603 - October 15, 1968

[bunniefuu]

NARRATOR:A quiet, still night

at the great estate of Collinwood.

A whisper of wind barely stirs the branches of the trees,

but that whisper seems to carry a message to one woman.

A message that her death draws nearer and nearer.

Mrs. Stoddard?

Mrs. Stoddard.

I thought you might like to go for a drive.

What?

It's such a beautiful evening, I thought--

Is something wrong?

Vicki, come here, please.

Close the door first.

What is it?

I wanna show it to you.

We've always understood each other, you and I.

I've been grateful for that.

I'm sure you felt it, too.

Yes, I have.

I want you to see it.

No one else has.

See what?

It came today.

I'm not sure whether it's all right or not.

I keep seeing changes that should be made,

but I'm afraid there isn't time.

You will be my witness.

You will say that I insisted on it being finished,

and if something happens to me before,

you will see that they hurry it.

I don't understand what you're talking about.

My mausoleum.

ELIZABETH: I want you to promise me

that if I die before it's built,

you won't let them bury me under the ground.

Promise me that, Vicki, please.

Mrs. Stoddard.

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ [EERIE THEME MUSIC]

Mrs. Stoddard, I'm not gonna promise you that

because you're not going to die.

I thought you'd understand.

- I do. Believe me, I do. - No, you don't.

Mrs. Stoddard.

I understand that you can't help what you're thinking.

But I also know that physically, you're fine.

Dr. Hoffman told me so,

- and all the reports from Windcliff-- - Don't mention that place.

Let me finish.

The reports from Windcliff say

that you are in excellent health.

- They don't know. - They do.

Now you won't let me finish.

They don't know.

They refuse to admit how powerful the mind can be,

how it can defeat the body.

If you know that,

then you know what you must do.

You've got to find some way of stopping yourself

from thinking of these things.

You think it's easy, don't you?

You're young,

and you think by telling yourself to stop, you can.

Well, it's not that simple.

I don't think that.

But there are doctors.

I saw those doctors at Windcliff.

- Well, there are other doctors. - Not for me.

Mrs. Stoddard, if this were happening to anyone else,

I know that you'd be the first person to tell them

they have to get help.

Perhaps I know that I can't be helped.

VICTORIA: You say that we understand each other.

I don't see how you can say that.

Mrs. Stoddard, you and your family

have been kinder to me than anyone else in the world.

And in fact, I don't know what I might have been like

if I hadn't met you.

When I was in the orphanage,

I used to think that I'd never know what it was like

to be part of a family, that I'd always be lonely,

and I couldn't stop myself from thinking

that there was nothing I could do.

Just the way that you think there's nothing you can do.

But you all showed me that I was wrong.

Let me, let all of us,

show you that you're wrong too.

We'll do everything we can,

if you'll just try and help yourself.

Don't you think I have tried?

I know you have.

I don't like being like this.

But I know I must be.

I will build it by the sea, on the cliffs.

And when the bell rings, you can hear it.

Someone must always be here.

You must promise me that,

in case the bell does ring.

Because if it does, it will mean...

that I'm alive.

ROGER: Elizabeth, what are you talking about?!

I know, of course.

You promised me you wouldn't mention that again.

I know Vicki isn't encouraging you to speak of it.

- Roger, it's all right. - It is not.

Elizabeth knows she must make every effort

to think of other things.

I have, Roger.

You haven't tried hard enough.

What have you got behind your back?

You're hiding something, Elizabeth.

No.

You'll see it soon, standing on the cliffs.

It's a model of my mausoleum.

You have actually had an architect draw up plans

and make this?

Well, why shouldn't I?

And did you tell him about your terrible fear

of being buried alive?

I gave him certain reasons for why I wanted detail.

You know, of course, what he thought

while he was making this?

- No, and I don't wanna hear it from you. - Well, you will hear it.

- He knew that he was humoring an insane woman. - Roger.

How they must all be laughing in the village.

- I don't think anyone is laughing. - I do.

It's too bad you're so concerned with what other people think.

If you didn't, you might have a better life.

We're not talking about me, we're talking about that.

Well, you better get used to that,

because it's going to be built.

- I will not let it be. - Yes, you will,

because I'm paying for it.

No such thing is going to be built while I'm--

[ELIZABETH EXCLAIMS]

No, no!

- Mrs. Stoddard. - Vicki.

Let her go.

You shouldn't have done that!

I know.

I know.

Roger, I'm sorry.

I shouldn't have said that.

- I don't know what to... - She's in such a state.

I don't know what to do. I've tried everything.

I've listened to her, I've... I've reasoned with her.

I've had her almost on the point of admitting

the absurdity of it.

I've spent hours with her when she seemed her old self again.

And just as I thought that everything

was going to be as it was, she starts that.

And I know...

I know that things will never be the same again.

