STRANGE PARADISE- Episode 124

Episode 124a: Slideshow

Episode 124b: Slideshow

Raxl: "On this night a violent storm rages over Desmond Hall. Flashes of lightening illuminate the walls of the great house. And thunder reverberates through its corridors. There is fear in this night, for two people are trying to solve the strange mystery. The mystery deepens as unseen hands guide them to new answers. And with each new discovery, those who would learn the secrets of Desmond Hall place themselves in greater and greater danger."

Holly glances at Quito. "Philip wanted us to see this. Why?" Quito backs away. "Quito what are you afraid of? What is it in this picture that frightens you?" Quito stands in the doorway very nervous as he moves his hands in fear.

Jean Paul is asleep in his room when the thunder awakens him. He sits up. "Philip? Philip your here. You're here in this room. Philip? Philip." He looks at the window as lightening flashes. Climbing out of bed Jean Paul turns on the lamp. The music from the carousel is heard in the room. "Philip?" The music leads him to the mirror. A symbol appears. The same symbol in the book that Holly is holding in Philip's secret room. It fades away. Jean Paul reaches out and touches the mirror. Raxl walks in. "Master?" Jean Paul turns and looks at her. "I heard you cry out." Raxl says to him. Jean Paul walks up to Raxl. "He was here." "He?" "Philip. My brother Philip." "You saw him?" "No but I woke suddenly and I felt his presence here in this room." He says as he walks across the room. "Then I heard the sound of the carousel. Then some sort of vision appeared in that mirror." Jean Paul tells her as he points to the mirror. "What did you see in the mirror?" "I don't know what it was. But it was something he wanted me to see. I know that." Raxl walks up to him. "Describe what you saw." "It was small and flat and it looked like some kind of ancient ornament." "Ornament?" "Yes it was shaped like a cross but it was round at the top. It looked Byzantine or Egyptian and very, very old." "I see." "Do you know what it could have been?" Jean Paul asks. "I..." "Do you?" "No." Raxl says. "Raxl why did you hesitate?" "I'm as mystified as you are Master." she says as she looks away from him. "You know something that you're not telling me." "I have never seen the object that you described. But I have heard legends." "What were they?" "There was an ancient legend that tells of an Egyptian key." "A key?" "It's called a Key of Promise. It can unlock a world beyond ours. A world in which eternal peace and happiness is possible. The man who possesses it may enter that world. But this is dangerous if he tries." "What dangers?" "He must be pure of heart. If he is not as he enters the doorway, a door will close behind him and he will be trapped between two worlds. Doomed to an eternity of waiting." Jean Paul walks away from Raxl.

"Existing neither in this world or the next." "How could he be freed?" Jean Paul asks as he stands with his back towards Raxl. "Someone else must take his place." Jean Paul spins around facing Raxl. "Why did Philip show me that key? He must have had a reason." He says as he walks closer to Raxl. She turns away from him. "No it would be best if you didn't ask questions." "Raxl I must. He was trying to tell me something. He wanted me to know about that legend. He must have a reason for it." "Perhaps he did. But perhaps it is better that you do not know what." Raxl says as she glances at him then away. "How can you say that?" "Because I have had a bad feeling. I've heard sounds in the night, sounds that frighten me." "What are you talking about Raxl?" "Someone in this house is in great danger tonight. I know that." Raxl says as she looks at him. Jean Paul glances away.

Holly holds the book in front of Quito. "Why don't you look at the picture? Why are you so afraid? Oh Quito I shouldn't ask you questions you can't answer." Holly says as she moves the book away from him. She looks back at him. "Look have you seen this before?" Holly asks as she points to the picture of the key. Quito nods. "Is this somewhere in this room?" Quito shakes his head no. "But you have seen it before?" Quito nods. "And it has got something to do with Philip?" Again Quito nods. "Is it somewhere in this house?" Quito points to the floor.

"Down. Does that mean downstairs?" Quito shakes his head no. "In the basement then or buried in the yard somewhere?" Quito shakes his head no.

"Quito what do you mean! I'm sorry, if only you could talk." Holly looks away from Quito. "I've got to find out what this means." She glances back at Quito. "Let's take it to Jean Paul. Maybe he can tell us what it means." Quito shakes his head no in fear. "Quito don't you want to help me?" Quito nods. "You want to help Philip don't you?" Again Quito nods as he backs away. "Then why are you so afraid? Why?" Quito turns and runs off. "Quito!"

