STRANGE PARADISE- Episode 141

Episode 141a: Slideshow

Episode 141b: Slideshow

Emily: “Afternoon at Desmond Hall, within the ancient home of the Desmond Family long trusted allegiances are shifting. She who has always protected Jean Paul from his evil star is being closed out of his life. New influences are being brought into play to offset the dreaded effects of the past. Raxl rejected by the Master she has always served now seeks an accomplice to help her fulfill her mission in the destiny of the Desmonds.

Susan has told Raxl only she can help Jean Paul. “Explain yourself. What do you mean you are here to help my Master?” Raxl asks Susan. Susan shakes her head and puts her hand to her temple. “I don’t know. I was drawn here because he needed me.” “It will be revealed to both of us.” Raxl tells her. Susan steps away from Raxl. “Are you afraid of me?” Raxl asks. Susan looks at Raxl. “Raxl when you came into the room something flashed in my mind then it went right out again.” “Think carefully what went through your mind?” “It had something to do with you.” “What about me?” “Raxl we’re not strangers are we? It’s as if I’ve known you a long time ago. Before this life, is that possible?” “All things are possible.” Susan walks away from Raxl. “I came here almost against my will at first. Then as I was drawn up the path I saw the...” “What did you see?” “The star.” Raxl steps closer to Susan. “The star led you to my Master?” “No. No the star led me to you.” Susan says as she turns and looks at Raxl.

Jean Paul stands with his back towards Philip. “I’ll do what ever you tell me but I warn you, you may die.” Jean Paul says to Philip. “I’ll take that chance. It’s not the custom of my people to deny their kinsmen without exhausting every possibility that may save them.” Jean Paul turns towards Philip. “What if I am beyond salvation?” “If you are cursed Jean Paul then so am I. If you suffer so do I.” Philip turns away. “And if I suffer my people suffer. By protecting you I protect them.” Jean Paul walks up to him. “I am a stranger to your people.” “You must consent to the sacred practices of my people. You must subject yourself to our rituals. Can you consent to that?” Jean Paul nods. “Yes whatever you ask.”

“Then I will ask Orendo.” “Orendo?” “Orendo is the Guardian of my people. When my Grandfather married an Indian girl he was abandoned by his own people, by you Desmonds. And then he became one of us.” “But you are a Desmond.” Philip turns and looks at Jean Paul. “Except for his blood I am an Indian.” Jean Paul walks up to him. “Why didn’t you tell me that when you first arrived here?” “I didn’t know what I would find.” “Then you came to search?” Jean Paul asks. Philip looks away. “My tribe has endured hardships for generations. We have sought the origin among ourselves and outside.” He says as he turns towards Jean Paul. “I came to Desmond hall to try to trace that mysterious evil that has haunted my people before I came here.” Jean Paul steps up to him. “That evil follows all the Desmonds.” “We can free them by freeing you.” Jean Paul shakes his head. “No my fate is harsh on myself. But I would be wary to bring it to other people.” Jean Paul walks away from Philip. “I would take that risk.” Jean Paul turns towards him. “You may bring death to your people.” “I can shield my people from death.” “And you may bring death to yourself.” Philip walks closer to Jean Paul. “Cousin, kinsmen are joined in death as in life. We will face this danger together.” Jean Paul turns away. “Well you were warned.” “What I reveal to you must remain a secret between you and I. Will you consent to that?” Jean Paul turns and looks at him. “You have my solemn oath.” Philip nods then turns and walks from the room leaving the door open. Jean Paul turns away from the door as Raxl walks into the room. “Your cousin doesn’t seem like any Desmond I have ever known.” “No.” “He seems to possess knowledge that is not ours.” “It is a friendly knowledge Raxl.” Jean Paul says as he walks across the room. “Can you be certain of that?” “You must trust him.” Jean Paul says to Raxl. “Does he have a power to save you?” Jean Paul looks away. “Secrets between us can only lead to disaster.” Raxl says as she walks up to Jean Paul. “For you and for me.”

Philip enters the Drawing Room. Emily is sitting at the desk and stands when Philip walks across the room. “What have you decided?” Emily asks. “Jean Paul has agreed to cooperate with us for the next three days. The rest is up to us.” “What do you intend to do?” “I can’t tell you until I’m granted permission.” “Permission from whom?” Philip turns to her. “First I need the totem. Emily walks to the desk and pick up the totem and brings it to Philip. “Just for a short while.” Philip says to her. Emily hands it to him as Philip looks at her. “But you won’t be protected without it.” Philip tells her. Emily smiles. “Nothing will happen to me.” “I can’t leave you in this house unprotected.” “Then let me go with you.”

“No, no what I must do I must do alone.” Philip says as he turns away from her. “Just the sky, trees, and the earth.” “Well I’ll go to my room until you come back.”

