SPECIAL NOTE: This episode was about the old-fashioned, fairytale-type Witches (not Wiccans!) If you find that offensive, do not read any further. If you have a complaint to make, send it to MGM, not to the writer of this description nor the webmistress of this site.
Hampton Boarding School
Its late at night, robed and hooded figures carrying burning torches walk down a darkened hallway in formation, chanting… , Patty, Patty, the heart you hear is not your own, It belongs to us and us alone. Yours must stop in the dark of night and not beat again until first light.
In a bedroom on the same floor, , a young girl, about 8 years old, lays awake in bed, clutching a teddy bear.
At the same time, a porcelain faced doll is lying on her back with her eyes open. The doll is lying on a table lit by many candles. Then an old gnarled hand with excessively long and ugly fingernails, gestures above the doll and the dolls eyes close.
Just as the dolls eyes close, the young girl falls asleep. As she sleeps, the robed figures, still chanting, enter her room, pick her up, put her on a flat board and carry her in a procession chanting the hour is late, wake up now and see your fate. Patty be good, Patty, be bad, the body of Patty goes on a slab.. We bring to you the gift of fire and make all you are and build desire.
As they chant, Patty wakes up and sees she is being carried into a room lit entirely by burning torches and candles. The chanting continues as the robed figures place the board on an altar, which is shaped like a pentagram. . She looks up and sees a pentagram in the skylight. She looks frightened and as she looks around, realizes that the robed figures are children. Then larger figures come in and from under one of the hoods comes the face of an old ugly witch. As the witch comes up to her, she screams and runs away. The witch points and says STOP HER !, Several robed figures begin chasing Patty.
Meanwhile, the gnarled old hand picks up the porcelain doll and twists the dolls foot , and then drops it to the floor. Just then, Patty stumbles as she runs down the stairs and falls all the way to the bottom. The doll hits the floor just as Patty's body hits the floor at the bottom of the steps.
Hampton Boarding School
Headmistress Compton's office
Ms. Compton says she asked Rachel to personally do the investigation since Rachel was a former student at Hampton house. She expresses her fear about the lawsuit that's pending and worries that the parents won't wait until the accusation is proven false before they remove their children.
Rachel, wearing a very professional looking tailored beige pant suit, with a beautiful long silk scarf over her shoulders, smiles and asks about Miss Merrick, the only teacher named in the suit. Miss Compton says that she has been at the school over 7 years and voices her confidence in her before calling her into the office. Rachel, looking around the room, sees a statue of a white wolf on Miss Compton's desk, and a worried, confused look crosses her face. Constance Merrick comes in, comments that the suit is absurd and laughable. Then she sees the look on Rachel and the Headmistress face . She smiles and says it's real, none the less. Rachel tells her she wants to have a meeting with her to discuss the entire matter. Constance says as soon as she finishes with the dance recital preparation she'll be ready and leaves the office. Rachel smiles and remembers her first dance recital was at Hampton. Just then, Miss Compton smiles and turns around and lo and behold, there is a framed photograph of Rachel when she is about 8 accepting an award from Miss Compton.. She shows it to Rachel who looks amazed . Compton tells Rachel to borrow it. Rachel is excited and accepts saying it seems like yesterday that she was a student there.
Still smiling, she leaves and goes to her car, clutching the photograph. Just as she gets to her car, she looks up at an upstairs window of the school. She sees four girls dressed in their school uniforms scowling down at her . Their actions are in unison. Rachel looks alarmed and frightened.
Hospital
Rachel, still wearing the stylish pantsuit, comes into Patty's room carrying a wooden box filled with sand. Also in the box are many types of buildings and doll figures representing people and other creatures. Patty stares at the ceiling, refusing to talk.
