Dusk descends once again upon the small village of Collinsport . . . and as it does, there is something different now about the night . . . it has been years since there was talk about the occurrences that once haunted the small fishing village . . . and its most prominent family . . . the Collins’ . . . but now, there are discussions . . . and fears . . . that there are Dark Shadows once more at Collinwood.
For some time the Rose Cottage on the Collinwood Estate had been allowed to sit in its own neglect and need of considerable repair–that is until it had been taken on as yet another restoration project by the Nicole Collins who has only recently arrived from England representing the British line of the family.
Her solicitors Harker & Hawkins, having quite successfully established, to the American branch of the family’s legal satisfaction, her ownership of that portion of the Older Estate that housed the original ancestral mansion, more commonly referred to as the Old House, early restoration work had been allowed to begin on the ruins of the historical home, which had burned mysteriously in 1997, so that the house would be available by the time Nicole Angelique Collins relocated from London. But as soon as Cousin Nikki saw the deplorable state of the Rose Cottage, she quickly offered to refurbish it as well. As the economic misfortunes of the Collins family business, having been under slow deteriorating for years, had only begun to stabilize it’s descent, as the business passed from father to son. If fact, under the direction of the son, after the father Roger Collins had retired, The Collins Family business began once more to thrive as David began to transform the old Fishing and Cannery business into an international megacorporation. David was more than well pleased to watch as the old estate, under Nikki Collins, direction began to return once more to it’s former historical glory.
As a child David had loved to wander through out the old estate, and he was more than delighted to welcome his distant cousin, and was particularly well please to see her so willing to place such an infusion of capitol into restoring the overgrown environs of the Collinwood Estate.
The sun is just setting, it is dusk at the Rose Cottage, and David Collins arrives to be met at the door by his lovely young Cousin Nikki. The svelte beauty, brushing back a falling curtain of chestnut hair invites him in, “Mr. Collins, so good to see you. Please, do feel free to enter, if you will, the new Rose Cottage.”
David is awed to see the old home once more as beautiful as perhaps it was when it had first been constructed, although he was a bit disappointed in that the furnishings have been so overly modernized. As he looks about the foyer, he discovers that he is not the only one visiting Rose Cottage tonight.
A woman he has yet to meet is being rolled forward in her wheelchair by Eppeus, who David knows from the Shining Ankh Interfaith Ministries (an a global charity and educational organization he had given permission to build a school and temple complex on land he had only recently had purchased back from the town in order to help out the community’s financial shortfall a year ago).
The woman in the wheelchair is introduced to David as Frau Ma’ame, the leader of the Collinsport Chapter of the Interfaith Ministries. David is gracious even as he is a bit surprised that he is only just now meeting the S.A.I.M. leader.
Frau Ma’ame is quick and to the point, she wants him to know that she had found something of some startling interest down by the Collins Cannery. Of course David is puzzled that anything around the Cannery could have been of interest to the S.A.I.M. Frau Ma’ame explains that while out for her morning walk about the lovely little city, she happened upon a “naked, bruised and cut-up little girl, unconscious in the mud out back by pallets of broken down boxes.”
David is immediately rises from his seat, incensed at the news: “What is it about this place that is so horrible to little girls?” He asks thinking back to his childhood.
Frau Ma’ame continues to explain that she and her assistant, Chiyo, had taken the little girl back to the hospital to be cared for. And explains that neither she (indicating her wheelchair) nor her assistant were truly capable of taking care of such a child, particularly since the little girl seems unable to speak, not from any physical disability, but perhaps as part of the traumatic events that left her in such a deplorable state. David immediately dismisses the idea that Frau Ma’ame or Chiyo should be concerned with caring for the child “because the little girl should be brought to Collinwood and where she will be well cared for.” He explains that he is already in the midst of a search for a new governess for his son Bramwell, and he would only just need to add a few new requirements for the position.
Frau Ma’ame is very appreciative and then begins to explain that she has only such begun to study the volumes she had borrowed regarding the Collins family history. Nikki indicates that it would take quite some time to study the family, seemingly this is the first that Frau Ma’ame turns her attention to the newest Collins, and takes note of the growing anxiety of the beautiful young woman. Nikki seems suddenly to have become much to distracted as she stands looking out the window at the deepening night.
Shaken by this latest news, David uncharacteristically pours himself a drink. He begins to renew his questions about the little girl. He confirms from Madam Ma’ame that the doctor’s examination of her earlier has revealed that there is apparently no physical reason for her being mute.
He discovers her name is Anna.
