928 - January 13, 1970

[bunniefuu]

[eerie music]

VOICEOVER:For Barnabas Collins,

threatened with the return of the curse of the vampire,

a time of terror continues.

For Maggie Evans,

a time of terror at Collinswood has ended,

and the source of her torment has been identified as Michael,

the boy who lives with Megan and Philip Todd

at the antique shop.

And now, Michael faces his own time of terror.

For, with shocking swiftness, he has fallen ill.

And as she examines him, Julia Hoffman knows

his illness is grave indeed.

His heartbeat'’s irregular,

and his vital signs are much weaker than they should be.

I think he should go to the hospital.

I'’ll phone for an ambulance.

No!

I don'’t wanna go!

Oh, please darling, darling, you mustn'’t be frightened!

This is what'’s best for you.

Doctor!

What'’s wrong?

I can'’t get a pulse.

He'’s dying!

Maybe I can shock him back to life.

Oh, you must.

Please Doctor, you must save him!

You can'’t just let him die.

Please, please, Doctor!

Megan, she'’s doing the best she can.

We'’ve got to wait and see.

It didn'’t work.

He'’s, he'’s dead.

[eerie music]

I'’m, I'’m sorry to have you talk to me at a time like this.

The formalities must be dealt with.

I wish I understood what happened to him.

There'’s your answer, on the death certificate.

His heart just failed.

But for Megan and me,

it'’s going to be more difficult to find an answer.

I'’m sorry Doctor.

I didn'’t mean to be rude.

You'’ve been wonderful.

Not only with the boy, but with Megan afterwards.

Philip, tell me about Michael'’s medical history.

Has he ever been sick?

Should you be up?

I couldn'’t lie there anymore.

There'’s too much to be done.

Philip, I want the funeral quickly.

Perhaps it can'’t be done quickly.

What do you mean?

Well, there are things about the boy'’s death

that trouble me.

Classically, it'’s almost classic actually,

but I would really rather,

having some discussions with my colleagues at the hospital,

and perhaps have one of them examine him.

Colleagues.

Oh, you'’re really something.

Megan!

She'’s trying to do the thing she thinks best.

- Yes, for whom? - For him?

Oh, you wanna talk about Michael, Dr. Hoffman,

well then discuss him with me.

I'’ll tell you everything you need to know!

Well, actually I was just asking Philip

if he had ever been sick.

Yes. Yes, he was, when he was very small.

But his parents, they gave him so much love.

They willed him to be healthy and strong.

And when they were k*lled,

that will was taken away from him.

He was all alone.

Well, we all tried to help him.

First, Mrs. Hutchins.

Who is that?

PHILIP: She'’s the neighbor in Colleyville

that Michael stayed with after the accident.

Oh God, she was crazy about that boy.

She tried, well we certainly tried.

But without them to lean on...

[sobbing]

Evelyn was Megan'’s favorite cousin.

The deaths were a terrible shock to her, too.

JULIA: Oh, I'’m sure they were.

Oh, you talk about your classic cases!

Well, this was one all right.

That boy died because he didn'’t want to live any more.

His heart stopped beating because,

he didn'’t want it, it was broken!

I'’ll finish filling this out,

and then you can make whatever arrangements you want.

Thank you, Doctor.

Is there anything else I can do?

Yes, there is.

Tell Carolyn and the others what happened.

Tell them not to call,

and not to try and see us.

Not until she'’s ready.

Megan, it'’s time to go.

Megan, we'’ve got to leave.

I want to look at him a little while longer.

Megan, be reasonable.

Everybody'’s waiting.

I must be alone with him.

All right, I'’ll leave you alone.

But only for a minute.

[knocking]

Where have you been?

At a funeral.

Anyone I know?

No, these people just moved into town recently,

I don'’t think you'’d know them.

It arrived!

It certainly has.

I'’ve already told Osmond.

He'’s setting up his equipment, he'’ll get right to work.

You don'’t seem as excited as you should be.

