Strange Paradise: Episode 187
Episode 187a:  Slideshow
Episode 187b:  Slideshow
 
Philip stands on the stairs as Raxl steps closet to him. “Who were you talking to?” Raxl asks.  “Susan.” Philip says as he turns towards Raxl.  “Where did she go?”  “She disappeared. She took the little box from me and smiled then vanished.” Philip says as he walks down the stairs and walks away from Raxl.
“What little box?” Raxl asks.  “Just something I picked up off her dresser.” Philip says with his back towards them.  Raxl steps over to Julian. “A snuffbox. Is that what it was?” She asks Philip.  “Yes it could have been. It was full of some kind of powder.”  Raxl moves away from Julian and steps up on the staircase.  “Raxl you stay here. I’ll get the snuffbox.” Julian says to her then walks into the Drawing Room.  Philip turns and walks over to Raxl. “Raxl tell me the truth. Susan’s dead isn’t she?”  “Well you just said you saw her.”  “That was some kind of spirit I saw. She appeared then disappeared quickly!”  “You only imagined that.” Raxl says as she walks away from Philip.  “Raxl I swear to you! I’ll ask Julian.” Philip says then walks into the Drawing Room. He stops and looks around the room. He turns back to the foyer. “Where is he?”  “He’s gone to find Miss Susan.”  “But I saw him go back into that room!” Philip says as he points at the Drawing room.  “Oh nonsense Mr. Philip. Your imagination is playing tricks on you. He just went past you up the stairs.” Raxl tells him then walks into the Drawing Room.  Philip stares after her then follows her.
 
Cort turns and sees Susan standing in her room. “Where have you been? Everyone is looking for you.” Cort says to her.  “I had an errand to do.”  “You never left this room.”  Susan walks past Cort. “Cort you’re not making sense. First you ask me where I went then you say I didn’t leave this room.” Susan says as she sits down.  Cort turns away from her. “Oh stop playing games.”  “I’m not playing games Cort. This is very serious.”  Cort turns and looks at Susan. “What have you got there?”  “Never mind...” Susan says as she stands and walks across the room then look back at Cort. “Cort you will have to excuse yourself. I want to change.” She says as she stands at the door.  “Change your clothes?”  Susan nods.  “What for?”  “I’m leaving.”  “In the middle of the night?”  “Yes I can’t stay any longer.” Susan says as she walks towards Cort. “I have to leave Desmond Hall.”  “You are insane you know that.”  Susan turns away. “Don’t say things like that to me Cort.”  “I’m sorry.” Cort says as he steps behind Susan. “Forgive me I didn’t mean that. I’ll go if you want me to.”  “They’re coming for me. Cort don’t let them know I was here please.” Susan says as she turns and looks at the small box of ashes.  “Who’s coming?”  “Open the door, you’ll see.”  Cort walks to the door and opens it. Julian Desmond steps inside the room and glances around. Cort turns and looks behind him. Susan is gone.
 
Philip leans his hand on the mantel and faces Raxl. “Raxl I am not going to leave this room until you answer my questions. So stop putting me off!”  Raxl shakes her head and walks away from him. “I cannot tell you what you want to know.”
“Then I’ll ask Jean Paul to make you tell me.” Philip says as he walks away from Raxl then looks back at her. “It’s as important to him as it is to me.”  Raxl walks over to him. “Do not draw Jean Paul into this.”  “You’re interfering with his life.” Philip says as he puts his hands on his hips.  Raxl turns away. “We are trying to undo the evil of centuries. We’re trying to save him and we are trying to save you.” Raxl says as she looks at Philip.  “Then let us help you.”  Raxl shakes her head. “Mr. Philip you cannot help us.” She walks up to him. “You can be saved from your fate only if you never learn what it is.”  Philip turns away. “Then I may never be free.”  “Go upstairs and if you see Miss Susan ask her to give you the snuffbox. Then bring it down to me. It is the bridge from the past to the future. It is terribly important that she doesn’t take it with her when she leaves.”  Philip looks at her. “Where is she going?”  Raxl turns and walks towards Jacques’ portrait. Raxl follows her. “Raxl I asked you a question!”  “I will not answer that question.”  Philip turns and rushes from the room.
 