Jean Paul argues with Raxl. "No!" "You must listen to me." Jean Paul stands and walks across the room. "Not this time." "I know what I tell you. To try to tamper with the mysterious of the unknown risks destruction." Raxl says to him as she follows him. Jean Paul turns and looks at her. "You must forget what you saw" "I can't. Now he must have had a reason for trying to reach me, he must have. And I've got to find out what it was." There is a knock at the bedroom door. "Come in." Jean Paul calls out. The door opens and Holly enters the room carrying the book of the river caves. "Holly?" Jean Paul says looking at her. "I'm glad you're still awake. I thought you wouldn't be." "Holly what are you...what are you doing?" Jean Paul asks her. "Jean Paul something strange happened tonight." "Strange?" asks Jean Paul. "Well Quito took me to the secret room. I wanted to try to contact Philip." Jean Paul steps towards her. "And did you?"

"In a way." "Philip Desmond does not belong in your world. You must not try to contact him again." Raxl says to Holly. "Raxl I had to. Philip was trying to tell me something and I had to find out what it was." Jean Paul walks up to Holly. "Holly what happened tonight?" "Well a candle moved along a shelf to this book." She shows the book to Jean Paul. Jean Paul turns it around to read the title. "The River Caves of Desmondton." "Have you seen it before?" "Yes but I don't understand why Philip would want you to see it." "It is only a book. It means nothing." Raxl says to them. "Well I found a picture in it." She says as she turns the pages and points. "Do you know what this means?" Jean Paul looks at it then at Raxl. He glances back at the picture. "It's the Egyptian key." "When Quito saw it he seemed terrified by it. Do you know why?"

Quito nervously walks down the staircase to the foyer. "Quito! Quito, find me!" Philip's voice calls out to him. Quito walks to the side of the staircase where the panel door swings open, he looks inside. "Enter the caves. Descend through the door. Take the key. Only you can save me. Help me, help me!" Quito shakes his head in fear and turns rushing up the staircase.

Holly looks at the picture. "The Egyptian Key?" "It is only a legend." Raxl says to Holly. "And yet you are the one that believes most of the ancient legends." Jean Paul says as he takes the book from Holly and closes it. "I believe evil forces exist in this house. They consume and destroy anyone who would defy them. I beg you, both of you forget what you've seen this night." Raxl tells them. "I can't." Jean Paul says. "Neither can I." Holly tells Raxl. "You have both been warned. You would be wise to remember that warning." Thunder crashes as the door opens. Quito rushes in. "Quito." Jean Paul calls to him. "Where did you go? Where did you disappear to?" Holly asks as Quito stands shaking his head. "Oh I wish I knew why he is so afraid." Holly says as she holds Quito's arm. Jean Paul opens the book and shows the picture to Quito. "Have you seen this key before?" Quito nods. "Where?" Quito points down. "That's what he told me before but he doesn't mean downstairs in the basement." Again Quito points down. "Further down? Is that what you mean Quito? Do you mean the caves beneath Desmondton?" Jean Paul asks. Quito nods. "The caves. If I only knew how to get to them. Quito you must show me the way." Jean Paul says to him. Quito looks at him and shakes his head. "I command you!" Again Quito shakes his head getting upset as he clenches his hands and puts them near his mouth.

"Master can't you see that he's frightened." Raxl says as she touches Quito's arm. "He doesn't need to be frightened." Jean Paul grabs his shoulder. "Quito you must show me the way to those caves." Quito looks away from him. "He refuses. You can not make him tell you." Raxl says as she touches his arm Jean Paul releases his shoulder and turns away. "No I suppose I can't. I must find a way to those caves." "Even if he knew you can not go there tonight. Now leave Quito alone." "I'm sorry. For now." Jean Paul says as he walks to the bed and sits on it holding the book. Raxl looks at Quito. "Take Miss Holly to her room." Quito nods. "Oh no, Raxl. I couldn't sleep tonight. I'm going to find Philip. Cousin Philip, I have something that belongs to him." "Stay with Miss Holly. Guard her do you understand?" Raxl asks Quito. Quito nods and takes Holly's arm and follows her from the room. Holly glances back. "Good night Jean Paul. I'll speak to you in the tomorrow." "Yes in the morning Holly." Jean Paul says to her as he glances up. After Holly and Quito leave the room Raxl walks up to Jean Paul. "Don't go near those caves ever." she orders him. "I'm not going to argue with you Raxl." "Don't argue. Just stay away from those caves if you value your life."

