STRANGE PARADISE- Episode 112

Episode 112: Slideshow

Ada: "Desmond Hall ancient home of the Desmonds where for generations an ill star family has fought the fates which pursue it and now beneath the stoned towers a visitor from a forgotten past. A man, the image of Philip Desmond sleeps and denies that he knows any of the living, his only memories are of the dead."

Philip is asleep when he starts talking. "I am not their Philip. I will not be their Philip." The carousel starts to move. "Philip? Time to wake up." a voice calls to him that sounds like Philip Desmond.

Cort walks down the staircase, walking outside he picks up the newspaper. He looks at it after entering the mansion and closing the door. Holly is coming down the staircase, Cort sees her. "Good morning." Cort says to her. "Cort." "Don't I deserve a good morning?" Cort asks as he walks towards her. "I didn't even see you. Yes good morning, an exceptionally good morning." Holly says with a smile.

"Have you seen him this morning?" Cort asks. "No. He's asleep." "Holly I want to tell you that I think you better look at him closely. Very closely He isn't Philip Desmond." "I have looked at him closely and he is Philip. He's come back to Desmond Hall and to me." Cort slams the newspaper on the table. "Oh stop dreaming." He grabs her arms. "If you won't come to reality then I, I'll." Cort says angrily. "What will you do Cort?" Holly asks angrily. "I'll take action. Any kind of action to keep you from that stranger." "If that is some kind of threat then I'm not afraid. Philip will protect me." "And who will protect him?" Holly pulls away and rushes towards the Drawing Room. "Where are you going?" "To find Jean Paul. He understands." "Does he understand that this man is using Philip's name? Does he understand that Philip is dead?" Cort says as he grabs Holly. "He isn't!" Holly shouts. "He is Holly. I can even show you where his body can be found."

"You're lying." Holly says pulling her hands from Cort. Cort walks towards her. "You keep away from me Cort." Holly says as she backs away from him. She enters the Drawing Room and closes the door in his face." "Holly." Cort calls to her.

Jean Paul and Ada are looking through some photographs on the table and in albums. "Well there are other family pictures that your mother used to talk about."

Holly walks over to them. They glance up at Holly. "Oh hello Holly." says Jean Paul. "Good morning." Holly says to them. "Oh my dear you are looking pretty this morning. Isn't she Jean Paul?" "Oh she is indeed." "What are those?" Holly asks pointing at the photographs.'' "Oh just family photographs." Jean Paul tells Holly as he closes the photo album. "Do you have any of you and Philip when you were little?" Holly asks. Jean Paul. "Oh not among these. These are albums from my grandfather’s days." Ada says. Holly holds up a photo. "Who's this?"

"Oh just an ancestor." Jean Paul tells her. "Philippe Des Mondes, a great uncle." Ada tells her. "It looks like Philip." says Holly. "Does it?" asks Jean Paul.

"Exactly." Holly says to him. "I believe that there was some sort of scandal about him." Ada says to them. "Scandal?" Holly asks. "Your mother refused to talk about it." Ada says to Jean Paul. "He has a very good face." Holly says. "I'll take that Holly." Jean Paul says as he takes the photo from Holly. "Family matters and family secrets sometimes can be a bore." He places the photo in the album. "Oh I think they are very interesting. Can you imagine a family driving away one man? Now where did he go? And if he did settle somewhere in the north it just might possibly be. That he is the young man's grandfather." Ada says to Jean Paul.

"What young man?" Holly asks. "The young man upstairs whose lineage we are trying to trace." Holly looks at Jean Paul. "That's Philip!" Jean Paul stands and walks away. Holly turns towards him. "Jean Paul? It's your brother. What are you trying to do?" Holly asks as she rushes after him. Jean Paul turns and looks at her. "I'm trying to find some answers Holly." "I know the answers." "Yes, but not all of us do. And we all must search for it including the man upstairs. Now he denied that he is my brother." "He's forgotten who he is." "One thing he does remember, the dead. He insists that my brother is dead."

Philip sits in a chair putting his shoes on when Cort walks into his room. "Oh." Cort says. "Come in. Cort isn't it?" Philip says as he stands and walks around the bed. "Yes Cort. I thought you were sleeping." "Well what did you plan to do if I were asleep?" Philip asks as he takes a shirt from the wardrobe. "Wake you up." "I have an alarm." Philip says looking at the carousel. Cort walks over to it. "Philip's carousel." "It woke me up. How does it work?" "It doesn't, it's broken."