Is something wrong?

Perhaps you don'’t think it'’s what we'’re looking for.

No, I'’m sure it is.

Then what is the matter?

I'’m not quite sure.

I'’ll get you a glass of sherry,

it'’ll make you feel better.

More willing to talk.

Thank you.

By the way, do you know where Colleyville is?

It'’s about miles down the coast.

It'’s a dreary little place, why?

Oh, someone mentioned it, that'’s all.

You do look pale.

Are you sure you'’re all right?

Yes, yes, actually I haven'’t had anything

to eat since breakfast.

I'’ll get you some English biscuits as well.

Thank you.

miles, and just what would I find there?

I'’ll tell Osmond we'’re coming,

but first you and I must have a serious talk.

Julia?

Julia?

[knocking]

Come in!

Oh, sorry, I'’ve been lying down.

Haven'’t been too well lately.

Oh, I'’m sorry.

And yesterday I had some news, some tragic news.

Yes, I know.

Huh?

What do you know?

Mrs. Hutchins, I'’m Julia Hoffman.

Dr. Hoffman from Collinswood.

Megan told me how you'’d cared for Michael.

I was...

I was nearby and I thought I'’d drop in

and talk to you about him.

I was with him when he died.

[sobbing]

It was a terrible shock for all of us.

Not to me it wasn'’t really.

Not the way that boy grieved for his parents.

Was the funeral nice?

Yes, it was very nice.

When Megan called me, I told her I couldn'’t make it.

That'’s why I had to give up the boy, you know.

I'’m not well enough to handle him.

Was he difficult?

Difficult?

Well, all the Hacketts are pretty spirited.

His father, now Bert, oh,

he was the most mischievous little boy.

Then you'’ve known the family for a long time.

Oh, indeed.

And to think they'’re all gone and I'’m still here.

Mrs. Hutchins, it was very nice of you to let me come.

- I do appreciate it. - Oh, no, doctor.

You'’re the one who was kind to think of comforting me.

Let me take you to the door.

No, I think you should go back to bed.

Oh, no, no, manners.

That'’s what I always taught Michael, manners.

- Bye. - Good-bye, doctor.

[rattling]

You did very well, Mrs. Hutchins.

You were very convincing.

I still don'’t understand how you found out about me.

Oh, I know about a number of people

who at the proper time could prove very useful.

And you have proved very useful.

[gasps]

Oh, it'’s all there, just as we had agreed.

Enough for bottle after bottle.

I'’m not well.

Oh, please, Mrs. Hutchins.

You fooled Dr. Hoffman.

Don'’t try and fool me.

She was such a nice lady.

Oh, I wonder if it was right that I fool her.

You did, that'’s all you need to know.

But why would you-

No more questions!

That was part of our arrangement.

And the other part is that you forget all of it.

Forget me, forget Dr. Hoffman, forget the boy.

It'’s all something you dreamed after too much whiskey.

- One thing. - What is it?

That I can'’t remember and I can'’t think.

I'’ve got to know.

Is there really a little boy who died?

Did he really exist,

or did you make him up, too, like Bert and Evelyn?

Please, tell me that.

We'’ve just been through all of that.

For your own good, forget it!

Well?

Dr. Hoffman was there, and she left completely convinced.

Oh! Then it'’s all over.

It'’s all over.

Now, I'’ll have to learn to...

Stop looking for things that Michael would like.

I demand to know what'’s going on.

You can'’t just walk out of here like that.

I'’m sorry, but there was some place I had to go.

Colleyville.

Yes.

I hope your trip was worth the time.

It was.

Now listen, earlier today,

you said you wanted me to talk to you.

Well, I need to talk to you now.

I need your help desperately.

STOKES: What do you mean?

I'’m not sure.

Something is going on.

The way Barnabas has been acting,

Paul Stoddard'’s mental condition,

and a whole series of strange little boys

coming and going from that new antique shop.

They'’re all blond and blue-eyed,

and they have the same birthmark on their wrist.

