Strange Paradise: Episode 174
Episode 174:  Slideshow 174a
Episode 174:  Slideshow 174b
 
“I don’t understand what is going on between you two.” Irene tells Jean Paul.
“This is no concern of yours Irene.” Jean Paul says to her.  “Not unless you are a prospective heir to the Desmond fortune.” says Philip.  “Then you are plotting against me.”   “I told you I’m not plotting against you. I’ve told you that before.”
Jean Paul walks towards him. “I’m telling you to get out of this town.”  “I don’t take orders from you!” Philip says angrily.  “You have worn out your welcome here.”  “All of this because you heard me speaking to my spirits.”  “Your primitive rituals have brought danger to everyone at Desmond Hall.” Jean Paul tells him as he walks in front of the fireplace.  “Who is in danger?” Irene asks.  “All of us.” Jean Paul answers her.  Irene walks towards him. “Jean Paul surely you exaggerate.”  Jean Paul walks away from her. “Ada is frightened of everything she hears. And Cort is doing all kinds of strange things.”  Philip laughs. “That’s not my fault.”  “And Emily doesn’t even dare to leave the house.”  “But she was just...” Irene starts to say as she sees Philip shake his head.  “She’s a high strung girl. I remember when she stayed with me she was often overwrought.”
“She was perfectly normal until he came with his masks and totems.” Jean Paul says as he steps away from Philip.  “They are the customs of my people!” Philip says as he follows Jean Paul across the room. “And don’t forget that I am a Desmond.”  “In name only! Nothing of the Desmonds will come to you ever!” Jean Paul says as he turns away from Philip.  “I wouldn’t be too sure of that Jean Paul Desmond!” Philip says as he walks to the door and out of Irene’s cottage.
Jean Paul rushes to the window and watches as Philip walks away. He turns towards Irene. “I must apologize for causing a scene in your home.”  “I thought that you and Philip were the best of friends.” Irene says as she walks away from Jean Paul.  “He’s very deceptive. He likes to integrate himself with everyone then take advantage of it.”  “I always thought he seemed so fond of all of you.”  Jean Paul walks across the room. “He’s fond of what he can get. If I were you I’d watch your step with him.”  “Well there’s nothing that he would want here.”  “Then what was he doing here?”  “Well he came to me at my door and begged me to take him in.” Irene says as she walks closer to Jean Paul.  “Then he’s staying here?”  “He is not. He took a room at the inn.”  “In that case I don’t see any reason to encourage his company.”  “I have a perfect right to choose my friends.” Irene tells him.  “He is looking for a place to practice his black magic.”   “It won’t work here.” Irene says to him.  Jean Paul walks to the altar. “Not with the candles?” he asks as he picks one up. “There’s something rather special sort of significant about these I should think.”  “I don’t know what you are talking about.” Irene says as she steps closer to Jean Paul.  “Emily remembers them.” he says as he sets the candle down.  “What has she said about me?” Irene asks.  “She remembers little rituals in what I think she said with the candles.” Jean Paul says as he walks away from her.  “She was ill.”  “Really? She remembers charms, powders, amulets and spells. She wouldn’t tell me anymore but she knows more. She’s afraid of you.”  “She wasn’t afraid today.”  “Today?” Jean Paul asks.  “Well she visited me this morning.” Irene says as she steps away from Jean Paul.  Jean Paul walks closer to her. “She visited you today? I thought she promised to never see you again.”  “You have no right to make her promise such a thing.”
Jean Paul stands closer. “I will not tolerate with your interfering with Emily.”  “I don’t interfere with anyone.” Irene says as she steps away from Jean Paul.  “Don’t deny it. Ever since I came to Desmondton you’ve been involved with all the women at Desmond Hall. First there was Holly.” he says as he walks closer to her.  “I tried to befriend a lonely girl.”  Then there was Helena who left suddenly after a close friendship with you.”  “You can’t blame her because she jilted you.”  “And now here’s Emily who is afraid of you and remembers strange things going on here.” Jean Paul says as he walks to the fireplace.  Irene walks towards him. “How dare you!”  “No Irene how dare you.” He says as he turns towards her.  “Get out of my house!” She says pointing at the door.  Jean Paul walks towards the door and stand next to the couch. “You stay away from my house and stay away from my relatives and my friends.”  “No wonder Philip distrusts you. You’re everything he says you were, greedy and selfish.”  “Beware of joining forces with Philip against me.” Jean Paul says to her.  “You can have your own way at Desmond Hall but here you’re just another visitor and not a very welcome one!” She says as she turns away from him.  “If Philip does to me or those with me any harm, I shall hold you responsible. Remember that.” Jean Paul tells her then walks out the cottage door.  Irene walks to her altar and lights the candles. “Help me to degrade him. Help me to drive him from Desmond Hall a broken man. “
 