“Yes.” Philip says as he walks to the door. Stopping he looks back at Emily and smiles. “Let me take you to your room.” Emily walks past him into the foyer. Susan is walking down the staircase. “Emily I want to talk to you.” “What about?”

“Well I had the strangest sort of dream but I wasn’t asleep.” “Susan will you do me an enormous favor?” Philip asks her. “Of course Philip.” “Stay with Emily until I return. And don’t let her out of your site.” “Sure.” Susan says nodding her head. “I’ll be back in a little while.” Philip says as he walks to the door to the outside. He stops and looks back at Susan and Emily. “And don’t let her out of your sight.” Susan and Emily look at each other.

Philip walks through the woods. Stopping in a clearing he raises the totem holding it in both hands. He touches it to his forehead and closes his eyes. ‘Orendo, Orendo Guardian Spirit hear me Orendo. Grant me the permission to reveal the secrets of our tribe to an outsider. Hear me Orendo he does not belong to our clan but I belong in part to his. The curse that haunts his day spreads from his life to ours. Grant me permission to call upon your powers to save us all. Give me a sign, speak Orendo.’ Philip calls out silently. A mask appears in the trees. Philip lowers the totem and approaches it. ’You have spoken Orendo, Gagosso face of my father. Ancient face that shields us from the evil Uthco, I plead for your intercession to protect my people, your descendants in the time of their tribulations. Give me permission to show you Gagosso to my kinsman Jean Paul Desmond. Include him in your circle of protection as you do me. I await your answer Gagosso.’ Philip says silently as he kneels in front of the mask. Tears run from the eyes of the mask. “My thanks to you Gagosso.” Philip stands and lifts the mask. He touches his forehead to it then lowers it. “Do not fret Gagosso we will find a place for you on our walls.” Philip turns and walks out of the woods back to the mansion.

Emily and Susan are in the Drawing Room looking through the books. “There is no mention anywhere of a female servant in the family history.” Emily says to Susan as she looks through a book. Susan walks away from Emily carrying another book. “But Raxl came into my room then my mind went blank as if I were dreaming. Those books deal only with the outer lives. What I am looking for must only exist in the mind.” Emily closes her book. “There is nothing here to help us.”

“We are looking in the wrong place. We must find a way to enter their collective consciousness.” Emily glances at Susan. “The head, every head of the Desmond family has eventually come to some mysterious end, hanging, suicide, sudden death and disappearances.” “You see those are the outer evidence of an inner presence and it seems to feed on their misfortunes.” Philip stands in the doorway holding his jacket. “Could I speak to Emily alone, please? And thank you for staying with her.” he says to Susan. “We’ve been talking about the Desmond family history, most revealing.” Susan says as she walks from the Drawing Room closing the doors behind her. Emily stands. “What have you got wrapped in your jacket?” “I can’t show you yet but you can take the totem back now.” He hands the totem to Emily. “I have my own protection.” “You place a great value on this totem don’t you?” Philip turns away. “Yes my people believe in totems and signs. Now my Grandfather when I was a boy taught me the ways of my people and because our ways could not banish the sorrows that infected them he sent me to a University. To learn the modern ways.” He turns and looks at Emily. “To see if they could help.” “And did they?” “No but I did learn that what we call modern psychology has its roots in the myths of the past.” “I don’t understand you.”

“Well what we call forebodings you call extra sensory perception. We used to dance around the council fire to drive out the God of Evil Uthco and you lie on psychiatrist’s couches.” “Which do you believe in?” Emily asks. Philip turns away. “I am a man of science I believe in what works.” “So do I.” “Then we will use the beliefs of my people and the beliefs of the University.” Philip turns towards Emily. “And between the two we will trace the Desmond evil to its source.” “We have to hurry. We only have three days before the star shines again.” “We will begin now. In the mean time you must promise me one thing.”

Emily glances at him. “Yes?” “Never let this be very far away from you.” Philip says touching the totem that Emily is holding. “It links your safety to mine. I cannot continue if you are in danger.”

Jean Paul sits in his room as Raxl walks in. “Master I have insisted the girl see you. She said she came to this house to speak to the murderer.” Raxl steps away from the door as Susan walks in. “Well now you know who the murderer is.” Jean Paul says to her. “No I only know the murderer exist.” Jean Paul glances at Raxl. “Raxl would you let me speak to Susan alone please.” “No let her stay it doesn’t matter.” “She said she was drawn here by your star Master.” “It was the star I followed to your front door.” “Did you know where it was leading you to?” Jean Paul asks. Susan shakes her head. “No.” “Well how did you know about the star?” Raxl asks. “Well I somehow know many things without being told.”

