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David meets the little girl, Sarah Collins, and plays with her for a while.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: My name is Victoria Winters. Hope of rescue is fading for a girl being held captive, and now she must struggle to retain her sanity, for soon she must make the decision for her own life or death. But there is a presence that could affect her fate.
Maggie, trapped in an old, disused room in the Old House cellar, hears a little girl singing London Bridge. She moves to the door and peers through the small window's bars. Outside is a little girl dressed in 18th century clothing playing with a ball and singing. Maggie implores the child to talk to her.
Act I
Maggie begs the little girl to help her and to get away before Barnabas and Willie catch her. The girl stops singing and leaves moments before Willie comes downstairs to check on Maggie. He has brought her something to eat and overheard her talking; it seemed as if Maggie wanted something. But who would she be talking to? After all, there's only one way in and out of the cellar. She tries to convince Willie to help her and escape with her. Willie reminds her of the power Barnabas holds over them, and admits to even trying to leave Collinsport only to be drawn back due to the vampire's influence. Maggie refuses when Willie suggests she submit to Barnabas' will. He leaves her again, locking the door and heading back upstairs. Outside Maggie's cell, the little girl reappears.
Act II
At Collinwood, Victoria is teaching David about Australia, but David's more interested in going outside to play. Carolyn interrupts; Victoria dismisses David and the energetic boy leaves pretending to be a kangaroo. Alone, Victoria voices her concerns about Carolyn and Buzz. Carolyn assures her she and Buzz will be married the same day Elizabeth weds Jason. She's merely patterning her life after her mother's example. Buzz looks like a prince compared to Paul Stoddard and Jason McGuire. She tells Victoria to get her a crash helmet as a wedding present; the minute she and Buzz are married they're going to roar out on his motorcycle.
Act III
Outside the Old House, David is playing on a swing while the little girl who appeared in the cellar watches from amongst the columns. She calls out and urges David over; she wants someone to play with but everyone she knew had gone away. She claims to live "around here" and David comments on having never seen her before. Her name is Sarah and she already knows David's name. She tells him she used to go to school a long time ago, but she doesn't anymore. David and Sarah toss a ball back and forth, but David isn't too keen on her singing London Bridge, her favorite song. Sarah, who is "always alone", becomes sad and insists on finding those who went away and left her. David agrees to play with her again as Sarah wanders off into the woods. Having heard David, Willie emerges from the Old House and scolds him for being there when he's not supposed to be. David mentions the little girl he met, which agitates Willie who sends David home.
Act IV
David returns to Collinwood at the same time Buzz arrives on his motorcycle. Carolyn's going out for the rest of the day, and she intends to have herself some fun. Finding Victoria in the drawing room, David wishes to have a motorcycle of his own when he's older. He can't imagine any children his age still singing London Bridge and mentions meeting Sarah down by the Old House. She seemed sad and David admits he felt sorry for her. He goes on to describe Sarah, noting her clothing. Meanwhile, Willie returns to check on Maggie. She wasn't able to eat and would rather die of starvation than become Barnabas' vampire bride. Alone again, Maggie hears Sarah singing. She hurries to the door, and after several moments, Sarah finally speaks to her. She warns Maggie that if she sees her big brother not to tell him she saw her.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Vicki: What is Australia best known for, David?
: David: Kangaroos.
== Dramatis personae ==
* Kathryn Leigh Scott as Maggie Evans
* John Karlen as Willie Loomis
* Nancy Barrett as Carolyn Stoddard
* Sharon Smyth as Sarah Collins
* David Henesy as David Collins
* Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was 254.
* This episode features a filmed location sequence of David on a swing outside of the Old House. When the scene switches to studio taping, there is no building behind David on the swing; instead he is facing the Old House.
* The shadows of a large cobweb on the ceiling are visible on the outside of Maggie's cell door.
=== Story ===
* Sarah would not have known what or are. Although there were English settlements in Australia since the 1770s, the settlements were known to the English as New South Wales.
* When David sees the ghost of Sarah, he clearly has never seen her before. In 90, David mentions having seen the ghost of a little girl at the Old House. David said he does not know the girl's name, but obviously it wasn't Sarah.
* Although it has not yet been revealed that Sarah is Barnabas's sister, in this episode we learn that she has a "big brother." Sarah warns Maggie not to tell her "big brother" that she saw her because he doesn't like anyone to come down into the basement.
* GHOSTWATCH: The ghost of Sarah Collins appears to Maggie in a scene continued from the end of the previous episode. Later, Sarah's ghost appears to David.
** Sarah, seen at the end of the previous episode singing "London Bridge" to her doll, is now singing "London Bridge" while throwing a ball in the air. However, there is no reason to assume the start of this episode is showing the same incident. In fact, the previous episode has Maggie questioning her own sanity when she first hears the singing. At the beginning of this episode, she does not do that. Therefore, this may be a second appearance of Sarah.
* TIMELINE: Day 85 takes place.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* A boom microphone shadow can be seen on Maggie's cell door as she talks to Sarah.
* Sharon Smyth keeps looking at something or someone off camera as she sings. [Addendum: She seems to be looking for a cue to stop and start throwing the ball up in the air.]
* Sarah calls David "boy" when she tries to get his attention. When he tells her his name is David, her reply is... "I know". [This is neither a blooper nor a continuity error.] 
* When David is talking to Sarah, he mouths some of her lines as she says them. 
* As Vicki and David talk about Sarah in the drawing room, a shadow passes over them, and shuffling can be heard off-stage.
* The door knocker on the front door of the Old House has been moved to the left-hand door; previously it was on the right-hand door. Also, there are three round marks on the right-hand door, which appear to be possible marks from when the knocker was on that door.
== End credits announcements ==
* Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.
==External links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 256 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 256 - Falling Down
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 256: Always choose the worst things to want
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 256: 6/19/67
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