Episode 37:
Slideshow
Quito is sweeping up the debris from the smashed séance
table. Holly stands against a wall watching. Tim and Dan stand together talking
among themselves. Jean Paul is holding the edge of the box with the message from
the Conjure Man. Raxl stands on the lower landing watching Jean Paul. "I have
told you what is written in the sand." Raxl says. "The spirits are angry with me?" Jean
Paul asks. "Because there is an
evil intruder amongst us. It also tells us to beware of death at the séance. If
there is to be another." "If Vangie
Abbott can manage it. There will be!"
"The ancient symbols, the ancient tongue of my people can be translated
many ways. But they all warn of death!" says Raxl. "It could have happened had we not been
warned." Jean Paul says walking away. "In the very next moment when I almost
heard the voice I most want to hear in this life time, or the next. That of my
darling Erica." Jean Paul start getting upset and heads for the staircase to his
room. "Well, what have you and Raxl
concluded Jean Paul? Was the crash at the séance an accident?" Dan asks. Jean Paul looks at Dan with a murderous
look, turns and heads for his room.
Raxl steps off the stairs. She walks over to the box. Quito joins her.
Quito reaches for it. "I will move it Quito. I read too little of the old
language. We must preserve it for Vangie Abbott, when she recovers from that
unseen state that the devil has imposed upon her. She will read it all. Perhaps
I have erred but the Conjure Woman will be able to tell us the name of that
devil who came to the séance to kill. If it is written in the sand." Jean Paul walks into his room, he sits
on the end of his bed gripping the bed post. "Erica, who or what kept you
silent?" Holly, Tim and Dan walk
over to the smashed table. Holly looks at Dan after seeing the table. "You don't
think it was an accident." "I'm not
naive Holly, Jean Paul Desmond’s big drive is to be with Erica in this life , if
the cryonics process can restore her someday." says Dan. "Through mysticism and a séance. You
can't blame him for trying that." says Holly. "Except a chandelier came crashing down
on this table in the middle of it, and everyone could have been killed. On
Maljardin the only accident is that no one was hurt." Dan tells her. "Except for Vangie." Tim says. "Fortunately not seriously." says
Dan. "I don't think there are any
accidents. I know when I was pushed down the stairs that it wasn't one." Holly
tells them. Quito walks by carrying
a lid for the box. He brings it to Raxl.
"Did you see Jean Paul when he went up those stairs? He looked like he
could kill somebody, think about that." Dan says. "I refuse to think that he would ever
harm me." Holly says. "Who pushed
you down the stairs? Who slashed Tim's painting? The one you posed for. Who
caused the failure of the cryonics capsule that preserves the frozen body of
Erica Desmond? I discovered it, but I'm suspect because I was there." Dan says
to them. "Why were you there?" Tim
asks. Dan shakes his head. "I was
looking for the cyanide that was missing from Alison Carr's lab, or have you
forgotten that little detail? The point is Jean Paul is ready to punish
or..." "Kill?" asks Tim. "Right." Dan says then walks away, he
heads for the staircase. Seeing Quito he pauses then continues up the stairs.
Tim starts after him. "Tim?'
Holly calls to him grabbing his arm. "No jokes please. Don't go, I'm afraid to
be alone." Tim places his
hand over hers. "Okay Holly no jokes." Tim says stepping off the staircase
holding her hand.
Jean Paul gets up from his bed, he walks to the bookcase
and enters his secret room. Walking to the recorder he turns it on, then picks
up the microphone. He turns on the monitor to the crypt. "Erica you must be near
tonight because for a fleeting moment the séance seemed to bring us together.
When you are alive again and here, this you will know. I have risked everything
to bring you back from your long, lonely sleep. Oh Erica I know the risk. I must
be stronger than that devil on Maljardin. I will win because nothing must
prevent you from joining me again in life. If I lose I will join you in death my
Erica and anyone who interferes with us being together again will
die."
Holly and Tim watch Quito and Raxl. Quito walks to the
entrance to the crypt. Raxl walks out through another doorway. "To many weird things going on and too
fast." says Holly. "Because someone
slashed my picture of Erica Desmond you think that it was a message for you
because you sat as my model?" Tim asks. Holly nods. "No, I'm the artist what better reason
for slashing the painting." "Tim,
you worked so hard. It was good, no matter what I said before. I thought it was
good." "Well maybe it was me, maybe
I cut it up myself because I'm so lousy."
"Tim I said no joking." Tim
looks at Holly. "Well you
didn't?" Tim shakes his head.
"No." he says walking away. He stops at the table with the box on it. He looks
at Holly. "There's still a better reason."
"What better reason?" asks Holly walking over to Tim. "Well it's no substitute for the real
thing." "It looked like Erica
Desmond. Even her own sister thought so." says Holly. "So it did to a degree but it was only
her on canvas. Maybe Jean Paul did it himself because he wants her alive or
nothing." "Tim you don't know him
at all.' Tim reaches for the
lid on the box. Raxl stops him. "Don't touch that." Tim and Holly are startled
by Raxl. "Let's go for a walk
Holly. I mean it. We need a walk." Tim says in anger, Holly follows. Raxl looks down at the
box.
