Dark Shadows - A New Beginning

Chapter Ten

Character Portrait included: Jeb 'Junior' Stoddard-Hawkes

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Lucy had been informed by David that Adam Collins kept late hours, so she decided to wait until about 2 am to take up her place outside the Old House. 

Adam was still awake - Lucy could see through the large parlor windows.

He was presently reading a book and looked completely comfortable. Like he had no intention of leaving off any time soon. 

Lucifera sighed, thinking to herself that if only she had something belonging to Adam, she could induce him to fall asleep. 

However, it seemed that wouldn't be necessary. After about 30 minutes, which seemed forever to Lucy who had nothing to do - Adam yawned and rubbed his eyes. 

Lucifera suddenly jolted to attention, but it wasn't long before the moment had passed, and the same dullness settled over her bored mind. 

Fortunately, Adam yawned again, and his eyes blinked. Lucifera dared to hope...

'Come on' - she thought. 'Fall asleep. Come on, and... YES!'

Adam's eyes closed and his head lolled to the side. The book shifted in his lap but didn't fall to the floor. 

Lucifera closed her eyes and inhaled, a smile stretching her lips. She could smell that charged sensation in the air - that scent of magic that she recognized so well. The spell she'd cast yesterday evening was starting to work...

Adam's eyes suddenly jolted open, unblinking. He started to rise rather robotically. 

Lucifera closed her eyes once more and pictured the present space she stood in. She envisioned that space becoming clear of her being, while picturing herself filling the Old House parlor.

She felt an eruption of sensation across her skin. Briefly, she felt as though she were burning up or coming apart. Then the sensation died down to a slight tingling, before leaving her completely. 

When she opened her eyes, she'd materialized inside the parlor.

Adam was robotically walking toward a large bookshelf in the parlor corner. 

'Yes' - Lucifera thought. 'That's right. Lead me to your secret...'

Adam reached for a certain volume, as though pulling it out for reading. A shifting sound was heard, and then the bookcase began to swing back. 

Lucifera carefully stepped into the secret room after Adam and saw a coffin. 

'A coffin!' - she thought excitedly. 'That's it!'

Still unblinking, his movements robotic - Adam placed his hands on the coffin lid and began to lift. 

When he'd thrown the coffin open, Lucifera saw a man who she knew was Barnabas Collins lying inside. He looked dead, but his body was perfectly preserved. 

'There's another mystery here' - she thought, watching carefully to see what would happen now.

Barnabas's eyes shot open, and Adam swayed dangerously before collapsing to the floor. Lucifera was amazed. She had no idea what this could mean. 

However, Barnabas didn't rise. Instead, his eyes slowly closed. He now looked quite as dead as he had moments before. 

Adam groaned and stirred, but he didn't wake. 

Lucifera carefully pulled Adam up by his arm and guided him back to the parlor. She carefully helped him sit, knowing that her spell would keep him from waking. For he'd never actually been awake.