581 - September 15, 1968

[bunniefuu]

NARRATOR:In the terrible darkness of this night,

while Collinwood sleeps,

a frightening encounter will take place,

in the old house on the Collins estate.

There in a cellar laboratory,

a young man feels a sudden impulse to destroy

a creature that has not yet been brought to life.

The time has come to begin, Jeff.

Tonight.

JEFF: Begin what?

The experiment.

You will conduct it.

And you will use me as the life force.

- That's impossible. - No, it isn't.

I heard you talking to Dr. Hoffman.

I know everything is ready.

And I am ready.

I...

Look, I already told you, I can't do these things.

I don't know what to do.

Don't you understand it?

It's too dangerous. I...

I...

I can't.

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ [ERRIE THEME MUSIC]

Don't feel the urge to resist anymore, do you?

Yes, I feel it. But--

But you know it's useless.

Why is that?

Why do you have this power over me?

Never mind, we have very little time.

We must begin now.

Look, you've got to understand.

You've got the wrong man. I can't help you.

You must.

No, I can't!

Dr. Hoffman is the only one who can operate

and can use all this equipment.

You'll have to go to her.

I can't do that.

Why not?

Because it will mean involving other people.

It will be more dangerous for me.

Other people? What are you talking about?

We're wasting time, Jeff.

No, no, we're not.

You're supposed to be a friend of Adam's.

Yes?

It can't be him.

So who is it?

Is there someone you're afraid of?

Yes.

Yes.

And you don't want them to know that you come here.

Because, what you're actually doing

is double crossing them, isn't it? Isn't it?

It's no concern of yours, you have a job to do.

Wait a minute.

Listen, if I perform this experiment,

I'll guarantee you it will fail.

I don't believe you.

Well you better.

Because I don't know how to operate this equipment.

Then why did Barnabas and Dr. Hoffman

bring you here to help them?

Because I was going to help in the first experiment.

You must be qualified.

Are you kidding?

I was gonna be Lang's lab assistant.

I heard you talking to Dr. Hoffman.

You talked to her about the life force,

that means you must know something about the experiment.

Oh yes, I know something.

But everything that I know is just this much,

I know a little something, that's all,

my knowledge is very limited.

Well, then you will have to learn,

all that you need to know by tomorrow night.

- You're... - I'll come back here

and you can do the experiment for me then.

You're crazy.

I couldn't learn enough in hours.

Tomorrow night, Jeff.

I can't wait any longer than that.

You just can't seem to resist the danger, can you?

I'm perfectly aware of the dangers.

If I do this experiment and use you, you could die.

That happens to be the least of the dangers.

What are you talking about?

The shadow of death is never as far away as we think.

It's never seen until that split second

before it takes possession of us.

It has possessed me more than once.

So that I'm no longer afraid of it.

Death and I are old friends.

Very old friends.

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC]

- [GASPS] - Shh, shh.

Adam.

Don't be afraid.

I...

I thought you were gone.

I wanted to leave forever, I couldn't.

Why did you come back?

I thought I'd never see you again and I couldn't bear it.

Adam, where did you go?

To the woods.

And you just stayed there?

- Alone? - Yes.

Adam...

What am I going to do with you?

I missed you very much.

Did you miss me?

I...

I was terribly concerned about you.

About where'd you go how you'd get along by yourself.

Did you miss me?

Yes. Yes, of course I did.

- But you're not angry that I came back? - No.

I felt terrible about your going away.

I realized it was my fault.

Because I treated you as badly as I had.

I'm very sorry for that.

- You want me to stay? - Yes.

But only if we both understand that

we needn't be afraid of being honest with each other.

I'm not afraid.

- Sometimes I am. - Why?

Sometimes when...

when you express your feelings about me,

it makes me terribly uncomfortable.

I'm afraid I might say or do something that will hurt you

or make you feel rejected.

Like the night I saw you with Tony?

Yes.

And the more I tried to explain it to you honestly,

the more depressed you looked.

I'm sorry, I won't let that happen again.

Adam, I know you mean that now

but if your feelings about me stay the same

it may be very difficult for you.

No, I can do it.

It's what I thought about while I was in the woods alone.

Caroline, I've realized that I haven't been fair with you.

I have to live my life. You have to live yours.

You are the most amazing creature.

[THINKING] Just a creature.

Lang's creation. Not a man.

Adam? Adam, what's the matter?

Nothing.

I know something's wrong,

I can tell that by the look on your face.

Did...

Did I say something wrong?

No, you didn't.

I just want us to be friends as we were before.

Yes.

Nothing would make me happier.

That's what I want most, to make you happy.

You'd better go upstairs now, Adam,

while everyone else in the house is still asleep.