"Not anymore it isn't." Cort turns from the carousel and looks at Philip. "She's waiting for you downstairs." "Who's waiting for me downstairs?" "She is. In the Drawing Room. Go and see." Philip walks towards Cort. "Cort tell me about Philip Desmond." "What about him?" "Well this is his room isn't it? He didn't seem to leave a trace. Only some cloths and a kid’s toy. Well anyone could have had this room in all the years he lived here. Why didn't he leave a mark?" "He doesn't care. And he didn't want things. His interests were..." "What were his interests?" Philip asks with a smile." "Spiritual things." "Oh he was a religious man." says Philip. "No." "Then I don't understand." "Well there are a lot of things you aren't going to understand about Desmond Hall. If I were you I wouldn't try." Cort says to him. "Good advice, maybe I'll take it." Philip tells him.

Cort turns to leave the room. "Cort? You didn't like Philip Desmond did you?" Philip asks as he sits against the bottom of the bed frame. "I hated him." Cort says then turns and walks out of the room. Philip stands and looks at the closed door. He walks to the carousel. "Broken?" It starts to spin and play music. Philip shakes his head with a smile.

Ada collects the pictures. "Oh these tell us nothing at all. I'm going to go and search the attic and see if I can find some more albums." "No don't." Holly says to Ada. "Holly Ada's trying to help. She wants the truth, we all do." Jean Paul says to Holly, "I'm sorry if I upset you my dear. No need to be upset believe me great things are going to happen in Desmond Hall. They really are." Ada says then turns towards the door. She glances back at them. "Now when the man wakes up you tell him his breakfast is being kept warm in the kitchen." She closes the doors behind her as she leaves the room. "Thank you Ada." Jean Paul says. Holly steps towards the door. She stops and looks back at Jean Paul. "Jean Paul don't let her do it." Jean Paul walks up to her. "You believe that he is your Philip don't you?" "Yes." "But why are you afraid?" "Because there are people at Desmond Hall who don't like to see someone have more than they have. They plot and they change things." Holly says as she walks away from Jean Paul. "A solid floor can turn to quicksand under my feet." Jean Paul walks up behind Holly. "What people Holly? Who does this to you?" Holly turns and looks at him. "I don't know. But when they are finished I won't have anything. Nothing! Philip will know." Holly says as she rushes from the room and runs up the staircase. Raxl enters the foyer carrying a tray. "Miss Holly you didn't finish your breakfast. I have coffee here" "No thank you Raxl. I'm not hungry." She turns and rushes to her room. Raxl enters the Drawing Room. She carries in the tray. "Master, I'm gad to find you alone." She sets the tray on the table. Jean Paul walks over to her.” What is it Raxl?" "The visitor must go at once," She says as she pours Jean Paul a cup of coffee. "Oh and why must the visitor go?" He asks as he takes the cup of coffee from Raxl. "He brings an evil from the past with him that could sweep this house into darkness." "Raxl this visitor is a Desmond. And I can't send any Desmond away without a reason." Jean Paul walks to the couch and sits down. "But there is a reason Master. The past could destroy the present if we allow it." She says as she stands behind the couch.

"I will not send him away Raxl." "Master you embrace your own destruction if you do not remove this visitor from the tainted past. Then I will do what I must do for your sake." Raxl says as she walks across the room. "Raxl?" Raxl stops and turns towards him. "For now you will do nothing." "As you say Master." Raxl says with a bow. "But fate will not wait for time." Raxl turns and walks out of the room. Jean Paul looks away from the doorway and drinks his coffee.

Holly stands at her window; she turns and walks across the room "Philip. Ghost of Philip are you here? Oh if you are answer me please because they won't see what I see with my own eyes. Philip if you are dead then speak to me please. If you are not alive if you have not come back to me speak to me, tell me now. Because if you do not speak to me then I will know that he is Philip Desmond and he is with me. So tell me please." Holly glances around. "Philip? Oh Philip, no answer. He has come back, he is alive. Oh Philip I knew it. I knew it." Holly says spinning in a circle happily.

Philip walks down the staircase. Jean Paul watches him from the foyer and smiles. "Mr. Desmond." "Mr. Desmond." Philip says back to him. Jean Paul laughs. "Did you sleep well?" "Very well." "Good. Your breakfast is waiting but would like to join me for a cup of coffee first." "I'd like that." "Good." Jean Paul says leading Philip into the Drawing Room. Philip follows and sits on the couch.

