticing it as well. A redness filled his cheeks as he slowly let go of her hand. "Sorry." "Are you blushing?" Martin cleared his throat and tried to brush away the redness like a smudge of dirt, except this wouldn't come off so easily. "No," he said trying to hold in his smile. But he knew he was feeling that heat in more places than his cheeks. "Let's go." They started to walk down the main storm drain and Martin noted a fowl smell. A smell he hadn't noticed earlier. "God, what is that?" He held his black leather jacket closer to his face to filter the odor. "I don't know, but it's getting stronger." Following the smell came a sound like that of a moving freight train. Martin glanced back expecting to see a large white light. Instead he saw a moving wall of water coming straight for them. Martin and Anne began a sprint the end of the tunnel. The faster they ran, the faster the water came. Soon it was nipping at their heels and engulfed them vomiting them out into the bay. Martin held firm to Anne's hand which he had grabbed just as the wall of water over took them. When the spout of water from the mouth of the tunnel dispersed, he realized Anne's grip felt limp. He was the only thing from keeping her from drifting farther into the bay. He grabbed her around the shoulders making sure to keep her head above water. The strong rip tide beneath his feet convinced him to swim parallel to the shore. It was the only way to escape its pull. When he felt the strength of the water lessen at his feet, he backstroked with his free hand toward shore. Putting a firm foothold on the beach, he swept Anne up into his arms and laid her on the dry sand. Her eyes were closed, and she wasn't moving. Martin tilted her head to the side and cleared her airway the way he'd learned in CPR training at college. Holding his hand at the base of her neck, he blew five steady breaths into her mouth. Her response was instantaneous. She coughed and spit up a lakefull of water at him. He didn't care. He managed to dodge the worst of it. At least she was breathing. That's all the mattered. Scooping her up into his embrace again, Martin carried the unconscious Anne to the castle. Derek met him at the door. "How is she?" he asked like a worried father. "She's was kidnapped, nearly drowned... she's still alive so I think she's good." Martin always managed to choose sarcasm at the most inappropriate times. Derek felt Anne's pulse and checked her neck for injuries. "Bring her upstairs. We'll have the doctor look at her." "Doctor?" "Before Anne was kidnapped, Elouise had a heart attack. He tells me it was a small one, but she'll need to go to the mainland for observation. I'll see if he can look at Anne before he leaves with Elouise." Martin nodded. God, he thought. Anne was kidnapped, nearly killed. Elouise had a heart attack. What more could happen? He then appended that thought with another. If they didn't capture this Bourne fellow, the next time somebody might really die.
|