Jean Paul stands and looks away from her. “Susan are you afraid of me?” “I have no reason to be afraid of you Mr. Desmond.” He glances back at her. “You know I’m a murderer and yet you are not afraid.” He walks across the room. “I haven’t said you are a murderer. You have and Raxl has.” Raxl looks at Susan.” “But I am.” “No you are only an instrument used by another.” Jean Paul turns and looks at her. “Do you know who is using me as an instrument?” Susan shakes her head. “No.” “Susan did you come here to rid me of evil?” “Or bring more evil upon him?” Raxl asks. “I’m not evil.” “We only have your word for that.” “Raxl will you let the child speak.” “She is not a child. She has the appearance of innocence but it covers wickedness.” Susan walks up to Jean Paul. “Mr. Desmond there was evil in your life before I appeared. There was evil in your family even before I was ever born.” Susan says to him then walks out of the room.

Raxl walks into the Drawing Room and approaches Emily. “Miss Emily use you influences with Mr. Philip. Persuade him he must sop meddling in my Master’s affairs.” “He’s not meddling Raxl. He is trying to help him.” Emily tells her as she collects some of the books. “It is for his own good that I speak my warning.” Raxl says as she walks around Emily. “I trust Philip.” “The Desmonds are impetuous, rash men. You have read their history. They have ended up mad or on the gallows. Or vanish from life itself because they would not listen to warnings.”

Emily turns away. “I know their stories Raxl.” “Do you want the same thing to happen to the man you love?” Emily looks at Raxl. “I want him free from the evil that torments him.” “And the other one, he that loves you? From the first day that you arrived here you have begun to study the Desmond past. The misfortunes that have plagued this house, and of all of us that came from Maljardin only my Master and I are left.” Emily walks up to Raxl. “Surely you don’t blame that on me?” “Leave the past alone. Accept the present it is all we have.” Raxl turns and walks from the room.

Holding the mask Philip shows it to Jean Paul. “This is Gagosso the face of my Guardian Spirit Orendo.” “He has a fearful look about him. May I touch it?” Jean Paul asks as he raises his hand. “No not until you are granted its protection.”

“What must I do?” “Give your trust to it completely. Let nothing stand between your faith and it.” “But I know nothing about it.” “It is the face of one of the Gods of our people.” Jean Paul steps away. “Your Gods are alien to me.” “They are unknown to you not alien. They were here long before white man came to our shores. They saved us from extinction, they’ll save you cousin.” Jean Paul looks at Philip. “What must I do?” “Trust me and close your eyes.” Jean Paul stands with his eyes closed. “And hear what I say.” Philip raises the mask so he can look upon its face. “Gagosso face of my guardian Orendo hear my plea. Look upon my kinsman Jean Paul Desmond, include him within your protection. Shield him from the evil Uthco that ensnares him. Bring good upon him and defeat his enemies. Give him peace and restore purity to his heart. Give me a sign that he is one of us.” Tears run down the mask’s face. “He has spoken; you are under the shield of Orendo. You are our brother now. Open your eyes and touch your face to his.” Jean Paul opens his eyes and takes the mask from Philip. He touches it to his face then lowers it. “It is done. Orendo protects us both now.”

Jean Paul passes the mask back to Philip. “Brother will it do what you command?” “Through it we will reach into your mind. We will use its methods, incantations and dreams.” Jean Paul glances at Philip then walks across the room. “That’s witchcraft brother.” “It will exorcise your curse and through the modern witchcraft as well.” Philip says as he walks towards Jean Paul.

“The modern witchcraft?” “With the science of minds, hypnosis and drugs. Anything that will take us back to the memory. No matter what we find there, do you agree?” “I agree.” “Will you listen to no one else’s advice? Follow no one else’s instruction? Do you consent?” “I consent.” “No one must step between you and Orendo. Do you agree?” “Yes.” “And one thing more, will you stay in your room so I know where you are when I need you?” Jean Paul nods. “I shall stay here.” Philip smiles then turns walks out of the room.

Raxl enters Susan’s room. “You cannot evade your promise.” “Raxl I haven’t promised you anything.” “You came here to help my Master and now you refuse to do it.” Susan stands and walks towards the door. “I can’t help him if you stand between us.” Raxl grabs her arm and spins her around. “Should I reveal you Susanna Claire for what you really are?” “Why did you call me Susanna Claire? It’s not my name.” “Shall I disclose the part you play in the Desmond curse?”

“What are you talking about?” “Shall I expose the role your star plays in conjecture with his?” “You can disclose what you want; it has nothing to do with me.” “It’s not the truth and you know it!” Raxl says as she shoves Susan against the door. “Raxl I am not within your realm. I never have been and I never will be.”

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

~Ron/Bella~
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