The secret door in the Drawing room opens and Julian Desmond steps out of the passageway. He steps over to Susan. “It’s all settled my dear?” He asks her.
“Yes we’ve done all we can do.” Susan says as she looks up at him from the couch. “The rest depends upon our stars.”  “You followed my instructions?”
Susan nods. “We’re waiting for her now.”  Julian walks towards Jacques’
portrait and stands in front of it. “The first time I tried this I bungled it badly.”  Susan stands and walks up behind him. “It isn’t easy to lead people back to the source of their evil.”  “We can only wait for them to make a move they can’t reverse.” Julian says then glances at the door. “Here she comes.”  Raxl walks into the room. “You have summoned me?”  Julian steps forward. “Close the door Raxl.”  Turning Raxl closes the door then faces Julian.  “Come, come my dear woman don’t stand there staring. You’ve been through this ritual before.” Julian says to her.  Raxl steps forward and stands between Julian and Susan.  “Speak to the portrait for all of us.” Julian says to her.  “I can’t! He will destroy me!”  “You are in the company of two people who have escaped his vengeance. You are ours at long last.”  “The last time you forced me to do this was before you died.”
“You thought I died.” Julian says to her.  “Then your brother Benjamin met his horrible fate.”  Julian steps away. “Benjamin invited death, the innocent do not.”
“Will you risk another Desmond in death?” Raxl asks.  “We do not seek death but life.” Susan says to her.  “Enough wasting time, let us proceed!” Julian tells them then stands in front of Jacques’ portrait. Raxl and Susan stand on the sides of him but behind him.  “Jacques Eloi Des Mondes we have followed you we three through century after century.”  Jacques starts to laugh at him.  “Laugh my dear Jacques. It won’t be long before you are silenced forever.”  Jacques continues to laugh.  Julian takes a small tin from his pocket. “Here are the ashes collected when first your evil did its work, the ashes of your brother Philippe.”  Raxl gasps and steps forward.  Susan blocks her. “Do not interfere.”  “Those ashes will be joined by mine.” Raxl says.  “Only if you betray us.” Susan tells her.  “Quiet.” Julian tells them as Jacques continues to laugh. “With the dust of your brother I give you eternal silence.” Julian says as he smears the ashes across the lips of the portrait.
 
Jean Paul reaches up to his mouth as his lips burn. He rushes to the mirror and rubs his lips as he looks at his reflection.  There is a knock on Jean Paul’s door. The door opens and Philip walks in. “It worked. She played right into our hands.” Philip says with a smile.  Jean Paul turns towards Philip. “Quick where is Gagossa?”  “At Irene's.”  Jean Paul walks to the dresser. “I was speaking to it right here and it vanished right before my eyes.”  “Well I called it to me because she can’t do evil while he is there.” Philip says as he walks closer to Jean Paul.
Jean Paul looks at Philip. “I need him.”  “What’s wrong?”  “Something strange happened to me just before you knocked. I felt like I had received a sting on my lips like from a bee of fire.” Jean Paul says as he touches his lips. Then glances up. “She’s lighting the candles!”
 
