SCENE 9
Dr. Lang opened the door for Julia, but she was almost afraid to enter. It was well past dawn, almost noon. If he had been exposed to any sunlight...she dreaded the possibilities as she remembered the test tubes of Barnabas' blood which had exploded in the daylight. After a moment's hesitation, she conquered her fears and went in.
The first thing she noticed about the room was that it was dark. Heavy blackout curtains covered the window, allowing no light in from the outside. Only a small bedside lamp provided any illumination. Dr. Hoffman breathed a sigh of relief, not even thinking to ask why no light was being allowed into the room.
Barnabas was lying on the bed, eyes closed in unconsciousness. "Is he all right?" Julia asked, looking down on him. Her question was inane, since anyone else would believe he was dead, but it was expected.
"Why don't you see for yourself, Dr. Hoffman? Go on and examine him. I think you will find the results most interesting."
She glanced at Dr. Lang, then back to Barnabas. "Of course." Julia took his wrist in her hand, ready to go through the motions of an examination. Suddenly, she felt movement. Her eyes widened in shock as Barnabas stirred. Then his eyes opened, looking at her.
To add to her shock, he spoke. "Julia?" he asked once he focused on her. "What happened? Where am I?"
Her surprise made her unable to answer him. Luckily, Dr. Lang stepped forward. "I can answer that for you, Mr. Collins. You are at my home, which also houses my office. I am Dr. Eric Lang. You and Miss Winters were in a car accident last night, and were brought here for treatment. Miss Winters is down the hall, doing quite well."
Barnabas' dark eyes quickly grew troubled. There was no knowing what a doctor's examination could have found out about him. He glanced at Julia, but could read nothing in her stunned expression. Her presence made him relax, though, for he knew she would protect him. "I suppose I owe you my thanks then, Dr. Lang."
"I think you owe me more than that," he replied cryptically, then quickly changed the subject. "Don't you want to continue your examination, Dr. Hoffman?"
Julia quickly snapped out of her shock. "Yes, yes, of course." Again she pretended to feel for a pulse in Barnabas' wrist. In a moment, her expression grew puzzled again, and Barnabas noticed.
"Is everything all right, Julia?"
She swallowed hard. "Your pulse is normal, Barnabas."
He smiled slightly at her lie, knowing she was covering because of Dr. Lang's presence. "That's a good thing, isn't it, Doctor?"
She shook her head. "You don't understand, Barnabas. Your pulse is normal," she repeated, emphasizing the words. Barnabas frowned, confused. He hadn't had a pulse in over 200 years, except for the brief time Julia had attempted his cure.
Julia continued, "And there is more, Barnabas. Do you know what time it is?" He shook his head. His unconsciousness had made him lose track of how long it was before dawn. She enlightened him. "It's twelve o'clock, Barnabas. Twelve noon."
Now it was his eyes that grew wide. At twelve noon he should be all but dead. He only lived at night. How could this be possible?
Dr. Lang confirmed what Julia had said. "Yes, Mr. Collins, it is noon," he said knowingly. "Dr. Hoffman tells me she is treating you for a rare blood disorder that she hasn't found a name for yet." He walked over to stand by the curtained window. "I believe I know the name for your 'disorder'. It's called vampirism."
It was what Julia had been afraid of. Lang had put the pieces together. Barnabas wouldn't be able to let him live. He would end up like poor Michael Woodard. Still, she tried to dissuade him. "Vampirism? That's a little unscientific, don't you think, Doctor?"
"There are more things in Heaven and Earth than science, as I think you would agree, Julia."
Barnabas laughed. "So you think I am a vampire, Dr. Lang? One of those blood-sucking, night-going creatures of the living dead? It sounds like something from a bad horror movie."
Lang smiled. "I see you've become very good at deflecting suspicion, Mr. Collins. But yes, I do believe you are a vampire. I know what you are, and I will take care of you, Barnabas Collins." With that, Lang reached up and pulled the heavy draperies from the wall. Sunlight streamed into the room and across the bed.
Reactions came instantly. Barnabas tried to shield himself with his arms, a desperate "No!" escaping from his lips. Julia crossed the room to the window like a shot, trying to put the curtains back over the opening. But Lang grabbed her, his grip like a vise. He wouldn't let her stop what had been started.
Helpless, Julia looked back at Barnabas cowering on the bed. Slowly, he dropped his arms. "Julia," he said. "It's all right. There's no pain, no burning. Nothing!" He couldn't keep the shock out of his voice.
Lang let go of Julia, and she went to Barnabas. "Are you sure? Are you absolutely sure there is nothing wrong?"
"Yes. Yes, I am." They looked at each other in shock, then as one, turned to Dr. Lang.
He had a smug smile on his face. "That's right. I'm surprised you didn't figure it out sooner. Barnabas Collins is cured."
END OF CHAPTER 15
CREDITS FOR CHAPTER 15
Joanna Going as Victoria Winters
Christopher Pennock as Dr. Eric Lang
Michael T. Weiss as Jeff Clark
Ben Cross as Barnabas Collins
Jim Fyfe as Willie Loomis
Barbara Steele as Dr. Julia Hoffman
Barbara Blackburn as Carolyn Stoddard
Jean Simmons as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard
