Virtual American Gothic - Second Season 
		   Episode One

		Livin' On A Prayer
	                   by 
        Denise Pass (denedkat@pageplus.com)
	                    &
        Gayle Dawson (gdawson@baynet.net)
****************************************

	"We'll get by son."  Lucas was sitting on his 
haunches next to Caleb.  The boy was still in a state of 
confusion after the fall . 
	"You think you can stand up now?" Lucas 
started to contemplate the mess in the living room . . . he 
wasn't looking forward to the walkabout to check on 
other damages.
	"Yessir, I think so . . . " Rising from the floor 
with Lucas' assistance, Caleb wobbled slightly. Lucas 
kept his hand on the boy's shoulder. The chandelier in 
the foyer suddenly began to shake and the power flashed 
on -- off -- on ,  some sort of morse code it appeared.  
	Slam! Lucas and Caleb were forced back toward 
the banister by the turbulent wind blasting in through the 
front door.  Just as suddenly, the wind swirled through 
the foyer and Caleb screamed as he was jerked toward 
the vortex now rushing out the door . . . 
	"Luuucassss!!!! Help!"  Caleb clung to the newel 
post, the suction of the wind pulling on him was like 
nothing he'd ever experienced . 
	Lucas seemed to be reacting in slow motion.  He 
slithered to the panicked boy along the staircase, his eyes 
never leaving the view outside his door:  The street was 
calm, the night sky clear.  It was plain to him -- this was 
someone's doing.  "It's not Mother Nature," he muttered. 
	Caleb was frantic now, he could feel his legs 
lifting, and pointing toward the door . . . one hand 
slipped from it's tenuous grasp on the post . . . slowly, 
one by one the remaining fingers were pried loose -- two 
fingers valiantly grasping to hold onto the house.  He 
was slipping.  Caleb pleaded with his eyes to Lucas.  The 
last fingertip let go, and he glanced back at Lucas as if to 
bid farewell . . . "Ahhhhh!" he screamed, looking down 
from his fathers eyes, he saw his hand firmly engulfed in 
that of his  . . . Savior.

************

	"Open the door Gail, I'm scared.  Gail?  Please?"  
Gail was wild with panic.  Why was she so afraid of 
Caleb?  That smell, what was it?  It was so antiseptic, her 
nose twitched.  She moved toward the door, her hand 
reaching for the handle . . . pain shattered her next move 
and she was floating in a room of white light . . . 
	Billy Peele noted the momentary change from 
the monitors attached to Miss Emory as her heart beat 
accelerated.  Her face, which had been set in stone 
for hours now, twitched around her nose and mouth.  
Did her hand just move?  He couldn't be certain, it was 
so imperceptible.  The monitors resumed their static 
rhythm as Gail remained enmeshed in a coma. 

*************

	The door slammed shut as suddenly as it had 
burst open, silence descending on father and son once 
again.  Caleb shook loose from Lucas' grasp and stood 
at a wary stance facing the sheriff.  "What's goin' on here, Lucas?"  
	"The Gods must be crazy Caleb." Lucas 
responded, staring stoically at the boy. "What do you 
think's goin' on?" 
	Caleb's face twitched with distrust.  "I don't feel 
so good Lucas, I think I better lie down. You gonna give 
me a ride home?"
	"You are home Caleb, don't you remember?"
	Caleb thought about this for a minute, hadn't he 
buried this man yesterday?  But that's not possible, or was 
it? He recalled vaguely the service, the cemetery, Gail 
crying, Selena comforting him, welcoming him into 
Lucas' house . . . and then Gail was upset with him,  
why?  About what?
	"Are you a ghost, Lucas?"
	"Nope!  I'm your family.  Ghosts are someone 
else's department Caleb . . . or it was."  Lucas grinned at 
that. "Yep, I can assure ya, this house is ghost free. Uh, 
if yer feeling poorly, why don't ya head upstairs and rest 
there.  Spare bedroom is on the right."
	Caleb looked warily at the staircase, he couldn't 
quite figure why he had the feeling he had been up 
stairs, but he couldn't remember descending them.
	"Sweet dreams, son."
	Caleb hesitated as he climbed the stairs, the good 
night wishes doing more to scare him than soothe him.  
	Lucas watched the boy as he turned past the 
stained-glass window and he disappeared into the 
bedroom. Hands on hips, he swung around to face the 
sitting room . . . "I am not looking forward to this bit of 
spring cleanin'"