“Cort my boy what’s troubling you?” Julian asks.  “Nothing, nothing at all.” Cort says as he sits on Susan’s bed.  “Where’s Susan?” Julian asks as he walks across the room.  “I haven’t seen her.”  Julian turns towards him. “Come, come my boy don’t lie to me.”  “I’m not lying.” Cort says as he looks at Julian.  “What are you doing in her room this late at night if she’s not here?”  “And what do you want Grandfather?” Cort asks.  Julian sits down next to him. “What did she make you promise?”  Cort looks away.  “It’s not wise to hide things from us.”  “Us?” Cort says as he looks at Julian. “What do you mean by us?”  “Did I say us, I meant me of course.”  Cort stands and walks to the window. “I don’t think you did.”  “Explain yourself.” Julian says to him.  Cort turns towards him. “Raxl came up here earlier this evening looking for the book and the document that Susan had left in this room. And now you’ve come. What do you want?” Cort asks as he steps closer to Julian.  “Are you presuming to cross-examine me?”  “She said her enemies. She meant Raxl and you. That’s what she meant.”  Julian stands and faces Cort. “My dear boy I don’t know what you are talking about. I suspect that you don’t either.” Julian says then turns away.  “She said her enemies were coming after her. And you arrived! Now what do you want from her!” Cort says stepping up behind Julian.  “She knows what is expected of her.”  “Stop hounding her!” Cort shouts angrily then walks away from Julian. “She’s going out of her mind because of you persecuting her! Just leave her alone!” Cort shouts as he turns towards Julian.  Emily stands in the doorway. “Cort what’s going on in here? Why are you shouting?”  “Miss Blair I told you to stay in your room tonight.” Julian says to her.  “You woke me with your arguing.”  “My Grandson and I were just discussing some family affairs. That is all.” Julian says as he looks at Emily.
“I don’t believe you. I want to know what you are doing here? And where Susan is?”  “Go back to your room Miss Blair.” Julian says as he steps closer to Emily.
“I want the book that I brought for Susan to read.” Emily says as she walks to the dressing table. Emily then turns towards Julian as she stands next to Cort. “And the document she was going to study for me.”  “Raxl took them downstairs.” Cort says to her.  “Well she has no business with them.” Emily says as she walks across the room to the door.  “Stay out of it Miss Blair. You are tampering with your safety and your happiness.” Julian says to her.  Emily stares at him then walks out of the room.  Julian glances at Cort.
 
Raxl turns to Philip. “Mr. Philip take care, what has been done can be undone. The star could come back to you.”  “Jean Paul told me it doesn’t return once it left me.”  Raxl turns away. “The night is not over yet. It must move on to someone else before you can be free of it.” Raxl tells him as she glances back at him.  “It has no other Desmond to go to.”  Raxl shakes her head and walks towards him. “Then it may never leave you.”  “Why are you warning me Raxl?”  Raxl touches his arm. “Go upstairs to your room and leave us to our work.”  “You and Julian?” Philip asks.  “And Susan.”  “What is Susan’s part in this?” Philip asks.  Emily walks to the Drawing room door.  “Shhh we are being overheard.” Raxl says to Philip and turns from him.  Philip turns to the doorway.  “Oh Philip thank God you’re here.” Emily says as she walks into the Drawing Room and stands next to Philip.  “Why what’s the matter?”  “I’ve looked everywhere for Susan and I can’t find her. And Cort and Julian are in her room having a row.”  Philip glances away.
“Philip what’s the matter?” Emily asks.  “Emily we failed. The star came back and the Mark of Death and I tried...”  “Mr. Philip!” Raxl says as she turns towards him. “You must not reveal what happened last night. You promised Julian Desmond.”
“How do you know I promised?” Philip asks as he looks at Raxl. “We were alone.” “None of us were alone. We are in the company o9f the spirits of the past and of the present.” Raxl says as she walks away.  Philip lowers his gaze.
“Philip what were you going to tell me? Emily asks. “Was it about Susan? Or Jean Paul, Philip tell me.”  “Now don’t insist Emily. My secrecy protects us all.”
“All right.” Emily says to him as she walks to the desk and picks up the book.
“Put that book back please.” Raxl says to Emily.  Emily picks up the document.
“Put that down Miss Blair.”  “I found this and brought it here for my own purposes not for yours what ever they are.” Emily says as she looks at Raxl.  “We need it here.”  “I’m taking it and the book to my room.”  “You would defy us!”  “Do you want me to wake up Jean Paul and let him decide what I can take up to my room? Do you want to draw him into what you are doing? Is that what you want?”  “Very well Miss Blair take what you want and may God help you.”
 