"I'll have you know you've caused quite a stir around here." Jean Paul says to him. "Have I?" "Cream and sugar?" Jean Paul asks as he picks up the coffee pot. "No black." "You know you're quite a mystery." Jean Paul says to Philip.

"Well I should have brought me some identification papers." As Jean Paul hands the cup to Philip he asks. . "You mean you don't have any?" "No, none. Thank you." he says as Jean Paul hands him a cup of coffee. "I'm what you would call a free soul. I go where I want to. I came down from the forests of Canada. You don't need papers in the forest." Jean Paul stares at him. "Canada?" "That's where my branch of the Desmonds settled after my grandfather was evicted from this house. I'm his namesake, he was Philippe Des Mondes." Jean Paul places his coffee cup on the saucer. "According to the family records Philippe Des Mondes died and had no children." Jean Paul says as he walks around the couch. "Well your records are wrong Mr. Desmond. Or else the facts have been erased." "Why? Why would anyone want to do that?" "It's long past now. Does it really matter?" "You're here. What matters is who you are." "I told you who I am." Philip stands. "I am not your brother. I am a total stranger. I'm a distant cousin, cousin." Philip smiles as he stands next to Jean Paul after placing his empty coffee cup on the fireplace mantel. He laughs then walks to the door. Turning he looks at Jean Paul. "May I have my breakfast now?" Raxl stands behind him. "I will attend to that Master." She looks at Philip. "Come." Philip follows her out. Holly rushes down the staircase. "Philip, can we talk?" Philip turns and looks up at Holly. "Good morning." "Your breakfast is waiting M'sieu." Raxl says to Philip. Philip looks at Raxl. "Not until the young lady has released me." He says with a smile. "When you’re ready." Raxl says to him. "Thank you Raxl." Raxl leaves as Holly comes down the rest of the stairs. She stands next to Philip. "You knew Raxl long before you knew me didn't you?" Philip nods. "I'm so glad your back." "Back? I'm sorry I'm still half asleep." Holly holds his hand. "It's so nice to be able to touch you." "I guess I am awake. Yes this is a hand and this is a hand." He says as he holds Holly's hands in his. Holly smiles. "Philip, don't tease me. I tried to talk to you upstairs the way we used to. When you didn't answer well I knew you were really here." "I don't understand." Philip says to her.

"Philip I know you. You don't have to pretend with me." "I'm not pretending. I know who I am but I don't think you do." Philip says as he walks away from Holly.

"Philip?" "Look I never refused a pretty girl but I like to have everything honest and above board. Now if I pretend that I was your Philip..." "Philip I know you. You are Philip!" Holly tells him then kisses him. Philip holds her. "Oh Philip."

"Your Philip is a very lucky man." Philip says quietly. Raxl enters and stands in the doorway. "Monsieur your breakfast." "Yes." Philip says glancing at Raxl while he still holds Holly. "It gets cold." Raxl says then walks away. Philip pulls back. "Holly, that is what you said your name is?" "Yes of course it is." "Holly I can't lie to you. I'm sorry but if I was going around the countryside with lots of time and nothing to do. I've got a great deal of work to do here and I can't let anything get in the way. Not even you." He says gently touching her face. "I don't understand what you’re doing. But what ever it is I can't stand it. I won't stand it!" Holly cries out and rushes up the staircase. Cort is watching from the corner of the foyer. He walks to the staircase watching Holly run off then turns towards Philip. "I've been watching you." "That doesn't surprise me." Cort walks towards Philip. "You're leading her on aren't you?" "You haven't been watching very carefully."

"You kissed her." "Yes but against my better judgment." Philip says as he walks away from Cort. "Wait a minute! Who do you think you are?" Cort says to Philip.

Philip turns and looks at him. "Who do you think I am?" "That's not what I meant. I don't know who you are or where you came from but you’re just like him. Like Philip, lying and deceitful!" Cort says as he walks towards Philip. Philip angrily grabs Cort by the jacket. "I think you should be very careful what you say." "I'm a Desmond. This is my home." Cort says angrily. Releasing him Philip turns away.

"And I'm not afraid of you. Just watch what you say to Holly. And keep your hands off of her!" Again Philip grabs him. Raxl walks out into the foyer. "Master Cort! Mrs. Thaxton wants you upstairs at the attic entrance." Philip releases him.