Jean Paul turns and looks at Raxl.

In the Drawing Room Philip stands in front of the fireplace trying to get warm.

"Philip you're shivering." Ada says as she stands next to him. "Well I'm still wet and cold." "Why did you go out in the storm?" "Well I lost something and I was out looking for it." "In this storm? Now couldn't you have waited until morning?"

"No I couldn't wait. What I lost is very important to me." Philip says to her. "What is it?" "Well nothing that would mean anything to you. It was just a small carved figure. But it has a sentimental value for me." Philip says as he sits on the couch rubbing his hands together for warmth. "Did you find it?" "No." "Perhaps you will in the morning." "I'll search in the morning...I'll go on searching until I find it."

"You better get out of that wet jacket." Ada tells him as she walks behind the couch to the table. "Would you like a glass of sherry?" "Yes, I'd like that. It might warm me up." Ada pours him the drink and brings it to him. "Here you are."

Philip raises his glass. "Well to the secrets of the Desmonds." "What an odd toast." "Yes but very appropriate on a night like this." Philip takes a sip then leans forward. "Tell me cousin Ada what was my namesake like?" "Philip? Well he was Philip. I wouldn't know how to describe him. Ada says as she walks away from Philip. She glances back at him. "Except he looked exactly like you." "But you were fond of him?" "I am fond of him. He's like a younger brother to me."

"And you have no idea why he disappeared?" Ada glances away. "None at all. He just walked out of the house one night and never returned." Philip stands and walks closer to her. "You must worry about him." "Of course I do. I keep thinking he will return or at least let us know where he is. Everyday I think about it and I worry just a little more." "And you have no idea where he could have gone?" "No. None what so ever." "Well didn't he ever hint that he might go away?" "No not to me or anyone else as far as I know." Ada says to him.

"Were you with him the night he disappeared?" "Yes and I thought he was behaving rather strangely that night." "How so?" "He seemed distracted. As if he wasn't listening to any of the conversations at dinner. As if he had something else on his mind." "And he never told you what that something was." "No but now that I'm remembering everything he did says something peculiar that night. I wondered about it at the time." "What did he say?" Philip asks. "He said tonight I'll know." "Know what?" "He didn't explain." "Well didn't you ask him what he was talking about?" Philip asks as he walks towards Ada. "Oh yes. He said he'd explain another day then he laughed." Philip looks at her. "And you didn't ask him to explain any further?" "No. Philip said a lot of things I didn't understand."

Philip finishes his drink. "Oh let me get you a little more sherry." Ada says to him. "Mmm no thanks. This has warmed me up." "Oh good." Ada smiles at him.

Holly walks into the Drawing Room carrying Philip's totem. "Philip there you are." She says as she walks up to him. Quito is behind her. "I see that you have something that belongs to me." "Yes I came to return it to you." Holly says as she hands it to Philip. "Oh is that the little figure you lost?" Ada asks as she walks up to Philip. "Yes that's it." Philip answers as he stares at Holly. "Well good. You won't have to look for it in the morning." "No apparently not." He says still staring at Holly. "Well if you two will excuse me I think I'll go off to bed. It's getting late." Ada says as she starts to walk from the room. "Goodnight cousin." Philip says to her. "Goodnight Mrs. Thaxton." Holly tells her. "Goodnight." Ada tells them then leaves the room. Philip looks at Holly. "Where did you get this?"

"Does it matter?" asks Holly. "I'd like to know." "Cort found it." Quito walks out of the Drawing Room. "Found it?" Philip asks angrily. "Well that's what he told me." "He must have followed me." Philip says to her. "Well maybe he did." "He must have."

Quito walks into the foyer near the staircase. "Quito! Hear me and obey me! Only you can make the journey in the caves of the winds. Only you can free me. The key, you must find the key. Now you cannot resist me. You must obey my will. You must obey!" Philip commands him. The secret door opens and Quito stares at it.