Julian walks through the secret room carrying a candle for light. He walks to the table and sets it down. “Susanne O’Claire I know you are in this room. Your presence fills the air. Come back to us. Without your aid we cannot succeed.” Julian says as he walks towards the skeleton. “We will swirl forever between heaven and hell, between life and death all because of you.” Julian says as he walks around the room. “Come Susanne, come Susan.”  Susan appears in front of the skeleton. Julian walks up to her. “You shouldn’t have left us. You have broken the tie that keeps us to the past.”  “I will not sacrifice him.” Susan tells Julian.  “He was sacrificed before.”  “Not by me. I was not the instrument used to kill him.”  “My dear we all were.”  Susan steps away from him. “But I didn’t know that.”  “Why do you think it has taken death all this time to come to you?”  “I won’t take him with me.” Susan says to him.  “Do you want to go on forever as you are?”  Susan shakes her head. “No.”  “Then end it while you have the chance.”
Susan looks back at Julian. “But not through him. He’s innocent.”  “I’ll make a bargain with you.”  Susan looks away. “My life has been nothing but a bargain for three hundred years.”  “Hear me out. We will release you from your part in this.”
“That’s impossible.”  “If you give me back the ashes.” Julian says to her.  Susan walks away. “No never.”  Julian faces her. “They were not supposed to fall into your hands in the first place.”  “Providence put them in my hands and only providence will take them from me.”  “I can take them from you. If I’m willing to take the risk.”  “But you’re not are you? They can only be given freely from hand to hand.”  “They will do you no good.”  “And you know that’s not true either. They are my passport to eternity. You will never see them again.” Susan says with a grin and disappears.  Julian faces the skeleton. “You demons on the other side, you tricksters and betrayers of human hope you’ve taken our weapons and left us empty handed to fight against you.” Julian reaches into his pocket and takes out his watch. He opens it and looks down at it. “It has stopped. My time is running out, we have not yet achieved what I came for. Give me back the sound of the watch; give me back the beating of my pulse. Let me free the Desmonds then do with me what you will at long last.”
 
Susan enters her room and walks across the floor carrying the box of ashes. Emily is sitting on the bed. “I’ve been waiting foe you.” Emily says to Susan.
Susan sets the small box on her dresser. “We haven’t much time.” She picks up the document and places it on the palm of her hand. Then places the small box of ashes on top. “Open the book and read it to me please.’ Susan tells Emily.
Emily opens the book. “The sun filled the square. The Cathedral bells rang and thousands of Parisians bustled about in anticipation of yet another burning at the stake. A hush fell upon the crowd as the young man dressed only in a nightshirt was led from the door of the Bastille. His eyes gazed up at the sky for the last time before he took his place on the heap of twigs and sticks.”  Susan watches the document as the name Victoire Conte Des Mondes appears on the document.  “Without a word, without a gesture of protest.” Emily continues to read.  Susan nods then glances at Emily.   “What is it?” Emily asks.  “Don’t stop reading.”  “As the flames crept higher and higher he closed his eyes and smiled forgivingly at the people before him. The crowd fell silent realizing at last they were not burning an evil witch but a blessed saint.”  As Emily reads from the book the document starts to change the words turning to English. “My Lord and Master Lucifer I acknowledge thee a Prince and promise to serve and obey thee even beyond my life on earth. I will perform your evil and draw others into your service. If I fail in this pledge I give you as hostage any male descendant you shall name in Perpetuity.”  Julian steps into the room and the words disappear leaving the paper blank. “Now perhaps you will give me the ashes.” He says to Susan. Susan rushes over to the dressing table and picks up the small box.
“Give them to me. We’ve waited enough time.” Susan opens the box and puts her finger into it and touches her temple with the ashes as she looks at Julian.
Julian closes his eyes and puts his hand to his head. He collapses to the floor unconscious.  Susan smiles as she closes the box and rushes from the room.
Emily stands and looks at Julian then runs to the doorway and stands outside the door. “Susan! Susan!” Emily calls. She sees Cort walking down the hallway and walks up to him.  “What’s the matter?” Cort asks.  “Have you seen Susan she was just here? I think she has gone mad, she just threw something at your grandfather.”  Cort looks into the room and Emily grabs his arm. “Cort go in and make sure he’s all right. I’ve just got to find her.” Emily releases him and rushes off down the hallway.   Cort walks into Susan’s room as Julian begins to stir. “Grandfather what happened?” Cort asks as he bends down next to him and grabs Julian’s arm to help him up.  “It’s all right.”  “Emily said Susan threw something at you.”  “She lost her temper that’s all.”  “Did she hurt you?” Cort asks as Julian stands.  “No not at all. It’s all right.” Julian says as he walks away from Cort to the dressing table.  “Perhaps you better go to your bed Grandfather.”
Julian turns and looks at Cort. “Sleeping is for the young people. I suggest you go to bed Cort.” Julian says then turns and looks at the dresser then sits in front of it.  “Are you sure you’re all right Grandfather?”  “I’m just trying to figure something out.”  “Can I help you?”  “You can call Raxl for me. That’s what you can do.”  “Perhaps you better go down there in case Susan comes back.”  Julian turns in the chair and looks at Cort. “She won’t be back. Now go on. Go on I’ll be all right.” Julian tells him then turns back to the dressing table.  Cort walks from the room.  Julian glances down and sees the blank document. He picks it up and looks at it.
 
