STRANGE PARADISE- Episode 101

Episode 101: Slideshow

Raxl: "It has been said that the stones of a Great House can weep silent tears. And in the darkness Desmond Hall the ancient home of a family cursed weeps. It is in the wind that cries or the fog which traces the walls in sorrow below. Or both that keep useless watch by the river."

"Agatha! Agatha Pruett!" Jean Paul calls out. "Jean Paul! It's Cort, over here!" Cort runs back on the bridge. "Cort?" Jean Paul runs onto the bridge following Cort's voice. "Here." Cort says looking over the edge. "Cort have you seen any sign of her?" "Not a sign." "If anything should happen to her..." Jean Paul looks away. "Quito?" Jean Paul says as Quito walks out from a tunnel. He walks past them moving his hands nervously. "Quito what is it? Have you seen her?" Quito nods. "Where?" Quito points. "The river?" Jean Paul says as he rushes to the edge then looks back at Quito. Quito signs to him. "Yes you were on the bridge and?" Quito signs some more. "Dead? She's dead and carried down the stream." Cort says. "Agatha." Jean Paul shakes his head. "Agatha." Jean Paul and Cort enter the mansion. Raxl stands in the foyer. "She is dead?" Raxl asks.

"Yes." Jean Paul says sadly. "So be it." Raxl says as she bows her head. "Quito retrieved the body from the rocks." Cort says as he walks a few steps away.

Jean Paul steps forward. "I want her here. I want her to be here in this house." Jean Paul says. "Jean Paul you heard what her parents said. They blame us. They blame Desmond Hall." Cort says to him. "She wanted to be here! We accepted her and this is where her body should be." "Master. Move slowly, wisely." Raxl says as she walks up to Jean Paul. "The girl is dead. I caused her to die!" "You must not say that or think it." Raxl tells him. "Agatha Pruett is an innocent!" Jean Paul says looking at Raxl. "Involved with the Serpent God!"

Cort walks up to Jean Paul. "No one asked her to come to Desmond Hall. She wanted to come because she wanted to." "Master. The family and the townspeople are already angry. If they associate another murder with the Desmond family they will turn on us all." "Perhaps they should. Perhaps they should." Jean Paul says as he walks to the doors of the Drawing Room. "Master you must sleep now. Rest, forget." Jean Paul spins around. "I can't rest! I can't forget!" He angrily enters the Drawing Room. Raxl looks at Cort. "How did the girl die?" "She drowned in the river." Cort says walking away. "I asked you how did she die!" Raxl shouts. Cort turns and looks at Raxl. "I suppose she jumped. No one knows but she threatened to end her life before this." Raxl walks towards Cort. "She was too young and too much of a dreamer. That kind do not fulfill their threat of suicide. Someone pushed her!" "You don't know that!" Cort says angrily. "I know what I know." Raxl turns away. "Agatha Pruett was pushed to her death."

In the Drawing Room Jean Paul stands in front of the fireplace. He glances away. "How many more? How many more must die? I bring tragedy to everyone I meet. And I bring death to anyone whose life touches mine. And all for, For Erica!" He takes out his wallet and looks at Erica's photo. "All for you. For you I sacrificed my soul! For you in parting with my soul I gained evil instead. Was that love? Can that be called love when a man will kill to regain it? I don't love you Erica. I despise you!" He takes her photo and places it into the fire. "I must." Jean Paul says. "Love will not end as paper is devoured by flame. A woman cannot be banished by the words I do not love." Philip's voice says to Jean Paul. "Philip?" Jean Paul stands. "Where are you?" "I am being tortured. My soul turns to ashes for the love of a woman. As you cry out for Erica I cry out for Holly. And my cries which say I will not love are as useless as your own." "Philip? Philip where are you? How can I help you?" "It's useless, useless." Philip tells him. Raxl walks in. "Master?" "Yes." "You were shouting." Raxl says as she walks up to Jean Paul.

"Was I?" "Master the danger grows for you each day and each moment. When will you heed my warnings?" "When will my suffering end?" "I do not know." Raxl says bowing her head. "It only takes a pistol and pressure on the trigger and the barrel pointed at my heart." "You must not say that." Raxl says as she looks at him. "I will say it because I want it.!" Jean Paul shouts. "And yet I don't even have the courage to take that pistol in my hand and let it do its work."

"Master never! It is unthinkable! An eternity of damnation." Jean Paul turns from Raxl. "I am already damned." He walks across the room. "You have not seen eternal darkness or the demon that controls the dead." "And you have not known those demons that have come to curse the living. Each morning when I wake up a chill of fear passes through me because I know that by evening a demon star will appear in the sky, pounding with the devil's heartbeat in my ears. And I know my hand will be blemished by the Mark of Death that will force me to bring death to others. To murder, to kill! It is hell on earth, it is damnation enough." Raxl walks to Jean Paul. "Did you kill Agatha Pruett?" "No! Raxl no! I didn't want that child to die!" "Someone did. This night I tried to save her. I challenged the Serpent God. But a vision informed me she was to die. Someone was to kill her."