In his secret room Jean Paul is still recording a message.
"No one will touch you Erica or the instruments of your preservation. No man
living, no man dead." Tiredly Jean Paul closes his eyes and sighs. "Oh Erica, I
can say no more tonight, I'm tired. Tired but no one must know this only you
because..." "Because I am waiting,
waiting for the use of our body.' Jacques says to Jean Paul. "You, may, not, have it." Jean Paul says
fighting Jacques. "But you've been
greedy with it." "You, must, not
enter." Jean Paul says. "I will not." "You must tire sometime, you're
only human. My regrets and apologies but Jacques Eloi Des Mondes is coming
aboard." Jacques tells him. Jean
Paul tries to fight him off but Jacques takes possession. He smiles and turns to
the monitor. Raxl and Quito are in the crypt. Raxl carries the box. She opens
it.
"Guard it well Quito until the Conjure Woman is free of
her trance. I have read many signs written in the sand by the spirits in the old
language. I see the symbol for the conjure doll and silver pin. The others I
cannot decipher." She turns to Quito. "But the Conjure Woman will know how to
read him. We must find the conjure doll and silver pin and pierce that effigies
temple with that pin. The devil on Maljardin, Jacques Eloi Des Mondes must
perish forever."
As Raxl looks at the writing Jacques also watches it on
the monitor. "So I know your secret so I can turn you off Raxl. Perhaps someday
soon for good." Jacques says turning the monitor
off.
Holly and Tim come back to the mansion stopping at the
front door. "This house and all that's happened is bad enough, but this Island,
one step and your off that cliff." Holly says to Tim. "If there was just some way to reach the
water level. The other side the open sea."
"But there isn't so forget it." Holly says reaching for the door. Holly
enters followed by Tim. Dan
meets them. "Out there in the dark aren't you afraid of ghosts?" Dan says
smiling. "There all in here." says
Holly. "You know if it were any
other two people in this house I'd think a plot was brewing." Dan says as he
walks away. Holly and Tim look at
each other. "Well let's go over to the fireplace. That will warm you up." Tim
tells Holly. "We can sure use
that.' Holly says as they walk through the Great Hall. "Tim when Mr. Desmond gets better
why don't you ask him to help you get off?" Holly says to him as she sits
down. "Oh boy that's your hang up.
Jean Paul Desmond the great father figure. To the rest of us he’s like a
warden." Tim says sitting on the arm of the chair. "I bet he would help." "Oh even if he does have to keep us here
so we wont spread the word about his wife and all the strange things going on
here." "I'm sick of everything, a
woman frozen downstairs. People running around looking for missing poison.
Séances and spirits... And even Mr. Desmond acting so weird." Holly says. "Shhh." Tim cautions. Holly turns around as Raxl and Quito
walk away from the crypt. Tim walks around the couch and sits next to
Holly. "I'm scared all the time."
Holly says, then she stands. "I'm just so sick and tired and scared! I wish my
father was alive I wish he were here!" Holly cries out. She looks at Tim. "You
know they are never going to find a way to make Erica Desmond well. We will get
old waiting for it. They don't really know what made her die do they? They don't
know about Doctor Menkin if he was pushed off that cliff or if he fell
accidentally, do they really? They really don't know anything!" Holly cries out
then sits next to Tim. "I know and
that's why we have to get off this stinking Island! That's why you do!" Quito and Raxl walk through the room
heading back to the crypts doorway. Holly and Tim watch them. "A place like this must have hidden
doors and things and tunnels." Tim says to Holly. "Tim, if you get off you wont tell
on Mr. Desmond will you? I mean you wouldn't do anything to hurt him.
Promise." "What do you mean if I
ever get off? We Holly!" "Holly.
Tim." Jacques calls out to them as he walks down the staircase. Holly and Tim watch him then look at
each other. "I've been so obsessed
in my own personal problems I’ve been neglecting my guests." He reaches out for
Holly's hand. "Will you excuse us Tim." Jacques pulls Holly up. "We have so much
to discuss. Just between us, isn't that right Holly?" Jacques says as he leads
Holly to the Dining Room. Tim
watches them over the back of the couch. Quito walks out and stands on the side
of the staircase with his arms crossed guarding Jacques. Jacques pours a drink. "I must
apologize, I've been neglecting you as if I'm a descendant of the apes than the
Prince of the Sea." he says handing Holly a drink. "I know how awful things have been for
you." "Well there are times we give
in to the little weak links in our character, example when I saw you in deep
conversation with Tim Stanton it was crass of me to interrupt." "Oh no Mr. Desmond really it was all
right." "I wonder what you two
might have been discussing that was so very earnest?" Jacques laughs. "Well of
course what do young people of the opposite sexes discuss?" "Oh no it's not what you think, not at
all." Holly says looking down at her hands. Jacques leans towards her as he puts his
glass on the table. "Well perhaps Jean Paul Desmond could help. Why don't you
tell me." Tim is reading a
magazine, He walks towards Quito and tries to step around him but Quito blocks
his way. Tim points to the book then shakes his head, then walks
away.