Intrigued, he asks just how were they able to ascertain her name, based upon her state, and inability to speak — Frau Ma’ame rather matter-of-factly states that Chiyo has so determined that is her name. David nods aware that the S.A.I.M has it’s own array of charitable resources, as well as come rather mystical methods, which was one of his growing fascinations after his visit to the Orient.
David tells Cousin Nikki had he had so hoped that the family’s “troubles” were long past. But now this poor child, and the reports of certain other strange occurrences have him worried that they may be returning. He tells Nikki he fondly remembers her father, Barnabas Collins, and how he had always been there to help “when things got really unusual around here . . . in the past.” He even tells her that her father twice saved his life. Nikki feels a sense of pride and a new overwhelming sense of place hear this report about her father, even as she remains so oddly distracted.
In the distance, at various times during their conversations, a dog is heard to mournfully howl.
David indicates he will be talking to the Sheriff about this matter. Frau Ma’ame informs him that the The ministry would have it’s one resources also checking into the child’s apparent assault. David cautions Frau Ma’ame to be certain to inform Sheriff Patterson of any of their actions, he is well aware that there is some discord in Collinsport over the establishment of the Interfaith Ministries campus. Frau Ma’ame indicates that she has already spoken to Sheriff Patterson concerning the little girl and the their desire to be part of the investigation.
David seems impressed with Frau Ma’ame’s leadership and the way she has handled this whole horrid affair, as well as hoping that her quick actions will dispel any bad publicity for the family seeing as how the little girl was found on Collin’s property, at the Cannery.
The conversation is interrupted by a knock on the door, and Nikki arises to answer. A tall, attractive woman enters. Frau Ma’ame introduces the newly arrived woman as Susan, whom she would like to suggest as a consideration for the vacancy of Governess. David asks if she was found through a service, and is told that the S.A.I.M has a vast network of resources with which to work. David is silently amazed at how fast the Interfaith was able to find someone so quickly. Frau Ma’ame looks to Eppeus for a brief moment, as they exchange a glance: before she indicates that Chiyo chose the girl after meeting with her.
David after some discussion with Susan, agrees to hire her.
David feeling the effects of his drink (seeing that he rarely drinks owing to his father’s history with alcohol) begins to lecture the women about how they should not venture alone at night.
Nikki informs him that she is sorry, but that she will not be able to honor his request as she so loves the night, and especially, in taking long walks in the moonlight out across the cut in the woods toward the old cemetery, she smiles and promises that he need not worry that she will be quite all right as she would not venture out with some protection. David is struck now by a memory of how her father was also known for his mysterious roaming about the estate at night.
David, perhaps feeling his drink, explains to Frau Ma’ame, that many strange things used to happen in and around Collinsport, that Collinwood itself had been haunted. He explains that as a boy he had many encounters in the mansion with ghosts. He then explains that part of the reason he was so eager for the Interfaith Ministries to establish a chapter in Collinsport, “in the hope that perhaps with your different sensibilities, perhaps you may be able to help in keeping all of those horrible old days from trying to come back.”
Frau Ma’ame tells David not to be concerned that the Chapter is there to protect the innocent and should he need their help to certainly contact them at anytime. As the hour is growing late, she excuses herself and asks Eppeus to help her depart.
David arises to say he too needs to leave. He has a meeting at the Historical Society. He tells Susan he can’t wait to have her move into Collinwood, and informs them that he will also soon have another visitor staying in the mansion. “A professor from the Miskatonic University,” who will be staying a while as she is researching the New England Witchcraft trials that had taken place in Collinsport, as well as one of his ancestors , Amadeus Collins. He explains that Amadeus seems to have played a prominent role in the 1795 Witch Trial as the tribunal judge, and was also known as a witch hunter.
As he continued to discuss the arrival of the professor, he also began to explain how once the house was always filled, but now, with his father in the hospital, and his Aunt Elizabeth having died, her daughter now having moved to New York to write children’s books, and then of course, his divorce from his second wife, the mansion has been all too lonely for him.
As they all gather to leave, Frau Ma’ame reaches out and grasps Nikki Collin’s wrist.
“Are you feeling the night call?” She asks in a low voice. Nikki whispers: “I fight so hard against it.”
“Do you need something, to drink,” Ma’ame asks. Nikki nods, “Yes, please. I . . . I am afraid of taking the chance that I may let myself go and not be able to stop, that I may go too far.”
“I will have Eppeus return.” Frau Ma’ame tells her as she rolls toward the door,
After everyone has left there is a knock on the door. It is Eppeus. He delivers Nikki two pints of blood, still very warm, which she slips away to quickly drink.
Cue end of episode music