Labyrinth

Terry S. Bowers

December 18, 2000

Julia Hoffman glanced around her dark prison room. Her eyes had adjusted somewhat to the lack of light, and she was able to dimly see the accumulation of junk in the room. She wondered who might have used this room in the past, who had died here, or who might have used it as a place to escape the horrors of their life for a time. That thought had given her hope. If someone had been deliberately hiding here, there would have to be a way to open the door from her side, but she had not been able to find it. And she no longer had the strength to search.

Julia swallowed hard, not allowing herself to dwell on how thirsty she was, or how hungry. She was not even sure how long she had been held prisoner here. Angelique had been back only once, and Julia had now lost all track of time. She shook her head and watched the cobwebs move in the gentle breeze that came from somewhere. At first the presence of the cobwebs had been a comfort, for it meant the room was not air tight, that air circulated and she would not suffocate. No, Angelique would not put her where she would suffocate, for that was an easy, painless death compared to starvation and dehydration. Angelique could never be that kind.

Exhausted, Julia sat down on the filthy cot that was quickly becoming her sole source of comfort. She closed her eyes but would not allow herself to cry - she literally could not afford to waste the moisture. Barnabas....

Barnabas paused as he poured over the blueprints of Collinwood. He had searched all the known secret rooms and passages, looking for Julia. He was convinced she was in the house, somewhere in the labyrinth of corridors and rooms that were so identical to the house in his own time. But this was not the house he had watched being built, this was not the house he had explored with his Uncle Jeremiah, and it was not the house he knew. That was the key. Somewhere in the hidden rooms and secret passages that were unique to Collinwood in this time stream was where he would find Julia. He only had to find the right one, before it was too late. He could not even be certain she was alive.

Barnabas silently cursed himself. The one thing that might save Julia, the one thing that might lead him to her was the one thing he had deliberately avoided: his mental link with Julia. All it would have taken was one minute taste of her blood to strengthen their weakened link, but he had not allowed himself that. He knew Julia would not have questioned it, perhaps she would have welcomed it, for a stronger link would have been additional defense against Angelique. He should have given Julia that much added protection against that creature of evil, but as always he had pulled away from Julia, had not tried very hard to keep her from danger, and now his worst fears were coming true. Angelique, the only being on the earth who knew where Julia was held captive, was dead, and he had no idea of where to look for Julia.

Barnabas closed his eyes and concentrated. His link to Julia, while extremely weak, was still intact. Perhaps he could somehow reach her. She might not be able to respond, or tell him where she was or how he could find her, but he would know if she were still alive.

Slowly pacing the confines of her room, Julia's mental conversation with herself was designed for her own survival. She kept reminding herself she could not go to sleep, she could not fall asleep, for her only chance was to hear if someone came near, to hear if Barnabas called her name. Over and over Julia told herself she had to stay awake. She raised her hand to where her neck and shoulder met, only vaguely aware of the gentle pricking of her skin where Barnabas' fangs had grazed her neck so many weeks ago. Too tired and weak to recognize it, Julia did not understand the tingle of her skin was Barnabas trying to reach her the only way he could.

'Why isn't Barnabas looking for me?' Julia leaned against the brick column that provided some support for the ceiling, weakness and despair combining to make it hard for her to stay on her feet.

"Barnabas... Barnabas...." 'Nothing, there's no one...'

Despite her own better judgement, despite her knowledge that she could not fall asleep, Julia was compelled to lie down. She could not stay on her feet, she could not keep her eyes open. Her body was beginning to betray her, just as she knew it would, and she could not fight off the need for sleep any longer.

So deeply asleep was Julia that she did not hear Barnabas and Inspector Hamilton as they walked past her prison, calling her name, searching for her. Julia's unconscious mind provided the results she would not allow herself to consider when awake. She dreamed. She dreamed of Barnabas, happy with Roxanne, making plans to return to his own time and to take Roxanne with him. He mourned his friend, Julia, thinking her probably dead, but he would not stay and continue looking for her, believing it would make no difference if he did. He had his Roxanne, he was happy...

In her dream, Julia called out to Barnabas, pleading with him not to go, not to leave her, assuring him she was still alive. 'No, Barnabas, please, don't go. I'm alive, I'm here. Oh, Barnabas..' So deeply asleep was Julia that she again did not hear as Barnabas passed by her secret prison, one of many rooms in the labyrinth of Collinwood, calling her name over and over. She did not hear Barnabas tell Hamilton that he was beginning to doubt he would find Julia somewhere else.

Julia woke abruptly, startled and dismayed that she had fallen asleep. Her dream came back to her with devastating force and Julia shook her head. 'No, he wouldn't leave me here.' Julia stood and walked toward the door that separated her from life, from Barnabas. "Barnabas. Barnabas! Barnabas, I'm here. Find me Barnabas! Find me..."

Julia's despair and fading sense of hope were overwhelming and she gave in to her tears, almost wishing she had the courage to end this herself. But she couldn't, Barnabas needed her. She had to fight as long as she could, somehow hoping Barnabas would find her.