STRANGE PARADISE- Episode 100

Episode 100: Slideshow

Raxl: "Like the coils of the Great Serpent darkness enfolds Desmond Hall. While below the cliffs the water of the rivers hiss softly in the night. In the old mansion itself the ghostly Serpent God entwines around a helpless victim locked in the hidden chamber. Agatha Pruett who has learned the secrets of those who would destroy Jean Paul Desmond faces destruction herself. And if Agatha is to die, with her would vanish the information which would save the Master of Desmond Hall."

"Please I never harmed anyone. You're crushing me, chocking me." Agatha screams.

Cort lies at the bottom of the staircase fighting to breathe. He then lays unconscious. "Cort, Cort!" Holly cries out to him.

"No I can't breath." Agatha says to the Serpent God. "Jean Paul, Jean Paul help me."

Holly holds Cort. "Cort what should I do? I'm sorry, I'm sorry I was so cruel to you. Don't die. Don't leave me." Cort opens his eyes then again loses consciousness. "Cort! Oh someone please help!" Holly shouts.

Agatha still tied to the chair has lost consciousness and her chair has tipped over onto its side. Jean Paul pushes the door open. "Agatha!" He rushes over to her and checks for a pulse. Raxl follows him into the room carrying a light. "Raxl she's dead." "No she is not dead Master. She is under the power of the Serpent God." Raxl says as Jean Paul looks at her. "Servant of the Serpent arise. Open your eyes, speak. Speak; let us know that you are alive." Agatha opens her eyes and looks at Jean Paul. "Who are you? Leave me." "Agatha?" Jean Paul says.

"You want to harm me. But you cannot hurt me. He will protect me. I belong to him now."

Holly shakes Cort. "Please, please speak to me." Quito walks in. "Quito I don't know what to do. He seems..." Cort slowly opens his eyes. "Cort?" Holly says.

"It's over. What ever happened now it's over." Holly looks up at Quito. "Help me to get him to the Drawing Room." "No." Cort pulls back from Quito. "No I'm happy like this. You're holding me and I'm feeling fine because it's worth it." Cort says as he looks up at Holly with a smile... Holly looks away. "It was an emergency. I had to help you." "I know." Irene has her alter set up and the candles lit. "Circle of fire. Powers of darkness bring her to me. I offer in sacrifice a virginal flower and the dust of the dead.' Irene says as she sprinkles the dust over the flames of the candles. "I promise complete obedience and subjection to your will. If you will restore to me the girl Agatha Pruett. She fled our circle and vowed to reveal your secrets. I must have the girl, her heart, her soul, her life. Oh evil one hear me." Irene forms a steeple over the candles with her hands with two fingers extended from each hand. "Demons of darkness answer my plea!" She lowers her hands and blows out the candles.

Jean Paul has carried Agatha to the Drawing Room. He lays her on the couch and sits next to her placing a cool cloth on her forehead. "What happened? I don't understand." Holly asks as she stands next to Jean Paul. "It's better that you didn't." Jean Paul says and looks up at Cort. "Cort are you all right?" Cort stand behind the couch. "I'm fine. I'm absolutely fine." "Raxl when she revives will she...?" "She will behave normally Master." "Thank God she's alright." Holly says placing her hands on Jean Paul's shoulder as she leans over to look at Agatha. Jean Paul glances at Holly. "It's very late now Holly. I think you should retire. Raxl would you see Miss Marshal up to her room." "I would like to escort her." Cort tell Jean Paul. "Raxl." Jean Paul says. "Come along Miss Holly." Raxl takes Holly's arm. "Goodnight Jean Paul. Are you sure Agatha's going to be okay?" Jean Paul glances up at her. "I'm sure." Holly nods at Cort. "Goodnight Cort." "Goodnight Holly and thank you." Raxl and Holly leave the room. "Quito the fire is very low. Would you get some wood?" Jean Paul says to him. Quito nods and leaves. Jean Paul glances at Cort. "Cort I think you have had a very tiring night too. Why don't you get some rest?" Cort watches Quito then looks at Jean Paul. "Not at all. But if you want to be alone with Miss Pruett I'll go help Quito get the firewood." Cort says quietly. "Are you sure you're up to it?" "Oh course. No matter what illness strikes, a man quickly recovers if he has a pretty nurse." Cort says as he stands in the door. "I had Holly." Cort says then leaves the room. Jean Paul glances at Agatha as he wipes her face. "Agatha? Agatha can you hear me? “He asks as he holds her hand.”Wake up Agatha." He touches her face. Agatha opens her eyes and seeing Jean Paul she smiles. "Jean Paul?" "Yes." "I had the most terrible dream but you're here aren't you? Really here?" "I'm really here." "I was a little girl again wandering around the cliffs and..." "And what Agatha?" "I don't want to remember. It was too awful. And it's gone. I'm with you now, the way I wanted it to be. You and I in the Grand Room together talking, and my dress." She glances at her gown. "Oh my dress is all wrinkled and soiled. And that isn't right for a young lady." "Agatha listen to me. When I found you tonight you were tied up with a rope." "Tied?" "Yes. Now who did this? Tell me, who left you in that room?" "I don't remember. It doesn't matter. We can't worry about things. We have to enjoy the pleasant things." Agatha says as she sits up. "You wait here, you wait right here and I'll change into another gown and then perhaps, perhaps we can dance." "Agatha."