"Are you angry at me for returning the totem?" Holly asks Philip. "No, I'm not angry. But I would like to know why Cort is so interested in it." Philip says as he walks away from Holly. "Well ask him. Quito, go get..." Holly turns to talk to Quito. "Where did Quito go?" "He was here a minute ago. Quito!" Philip calls out as he walks into the foyer. He sees the secret door close. He walks over to the side of the staircase. "Is he in here?" Holly asks as she walks into the foyer. "No. But my eyes must be playing tricks on me." "What do you mean?" "Well I could have sworn I just saw this wall move." Philip says as he stares at it.

Philip makes himself another drink when Jean Paul enters the Drawing room. "Philip." He says greeting him. "Cousin. I thought you had gone to bed hours ago." Philip says to him as he walks towards him. "No I wasn't sleeping. Have you seen Quito?" "No. He came down with Holly but he left when we were talking." "Did he let her know where he was going?" Jean Paul asks as he walks closer to Philip. "No he must have gone to his room." "I looked there. He's not there." "Well He's got to be somewhere in the house." Philip says to Jean Paul.

"I looked all over the house. I can't find him." Thunder crashes. "Well he wouldn't go outside on a night like this would he?" Philip asks. Jean Paul walks across the room. "I know. That's why I'm rather concerned." he says as he looks out the window. "Well, Quito can look after himself if anybody can." Philip tells Jean Paul. Jean Paul smiles and glances at Philip. "I suppose so." He turns and looks out the window. "Would you join me in a glass of sherry?" Philip asks. "Oh thank you." Jean Paul tells him as he walks towards Philip. "Listen to me. Offering you your own sherry." Philip says as he pours a drink. "Oh not at all. It's yours too once you are at Desmond Hall. Desmond Hall belongs to all the Desmonds." As usual you are very gracious." Philip says with a smile as he hands the glass to Jean Paul. "To your health." "To your's." Jean Paul tells him. Thunder crashes outside as Jean Paul jumps. "What's that?" "Just thunder." "Oh yes." Jean Paul says as he takes a sip from the glass. “Forgive me cousin but you seem sort of nervous tonight." "Do I? Well perhaps I am because of the storm I suppose." Jean Paul says as he walks over and sits on the couch. "Yes. The thunder and lightening must be affecting me to. I started seeing things." Jean Paul looks up at him. "What do you mean?" Philip gives a laugh. "Earlier on I thought I saw a wall move." "A wall?" "Yes. Holly and I were talking and suddenly she noticed that Quito was missing so I went out into the hall to take a look for him and I thought I saw one of the walls move." Jean Paul glances at the doorway. "Of course it was just my imagination playing tricks." Jean Paul stands. "Which wall was it? Show me!" "You don't really think I saw..." "Well show me. Show me which wall it was please." Jean Paul says to him. "All right." Philip says then walks out of the Drawing room and stands next to the side of the staircase. Jean Paul follows him. Philip sets his drink down on a table and points to the panel. "It was this wall." Jean Paul sets his glass down and walks over to the wall. He starts pulling on the seams of the panel. Then he knocks on it. "What are you doing?" "There's something behind this wall." "A secret wall? You must be kidding." Philip says with a laugh. "No I'm not. There is a secret tunnel and it could well start here. Look could you help me find some tools. I'll try to pry this panel off." Jean Paul walks out of the foyer followed by Philip.

Holly walks to Jean Paul's room and knocks on the door. She opens the door. "Jean Paul?" She glances around the room then turns to leave. The music of the carousel begins to play in the room. Holly looks back at the room. "Philip, Philip where are you?" She walks in the room and stands in front of the mirror. The word BEWARE appears in the glass then disappears." Jean Paul and Philip use a hammer and screwdrivers as they try to pry off the panel. "Do you honestly think there is something behind here?" Philip asks. "I know there is." Jean Paul tells him. "Well it's giving." Philip says. "Good. One more try, use all your strength." The panel swings back. A brick wall is behind it." "Well it seems you were mistaken." Philip says as he looks at Jean Paul.

Quito is standing near a door.

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

~Ron/Bella~
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