Raxl is in the crypt calling for Quito. Quito walks down
the stairs as Raxl walks over to the box. She puts the lid back on. "A few
fractured grains of sand Quito. Now these hold all the answers. When the Conjure
Woman reads them we will find the conjure doll and silver pin and set that devil
to rest." She looks at Quit. "You know the price if you do not guard these well,
the price is death. I go now to see how the Conjure Woman sleeps." Raxl leaves
the room. Quito stands over the box with his arms
crossed.
Jacques looks at Holly. "Oh course I always look out for
you my dear, despite my many ridiculous changes of mood. I'm always concerned
for you." Jacques reaches for Holly’s hand. "Now what about this young man and
his desire to escape. Why? Am I, is Jean Paul Desmond so cruel?" "No it's the things that have been
happening around here." "Oh secret
rooms and tunnels, in my house and I don't know about it. Strange." "No Mr. Desmond, there are a lot of
strange things here I think you should know about." With a smile Jacques clasps his hands.
"Indeed." "If you don't know
already." says Holly. Jacques looks
at the doorway, Raxl walks in from the crypt. She glances into the Dining Room
then walks past Tim who is standing next to the staircase. "Now what about these tunnels that are
suppose to be here?" Jacques asks Holly.
"Well I heard Matt Dawson talking about secret places in the crypt." "Where my poor dear Erica sleeps?"
Jacques says deep in thought. "I
don't know where or what, he wouldn't say. He said it was a secret, that he'd
given his word." Jacques lifts his
drink. "Enchanting, secret passages. Well, well, well. Would you know where to
find them?" Holly shrugs. "Why don't you try. I'd like to see it."
Jacques says with a laugh. "But no
one is allowed down there now after the trouble with the cryonic capsule." Jacques stands. "But you forget I am
Jean Paul Desmond who makes the rules and I can change them. I'd be interested
to see this subterranean passage which leads from the dead to who knows
where." Holly glances away from
Jacques. Tim and Dan stand next to
the staircase as Jacques and Holly walk over to them. "Well how are my legal
affairs coming Dan?" Jacques asks.
"It's rather difficult to say since I'm a prisoner on your Island without
communication." "You're not a
prisoner Dan." Jacques says with a laugh.
"Oh really, what would you call it?" "I see I have been completely
misunderstood." he says stepping away from them, turning he says. "You are all
free to go. I now realize that I must be left alone with my darling Erica." Dan walks up to Jacques. "We can all
go?" "Everyone, make your
preparations.” "What if I do go to
the authorities? What if they send the police? What if they open your cryonics
capsule?" Dan asks. "We will take
that when we come to it. It just makes me unhappy to see you all distressed."
Jacques says walking over to Holly and Tim. "Now Holly my dear come with me."
Jacques takes Holly's hand then leads her to the crypt. "Was he kidding?" Tim asks. "I don't know but lets not argue. Lets
pack before he changes his mind." Dan says rushing up the staircase. "Be right up." Tim says. He looks at the
doorway of the crypt.
Jacques leads Holly to the crypt. "Quito I want you to go
to the boat house for an immediate crossing." Quito nods. "You're really letting us go?"
asks Holly. "Now I want you to show
me where you think the wall opens." Jacques says to her. Holly walks forward to the wall. "I
don't know. We're going to have to search it out." Jacques looks over at the box Raxl
carried down. "Oh I see my house is full of little secrets." Jacques walks over
to the box. "Now I wonder what Raxl intended with this box? Perhaps some
precious goods inside. He lifts the lid and looks inside. "I don't see what that has got to do
with it?" Holly says following Jacques.
Jacques places his hands on top of each other he lays them on the lid. He
pulls his bottom hand out running across the box lid. Suddenly he clutches his
face in agony. "Mr. Desmond what
happened?" Holly asks. Jean Paul
jerks his hands down. "Mr. Desmond
please." Holly cries out. Jean Paul
notices Holly. Mr. Desmond?" "Out! Get out! I told you never to come
down here again. Get out!" Jean Paul yells. Holly backs away in terror. Turning she
runs for the stairs.
Tim is coming down the stairs, Holly runs to him. "Tim! Tim something terrible has
happened to Mr. Desmond." Holly clings to Tim. Jean Paul rushes to the stairs. "You
too, out of here before you suffer for it!" Raxl and Quito appear on the top of
the staircase Holly and Tim rush past them. "Quito you are never to leave the
capsule unguarded again." Jean Paul says then he walks from the
crypt.
Quito and Raxl descend the staircase. Quito looks unsure
of what is happening. Raxl walks past Quito. "Only in the Temple will this sand
Box be safe. We must preserve it there for the Conjure Woman, so she may read
it. And destroy the devil. Open the door to the Temple Quito." Raxl says as she
lifts and carries the box. As Quito starts opening the door Raxl lifts the lid
off. "Someone has been tampering with the spirit writing in the sand." The sand
is smooth. "There is only one message now death."
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Summaries written by Debby
Graham . The slide
presentation is the work of Ron Janick.
~Ron/Bella~
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