***********************

	"Sheriff's department." Ben balanced the phone 
between his ear and shoulder as he flipped through the 
file on his desk.  He could hear breathing, like someone 
was crying, but no answer.  "Sheriff's department, Healy 
here."
	"B...B...Ben?", the sultry whisper reached his ear 
finally, "Ben, is he there? I need to talk to him?"
	"Selena, I doubt very much he'd be taking your 
call, even if he were here," Ben's tone was angry. "Now, if 
you'll excuse me . . . "
	"Ben, please don't hang up on me, I need to talk 
to someone -- can you, can you come over here?" The 
pleading was turning into something more seductive in 
tone.
	"Actually Selena, I have nothin' to say to you 
either.  You made yer bed, now go lie in it." Ben hung 
up the phone.

***************************

	As the line went dead in her ear, Selena 
contemplated the receiver.  Brushing aside her tears, her 
expression grew cold and in a fit of anger she hurled 
the receiver across the kitchen, "AHHHHH!! How dare 
you, Ben Healy!  We'll see how little you have to say 
to me."
	The cordless receiver lay at the back door, a cat 
slunk by, sniffing and pawing at the antenna on its way 
into the kitchen. . . . 

****************************

	Beep.  Beep.  Beep.  Beep.  The rhythmic tones 
were almost hypnotic.  Alone again beside Gail's bed, 
Billy searched her face for signs that the coma was ending.
	"How long will she be in this coma, Doc?" Lucas 
said the word "Doc" with a particular note of sarcasm, as 
if he didn't trust Dr. Peele's credentials.
	Momentarily startled by Lucas' sudden appearance, 
Billy replied, "Hard to say, Lucas.  She's been through a 
pretty traumatic experience.  A coma is one way for the 
body to recover."  Even Billy Peele sounded unconvinced.  
"Earlier today I noticed some facial spasms and her hand 
may have moved.  Those are good signs."
	"I want to tell her about the baby.  She should 
hear it from me.  But what you said before is still true, 
right?  She can have another?"
	Billy considered lying to Lucas just long enough 
to think better of it when he caught the look on Lucas' 
face.  "I don't see why not.  But it will take months for 
her to regain her strength."  At least he'd bought Gail a 
few months . . . maybe by then she would get away from 
Lucas and all the evil that surrounds him.
	"Don't count on it Doc." 
	"Lucas,  I take it you're making your self known 
again?  With Dr. Narrone's. . . umm, suicide " Billy 
looked unconvinced by the verdict of suicide, while
Lucas just looked amused.  Billy continued, ". . . People 
are asking questions around here. What's the official 
story?"
	Lucas moved around Gail's bed and approached 
the door, "Ben's working on that case at the moment I 
believe, Billy, I'm a little too emotionally attached to the 
issue as you well know.  Talk to him, I'm sure you'll manage
to relay the medical stuff fine-n-dandy to the folks."
	"Uhh, one more thing Buck, I want you to come 
around my office in a day or two. I need to check up on 
the head wound."
	Lucas touched his bandaged forehead, nodded at 
Billy then left the room.

*******************

	"Cecil, I'm telling ya, I'm swearing on my momma's 
grave, Lucas Buck is resurrected!!"
	The old timers in the pool hall eyed the drunk at 
the bar, "Now, Mel, that ain't possible, we all done 
buried that albatrose last Sunday."  Cecil leaned over the 
pool table and took his perfect straight on eight shot into 
the side.  The ball arced gracefully across the baize and 
just as it hit the pocket, it was grasped by a man in black 
. . . Cecil could sense the dismay of his cohorts as he 
slowly raised his eyes up over the belt buckle, the suede 
vest, the white collar, into the grinning face of the man 
he was certain was dead.
	"Evenin' Cecil, how's it going, good buddy?" 
Lucas' charm turned serious, concern in his voice as he 
said, "What's a matter, Cece? You look like you seen a 
ghost?"