Rachel introduces herself, says she has a little girl Patty's age and that her daughter says the worst thing about being stuck in bed is boredom. So she brought a sandbox and has a game to play called, "How to tell a story without using any words." Patty sits up and looks in the box. Rachel goes first and picks up a building and calls it Patty's school. Patty nods in agreement and reaches in the box and stands all the adult dolls upright. When Rachel asks if those are her teachers, she nods . Rachel then asks if Miss Compton is there and Patty shakes her head as she stands up a small child doll in front of the adult dolls and has the adult dolls carry the child doll away. Then she picks up a monster and Rachel asks if there is a monster in the place. Patty nods yes . Rachel asks if Miss Merrick is the monster. Patty nods her head yes.
At the nurses' station- Patty's mom, Monica, stops Rachel as she's leaving and asks where her daughter is why she hasn't said anything. Rachel tells her she wont talk until she feels safe and that she won't talk to her because in her mind, Monica put her in Hampton school and something bad happened there. Monica says she thinks her ex husband set it up because he's trying to get Patty away from her. Rachel tells her kids are resilient and she should just stay with her.
Meanwhile- a hospital worker delivers a gift to Patty - a basket with a cabbage patch type doll , puts in on the bedside table and leaves. The doll turns its head and looks at Patty, and sneering says, Patty, Patty, lying in her bed, say one word and you'll be DEAD! Patty screams and Rachel comes rushing in. The doll turns her head, looks at Rachel and then resumes being a doll. Rachel hugs Patty to comfort her and asks that a nurse take the doll out of the room.
Legacy House
Rachel comes in for a report of what Nick and Alex had found. Nick tells Rachel that the doll is known as "Sweet Cindy" and is manufactured by Matlin toys in Chicago. The doll has no moving parts and no batteries and doesn't move on her own. Rachel says she knows what she saw. Nick agrees but says he can't tell her why it moved. Alex reads the gift card from the doll "From your Friends at Hampton School." Nick and Alex decide to check the database to find a complete history on the school.
Rachel tells them she thinks that Patty was trying to tell her she was taken somewhere under the school building. She then looks very introspective, like she's deep inside her own thoughts….She says she remembers a tunnel and asks Nick and Alex to find building plans and see if there are any old tunnels. They agree. Then Rachel asks them if they have any specific memories of 2nd and 3rd grade. Both say yes. She says she has none. Even though she spent several years there as a little kid she hasn't even 1 specific memory.. She says that is really weird and looks at the framed photo from Ms. Compton's office that she stills carries with her. Alex asks Rachel if she thinks she has something she thinks she SHOULD remember. Rachel says yes, she thinks so.
Hampton School- Office
Rachel and Constance are in the office discussing Patty. Constance says that Patty loved to learn but she got moody at times. She just figured it was what was happening with her parents. She notes nothing unusual happened and she hasn't any idea what Patty was frightened of that made her run away. Rachel, looking out the window, sees the play yard and sees the same 4 girls in uniforms, walking in single file. As one unit, all turn their heads at the same time and look up at Rachel who suddenly looks very alarmed. She turns and accuses Constance of taking Patty to the other building. Constance denies the accusation calmly. Rachel withdraws.
Legacy House
Derek runs down the library steps to answer the ringing phone. He picks it up and says he was expecting that call that that he'd be there soon and hangs up.
Alex comes in and starts talking about research he wanted. He tells her he will be gone for awhile and that it will have to wait. He assures her everything is all right when she becomes concerned and then he leaves quickly.
Derek- driving down highway in a 4X4
As he drives, he listens to the news radio. It reports bombs, famine, typhoons and serial killers. He reaches over and abruptly turns it off as he continues to drive through vineyard country.
Outside the Hampton House
Jan, the gym teacher, watches girls jump rope. Rachel walks up to her. The teacher looks at her and says "It's not safe for you, I heard them, you've been primed." Rachel asks what she means. Jan, looking at her students , tells them Rachel was a student there once and needs to remember how to jump rope. Jan's then takes Rachel's purse and tells her to turn the rope for the girls. Rachel, moves to the rope and begins to turn it as the girls chant. Cinderella, dressed in yellow, went upstairs to kiss some fellow. By mistake she kissed a snake, How many doctors did it take.
