Scene 31

[Elizabeth wakes up, breathing heavily. She sits up quickly in her bed and looks around, it is still very dark, and at once she hears the dinging of the clock downstairs. She counts the rings, there are 2. It is still early in the morning. Without thinking she jumps to her feet. Throwing on something over her nightgown. She opens her door and walks swiftly down the stairs to the man hall. She looks around, the house is completely dark and empty. She continues and comes upon the door to the basement. She puts her hand on the doorknob, looking over her shoulder and around the house once more to see if any eyes watch her. She sees two eyes peaking out of the darkness, but quickly they disappear and she dismisses it as her imagination. She turns the knob slowly, and opens the door. She walks down the stairs on her tiptoes, and slowly and carefully as she can, her hand clamped tightly around the railing, careful not to make a sound. She comes upon a dark hallway with many doors. She does not know what any of them lead to as she has never been down here before. She starts to open all of the doors and look inside. She comes upon a room with a lit candle in a candleholder. She picks it up and takes it with her. She finally reaches the door at the end of the hallway. She opens it slowly, and as it inches open more and more she hears heavy breathing. In the faint moonlight through the small window close to the ceiling she sees a figure sitting in the room. Her eyes widen.]

Elizabeth: Vincent!

(Vincent hadn’t noticed her coming in and is startled. He scrambles off of the desk and to his feet, knocking various papers and things off of the desk. She raises the candle to see his face. A gorgeous face that stares back at her. A familiar face. That of the boy that she saw a painting of in the ballroom at Lilia’s house but this one much more horrible, his eyes are dark and death-like and his skin pale. At once tears start to form in her eyes. She turns away quickly, dropping the candle on the floor, the fire goes out.)

Vincent: No Elizabeth! Why did you come here! Go now! (He covers his face, it seems as though he just then noticed that she had come into the room. He kneels to the ground, sobbing. Elizabeth runs from the room in shock. She stops in the middle of the hallways to hear Vincent’s screams.)

Vincent: No! No! Why did you come?

(Elizabeth finds herself unable to move, and collapses to the ground. Slamming her fists against the cold floor as she too starts to cry. Vincent’s sobbing stops. And a silence follows.)

Elizabeth: Nothing…nothing awful has happened.

(silence)

Elizabeth: Won’t you speak?

(She stands up. Wiping her eyes. She stumbles back into the dark room where Vincent lies, cowering in the corner.)

Vincent: You ran in horror!

Elizabeth: Yes! I ran in horror!

Vincent: I warned you! You couldn't stand to see my ugly face!!

Elizabeth: No!

(Elizabeth throws herself to the ground, placing her hands on Vincent’s shoulders.)

Elizabeth: As I look at you now, even as you are so wretched. And as I feel your skin on my own, I cannot help but love you!

Vincent: But you are appalled at my appearance!

Elizabeth: No! I ran not because you were appalling, oh no, you have the most beautiful face in the world! But I ran because I know your face!

Vincent: How do you know it?

(Elizabeth throws her arms around Vincent’s neck, pressing his head close to her chest. She pets his hair softly.)

Elizabeth: It is the face of Lilia’s dead brother. The one she hates so horribly…the one she killed…you can't be him can you? No! Impossible! I can see now that you are alive!

(She holds his face in her hands and stares at him, though she can scarcely see.)

Elizabeth: I am so confused…and you don't even know who you are…

Vincent: Don't lie to me Elizabeth!

(Vincent pushes himself away)

Don't lie and tell me that I am not appalling to you! I saw that look in your eyes!

Elizabeth: How did you come to believe such a thing? That you are so hideous?

Vincent: But the worst now is done…and I feel such sorrow for you…

Elizabeth: You feel sorry for me? Why?

Vincent: You can't live!

Elizabeth: But I am alive!

Vincent: Leave now! I don't want to curse you anymore!

Elizabeth: I don't want to leave you Vincent!

(Elizabeth throws her arms around him again and kisses him. Slowly his hands, wrapped in bandages tighten around her waist. Tears run down Elizabeth’s cheeks that have now gone completely pale. Her arms tremble around Vincent’s shoulders and her eyelashes flicker lightly. Her arms then fall weakly and Vincent releases her. Her head falls on his lap, tears fall down uncontrollably. He lifts her and holds her tightly. They sit like this for a few moments until Vincent stands, bringing Elizabeth up with him. Her eyes are full of tears but now seem absent of any life. They are dark but so sad. He turns her body from his face.)

Vincent: Now never look upon my face again.

(He puts his arm around her quivering shoulder and rests his face on the back of her head. He reaches with his other hand to the mask lying on the desk. He holds it in front of Elizabeth’s face. She takes it from him quickly. Examining it before turning, and looking again at his face for a few moments before slipping on the mask. He touches her face softly.)

Elizabeth: And now…

(She falls before she can complete her sentence. Her eyes closing.)



Scene 32

[Elizabeth is in the graveyard with her blindfold. Dancing about. The skull and the spider are nowhere to be found. A smile is present on her lips and she hums softly a song that Vincent once sang to her. She skips across the cold grass in her bare feet as the wind carries her softly. The man in the mask comes. (Obviously Vincent…) and takes her hands.]

Vincent: Care for another walk?

(Elizabeth nods. And she is led away. They walk a long time. Singing together songs.)

Vincent: Don't you want to remove your blindfold?

Elizabeth: Oh, never. I will never take it off.

Vincent: I love you, dear Elizabeth.

Elizabeth: I love you. Vincent. And I love your voice! I will always follow it, wherever it takes me.