************

	"Rita, I'm telling you, Yancy done tried to kill 
Lucas, that's a fact. And I figure he felt soo bad after his 
wife went and passed, well, suicide was the answer. Good 
thing Billy and I got there in time . . " Ben was passing the 
time with Nurse Rita, finishing up his investigation into the 
suicide and attempted suicide at the hospital recently.  
There always had been a high suicide rate in Trinity . . . with 
Lucas around, always would be, he guessed.
	"Billy told us at the staff meeting yesterday how 
Lucas was done buried alive!  Dr. Narrone was insane I 
suspect.  I wonder, ya think they'll do an autopsy?" Rita 
stopped her speculating when Billy approached the 
nursing station.
	"Howdy Ben . . . Rita, is Sheriff Buck here for 
his appointment?" he accepted the file she handed him 
	"Exam Room 3, Dr. Peele" 
	"Talk to you later Ben."  Billy  walked down the 
hall and entered the room. Lucas was sitting on the exam 
table, disrobed to the waist. 
	When Rita was sure the doctor was out of 
earshot, she continued her interrogation  of Ben, "Well!  
What of Miss Coombs' involvement in all this, Ben?  What 
has Lucas done about that?  We've heard that they're 
definitely on the outs...is it true?  Did he really slap her?"

************************************

	"Hey there Billy Boy, right on time.  I like that." 
	"I'm just gonna take your blood pressure and 
check your heart rate, Lucas, then we'll look at how 
you're healing." Billy applied the cuff and inserted the 
stethescope into his ears, releasing the cuff pressure he 
listened to the sheriff's blood flow through the veins in 
his arm...removing the cuff, he then listened to Lucas' 
heart...surprised he could find one!
	"Looks good Lucas, I think you'll be back up to 
full strength in no time."
	"Good, Caleb'll be a lot easier to look after then," 
Lucas muttered.
	Billy didn't respond to that comment, instead he 
reached up and suddenly pulled the bandaid away from 
Lucas' forehead.  Lucas grinned and made a pleasurable 
little groan, "Ya know Billy, this could be the start of a 
beautiful friendship!"
	Doctor Peele paused, looking extremely 
uncomfortable at the implications of that statement, he 
moved away from the exam table toward the door, 
"Uhh, you can go now Lucas, clean bill of health.. the 
wound has fully healed."
	Lucas inclined his head and reached for his shirt. 
As he donned his clothes he glanced back up at the 
doctor and winked at him.  "See ya soon, Doc."
	Doctor Peele made a speedy exit.

*************

	"Caleb honey, can I talk to ya a spell?" Caleb 
was walking home after school, Miss Coombs had 
hastened her step to catch up with him.
	 "What about?" he replied.
	Selena levelled her gaze at him, censor was 
eminent, then suddenly she smiled sympathetically, 
"Caleb, I was wondering how your Cousin Gail was 
feelin' is all,  she had a terrible fall, didn't she?"
	Caleb looked away from her, and continued to 
walk on, Selena fell into step beside him.
	"I haven't been to see my cousin yet, I don't 
know what good it'll do anyway. Lucas says she's in a 
coma, whatever that is."
	Selena hid a smile, "You know darlin', this week 
has been full of surprises, ups and downs, you've 
suffered a trauma, I suspect.  Would you feel better if I 
went by the hospital with you?" she touched his 
shoulder. 
	Instead of stopping, Caleb violently shrugged her 
off.  "Don't you touch me...you got that?"
	"My, my, my . . . your father obviously isn't fully 
recovered yet, is he?"
	"What are you goin' on about now, Selena?" 
Caleb glared at her, icy and intent. The look was 
familiar, like that day he ordered her to fetch Gail...Selena 
almost purred.
	  "He didn't tell you about the Buck Family 
Achilles Heel did he?"
	Caleb's brow furrowed, he was getting annoyed 
with Selena now, enough to stop him  in his tracks and 
pin her with that black gaze.
	"Well, get on with it, what didn't he tell me? I got 
things to learn, Teacher, so . . . teach."
	"Why don't you and I stop by Lucas', and see if 
he'll participate in the lesson." Selena held her breath, 
hopeful this ploy would be her way back in the door.
	"Nahhh, I think I'll go on my own. Thanks for 
the idea, though." Caleb's grin seemed all knowing, he 
turned and started whistling as he strolled in the 
direction of the Buck Mansion. Chuckling as he strolled 
along, as if he had eyes in the back of his head watching 
the grown woman quiver in anger.