As they chant , Rachel begins to remember and starts saying the chant with them…Just then, we see Constance look out the upstairs window at them.
One, two, three, We bring to you the gift of fire and make all you are and build desire
Rachel, looking stunned and frightened, sees the girl jumping moving in very slow motion.
The gnarled hand again gestures over the porcelain doll
The chant continues… Rachel is near fainting. The silk scarf over her shoulders is being slowly pulled off by one of the four girls. The girl takes it and Rachel, seeming to be in pain, falls forward.
Jan then blows the whistle and tells the girls to get ready for lunch. Rachel says she doesn't feel well. Jan looks at her and says ominously, "Jumping rope is for young girls, Do you remember?", Rachel, hands to her head, leaves. Jan looks up and realizes that Constance is looking down on her.
Hospital
Rachel comes in with Kat, her 8 year old daughter. She says that Patty won't talk about what happened. Kat says she wants to go talk to her to see what happened. She enters the room and tells her that she saw some really bad stuff, didn't she? Patty nods her head. Kat tells her about Seraphina, the Egyptian girl ghost that she knows. (reference: DOPPLEGANGER episode…Season 1). After that Kat asks if Patty wants to tell her what happened. Patty nods her head.
Meanwhile in the hallway, Rachel paces…
The gnarled hand gestures over the porcelain doll, this time Rachel's scarf is tied around it's stomach. The gnarled hands pull the scarf tight..
Rachel, gasps and grabs her stomach and falls to the floor. She has a flashback memory of an old gnarled witch.
Kat comes out of Patty's room and says Patty told her that an old wicked witch scared her. Rachel, still sitting on the floor, looks very alarmed.
Legacy House-Control Room
Rachel asks Nick and Alex what they found. Alex tells her that Constance is a Phi Beta Kappa, impeccable credentials. Nick adds, "spotless record, squeaky clean." Alex continues and says Miss Compton took over the Hampton House in the 60's from the Mt Carmel nuns and is a child development specialist. Nick says she doesn't even have a parking ticket.
Rachel tells them that Patty told Kat that it was a wicked old witch with long hair and a rotten face that scared her. Nick grins and says… "nasty disposition too?." Alex looks sharply at him but then grins. Rachel continues, the teachers are all 20 or 30 but Ms. Compton is probably 60 but looks 20 years younger. Rachel tells them she thinks something is going on. She then feels a sharp stab of pain and grabs her stomach. She assures Alex and Nick she is OK. Alex and Nick agree to continue searching the database for anything unusual. Alex notes that they'll check for any Black Magic since the next day is the summer Soltice, the most potent time for the witch's Sabbath.
Outside of a Convent
Derek gets out of the car and goes into a dimly lit room and sits down to wait. A nun in a full habit comes in and thanks Derek for coming. She appears to be in her 40's. Derek says that he sees that living there has done her no harm. She tells him she sees the same pain in his eyes as always and promises she will pray for him. He thanks her. He asks how she can sit behind cloistered walls day after day praying to a god who never truly answers instead of using her power where it could be truly felt. She tells him the power of prayer reaches to the four corners of the earth and that the devil in whatever form of evil it takes likes you to think its everywhere. He asks her if she denies evil is there. She replies that He thinks it's there and then he marches out to meet it but forgets the battle is God's.
He tells her he wishes he had her faith. She says he does but won't allow himself to trust it. Derek looks troubled and says he fears he can no longer clearly see the way. She leans forward towards him and says "you're my brother and I love you. I have seen you grow into a fine man but it pains me to see you so tortured and by your own hand." Derek sits back , surprised. She says he carries the burden of their father and has since the day he died. That's why they meet. He hasn't forgiven his father. She has and has found her peace in that. She notes he hasn't forgiven himself either and that's why he struggles. Derek tells her someone has to fight the battles he does instead of sitting in silence. She says firmly, "Gird yourself properly for battle, Derek, and fulfill your destiny, my dear brother."
