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Recap / Are You Afraid Of The Dark Season 1 The Tale Of The Sorcerors Apprentice

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"The return of Goth is at hand!"

In the woods near the campfire, the Midnight Society find a mound of disturbed earth. Have they stumbled upon a murdered corpse? Suddenly, from beneath the soil, up jerks a skeleton. Aaargh! Frank and Kiki, who put it there, hoot with laughter.

Around the campfire, they pass around the skull of the spring-loaded prop. In the stone chair, Betty Anne announces a story about a different sort of head: an ancient wizard's good luck charm - which may bring more than the holder bargained for. Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, she calls this story "The Tale of the Sorcerer's Apprentice."


In 1966, a student of Linden High sneaks, after hours, into the school basement, and, from a metal basket, takes the components of some kind of ritual. Pursued, she desists, and vanishes...

In the present day, Dean Berkham takes a Chemistry test. With the rest of the class having left, Dean still struggles. Ms Crenshaw proffers an impatient hand, snatches the test, and frowns. Dean and best friend Alix then attend World Cultures class. Archaeologist Dr Oliver introduces various Babylonian artefacts, including a golden, cobra-headed staff, a Babylonian sorcerer said to have enslaved thousands.

Dean, in the empty classroom, examines the artefacts. Dr Oliver pops back in, and invites him to take his time. Dean peers at the cobra staff. Embedded in its head, two red gemstones serve as eyes. They suddenly glow. Entranced, Dean stares.

That night, he visits the school basement. From beneath a tile, he retrieves the metal basket, and sets to work...

Back in chemistry, the class begins another test. Dean, bold as brass, gets up and puts his blank paper on Miss Crenshaw's desk. As her ire rises, Dean stares commandingly. She abruptly calms, and distractedly awards his test an A+. In the corridor, Alix asks him what in the world is going on. Dean coldly rails at her underestimation of his abilities, and storms off. In the next few days, he stops talking to her, and falls in with a new crowd. From the chemistry classroom, Dean steals a bottle of mercuric acid. Alix follows him to the school basement.

Before a seated congregation of his new cronies, Dean drops into a metal drum acid and belladonna leaves. He spies Alix. While his audience chases her, she gives them the slip, and returns to watch Dean. In the steaming concoction stands the cobra staff. Into its gaping mouth, Dean fits an orb, which, along with the staff’s eyes, glow. From the green vapours rises the spectral head of a man. Goth commands his young apprentice, to for tonight, prepare another cauldron of mystic vapours. They hear Alix knock something over.

She runs in search of Dr Oliver. Ms Crenshaw explains the archaeologist to have left, and gently urges Alix to join Goth. Alix screams. In the corridor, Dean’s cronies back her into the assembly hall. Dean steps down from the stage, and gloats of his empowerment. On Alix's desperate entreaties, he takes pity, and promises to spare his friend.

That night, Alix follows Dean and co across town, to find them stealing barrels of mercuric acid. The minions seize her. Dean leads them to the school’s disused swimming pool, where, over twenty-five years ago, a girl is said to have gone mad.

The minions pour the acid into the pool. Dean adds the belladonna leaves, and green vapours fill the air. Within their depths emerges the corporeal body of the Babylonian sorcerer. Goth presents his intentions, and demands subservience. Alix tries throwing the staff’s orb at him. He realises her to have conspired against him, and declares her doom. Dean, suddenly free of the spell, finds himself immobilised.

As Goth rises above the vapours, Dean calls to Alix to use the chlorine. As the sorcerer advances upon her, Alix tips in the chlorine. The green glow fades. As the nightshade dies, Goth falls back into the mist, and with a small explosion, is gone. In the now-darkened room, Dean meekly confesses to Alix his involuntary subservience. Chlorine, he realised, would neutralise the organic leaves, and break the spell. The two suddenly burst out laughing. Alix hugs her restored friend. They, and the disorientated others, quietly leave. By the pool, the abandoned staff is approached by Dr Oliver. Having planted orbs in schools nationwide, her restoration of Goth remains possible.


David smells a sequel. The world is doomed, muses Eric. On that cheerful note, Gary douses the fire and closes the meeting.

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