(They walk on still, singing songs together.)



Scene 33

[It is winter outside. Rafaela sits by the window, staring outside. She notices the postman walking up to her house and rushes to answer the door. He hands to her a single letter. And leaves without so much as a greeting of a farewell. She closes the door with some effort as it is slightly hard and seats herself on a chair by the fire she looks at the envelope and finds that it is from Hugh and Georgette Calvary. She opens it and reads the letter aloud (though she is the only one in the house.)]

Rafaela: Dear Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Hetherington,

We are sorry to inform you of the death of our daughter Lilia, who today passed away after a long battle to fight off the poison that had somehow gotten into her system. We suspect it was from spider bites as we have been having a slight problem with spiders. We are greatly saddened by it. And would like you to inform your dear daughter Elizabeth, she was Lilia’s only friend in the later months of her life and was indeed very kind to her. We are not sure how she will react, however, if she truly has lost her mind. We do not know how one who is insane would react to the death of a friend, so if you do not wish to tell her, it is up to your judgement. We simply thought it might be good if she may know. We have not yet planned a funeral service for her. And perhaps will not even have one, you may think us horrible, but to bury and go to the funeral of two children is simply too much. In the envelope is a letter for Jonathan. My husband placed it inside in response to the letter that was sent to him. He seemed very disappointed about whatever he was writing and ensured that I would not read it, and wished also that Rafaela’s eyes would not fall upon it. So if it is Rafaela that reads this, please give the letter at once to your husband. I know not of it’s urgency but my husband rarely writes notes unless they are of some importance. I hope to see you at another date fairly soon.

Sincerely,

Georgette Calvary

(Rafaela stands up, taking the envelope addressed to her husband out of the other envelope, she stares at it for a few moments before throwing it in the fire. She watches it as it burns. She turns and walks up the stairs slowly, the letter that was in her fingers drops carelessly to the floor. When she reaches the top she turns to Elizabeth’s bedroom and opens the door. Inside Elizabeth sleeps. She looks sad for a moment but then immediately cold again as she shuts the door and goes back down the stairs again.)



Scene 34

[Georgette and Hugh Calvary and in the ballroom. Locking the door to the hallway were the dead body of the boy lies.]

Hugh: We were lucky.

Georgette: Very lucky. That Lilia didn't find out that the body wasn't her brothers. She will never know that her brother’s body was safely buried far from where her wretched body will find itself.

Hugh:(looking carefully at Georgette) Yes.

Georgette: And the demoness got what she deserved in the end. Justice was indeed served.

Hugh: Yes. Though it did trouble me when she refused to take the tea.

Georgette: Oh! Such luck we had that she finally stopped eating and drinking altogether! She killed herself and we shall feel no guilt.

Hugh: Would we have anyway?

Georgette: Perhaps not! Yes? Ha! Ha! Ha! She paid the price for murder!

Hugh: Yes...

(There is a sudden knock at the door. Hugh knows who it is. He motions for Georgette to stay put and he goes to the front door and opens it. Jonathan Hetherington is at the door. He comes in from the cold.)

Jonathan: Didn't receive my letter?

Hugh: Yes, and I sent a reply.

Jonathan: I didn't receive it…

Hugh: I see.

Jonathan: I am very sorry it couldn't be done. If he does die, would you then like to see him?

Hugh: No, I will never want to see him again. It's much too painful. You understand.

Jonathan: I understand. I tried as hard as I could. But such a thing simply can't be done. And now his death is unstoppable.

Hugh: Don't even tell me, if you will, when he truly dies. It would do my heart so much pain. Why, I am happy that I was not allowed to see him in these last months as it would have been to painful to lose.

Jonathan: I am sorry then. But I must go. I will speak to my wife of the absence of your note.

(Jonathan opens the door quickly and leaves in a hurry, covering his face with his coat as he braves the bitter cold.)



Scene 35

[Elizabeth stands alone in a grassy field. Staring blankly into the horizon, a dark veil over her eyes. At her feet is a coffin, Vincent lies inside. Her father stands in the distance, watching her from behind some trees. He has let her see the coffin as the body is finally dead, but she refuses to look at him. She is completely expressionless as she turns from the body, and heads towards her father. He puts a comforting hand on her shoulder but she doesn’t even look at her.]

Dad: I am sorry.

Elizabeth: No. You cannot be.

Dad: Indeed I don't know the connection you had with him. But I wish you now happiness and that you may find pleasant company in someone. His passing may have been for the better as you dwelt much on him, I knew. And I knew of your speaking with him. But I still can't understand your draw to him, even after these months, which I have kept him hidden and locked away from you.

Elizabeth: You will never understand. You are right. But I seek not now pleasant company from anyone. I will go home now.

(Elizabeth walks off. Not looking back. Not having looked at her father as they exchanged those few words. She hums softly Vincent’s song as the strong wind blows through her hair. She stops at once and stares at the sun. Waving her hand to it.)



Scene 36

[A large, beautiful ballroom is seen. Many soft shadows and ghost-like figures dance around to the ballroom music playing. Vincent, with his mask on, stands silently with his arms behind his back. On the opposite end of the room, a door opens, light shines in, and Elizabeth walks through, smiling sweetly as she approaches him. He puts his arms out and they together begin to waltz.]



The end And there you have it!! I hope you enjoyed my story! Please tell me what you thought by signing the guestbook on the main page or by e-mailing me at either Juunanagou79@hotmail.com or voice_of_vincent@yahoo.co.uk