"We could play records or hum a waltz." Jean Paul stands. "Agatha please, now listen to me." he says. "Yes Jean Paul?" "Agatha you don't remember anything that has happened to you?" "No. I don't want to remember. Only the nice things." She slowly stands. "Do you remember the night you stopped me from jumping into the river. And I said you tried to kill me. But you didn't. You see I've forgotten all the unpleasant things. I'll never remember them again, I promise. You can trust me now." "Agatha! Please I have to tell you something. I don't want to but I must." "Oh tell me. Perhaps it's what I wanted to hear from you all this time."

Jean Paul turns away from Agatha and stands with his back to her. "Agatha, you're a very sweet girl, a child. I know you never meant harm to me or anyone."

"Oh I didn’t. I didn't." Agatha turns towards him. "Please believe that." Jean Paul turns towards her. "I do believe that. But against your will Agatha you've become involved with dreadful evil." He says as he walks towards her. "Evil?" Agatha says and looks away as she starts getting upset. "Against your will." He touches her arm. "When I found you tonight in that room there was a spirit. A spirit of the Serpent." Agatha covers her ears. "I don't want to hear this!" she cries out.

Jean Paul grabs her arms. "You must hear me Agatha. Listen to me. You've got to fight against this with me." Agatha lowers her hands. "With you?" "This spirit, this Serpent of the God has taken control over you Agatha." Agatha shakes her head. "No he hasn't." "You were in a trance like state and you didn't know." Jean Paul says as he holds her hand. Agatha pulls her hand away and walks away from Jean Paul. "I won't serve him I've told him that always." She leans against a wall and looks back at Jean Paul. "I won't serve any witches or spirits or no one but you." "Agatha listen to me." "Jean Paul help me." She throws herself into his arms. "I know I asked for to much. All my life I dreamed of living like a princess. But that was because I didn't have anything for myself. Nothing, but now that I'm with you and I have what I want you tell me I'm going to be controlled by evil powers." She pulls back from Jean Paul and looks up at him. "I can't do that. I can't hurt you that way." She reaches up and kisses Jean Paul on the cheek. "I won't live that way. I won't." Agatha turns and runs from the room. "Agatha!"

Agatha runs out the front door. Jean Paul rushes after her and stops at the open outside door. "Agatha! Agatha!" He shouts then runs after her. Raxl hearing Jean Paul's shouts, walks into the foyer and stands at the open doorway.

Irene sits in her cottage holding her cat. "Well we tried didn't we? We did our best and Laslo can't berate us now. We made our offering with great devotion and precision. And if the powers will it Agatha Pruett will return to us. Poor Agatha, poor little Agatha Pruett." There is a knock on Irene's door. "Yes. Just one moment." Irene sets the cat down. "Ah a visitor, not unexpected. Now you mustn't say a word. Not one word." she says to the cat. Irene walks over to the door and opens it. Jean Paul enters. "Jean Paul, what a surprise." "Irene have you seen Agatha Pruett?" "No I haven't seen little Agatha. Why is she missing?"