Irene has the altar lit. “Give me strength to fight my enemies. Keep Jean Paul Desmond from the truth. Protect me from the Desmond curse.”  Julian materializes in the room.  “Protect my conspirator Philip.”  “You I take it are the fascinating Mrs. Hatter.” Julian says to her.  Irene turns around.  “Did I startle you?” Julian asks.  “I didn’t hear you enter.” Irene says to him.  “I knocked several times but you seemed to be rather preoccupied.”  “Who are you?”  “My name is Julian Desmond.” he says as he walks towards her.  “Ada Thaxton’s father.” Irene says to him.  “So news of me has already proceeded me.”  “What do you want?”  “Do you mind if I sit down. It’s a rather very strenuous walk from Desmond Hall to your house for a man of my years.” He says as he sits on the couch. “Now what did you ask me?”  “What do you want of me?”  “Only to know you. I have heard so much about you from my daughter and from that charming girl Jean Paul hopes to marry.”  “What have you heard?” Irene asks.  “Enough to arouse my curiosity. But since they are much to busy to introduce us I took it upon myself to introduce myself.”  Irene looks at her altar and starts to blow out the candles.  “Oh let them burn. They lend a pleasant air of mystery to the room.”
“Mr. Desmond I’m sure you intend nothing more than friendship but strange men coming to my door unannounced will soon give me a reputation that I prefer not to have in this provincial town.” Irene says as she walks away from the altar. “I’m sure you understand.”  There is a knock on the door. The door opens and Philip walks into the cottage.  “Philip there you are.” Julian says as he stands and turns towards Irene. “We were wondering where this young man had disappeared to. I hope I’m not interfering in a private meeting?”  “Philip and I have business matters to speak of.” Irene says to Julian.  “Oh then I really am in the way. You should have told me. I’m really sorry for you are really as charming as I was led to expect.”  “I’d offer to walk you back to Desmond Hall but it appears I am not welcome there anymore.”  Julian turns towards Philip. “Oh dear me I was hoping you younger Desmonds would learn from the mistakes of the elders.”  “Learn what?” Irene asks.  “Oh to stop the family habit of feuds and quarrels. But it's not my concern; I’ll stay out of it. Goodbye my dear Mrs. Hatter.” Julian holds out his hand to Irene. “Now that we have met I hope you will visit me at Desmond Hall.” He says as he shakes Irene's hand. “And my daughter would like it too I’m sure.” Julian turns and leaves the cottage.  “What did he come here for?” Philip asks Irene.  Irene walks to the fireplace and stands in front of it. “I really don’t know. He said he heard so much about me he couldn’t resist coming to see me.” She says as she glances at Philip. “Where did you go?”  “Back to the Inn to get something.” He says as he walks towards the altar. “Did you light these in my absence?”  “Of course not.”  Philip puts his hand over the candles. “Then why are they still warm?” He asks looking at her.  “Mr. Desmond asked me to light them.”
Philip walks towards her. “Don’t deceive me.”  “I didn’t know you didn’t want them lit.”  “Well now you know. Now we are both in this together and if we don’t act in consent then we’ll both fail. And you don’t want that, do you?” Philip says to her angrily.
 
Susan sits on her bed, Raxl stands across from her. “Why are you trying to help me?” Raxl asks.  “You can't continue as you have been Raxl.”  “I’ve never had a choice.”  “No what you have never had is faith.”  Raxl sits in a chair. “My faith was taken from me a long time ago.”  “Because you believe that life is more important than what you do to maintain it.”  “What waits for me at the end of my life is not what waits for other people.”  Susan stands and walks over to Raxl. “All these years we’ve been enemies because I loved the man that you served.”  “That was not the reason.” Raxl says to her.  “You wouldn’t let me marry him. You turned his mother and his brother against me.” Susan says as she steps away from Raxl then glances back at her. “And when all else failed you sent him to his death.”  “I paid for that over and over again.” Raxl says sadly.  “What you are going through is worse than what you avoided.”  “If I could really believe that I could be reconciled with going to the other side.”  Susan walks back to Raxl’s side and kneels next to her. “Raxl you mustn’t be afraid.” She touches Raxl’s hand.  Raxl places her hand on top of Susan's. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re free to come and go as you wish.” Raxl glances at the window. “But I’m linked to the star. I’m forced to provide Master after Master.”  “No you provided it with its last one. Jean Paul is still your Master.”  Raxl shakes her head. “No he has deserted me.” Raxl stands and walks across the room.  Susan stands. “Well plead with him. He’ll take you back.”  “I already have. He’s refused.”  Susan walks up to her. “Then I’ll plead with him for you okay.”  “You would do that knowing what you know of me?” Raxl asks as she walks away from Susan sadly.
“I do it because I know what I know.”
 