"It wasn't I. I swear it." Jean Paul whispers. "I believe you Master." "Then who?"

"Someone who is near to us. Someone that has your trust." "Tell me and I will avenge her death! I swear it!" Jean Paul tells her. "Vengeance only calls on evil it does not end evil." "So it is to go unpunished?" "The punishment does not come from man." Raxl tells him. "It must!" Jean Paul steps away. "As long as I live and suffer with this curse I vow to you I will spend my life eliminating the forces of evil. I will take vengeance on any of those that soil the lives of the innocent!" Jean Paul turns and looks at Raxl. "No Master! No!" Raxl rushes to him. "And first of all, first of all you and I will destroy the wickedness in this house! You and I will destroy the Serpent, the Serpent from hell!" "It's impossible! It can not be done!"

"It will be done!" Jean Paul shouts. "You will help me! Your Master says you will help me!" The hissing of the Serpent is heard in the room. The shadow of the Serpent rises up as the room darkens. "No. No Master. Spare me. Do not force me to do this thing." Raxl says backing away. "It will end in obliteration for us all."

Cort enter the Drawing Room carrying candelabra. "Jean Paul? Are you here? The lights have gone out." Cort says as he walks through the room. "Get out!" Jean Paul shouts. "But I brought you some candles." "I'm telling you to leave at once!" "Raxl?" Cort looks at her. Raxl steps closer to Jean Paul. "Cort!" Jean Paul warns. "No, wait let him stay." Raxl says raising her hand in front of Jean Paul as he takes a step. She steps forward and takes the candles. "He has seen the Serpent. Let him see it again." Raxl walks away from Cort to the doors.

"Serpent? I don't want to." He races after Raxl. "I don't want to be near it."

"You will stay I tell you! You know more about evil Master Cort than you say." Raxl closes the door.

Quito enters the foyer from the outside door. He starts for the staircase. "Quito! Quito you have seen my prison." Philip calls to him. Quito shakes his head no.

"Come to me Quito. Help me!" Quito walks around the foyer terrified. Philip opens the secret door under the staircase "Come Quito descend into the caves."

Quito shakes his head no. "Help me Quito. Jean Paul my brother needs me. Only you can help me!" Quito rushes to the secret door and tries to push it closed.

Philip laughs at him. "You can't close it no more than you can deny me! Enter Quito enter!" Philip commands. "No!" Cort screams "No!" His cries come from behind the Drawing Room door. Quito looks at the Drawing Room door and rushes over to it. "You will regret! They will all regret!" Philip says angrily as he closes the passageway.

Cort looks at Raxl. "No he wants me! It's me he wants because I didn't promise him." "Cort!" Jean Paul rushes to him. "No Master watch, wait." "I'm getting out of here." Cort rushes to the door. Swinging the doors open he runs into Quito.

"Quito hold him!" Raxl says. Quito holds him around the neck. "No! Let me go!" Cort cries out struggling as the Serpent hisses and rises in front of Cort and Quito. Raxl hands the candelabra to Jean Paul. "Spirit of the Great Serpent what do you seek? Who do you seek? I know you came here out of anger because of my Master but he is not one of your legions. You will not harm him. Serpent who do you seek?" Raxl shouts. Cort struggles to get away from Quito. The Serpent turns towards him. "No. Not me! No! No!" Cort pulls away from Quito and runs across the room in terror. "Cort you are the chosen one!" Raxl says. Jean Paul looks at her. "Raxl you can't let him suffer like this, he's innocent." Jean Paul turns to rush to Cort. "Is he Master?" She grabs his arm. "I killed the little snake that Agatha Pruett brought here! I wanted to destroy the Serpent God! When he crawled towards me, when he threatened me I promised him food that's all. I didn't promise I'd serve him. I brought him creatures to save myself from him."

Raxl walks towards Cort. "And so you served him!" "No! I broke my promise. I wouldn't be his servant." He rushes to Jean Paul and grips his arm. "Jean Paul help me! Jean Paul it's coming closer!" He rushes away from Jean Paul. Quito grabs him. "Hold him!" Raxl shouts. Cort struggles. "No Quito! Let me go!" he cries out. "Let him go!" Jean Paul tells Raxl. "You want to destroy the Serpent. I want the truth. The truth about Agatha Pruett!" Raxl says as she walks over to Cort. "I told you the truth. She fell in the water!" "The truth!" "It's all I know! I swear it Raxl! Let me get out of this room!" "Raxl! No more, he's frightened enough!" Jean Paul tells Raxl. "We are all frightened Master but does he speak the truth? Master Cort speak before we feed you to the Serpent!" "No!" Cort shouts and pulls away from Quito. He races from the room. "Quito!" Raxl shouts.