All of these things are linked up somehow.

Today, the oldest and latest of these little boys...

Died.

- Died? - Yes.

Then it was his funeral you attended this morning.

Yes.

I pronounced that boy dead.

It was a classic thing.

All the symptoms were as if they had been

read out of a book.

I saw him in his coffin.

I, I was there when they buried him, and yet...

STOKES: What?

Something disturbs me about his death.

Something disturbs me terribly.

What are you saying, Julia?

I'’m saying that ever since Barnabas Collins returned,

there'’s something evil in this place.

It is threatening all of us.

Then we must try to stop this danger.

The question is, Julia, how do we begin?

So the minute I saw Philip Todd coming out of her house,

I knew that that woman had to be lying, but why?

Why would she lie about that boy'’s death?

Whole story raises a great many questions.

Oh, it does.

But I'’m positive that Barnabas could answer

all those questions, but he would.

Paul Stoddard is another person who knows something.

Yes, but he'’s so frightened.

I think you could win his confidence.

Yes, I believe I could.

I suppose I'’d better pay a visit on the antique shop

which specializes in a succession of

strange, disposable little boys.

JULIA: No question, but the answers are there.

I assume they'’re closed today on account of the funeral.

No, no, Carolyn told me that Megan wanted to work today.

She wanted to keep busy.

That'’s a perfectly acceptable explanation.

They always have perfectly acceptable explanations.

PHILIP: It'’s getting late, I'’ll close the shop.

No, not yet.

You look tired.

Not tired.

I miss Michael so much.

Megan, you'’ve got to stop thinking about him.

He had to be gotten rid of.

And I think you were glad.

You were, weren'’t you?

[bells jingling]

- STOKES: Hello. - Oh, hello.

I hope I'’m not too late.

Has Carolyn left for the day?

Oh, are you a friend of hers?

A friend of the family. I'’m Professor Stokes.

Oh, how do you do?

She said you had a charming shop, and you do.

Thank you.

I'’m glad you have something besides

patchwork quilts and colonial silver.

What do you mean?

I was admiring your locket.

That doesn'’t come from this part of the world, does it?

I, uh, I don'’t know.

PHILIP: Megan, please, a dealer

is not supposed to admit ignorance.

Well, I just took it because I thought it was pretty.

So it is.

And so is this.

And perfect for the dear old lady

who'’s invited me to dinner.

I'’ll wrap it for you,

if you'’d like to browse while I do it.

I'’m afraid I haven'’t time.

I'’d like to come back later

and look things over more carefully.

Oh, well, we'’d like that too, professor.

I'’m particularly interested in old New England prints

if you run across any.

Okay, we'’ll keep our eyes open.

I'’d be most grateful.

- Your package, professor. - Thank you.

Good-bye.

I hope your hostess likes her present.

You had the same feeling I did, didn'’t you?

Yes, he could be dangerous to us.

It'’s strange the way one can almost sense

those things about the others.

He'’s a very intelligent man.

But not quite intelligent enough.

All that talk about what a hurry he was in,

he is standing across the street watching.

I wonder...

MEGAN: What? What'’s the matter?

Perhaps I shouldn'’t have worn the ring.

I'’m sure he noticed it.

Oh, what'’s the difference?

Married people often like the same things.

Oh, Philip, Philip, I am tired of all this waiting,

tired of hiding, and tired of pretending

that we are like other people. We are not!

If we were, I couldn'’t have given up Michael.

I couldn'’t have seen him lying there, dead.

I told you to stop thinking about him.

- It only upsets you. - Oh, yes.

Good-bye for now, Professor Stokes.

I hadn'’t realized how dark it had gotten.

Or...

Or how quiet it'’s become without Michael.

Megan, I told you to forget about him!

Michael is dead!

I'’ll turn on the lights.

No, no, Philip!

Do you hear something?

[footsteps]

I'’ve decided not to go through with it.

[dramatic music]

[eerie music]