I'd have a lot of explaining to do

if someone found you in my room.

I understand.

Will you come upstairs and see me in the morning?

Yes, yes of course.

I'll be waiting for you.

Oh and Adam,

this is for you.

From me.

What is it?

It's just a gift.

I bought it the other day,

I was gonna give it to you the night we had our argument.

You bought a gift for me?

Mm-hmm.

Open it and see if you like it.

Adam, don't you like the sweater?

I like it very much.

Then what's wrong?

Nothing, I'm very happy.

No one ever gave me anything before.

- You can't be serious. - I am.

But...

But surely, you must've gotten presents when you were a child.

Didn't you?

Do people love all children?

Yes, yes, of course.

Then I wish that I had...

You wish you had what, Adam?

Nothing.

I'm...

I'm sorry if my gift has upset you.

You're the nicest person that I've ever known

and I want to be your friends always,

I don't wanna hurt you.

There's no one like you.

No one in the whole world!

[CLOCK CHIMING]

[POUNDING ON DOOR]

Hello, Jeff.

Hello, Caroline. Is Vicki here?

No.

Well, do you know where she is?

Well she took David out for the day.

She said she'd be gone until about dinnertime.

Okay thank you, would you tell her that I was here?

It's almost time for dinner now.

Why don't you wait for her?

No, it probably wouldn't do any good.

Jeff, what happened between the two of you,

I mean, you were so happy with each other

and then just suddenly it all fell apart.

Why?

I'm sorry, I can't say.

Please stay and wait for her.

You have no idea how brokenhearted she is.

Yes, I do.

Forgive me, I realize it's none of my business.

No, it's okay, just tell her that I came by.

You sure you won't stay and wait for her?

No.

No, it'll be getting dark soon.

And nothing will be the same.

Jeff, what are you talking about?

My life won't be my own anymore.

And I don't know why.

[CLOCK CHIMING]

ANGELIQUE: Adam!

What are you doing here?

I came to see when everything would be ready.

I thought you agreed to do as Nicholas said.

What do you mean?

You said you'd go back to Collinwood

and give Caroline your word that you'd stay there.

Well, you haven't done that.

It is late and Caroline is asleep,

she will not know that I've left the house.

What if she finds out that you're not there?

She'd be very disappointed in you.

She will not find out.

I will be back in my room when she comes in the morning.

You have nothing to do with all this,

what are you doing here?

- I have instructions from Nicholas. - What instructions?

He feels that someone should be here

to see that the experiment goes well.

Is he afraid that something will go wrong?

He just believes in taking every precaution.

I don't think you're telling me the truth.

You have some other reason.

What other reason could I possibly have?

I don't know but I will find it.

No, Adam, I have no interest in this experiment.

What could I possibly gain?

The only interests that I'm preserving are yours.

Then why didn't Nicholas tell me that he was ending you here?

Adam, he hasn't seen you since he made the decision

earlier this evening.

You see he feels the same way about Barnabas,

that you do.

What do you mean?

Barnabas has tried to trick you before, hasn't he?

Yes.

Well, Nicholas wants to make certain

that Barnabas doesn't do that again.

And that's why I'm here.

Of course if you still don't believe me,

I can go back and tell Nicholas--

No, that won't be necessary.

Well, perhaps you'd better return to Collinwood

before someone finds out that you're gone.

[THINKING] In a few hours, it will be all over.

I'll be free again.

And there'll be nothing Nicholas or anyone else

can do about it.

What time is it?

It's nearly o'clock.

We must be finished by morning.

Look, I told you.

I can't go through with this.

There's so much I don't understand.

Jeff, I can't wait another night,

we must go ahead with it.

No!

Look at me, Jeff.

Jeff, look at me.

Look at me.

We must go ahead with it.

You must not refuse me, must do as I say.

You understand?

Yes.

Then begin.

How long will it take?

I don't know.

We must be finished before dawn.

We'll be lucky if we finish at all.

Why do you say that?

Because we're taking an insane risk.

Because I don't know how to operate this equipment,

I've told you that.

You've read Dr. Lang's journals and I trust you.

- Now hurry. - Why? Why do you trust me?

You know, I don't understand anything about you.

Jeff, you must do this. That's all you need to know.

[MACHINE WHIRRING]

Start now.

Jeff, there is no more time!

[MACHINE BEEPING]

[GASPING]

[YELPS]

[MACHINE BUZZING]

[MACHINE BUZZING] [ANGELIQUE YELPS]

[MACHINE BUZZING]

[MACHINE BUZZING]

[SHOUTS IN PAIN]

[BUZZING CONTINUES]

♪ [EERIE THEME MUSIC]