Outside Hampton School
Constance and Monica, (Patty's Mom) walk alone. Monica is frightened, worried her ex-husband will take Patty. Constance preys on that fear noting that Monica was a 'gypsy dancer' and the ex has loads of money. She tells her he will surely win unless Monica goes along with the bargain she made. The bargain offers the empowerment of sisterhood and they are all behind her.
Hospital
Rachel comes in and finds Monica taking Patty out. Monica tells Rachel that she's taking her back to school. Rachel notes that Patty is terrified. She tries to convince Monica to talk to her but Monica, angrily tells Rachel that Patty is talking about witches because of her. She then gets in the elevator and tells Rachel, "I should bring you up on charges."
Legacy Control Room
Nick, sitting at the computer, projects images up on screen telling Alex, "Someone is teaching more than the 3 R's at that school." He then shows pictures of 3 graduates from Hampton School . One, Allison Fleming, a recent graduate, burned down a church. Another, Grace Rierdan, who graduated 20 years ago was on probation for cattle mutilation , said she was communing with the devil. The third, Grace Conner, a graduate from last year, was stabbed in the heart by a 76 yr. old woman who claimed she put a curse on her husband. He tells Alex there are tons just like that. She advises he'd better find Rachel and stay with her.
Hampton School
Rachel tries unsuccessfully to convince Miss Compton not to keep Patty in the school. Miss Compton says she is going to keep her because then the case will be closed.
Rachel leaves and goes down the hall. Jan comes up and tells her to meet her in the back in 15 minutes.
Nick comes down the hall and tells Rachel they should "hang together, just in case". She agrees and they head out towards the back. As they get to the back they see Jan, standing on the roof. She tells Rachel, "Watch me and remember.". She then jumps to her death.
At the same time, the gnarled hand drops the doll again, It hits the floor just as Jan's body hits the pavement.
Miss Merrick's office- Hampton School
Rachel, with Nick, asks Miss Compton if Jan ever tried to talk to her about Constance. Compton asks if they think Constance is involved and looks alarmed. She notes the school is her whole life and had hopes that Constance would some day be headmistress. Rachel tells her she thinks the children are in danger and are being used in some sort of ritual and are being abused. She tells her she is concerned that it will happen again tonight.
Rachel begins to tell her they think the kids are taken somewhere on the grounds and then begins remember and sees a old gnarled witch face and a live white snarling wolf.
Rachel asks Miss Compton to check her records for anything that may help them. She agrees and thanks Rachel for helping and for coming back.
As Nick and Rachel walk towards Rachel's car, Nick asks if Rachel wants him to drive. She hands him her keys as she sees Constance lining up the children to go inside. Constance comes up to her and says "You know more than you think and when you remember, you'll leave us alone.." She then takes the kids inside and Rachel again remembers the white wolf. Rachel tells Nick she knows what she has to do. She has to remember. She is part of this somehow. She gets in the car and they leave.
Legacy House Library
Derek is meeting with Alex, Rachel and Nick. Rachel tells of her frustration that the police think Jan's death was a suicide. She thinks Jan was trying to tell her something. She gets frustrated that she has blocked out memories and is worried they are out of time. She gets more emotional and as she tells them something evil is happening at that school. Derek gets a book from the shelf and opens it and reminds them they have until midnight tonight or the coven of witches will begin rejuvenation. Drawing energy from the corruption of innocence requires children. Five of them represent the 5 points of the pentagram, then a child is primed and then… Rachel stops him and asks what happens when child is primed, remembering that Jan had told her she was primed. Derek says the children are prepared for transformation and an image is planted of an animal that eats them inside out and prevents them from telling. The children then become one with the coven. Rachel asks if it could be a wolf. He answers, "perhaps." He asks if she has seen girls acting as one unit and she tells him yes, four of them. Derek, finds the page in the book, and says that the Legacy Journals says that consecrated souls were used to battle witches.