*************************

	As Caleb vaulted over the fence at the Buck 
house, he radiated strength, power, anger. He 
purposefully strode up to the front door, before he could 
reach out for the handle, he felt an odd sensation 
shimmer through him, he placed his hand on the door  
handle, but it was deflected back to his side...again he 
reached up to the handle, this time, he swore he saw an 
etheral female arm float from his shoulder over the length 
of his outstretched arm.  
	Fear gripped Caleb, he screamed as the ghostly 
hand  slapped his off the doorknob once again.  The 
door swung open, and Caleb was facing his father.
	Lucas squinted slightly at the expression on the 
boy's face, then he stepped forward, sniffing at the air...
"Hmmm, something mortally foul I'd say . . c'mon 
in, boy, quit gawking at me like that."
	Caleb crossed the threshold, suddenly feeling 
weak and frightened....what happened out there?
	"Lucas, I don't feel so good, and for the life of 
me, I can't remember why I'm here!"
	"Hmmm, no matter son, you'll be good as new, 
soon as I am. Come on, it's time for you to visit your 
cousin."

*************************

	"Paging Dr. Peele, Dr. Peele, stat to ICU"
	Billy dropped his lunch tray, and began jogging 
the hallways...ICU, that could only mean one person . . . 
Gail.
	"Hang on Gail, don't fail me now . . . or it's hell 
to pay, that's certain," he said to himself as he reached 
the elevator. 
	"Paging Dr. Peele . . ." echoing in the 
background, mocking him it seemed . . . 

*****************************

	"You know, Rita, we never did get that dinner 
date last week, I was hoping.." Ben reached out and 
clasped the nurse's hand in his.  Distracted, Rita was 
almost oblivious to the code call over the PA system..."I 
do believe we owe that to ourselves, don't we Ben.." 
Then suddenly she tore her hand away from his, "Damn, 
that's a Code Blue, Ben, I have to go..." she took off
to the ICU hallway. Ben followed, muttering "I have a 
very bad feeling about this..."

***************************

	"He's coming Gail . . . that's him behind you.  
You'd better run, keep running." 
	The monitors connected to Gail twitched and 
beeped as new data surged through the gold plated 
wires. Selena glanced at them briefly from her position 
at Gail's side.
	Gail struggled to get away from Caleb as he 
chased her up the mountain.  Thrashing through the 
underbrush and barking her shins against the trees, she 
ran for her life.
	Selena  leaned closer to Gail's ear and continued 
her hypnotic story.  "Run faster, Gail, he's coming.  Up  
ahead you'll be safe, you can get away from him forever 
. . . " Selena could sense that Gail was following along, 
all she had to do now was get Gail to the edge of the 
cliff and tell her to jump to safety.  That should send her 
weak little heart into arrest and end her intrusion into 
Lucas' life once and for all.  Lucas shouldn't have 
underestimated all she had learned from him .  
	"That's it Gail, you're almost there . . . see the 
edge of cliff, just a short jump  down to a ledge below 
and you'll be safe . . . go ahead now . .. hurry!  He's 
coming!" Selena stood up, not even flinching as she 
watched Gail begin to tremor.
	Gail's body suddenly twitched and thrashed in 
the bed  in unison with the vision in her minds eye. She 
was fighting her way through the dark forest of Selena's
creation. 
	Gasping for air, she finally reached the edge of 
the cliff -- but a blinding light filled her dream -- as if the 
sun came from behind a dark  cloud.  Gail wavered on
the edge, fighting for some sense of where to turn . . .

