At the great house of Collinwood in the strange and disturbing world of Parallel Time, there is a strange legend of a locked room somewhere in the house, and a curse that has haunted the Collins family for 160 years. Once during each generation a member of the family is chosen by lottery to spend a night in that room. Of those who have stayed in there three have died as a result, and the other three emerged mad. With the death of Justin Collins, master of the house, it is time to hold the lottery again. But before this is done a wedding, has been decided upon by Catherine Harridge and Morgan Collins, on hearing of the news of the coming marriage, Bramwell Collins, the man Catherine's loved from childhood, became enraged and forced her to return to the Old House with him.
Bramwell decides to take Catherine hostage in order to keep her from marrying Morgan.
Act I
Catherine begs Bramwell to let her go, but Bramwell will have none of it. He goes as far as saying he might kill Morgan if he comes looking for her at the Old House.
Back at Collinwood, in the upstairs parlor, Melanie is upset a wedding is taking place so soon after Justin’s death. Quentin tells her that the lottery will happen as soon as the wedding is over. Morgan comes rushing in, wondering where Catherine is. He is certain something has happened to her, and leaves to go look for her.
Meanwhile, an unknown man prepares to sneak into Collinwood, but is nearly caught by Morgan, who is leaving to search for Catherine. The man, revealed to be Kendrick, enters the house and hides as Quentin and Melanie enter the foyer.
Act II
As Quentin and Melanie enter the drawing room to discuss Catherine’s whereabouts, Kendrick sneaks up the stairs.
At the Old House, Bramwell again refuses to release Catherine. She manages to calm herself as Bramwell recalls the early days of their relationship, and the two share a kiss. Bramwell offers to let her leave if she can honestly tell him the past means nothing to her and she doesn’t love him, but she admits she can’t.
Meanwhile, Kendrick is in the upstairs parlor at Collinwood searching through Flora’s desk, and Melanie walks in on him.
Act III
Melanie attempts to call for help, but Kendrick stops her and closes the doors. Kendrick says he has returned to Collinwood to search for his sister, Stella, who is still missing. Melanie insists Stella left Collinsport two weeks ago, but is willing to listen to Kendrick’s theory that Julia lied to him. Kendrick believes that Stella is still somewhere at Collinwood, and thanks Melanie for listening to him before she helps him sneak out of the house.
Downstairs, Morgan returns and tells Quentin that Catherine never went home and her carriage is still parked by the gate.
Act IV
Quentin recalls to Morgan that Bramwell was at Collinwood recently, and surmises that he may have something to do with Catherine’s disappearance. Morgan goes into a rage and grabs a gun, but Quentin talks him down and offers to go get Catherine from the Old House in his place.
At the Old House, Catherine, while happy to be in Bramwell’s company (it is implied that Bramwell and Catherine were intimate), insists she is still going to marry Morgan. Catherine reminds Bramwell that he can’t give her the life that Morgan can.
Quentin shows up at the Old House, looking for Catherine, and Bramwell tells him to leave. Despite his best efforts to keep the situation peaceful, Quentin pulls out a gun, and Bramwell agrees to let him take Catherine back to Collinwood.
Later that night, Catherine convinces Morgan to not seek revenge against Bramwell for what he did. Morgan reluctantly agrees, and orders Catherine to stay at Collinwood until morning.
In the foyer, Quentin finds Melanie putting out the candles for the night, and notices she is acting rather strangely.
In the middle of the night, Melanie enters Catherine’s room and prepares to stab her.
Memorable quotes[]
Melanie: You're not going to get around me by flattery, sir.
Bramwell: [doing up his collar and necktie] Are you angry with me?
Catherine: [languidly] I have no reason to be angry. You wanted to prove something to me, and you have proven it. But it doesn’t make any difference.
Bramwell: What do you mean?
Catherine: How can I make you understand? I’ve revealed my feelings for you, but you must also accept the fact that I also love Morgan.
Bramwell: That is impossible, and you know it.
Catherine: It is possible. I do love him, and I’m going to marry him for all the reasons that I said. I know the kind of life I want. I know I would never find it with you; yet I will find it with him. It’s as simple as that, and you must accept it.
Quentin: It’s late. You should be in bed by now.
Melanie: I must put out all the candles in the house first.
Quentin: The what?
Melanie: Such a large house, so many rooms, so many candles.
Quentin: Melanie, tell me, are you feeling all right?
Melanie: Oh, yes, I feel quite well, thank you.
Quentin: Look, why don’t you let me take you up to your room?
Melanie: That won’t be necessary. I know the way. Good night, my dear.
It's implied that Bramwell and Catherine have sex while he holds her captive. In 1219, it will be revealed that Catherine is pregnant with Bramwell's child.
Melanie last saw Stella Young the day before Stella is said to have left Collinwood.
TIMELINE: It was two weeks ago when Stella is said to have left Collinwood (she last appeared in 1189). 1:20am: Morgan returns to Collinwood.
Bloopers and continuity errors[]
When Morgan leaves Collinwood at the end of Act I the front doors reopen after he closes them.
At the end of Act II when Morgan returns to Collinwood and tells Quentin something has happened to Catherine, the camera zooms in on him but zooms in too closely and then has trouble readjusting and refocusing.
In Act IV when Catherine is laying down in bed and speaking to Bramwell swishing noises can be heard from offscreen movement.