Philip looks at Jean Paul. “I can’t stay; she’ll wonder where I am. If you need me tonight I’ll be at the Inn or Irene’s.” Philip says as he walks closer to Jean Paul.
Jean Paul turns towards him. “Alright, take care of yourself Philip.”  “I’ll be alright as long as I have the totem.” He takes it from his pocket. “And Jean Paul I’ve done a very dangerous thing tonight. I summoned Orendo in the guise of Uthco. Now if I failed you may be left without any protection at all.”  Jean Paul walks across the room. “And if you didn’t fail?”  “Well then the world will be yours. And you will be free.” Philip says as he walks towards Jean Paul.  “All right then go ahead and don’t hesitate.”  “When you are free my people will be free with you.” Philip says then walks out of the room.  Susan meets Philip in the hallway outside Jean Paul’s room. “Oh Philip the star will be out tonight.”  “We will be ready for it.”  “It will bring no harm unless...”  “Unless what?” Philip asks as he walks with Susan down the hallway.  “Unless one of us breaks a faith.”  “What do you mean?” Philip asks.  “Well the evil that has followed the Desmonds will be forded at every turn tonight. But as long as we don’t break the link we will be okay.”  “Watch out for Emily will you.” Philip says to her.  Susan nods.  “I’m going to need the totem at Irene's tonight.” Philip says as he turns to walks away.
Susan grabs his arm. Look beware of her. You’ve given her powers she’s never had before.”  Philip nods.  “Make sure she doesn’t turn them against you.”
 
Jean Paul stands looking out the window as Susan walks into his room. He turns and looks at her. “There’s no need to keep watch. The star won’t appear to you tonight.” Susan says to him.  “How do you know that?”  “It’s left you forever. The portrait will never laugh at you again and the only heartbeat that you will hear will be that of your own. They’ve all gone.”  “Can I believe that?”  Susan walks away from him. “You have to pay a forfeit though.”  “Well anything, name it.”  “Take Raxl back into your service.”  Jean Paul steps towards her. “I can’t do that.”  Susan looks at him. “Do you want to free the Desmonds’ of that star?”  “Raxl is the one who brought it to me.”  “That’s why only she can take it away from you.”
“She’ll only pass it on to Cort.”  “Jean Paul trust me please and Julian.”  “What’s Julian got to do with this?” Jean Paul asks.  “Don’t ask any questions, it’s just that all these years Raxl has led you where she wanted you to go. Now we will lead you.” Susan says as she walks to the window. “We’re the other side of her star.”
“Am I always to be guided by other people?”  “You don’t understand.”  “Perhaps I don’t understand! But I do understand that Raxl has been at the bottom of all the trouble that has followed me. And now you’re asking me to take her back into my service!” He says as he walks away from Susan.  Susan walks over to him and faces him. “Look Raxl has been stripped from the evil. We’re going to bring her to the circle of the good now.”  “She will betray me once again!” says Jean Paul.  “We won’t let her betray you.” Susan says as she grips his arm.  Jean Paul shakes his head and turns away fro her. “She’s had a long experience.”  “Her experience is no longer than mine.” Susan turns towards him. “Look I beg you, take Raxl back. That’s the only way we can get to the source of evil that follows the Desmonds.”  Jean Paul walks across the room. “All right I consent. If you promise me something.”  “Emily will be safe.” Susan says to him. She has her back towards him.  “Not only Emily.” He says as he walks to the window.  “The innocent will be safe and the evil will carry their own destruction within themselves.”  Jean Paul walks up to her. “All right I agree. I’ll ask her back. And I shall not speak about her past.”  Susan turns and looks at him. “And if we succeed the past will not be remembered by any of us again.”
 
Irene lights the candles and Philip stands across the room from her holding the totem. “Demons of the dark the night is upon us. Spirits of the other world a shroud of darkness conceals us.” Irene says.  “Uthco reveal to us the enemies of our tribe. Conflict them with the seeds of their own destruction. And free us forever from their tyranny.” Philip says as he walks to the altar holding the totem and moving his hand above it.
 
Susan walks into her room. Raxl turns towards her. “It’s been done Raxl. You’re a servant once again.”  “Oh you have earned my obedience. I will do what ever you command.” Raxl says with a bow.  Julian stands in the room, Susan turns and looks at him. “It’s time, the star is out.” Julian says to them.  Raxl turns towards the window and glances at the sky. She sees a clear sky then she turns towards Julian. “I can’t see it!”  “You’ll never see the star again Raxl. I will see it. Susan will see it and we will direct your movements from now on. And now let us proceed.” Julian says.
 
Philip kneels next to the altar and holds the totem near the candles. “Is it Julian Desmond?” Nothing happens. “Is it the woman Raxl?” Again nothing happens. “Is it the girl Susan?” Nothing happens again. “Is it Laslo Thaxton?”  “No you can’t!” Irene says to him. They look at the candles as they blow out. Irene stands and backs away. “You have betrayed me!”
 
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Summaries written by Debby Graham .  The slide presentation is the work of Ron Janick.
~Ron/Bella~
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Episode 175

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