Dark Shadows - Clementine

Seventeen

Julia was sat admiring her handiwork. She had just painted her room and finished adding furniture. She looked around, beaming.

"Da dee dee, dum da dahhh..." came a voice. Julia's head swivelled like an owl's towards the door just as David entered. "Oh... hi Dr Hoffman..."

"Hello David," Julia sighed, getting up and moving around in search of a bottle of whisky. "Can I help you with something?"

"Uh... no, I came here accidentally," he replied with uncertainty. "I, uh... kinda forgot you were back, and that this place would be... full of stuff..."

"And full of stuff it is, David," Julia said, grinning as she pulled out from behind a chair a bottle full of an orange liquid. Her eyes glittered as she produced a glass, removed the stopper and poured out a generous amount. She re-hid the bottle and took a swig, almost draining the glass.

"Umm... I'll just... go..."

"No, no... no no no no no! You must stay and chat!" Julia exclaimed, pausing to soak up the dregs of whisky from her glass. She let out an 'aahhh' that suggested she had enjoyed her drink, and continued. "I have no idea how you've been of late. I was sort of in deep water... literally."

She hiccupped and frowned. She took a seat and leaned back. David was stood awkwardly with his hands folded behind him and an almost scared expression on his face. There was some wondering why on the part of Julia, until she realised she was showing her teeth. She shut her mouth quickly.

"Did I... are you...? Have you got... did Uncle Barnabas...?" David couldn't for the life of him finish any sentences he started. He stood for a while opening and closing his mouth like a fish. Julia snorted and turned it into an unconvincing coughing fit. David just watched. Eventually, he turned tail and ran up the steps. After watching him leave, Julia shrugged and hiccupped.

.....

Elizabeth was rubbing her face with her hands. Why did Clementine have to speak to her about this 'bad thing' approaching? It worried her. And she didn't know why; it might not even be true. It probably was just a stupid gut feeling. Still, Elizabeth was keeping an eye out for unusual goings on.

When she got home that day, Elizabeth found Clementine sat comfortably on the stairs with a girl she didn't recognise stood awkwardly beside her. Clementine was laughing. Elizabeth smiled.

"Clementine, what a nice surprise," Elizabeth said. Clementine looked up, her face still beaming.

"Hiya Liz," she grinned, getting up and hurrying over and embracing a slightly surprised Elizabeth. "Um, this is Tina, from Ferr Manor."

"A pleasure," Tina said quietly, bowing her head slightly. Elizabeth stuck out a hand and Tina timidly shook it. Elizabeth's observational skills noticed the way Clementine took Tina's hand, Tina squeezing it gently. An eyebrow rose, but not too much to be noticed.

"Uhh, Liz, do you mind giving her a place to stay here?" Clementine asked. "It's just... should anything... bad... happen, Tina would like to be near to... help?"

"Of course, Clementine," Elizabeth said. She smiled kindly at Tina. "Come, we'll find you a room."

Clementine and Tina followed Elizabeth up the stairs and off to the left, where most of the rooms were. After marching up and down for quite some time, Elizabeth opened a door cautiously and peered inside. Deciding it was fine, she pushed the door over and let the other two in.

"This will do lovely, ma'am," Tina said politely.

"Oh, please, call me Elizabeth," Elizabeth smiled warmly. Tina returned it and thanked her. "Oh, and Clementine?"

"Yes?"

"Come with me, I'd like to talk. Tina, feel free to get settled."

Clementine gazed into Tina's eyes before following Elizabeth out of the room and along the corridor. They walked until they reached the drawing room. Clementine entered first and Elizabeth shut the door.

"Well, Liz, I don't know how to thank you. You know I said something bad is gonna happen. And it will involve me. Tina will want to be here when it does."

"You can thank me by telling me if you know anything else about this 'event', and also what part Tina plays in all of this," Elizabeth frowned, folding her arms and leaning against her desk. Clementine averted her eyes from Elizabeth's, which were searching for answers from facial expressions.

"I – I –" she began, not sure of what to say. "I don't know anything else. At least, I don't think that I do. And as for Tina, well... I saw the way you looked at our hands. I'm guessing you already know..."

"Knew would be a better word," Elizabeth replied, feeling a coming yawn and moving a hand to stifle it, but nothing came. Damn she hated it when that happened. Clementine furrowed her brow.

"You... what, you knew? How? I never... I didn't... what?" Clementine was going through thoughts in her head. At no point had she ever done anything to suggest her sexuality. Except for rejecting Barnabas. But... "You mean what happened with Barnabas?"

Elizabeth nodded. Clementine couldn't help but let out a harsh laugh.

"Just because I pushed him away that once doesn't mean that that had ever happened before. Anyway, it doesn't prove anything."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and concealed a smirk. Clementine made an angry noise and moved swiftly over to her friend.

"Look. I've never had a romantic relationship before. I've just got over the fact that I like Tina in that way. She's just got over that too. She's also gotten over the fact that she liked me in that way since the moment we met."

"I think the word you're looking for is 'lesbian'," Elizabeth said, trying to look and sound serious, biting both her lips at once so you couldn't tell what her mouth was really doing. Clementine sighed loudly and left, no doubt to look for Tina. As soon as she was gone, Elizabeth let out an alien noise that was somewhere between a cackle and a scream.

.....

Barnabas had had a rather enjoyable afternoon at the beach with Josette and David. They had read books, built sandcastles and drawn in the sand. David had splashed water all over himself and Josette, whilst Barnabas had sat and watched from afar. Despite his fondness for dear Uncle Barnabas, David was a little more wary now he was certain Dr Hoffman was a vampire.

Upon returning to Collinwood, a high pitched shriek echoed through the house, making the vampires and David jump out of their skins.

"What was that?" David asked in a hushed voice.

"I have no idea, Master David," Barnabas muttered. He smoothly crossed the room and went up the stairs. Willie came out from the dining room.

"What the hell was that noise?" he said to no one in particular, more to himself than anyone else.

"I shall find out," Barnabas said. He approached the drawing room and nudged the door with his foot. It creaked open to reveal Elizabeth with hands clapped over her mouth. "Was it you, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth recovered herself. "Was what me, Barnabas?"

"That awful noise."

"Umm... yes, yes that was me."

The door creaked again as Josette and David came in.

"Aunt Elizabeth?"

"Yes David?"

"What was the noise?"

"It was me, David."

"Oh."

There was an awkward silence, followed by the muffled sounds of a vacuum cleaner. Then, over that, was a huge thud accompanied by what could only be Carolyn yelling "SHIT!"