*****************

	Billy rushed past Lucas & Caleb as they arrived 
at the hospital.  The look on Billy's face told Lucas all he 
needed to know as he joined Billy in a sprint to the ICU.
	Ben was hovering in the hallway, and barely 
evaded the rushing Billy Peele, he turned and caught 
sight of Lucas slowing to a steady walk. He made eye 
contact with Ben, who only shook his head in response. 
Lucas paused, and pushed his hair out of his eyes. 
Caleb went to run past him, but he easily halted the boy 
with his outstretched arm.
	Crashing into the room, Billy  surveyed the 
scene, Rita was issuing orders to the assembled staff, 
when Billy zoned in on Selena standing calmly at Gail's 
side. He grabbed her by the shoulders and none to gently 
pushed her against the wall. 
	"What the hell are you doing in here?"  Selena 
looked at him, tears beginning to well in her eyes, she 
seemed shaken with the extent of her abilities to 
persuade Gail to do her bidding. Billy hesitated for a 
moment, then shrugged her off and turned to examine 
his patient.
	Gail was no longer thrashing -- she was deadly 
still.
	 Rita had already prepared the crash cart, and 
handed the silver paddles to Billy before he could even 
think to ask for them  "Set it for 200 . . .clear!"  he 
ordered.
	Lucas and Caleb had made there way to the 
door.  "Is she dead Lucas?"  
	"She'll be okay, son."  
	 "What can we do for her?"  
	Ben spoke up, barely a whisper, " Pray Caleb, 
pray."
	Lucas contemplated that, "Preyin' ain't a bad 
idea, Ben."
	Lucas' glare honed in on Selena.  Tears were 
falling down her cheeks now, but something similiar to 
victory shimmered in eyes. She sidestepped along the 
wall, slinking into the corner.  Ben crossed into the room 
and he went over to Selena, more to protect her from 
Lucas than anything else. No more "suicides" this week, 
he thought to himself.
	Lucas closed his eyes in concentration, enabling 
him to follow Gail to the edge of the cliff.  "Don't go 
that way, Gail.  I'm over here.  Come this way.  You and
the baby come here where it's safe . . . "  
	Lucas could see Gail struggle with indecision.  
Beyond the cliff, it was bright, it was safe. Near Lucas, it 
was cold and dark and comfortable...
	"I'm over here darlin' . .take my hand, it'll be 
okay.  I won't let anyone hurt you."  
	The blinding white light intensified around Gail, 
it shifted to a spot behind her, revealing the true darkness 
of the cliff. Lucas narrowed his gaze in anger, a being
appeared in the light, obscured from sight, but true in 
form... "You have no business here " he stated, " If she's 
coming back, it'll be with my guidance, not yours."
	Gail continued to stagger between the darkness 
of the cliff and the darkness of the man in front of  her. 
"Take my hand, Gail, just reach out, walk toward 
me...NOOO!"
	The light seemed to delineate into the arms of a 
young woman. The hands planted themselves firmly on 
Gail's back and pushed her from the edge of the 
cliff...propelling her past where Lucas stood...

*************************

	Gail's heart monitor beeped, fluttered and 
stopped again.  "250 . . . clear!"  The jolt of electricity 
shot through her chest again.  This time her heart held 
the beat and slowly found it's pace.
	Caleb laughed with relief and rushed to Gail's 
bedside, hugging her hard.  Billy smiled over at Ben.  
Mostly for Gail, but some for himself at not having to 
face Lucas' wrath.  
	Lucas signalled Ben by inclining his head toward 
the hallway, to let Selena leave the room.  She lifted her 
head, and challenged Lucas with a look, as she slid along 
the wall to the door, she made certain her body and his 
made contact fully, as she slinked through the doorway 
into the hall.
	Lucas took in  the hospital room with a glance,  
he was agitated, and everyone knew it.  Rita whispered 
to an orderly, " Selena Coombs is definitely in for it...."
	His eyes strayed to a grinning Dr. Peele and 
Caleb, who was nervously laughing, but the sound he 
heard  wasn't his son, it was most certainly the laugh of
Merlyn Temple. 

The End