I find myself almost on the point of believing it.

I don't know what to do.

Elizabeth.

Elizabeth. Elizabeth.

Who is it?

-You surely recognize your own voice. - No.

You can't hide from me.

You can hear me.

No, I won't listen.

You must. You must.

You must get ready.

It's nearly time for you to go to your grave.

- No. -Your grave.

-Get ready, get ready, Get ready. - No, no, no!

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC]

It seems to me that everything began to change here

when I married Cassandra.

Oh, maybe I blame her because...

we've never been very lucky in love,

you and I, have we?

Though at least you didn't marry young Clark.

No, I didn't.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

ROGER:I'll get it.

What do you want?

I have to see Vicki.

Is she expecting you?

I have to see her, please.

Just a moment.

It's Jeff Clark.

He wants to see you.

Shall I say that you don't wanna see him?

No, I'll see him.

-Elizabeth. - No.

They will find you here.

In this room.

They will think you dead.

You will never leave this room.

I will. I will.

Tonight, they will find you here.

Tonight, you will seem to be dead.

Here in this room.

No.

Vicki.

Hello, Jeff.

It's really good to see you.

I seem to have an engagement ring that doesn't belong to me.

It's yours.

It'll always belong to you.

- Vicki, I-- - Don't touch me.

You have every right to be angry at me.

Well, I'm glad you admit that.

But forgiving is a part of love.

And knowing the man you love is also a part of love.

So it's back to that?

- Am I Peter Bradford? - No.

I wanna know about Jeff Clark.

I thought I did.

Vicki, you do.

No.

I think I... I made up the man I loved.

Because the man in my mind would not have done

the kind of things that you did.

Look, I...

I know I should've taken Roger's job offer,

but I couldn't.

"I couldn't."

That's always the only explanation you have.

It's not enough.

Vicki, there are some things that I can't explain.

- I told you that. - Exactly.

And if you loved me, you could.

You... You could tell me, "I don't like that job.

I don't wanna work in a cannery.

"I hate Roger Collins."

I might not have approved,

but at least it would've been something

for me to try and understand.

Look.

Would you believe me if I told you that every single thing

that I did, I did because of you?

You hurt me for my own sake?

Well, I don't really understand that.

Would you like to try and explain it to me?

I...

Oh, I can, I will.

Not now, a little later.

Well, then I'm just gonna have to wait until you do.

Vicki, we love each other.

People can love each other and...

still know that a life together would not be right.

Sorry, Jeff.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Elizabeth.

[KNOCK ON DOOR] Liz.

I wanna talk to you, Elizabeth.

Liz?

Well...

I tried, didn't I?

Yes, you tried.

Guess I said everything I planned to say, didn't I?

Perhaps that's what was wrong.

Perhaps I didn't wanna hear everything you plan to say.

Perhaps that would've made me want to be a part

of your life again.

Vicki, she's gone!

Liz is gone.

♪ [EERIE MUSIC]

This is where they will bury you.

Here, with your ancestors.

But you will not be dead.

You will lie under this ground, unable to breathe.

This is where you will lie.

Your mausoleum will not be finished in time.

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC]

I'll help you look for Miss Stoddard.

Two of us will be better than one.

- I'll go too. - No, Vicki, you stay here.

You and Mrs. Johnson search the house.

All right.

Come on, let's get started.

[DOOR CLOSES]

That day, so long ago,

when Vicki found this,

and knew you really lived, Peter.

I wonder if someday

someone will look down at my tombstone,

thinking me at peace.

Not knowing I died struggling to breathe.

[GROANS IN PAIN]

ROGER: Liz.

- Liz. - Shh.

What was that?

I don't know.

Liz.

[BIRD COOING]

Tell me, why would Mrs. Stoddard

come to the woods alone?

Clark, I have to explain something to you.

My... My sister has not been herself lately.

She's... She's a very troubled person.

- I'm sorry. - I think we should split up.

We can cover more ground that way.

I'll head down the road.

She... She may have gone to Widow's Hill.

Liz?

No. No.

I'm all right. I'm all right.

No. No, it's starting.

Soon you will be lying on his grave

and whoever finds you will think you dead.

No!

- Mrs. Stoddard. - Peter Bradford.

- Oh, don't. - No.

- Don't come near me. - No, Mrs. Stoddard.

Don't come near me, you're dead.

- You're dead. - No, I'm Jeff Clark.

Oh, I know who you are.

Vicki told me.

And you're dead. You're dead.

- No, let me help you. - Don't come near me.

Don't touch me. Oh!

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC]

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

What happened?

I don't know.

Where did you find her?

In the graveyard.

Mrs. Stoddard?

- She... - Her hands are so cold.

She fainted.

She has no pulse.

And she has no heartbeat.

She's dead.

Jeff, she's dead.

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ [EERIE THEME MUSIC]