PART 1: Unexpected Visitors From The Past (Elizabeth/Carolyn/Ghost of Beth)

[Carolyn Stoddard]

Since her run in with the spirit of Quentin Collins, Carolyn had a certain panic about her whenever she gazed at the door leading into the west wing. Chills ran up her spine as her heart would beat furiously. She tried her very best to block that nights happenings from her mind, but was quite unsuccessful most of the time.

Carolyn's mother had the pentagram necklace in safe keeping inside her room, and Carolyn couldn't have been more pleased with the arrangement. If Quentin decided to come back looking for the necklace, Carolyn surely didn't want to be near the thing. She didn't think about the necklace, nor talk about it; her mother graciously did the same exact thing.

Things around Collinwood had been going good for a few days now, and Carolyn nor Elizabeth dared to pick up a history book. Some things were obviously left untold for a reason; or so they thought . . .

[Elizabeth Stoddard]

Elizabeth Stoddard had tried to read a book in her room but felt restless. She looked out her window but didn't feel like going for a walk on the grounds of Collinwood. She had just done her nails. Usually she had more than enough to do, but she just didn't know what to do with herself this afternoon. It felt like just before one of the severe storms that Collinsport got but the weather looked perfect outside. She didn't want to go down to the drawing room or the study either.

She decided to do the busy and mindless task of polishing her jewelry. She had a cloth that removed the tarnish from her silver pieces. She worked on them for awhile and then saw the pentagram necklace mixed in with some other jewelry. At first she didn't remember where it came from. She picked it up and gazed at it deep in thought. Suddenly she felt a presence in the room. She quickly looked around and over by the fireplace she saw a misty woman in an old-fashioned gown like what was worn in the last century. She quickly overlooked the clothes and the fact that the woman had just appeared out of nowhere because of the very sad eyes the woman had. It looked like her heart was breaking.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Elizabeth asked with just a touch of alarm. "What brings you here?"

[Elizabeth Stoddard]

Ghost of Beth Chavez:

The ghost of Beth looked hesitant but stood her ground. She was relieved that Elizabeth hadn't run from the room screaming but was willing to interact with her. Beth had invested a lot of energy in appearing because this was important to her.

She has no idea who I am because I was just a servant here, thought Beth. I was so very involved with the family though and I know secrets that none of them know. How am I going to get her to understand? I wonder if I can speak to her?

Beth gestured towards the pentagram and when Elizabeth set it down on a small table and backed away, she moved closer to it. Pointing at it, she managed to say, "Quentin Collins." Then she broke down in tears and turned her head away from Elizabeth.

[Elizabeth Stoddard]

Elizabeth didn't like seeing the ghost get upset but she was relieved that the woman wasn't angry or threatening. She didn't recognize her from any of the family albums but she'd certainly heard of the notorious Quentin Collins.

"Quentin Collins was an ancestor of mine. What does this have to do with him? I know this is a symbol of the occult but I don't know what caused me to actually keep it in here with my other jewelry."

Elizabeth could see that the woman was listening and was crying less. "What do you have to do with Quentin Collins?"

[Carolyn Stoddard]

Carolyn had been in the kitchen speaking with Mrs. Johnson right before coming up the stairs. She was headed to her room to get ready to go out, but as she passed by her mother's room, she heard voices from within. Carolyn hadn't known her mother to be one to talk to herself, but couldn't figure out who would be inside talking with her.

Very quietly, Carolyn edged up to the door and listened. She heard a muffled sob, and her mothers voice. "Is something upsetting mother," she questioned to herself. "She seemed fine earlier." Being curious and worried, Carolyn knocked on the bedroom door and awaited a reply. "Mother?" She called.

[Elizabeth Stoddard]

Elizabeth had been so focused on her unexpected visitor that she was startled when she heard her daughter at the door.

"Just a minute dear, I'll be right there," she called out. She quickly glanced at the ghost but she didn't seem to be leaving. In fact, she was looking towards the door with expectation.

So, she's aware of Carolyn and seems to want Carolyn to be aware of her. I wonder what this is about, Elizabeth thought.

Elizabeth walked to the door and opened it. "I'm alright darling," she said. "Carolyn everything's fine, but I don't know how to tell you this...." Elizabeth looked at the ghostly woman who hadn't gone anywhere and in fact, had a determined look on her face and had moved even closer to the center of the room.

[Carolyn Stoddard]

From behind the halfway opened door, Carolyn saw the ghostly figure emerge in the center of the room. Carolyn's immediate instincts told her to be startled and run away, but she found it somewhat okay to stay since her mother was there too.

Carolyn really didn't know what to say, except to stare with a frightened look upon her face. It wasn't helping that the ghost was staring back, with such hurt, longing eyes. Carolyn could only let out mere stutters, as she took a small step forward, wishing it was ten steps backwards.

[Elizabeth Stoddard]

Elizabeth put her arm around her daughter's shoulder. "I don't know who she is or what she wants but she seems to be connected to this house and to this pentagram that you found." Elizabeth picked up the necklace and showed Carolyn.

"She can speak but it seems to be an effort for her. Perhaps when she's not so upset. She mentioned the name of Quentin Collins. When I handled the pentagram, she showed up. I don't know what it means Carolyn or what I should do. She began to cry when I asked her questions."

[Elizabeth Stoddard]

Beth Chavez:

Beth looked at the two women standing before her who were present-day living members of the family she had served in the past. Surely, they have loved too. Surely they would understand that I still want his happiness above all, she thought.

"Oh, I loved him so. We could have been so happy together; we should have been and then everything went wrong," she said. "And now, instead of finding what comfort we could give each other he is so bitter and angry. He feels so cheated. Oh Quentin.....". She began sobbing again.

How can I make them help instead of trying to drive him out when they learn how disturbed and vengeful he's becoming, she thought.

[Carolyn Stoddard]

Carolyn couldn't really grasp the situation and wasn't sure if her mother was either. She understood that the ghost had something to do with Quentin, but what? And what was the significants of the pentagram? All of these questions occupied Carolyn's thoughts, as she mindlessly stepped forward towards the ghost. She stopped nearly two or three foot away, and asked, "I don't understand, but what can we do to help?"

[Elizabeth Stoddard]

Beth Chavez:

Beth was shaking her head. "I don't know what to do; I've tried everything. He feels so rejected and misunderstood by his family, even today. Why should they have all been the same? Why couldn't he just be himself? Oh, he's so bitter....he's getting worse. Soon you will know.....he seems to want everyone to be as unhappy as he is. Oh, I don't know what to do."

She reached out and touched the pentagram that was laying on the table. "This was supposed to protect those he loved, but it can't help them now."

She gave one last look at Elizabeth and Carolyn and vanished in front of their eyes.

~end scene~

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