"She left Desmond Hall. She was in quite a state." he says as he looks around.

"How odd. Now why would she come to my house?" Jean Paul turns and looks at her. "I don't know but Quito is searching for her and he pointed out your place."

"Well she hasn't come here Jean Paul. But I'll keep a watch Believe me I'll keep a very close watch." "Do that. Goodnight Irene." Jean Paul says as he rushes from the cottage. "Goodnight." Irene says as she closes the door. "And good luck Jean Paul. Good luck to us all."

Raxl tends the fireplace in the Drawing Room as Holly enters. "Raxl?" Raxl glances behind her. "Miss Holly?" Holly enters the room. "I'm glad you're still up. I couldn't sleep." "I'm waiting for the Master to return." "Return?" asks Holly. "He's not at Desmond Hall he's gone." Raxl says as she walks to the window and looks out. "Gone? Where did he go so late at night?" "He went out after Agatha Pruett. He ran out into the night." Desmondton is covered in fog as Agatha walks out on the bridge. The sound of water is heard splashing from under the pier. "It was here; right here that he saw me. I was standing here looking down into the water, and it looked so cold and deep. But then he saw me and Jean Paul? “Agatha turns and calls out then looks back at the river.”No he won't come again. It's too late. And what I planned to do on the night he stopped me I must finish now. Alone. It's not fair, not one bit fair. While other ladies live in beautiful homes with men they love my home will be cold and lonely and deep." "Agatha." A voice calls to her. "Yes Jean Paul." She looks at the water. "Agatha come to me." "Where are you?" "Waiting in the deep." "Yes Jean Paul. Agatha says as she steps towards the edge of the dock. "Yes Jean Paul. Now?" "Agatha!" Cort shouts Agatha's name. "Agatha Pruett!" "No that isn't his voice." Agatha says then hides on the dock. "Agatha!" Cort rushes onto the dock. "Agatha! Agatha!" He looks around then rushes away. Agatha walks to the edge of the pier. "If they can come for me, why not Jean Paul?"

Irene has her alter set up and lights the candles. "She will not answer our command then we must go to her. But where, that is the question. Where are you little Agatha? Reveal to me the whereabouts of the defiler of your name. Show me Agatha." Through the flames Irene sees Agatha on the bridge.

"You will come won't you Jean Paul? I don't want to die but something brought me here just as it brought me here the first day you found me. It called me here again. It could be Peter, my friend who used to guide me. Or perhaps it is the evil Serpent who has touched me and no. No I won't think of it. I'll only remember when the God was good and kind. Now he's cruel and evil. But I don't want to die. Now I could be pretty. I could be a queen if I wanted to be." Agatha looks sadly down. "Jean Paul I don't know what to do. Help me."

Raxl calls upon the Serpent God. "Dark Serpent God if you are here come forth." The Serpent starts hissing. "I hear you and I challenge you now. Appear to me!" The Serpent’s shadow starts rising up across the room. "I do not deny your power. It has existed through the ages. Your cold and slime encrusted body has moved through generations crushing all hope of those who worship you. Do not come forward; do not try to reach me! I am not afraid of you! I do not have the power to destroy you but I will you this now. The girl who you have made your servant will not serve. Agatha Pruett will not serve because she will die! It is so destined! Your servant Agatha Pruett will die!"

Agatha stands at the edge of the bridge. "I will not. Jean Paul wants me to live. He must." Agatha turns as someone comes towards her. "What do you want? Why are you looking at me that way? I haven't done anything to you. I never hurt you. What do you want? Don't come near me. Don't come any nearer. Do you want to push me into the water?" Agatha asks glancing at the river. "I see it clearly now. You, I never thought it would be you. No! Take your hands off me! Please I don't want to die. No please!" Agatha screams.

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Summaries written by Debby Graham . The slide presentation is the work of Ron Janick.

~Ron/Bella~
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