Hampton School
A procession of robed and hooded figures led by Constance moves along a darkened hallway. They light their way with burning torches and candles. Patty lies on a board, awake as they carry her. At the end of the procession are the four children in their hooded robes, carrying candles.
Nick, Alex ,Derek and Rachel enter the darkened building carrying flashlights. Alex says that the school was once a mansion built with the proceeds from prohibition. There are lots of passages under the buildings but the plans show no entrance. Nick says they have a half hour. Derek hands each of them pouches of salts taken from the consecrated mines of Jericho, 2000 years ago, and tells them the salts counteract witches black magic. They split up and search for a way into the tunnels.
In the altar room, the robes figures stop. A robed figure writes in an old book. Constance tells Monica, also robed, that her daughters spirit will be empowered beyond belief.
Back at the search.. Rachel hears voices in her memory and remembers she was a little girl just like Patty. She falls forward and is helped to a chair by Derek. He notes the witches are focusing all their black magic on her and their influence is getting stronger and concludes they must be close and that if she continues her pain will get worse. Rachel fighting through the pain, declares she won't let them hurt the children and asks Derek to promise he won't stop. He promises.
Back at the ritual.. Constance is invoking the spirits ..
Rachel has visions of a wolf and she remembers that as a little girl, she tried to rescue another child that was on the altar. As she tried to help that child, the robed figure turns…She remembers it's the headmistress, Ms. Compton who points at the young Rachel and says, "Look what you've done." The child Rachel looks at the young girl's face and sees it is falling off.
Rachel, sitting on the chair, screams. Nick, Derek and Alex run back. Rachel remembers and tells them, " they're in the attic!" Derek asks how she knows. Rachel tells them she was there as a child and knows what they're doing. They all run towards the attic.
Ritual continues. The shrouds of the spirits are invoked to protect them. Patty lies on the altar, very frightened. Compton, laughing, tells the children their childhood will be gone forever!
Nick, Rachel, Alex and Derek reach the attic and slowly move in. Ms. Compton, seeing Rachel, points at her screaming, "Strike them down." All the Legacy members are thrown back from her force. Rachel however, gets up. Alex, Nick and Derek, toss salts on the witches who then fall back. Rachel confronts Compton and throws the pouch of salts down. Compton says they won't work against her and Rachel says, "No. I don't NEED them." Compton comments that Rachel has grown strong and tells her she put the spirit of the wolf in her. Rachel says she made that wolf her own. Rachel says her childhood was stolen but she wont let Compton steal any more children.
Alex rescues Patty off the altar. Derek and Nick round up all the others. Nick keeps the adults in one place and Alex has the children and Monica in the other. Monica cries that all she wanted to do was to protect her daughter and keep her.
Then Compton tosses Rachel backwards with her power and tells her she could be much more than she is. She then turns into an old witch and screams at Rachel, "Now, breathe your last!" Rachel, struggling to stand, suddenly has a white ghostly image coming out of her that swirls out and around Compton. Rachel shouts, "You go to Hell!" the ghostly white mist envelops the witch and she is consumed by it and disappears. At that second, the mist changes into a ghost of a white wolf. It turns, looks at Rachel and then disappears.
Rachel, visibly upset, picks up the old witch's journal and wonders how she could have blocked all that. Derek tells her it was how she survived. Rachel wonders how they could do that to children. Derek says that even as a child , she stood up to them, giving them no power over her. She tells him she had to do it. It was like something was leading her to do it. Derek, gently smiling, says, "perhaps it was a prayer to see you through the battle. There are certain things that are meant to be and someone very close to me helped me see that. This was part of your destiny, Rachel." She looks at Derek, agrees and closes the witch's ledger.
Fade out….a white wolf face looking straight at us …. its eyes glow...
Description last revised: 03 August 1997