"Let him go!" Jean Paul shouts at her. "Quito who do you obey? Your Master or the voices of hundreds of years?" Raxl asks. Quito looks at Raxl then walks out of the room. "Quito!" Jean Paul shouts. Quito walks through the foyer looking for Cort. Cort stands in the outside doorway watching Quito. Quito walks towards him as Cort backs away. "Stay away from me Quito. Stay away. I'm warning you, or I promise you the same thing will happen to you that happened to Agatha Pruett!" Quito walks forward. "I warn you. I warn you." Quito grabs Cort. "Quito!" Philip's voice calls to him. "Philip?" Cort asks. "Let the boy go." Philip materializes in the foyer. "If you serve Jean Paul let him go. He must be free. His guilt must remain a secret. If I am to survive he must be free." Quito releases Cort. Cort walks into the foyer looking at Philip. Philip disappears. "You heard him, he needs me. He needs me." Cort says rushing up the staircase. "He needs me!" "For a time Cort, for a time." Philip says. Quito glances around.

Jean Paul stands in the Drawing Room; his arm is propped against the mantel. "It is gone Master. The Spirit of the Serpent has gone." Raxl says as she walks up to him. The electricity comes back on. Jean Paul turns to Raxl. "Raxl why did you treat Cort that way? Making him suffer like that? Frightening him half to death?" "He knows more than he speaks." "About what?" Jean Paul asks.

"He knows of many things. Things that I do not know." She says glancing at the doorway. "If he will not speak I can not move to save us. From the Serpent or the curses that will lead to your destruction." Jean Paul glances away.

Cort enters Philip's bedroom. "Philip are you here? Are you in this room? If you are I want to thank you." Cort bows. "I didn't realize your concern for my survival. Well what kind of thanks is that too express my gratitude. Answer me!" The carousel starts to turn and play music. "Oh not like that. Not a childish plea uttered through some toy." Cort puts his hand on the carousel and stops its movement then glances up. "We're not children anymore you and I. I am a man. I'm a man with a cause!" Cort says angrily. "A just cause. A man enraged!" Cort shouts. "Philip laughs. Cort stands. "Don't laugh at me! Don't think you won me by coming to my defense. I know why you want me to stay alive and free. But don't think I will forget the way you treated me while you were lived! Did you hear me Philip! I said while you lived!" The door opens and Jean Paul walks in. "Cort?" "Yes cousin." Cort says with his back towards Jean Paul. "I saw the light under the door and I was wondering who was visiting my brother's room. What are you doing here?" Jean Paul asks as he walks towards Cort. "I heard a noise and I found that this toy had fallen on the floor." Jean Paul bends down and picks up the carousel. "Well it's broken." "It's been broken for many years." Cort tells him. "Cort I'm sorry for what happened with Raxl and Quito." Jean Paul sets the carousel down. "I have told them that they must never mistreat you like that again." "I'm sure they won't." Cort says. Jean Paul turns and looks at Cort. "Cort you believe don't you in the Spirit of the Serpent?" "You saw it as well as I did. Yes I believe that it exists." "And you will have nothing to do with it." "Nothing." Cort says. "Then rest assured." "I'm assured cousin, quite assured." Cort says as he walks to the door. "Cort?" "What is it?" Cort asks angrily. "You were frightened in the Drawing Room, very frightened." "Was I?" "Yes and I still think you're frightened now." "You're wrong." "You're alone Cort aren't you. Always alone." Jean Paul says as he glances at Cort. "Not really." "Cort why don't you ever want to reach out to anyone for help?" Jean Paul asks as he walks over to Cort. "To confide in someone?" "Not if I can help it cousin." "You call me cousin yet you treat me like a stranger." Jean Paul says as he walks away from Cort. "I don't understand, there is no reason why we have to be so distant." Jean Paul sits on the end of Philip's bed. "You're a Desmond, the last of the line." "And?" Cort asks as he walks over to Jean Paul. "Well as a Desmond you will inherit the Desmond fortune. It will all belong to you." "Someday." Cort says. "Well that's why we should help each other Cort. Don't you understand?" Jean Paul looks away from Cort. "Now I know there are some people who feel that you know more about the events at Desmond Hall than you are willing to speak about. Is that true?" "I have eyes cousin." "And what do you see?" "My eyes function perfectly. But I have trouble with my tongue. You see cousin when ever I speak I am knocked down and my words discounted." "By whom?" Jean Paul asks.

"All of you. All of you precious Desmonds." "I will speak with you and I will listen, Cort." "Like your brother Philip did? He despised me. He treated my mother and me like servants instead of relatives!" Jean Paul stands and faces Cort. "Philip would never do a thing like that!" "You see, my words were just discounted. Excuse me cousin this room is rather stuffy and it ranks of dishonesty!" Cort turns away. Jean Paul grabs his arm. "Cort!" Cort looks at him. "You told me I'm the heir to the Desmond money. That some day I will be in control of the Desmond fortune and you said you would prepare me for that day. Well I can tell you how you can help me. To eliminate the hours of waiting for the power and money! Would you like to know what it is cousin and how to help me! Die cousin die!" Cort says angrily as he rushes from the room. Jean Paul takes a deep breath, closes the door and sits on Philip's bed.

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

~Ron/Bella~
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