“If morning comes and I haven’t killed anyone will I be free of the Mark of Death?” Philip asks Raxl as he leans against the fireplace mantel and looks at her.  Raxl turns away. “Only time will tell you that.”  Philip steps away from the fireplace.  “But if I really killed Susan wouldn’t that free me?”  “You did not kill her.” Raxl says as she steps closer to him.  Philip turns towards Raxl. “Well she’s dead, I know that.”  “Miss Susan cannot die.”  “Everybody dies.” Philip says as he walks away from Raxl.  “Not everyone. Some of us have a choice between life and death if we are willing to pay what is demanded.”  Philip looks at her then glances at the doorway as Cort walks into the Drawing Room.  “Grandfather wants to see you. He’s in Susan’s bedroom.” Cort says to Raxl.  Raxl turns and looks at Philip. “Take heart Mr. Philip the only harm that can come to you is what you do to yourself.” She says as she touches his arm then turns and walks from the room.
Cort walks across the room and stands next to Philip. “What did she mean by that?”  “Never mind her Cort. Have you seen Susan?”  “Emily is looking for her now. She won’t find her.”  Philip steps away from Cort. “Cort go up and wake Jean Paul.”  “Julian doesn’t want him awakened.”  “Well never mind about Julian now Cort. Just go and get him and tell him I need to see him right away please.” Cort walks past Philip and Philip grabs his arm and stops him. “And Cort don’t tell him about Susan. I’ll explain it all to him later.”  Cort turns and walks from the room.  Philip sits on the couch as Susan walks up behind him. “Philip you can’t tell Jean Paul anything about tonight. Do you understand?”  Philip stands and looks at her. “Susan?” He walks towards the door.  “No don’t bother closing the doors. No one can see me now except you.”  Philip walks back to her. “What do you mean?”  “You released me from the misery of my life.”  “Then you really are dead.”  Susan smiles. “No not really. But then I’m not really alive either.”  “I don’t understand you.”  “You rely too much on what you can see.”  “What should I rely on?”  Susan steps up to him. “You know in another time and another place we might have married and had children and lived a full life.”  “I would have liked that.”   Susan glances away. “That’s another time and another place.” She looks at him and hands him the box of ashes. “These are your now. Don’t let anyone else have it. Take it to your people as a gift from me. Orendo will accept it. He will show you how to use it.” Susan turns and walks away then looks back at him. “I’m also a little frightened when the time comes for me to leave.”  Philip walks up to her. “Let me go with you please.”  “No Philip where I go I must go alone. But I will always remember you.’  “Don’t go please.”  “Now Philip don’t tell anyone about this. If you want to live free of the terror that has followed the Desmonds then don’t tell anyone about me being here.”  “I won’t I promise.”  Susan walks up to him and kisses him then backing away she disappears.  Philip walks forward holding the box. “So this is the secret I must carry to my grave.”  “That’s right Philip don’t tell anyone what happened to me.” Susan’s voice says to him.
 
Raxl walks into Susan's room and stands behind Julian. “You sent for me?”
Julian turns and looks at her. “The girl betrayed us.” He glances back at the document.  Raxl walks to his side. “But why? She came here to help us.”  “She betrayed us for a very simple reason. She loves Philip.”  “Then she cannot stay. She’s doomed to move from love to love.”  “She knows that, she’s already gone.” Julian says as he stands then walks in front of the window. “She has taken all our weapons.”  “What weapons?” Raxl asks as she steps up beside him.  “The ashes.”  Raxl walks away from him. “We can manage without them perhaps.”
“Can we manage without this?” Julian asks as he picks up the blank document and shows it to Raxl.  Raxl takes it from him and looks at it. “It’s a blank piece of paper.” She says as she looks at Julian.  “The ashes erased the words.”  “We still have the book.” Raxl says to him.  “I wouldn’t be too sure about that.” Julian says as he turns away.  Raxl picks up the book and hands it to Julian. He opens it and slams it shut. “The page is missing. Everything is gone we will have to start all over again.”
 
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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 188

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