"Now!" Raxl tells Cort. "Later cousin Philip." Cort says with contempt. "When ever you like." Philip says angrily. Cort turns and walks away. Philip steps forward watching Cort walk up the staircase. Raxl moves to stand behind Philip. "That is an example a very small example of what will happen if you remain at Desmond Hall. You do not belong here." Philip turns angrily. "I've heard that all my life! We do not belong at Desmond Hall. I was taught to be afraid of this place. But I'm not afraid." "Leave M’sieu; go before it is too late. Go before the curse that haunts the Desmonds trap you into its lair." "I can't, not yet. Not before I find out what I came for." Philip says to her.

In the evening Philip puts on his jacket as Holly is walking down the staircase. Seeing him she rushes over to him. "Philip where are you going?" "For a walk."

"Well may I come with you?" Philip shakes his head. "Sorry." "Don't be angry at me please." "I'm not angry. I'm just confused." Philip tells her. "At me? It's not confusing really it's simple." Holly tells him as she stands in front of him. "Is it?"

"Yes. Well I'm here and you've come back to me because you promised me you would." "When did I promise?" "When your spirit spoke to me." "My spirit?"

"Philip something has made you forget everything." "Yea." Philip turns away from her. "Holly I haven't forgotten a thing. Why won't you believe me? I am not the Philip Desmond you know. Now that's the truth. And I'm sorry." Philip moves Holly from the doorway and opens the door. "Philip? You're not coming back are you?" He glances at her. "I'll be back. I have to, I can't leave until..." "Until what?" Holly asks as she steps closer to him. Philip shakes his head and walks out the door. Holly rushes to the open doorway. "Philip, Philip!" she cries out.

Raxl walks to the doorway from the foyer and leads Holly back inside. "Miss Holly do not encourage that young man." "Raxl I love him." Holly says as she wraps her arms around herself. "If you love him try to convince him that he must leave Desmond Hall or perish." "When he goes then I must go with him." "You don't know what you're saying." "I do Raxl. I do." "Miss Holly what ever must be will be. If you truly love somebody you belong to him and with him. That is your fate." Raxl says then walks away. "Is he my Philip? Who is he?" Holly asks herself. "I've got to know. I've got to know." Holly says with tears in her eyes. Jean Paul knocks on Helena's door. "Helena? Helena it's Jean Paul. Talk to me." He knocks again. Raxl comes up behind him. "She is sleeping Master. “She hasn't left me?" "No I brought her some broth and urged her to sleep." "What did she say?" "Nothing Master. She stared into space and seemed not to have heard a thing I said. You must sleep Master." Raxl says touching his hand. Jean Paul starts to turn away then looks at Raxl. "Where's Philip Desmond?" "He went for a walk." "In the dark? He doesn't know those cliffs. They are very dangerous. Raxl he could fall to his death." "I know." Raxl says to him.

Cort enters Philip's room and picks up the carousel. "Philip Desmond speak to me. I've never asked you for favors. I've never even wanted to see you but let your spirit reach me now." He sets the carousel down. "Holly is in danger Philip. An intruder is luring her to him. Winning her from you and from me. Yes Philip I love her too. You said that you love her then that's fine. That's fine with me. Anything. But don't let this man take her from us. Let her love you. Let her love your ghost. Anything, but keep her here so that I can see her. That's how much I love her Philip! Help me. Make a sound. Tell me that you are here to help Holly! Oh Philip! Philip." Cort cries out to him. "Answer me Philip."

Jean Paul walks into the Drawing Room rushing over to Ada. "Is Philip Desmond back yet?" "Back from where Jean Paul?" Ada asks as she looks up from the book she has been reading. "He went walking alone." "No." Ada sets her book down. "There's no moon, it's completely dark." Ada says walking to the window and looks out. Jean Paul walks up beside her. "Jean Paul you don't think anything happened to him?" "I'll get a light and search for him. Find Cort." Jean Paul says to Ada. "I don't know where he is." "Well find him Ada and send him out down towards the town. I'll look along the cliffs." Jean Paul turns and walks out of the room. Ada looks at the doorway. "But who's going to look below. Who's going to look among the rocks under the cliffs?"

Holly sits in her room. "Phillip you said you would never appear to me again. You said you couldn't let yourself love me. But I love you and I don't know where you are. Oh tell me please. Speak to me, laugh at me if you want but help me. Philip I want to love you if you have come back. But it's you I love. Oh Philip please help me." Holly puts her head down and starts to cry. "Holly." Holly raises her head. "Philip?" "Holly look at me. I'm here with you." Holly turns around as Philip materializes. "Oh Philip." "I'm here Holly. I love you and I'll never leave you again. Love me Holly. Only me."

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Summaries written by Debby Graham . The slide presentation is the work of Ron Janick.

~Ron/Bella~
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