Haunting Ms.Lorraine

 

When I first came to work for Lorraine Humphrey as her driver, I knew she would be quite the spitfire. She managed her hired help with a whip it seemed, and because of that stronghold of hers, she lost a lot of employees. The mansion she lived in was a huge responsibility to keep up for anyone under her control. I wondered why she just didn't close down the parts of the mansion that were not in use. But the main housekeeper Ms. Brenda, warned me not to suggest such a thing to Ms. Lorraine.

"Then why not allow her servants to occupy some of those rooms, Lord knows there's plenty?".

"We have our servants quarters and it would be beyond improper for any of us to occupy her family rooms, when they're still here" she replied then walked away.

What an odd thing to say.

What I knew of Ms. Lorraine's history is that she was born the last of 12 kids to the affluent Mr. Boris Humphrey, an oil tycoon. Her mother died when Lorraine was a child, so leaving the responsibility of her care to her elder siblings. Old Boris lived a long life and passed away in his favorite chair in his study, surrounded by cigar smoke, having fallen victim to a massive stroke. 

After that, Lorraine's remaining family all began to venture off and live their lives before death claimed them one by one, till Lorraine was the only one left.

She talked to herself when she was alone and yelled quite a bit at her remaining servants and come the evening hour of 6, she would take a brandy to her father's study and sit in his padded leather chair by the fireplace. Sometimes she would call on Ms. Brenda to start up the old Victrola with the horn for a speaker, to play a record for her by Chopin or Bach.

Winter was fast approaching and Ms. Lorraine called upon her servants to have a "staff meeting". She wanted to host a winter ball on Christmas Eve. She had already compiled a guest list in which she had Ms. Brenda send out invites with RSVPs, and I drove to the post office to deliver. 

She had me call up some people to work on the mansion for repairs and a team of gardeners to help Luther (our gardener) to spruce up the lawn and be ready to decorate.  Sometimes the workers jobs ran over the time she allotted for them to work. It was hell for them to convince her why they needed to stay. Most times, she'd wave them off and told them to go away while she retreated to her father's study to be alone.

I'd peek in on her once in awhile to check on her. Most times she would be browsing the volumes of books on the bookshelves, or reading or listening to music. This particular night, she sat in the chair and drank her brandy then got up to sway slowly to the music and hum in sync. While it does not seem an uncommon thing to do, it spooked me a bit seeing her do this. There is a rectangular gold frame mirror that hangs just above the fireplace, and if you gaze into it at a certain angle, one would notice she is not dancing alone. It gave me quite the jump when I saw this. I backed up out of the room and shut the door as quickly and as silently as I had came in.

There came a few nights leading up to the ball that I could not sleep for some reason, so I took to walking the many halls, peeking into a few rooms. The mansion was considerably quite old so it didn't startle me any to hear floorboards creaking or feel a draft by a window. But I say to you, what I saw next when I turned the corner to another hall, scared me to my core. I felt very cold all of a sudden as I walked down that hall and came to a stop. There was a couple walking down this same hallway and in my direction. Ghosts. They were talking to each other but I couldn't make out what they were saying. They were dressed in old Victorian style clothes. 

The male walked right through me like I wasn't even there. Crazy as it sounds, I felt an electric shock go through my body and images in my head flashed in my mind. Memories that were not mine nor from this date in time. I was knocked to my behind. I turned back to look at them continue on, then disappear into the wall at the end. 

What the hell did I just see ? A peek into his past?  The experience left me with a strange headache. I hightailed it back to my room and begged for sleep to claim me, so by morning it would seem to be nothing more than a freaky bad dream. 

The mansion came back to life or woke after a many centuries past slumber.  With all the renovations and holiday decorations ready that had been added to the mansion, made it look so festive, beautiful. 

Ms. Brenda looked so worn out by the time evening came, with all the prepping, organizing, cleaning and discussing the menu for the event with the chef. She had one last thing to do and that was to check on Ms. Lorraine in the study. When Ms. Brenda returned shortly after, she announced Ms. Lorraine was napping, so we shouldn't disturb her.

"Won't she need help getting back to her room", I asked.  Ms. Brenda smiled and shook her head no. "You can't really see it because its built into the wall, and there's a lot of  furniture and decorations blocking the area, but there's an elevator in the corner next to a window that takes her right up to her room. It's all connected". It never occurred to me really how Ms. Lorraine made it up the grand stairway then down the hall to the left to get to her room. I had never actually seen her take the stairs, ever.

So I bid everyone goodnight and retired to my room. But once again I was not sleepy, so against my better judgment, I began my walk in the hallways again. I told myself I'd peek in on Ms. Lorraine to see if she'd made it up to her room ok before I turned in myself. 

Walking these halls tonight left me with the impression that whoever built this mansion took a page out of the old Winchester Mansion and how it was built. I swear I'd been down one hall only to round the corner to come across it again. With so many twists and turns in the halls, I was afraid I'd open a door to one of the rooms only to find a wall or another hallway that led nowhere. Or worse a staircase that had no ending destination.

I had a strange thought come over me by the time I found Ms. Lorraine's bedroom door, like maybe the ghostly inhabitants of this place did not want for me to find her room. Like I was purposefully being led astray, but I had my own strong sense of direction to find my way around. Except for tonight.  As I approached her door, I heard many voices coming from the other side. Again, I could not make out what they were saying. Was she talking to someone? Or some people? Her door handle was the old fashioned kind where you could peer in thru the keyhole. I knelt down to peek. 

Ms. Lorraine was sound asleep in her bed, but she did have company. I counted 5 maybe 6 specters hovering around her bed,  talking over her. Next thing I know I have an eye looking back at me from the opposite side of that keyhole. It startled me so much so, that I fell backwards upon my rump, I backed away quickly. Oh what the hell is in this house?

 I wondered if any of the other servants were disturbed by these phantoms. Probably not, they most likely minded their own business and kept to themselves, unlike me. I had backed myself up against the wall opposite her door. I used the wall to push myself back onto my feet.

"Look, you said you were gonna look in on her and head back. Never mind the party going on in there", I told myself. Taking a deep breath, I reluctantly agreed. Yet, not sure why but I went for the door latch again and turned it. These nocturnal beings all turned to face me then vanished one after the other.

 "Oh yeah, now you see me, sure!" I muttered.  Ms. Lorraine was undisturbed and covered up, so I creeped out of her room shutting the door behind me. 

The next morning we all woke up to a blanket of snow outside. I asked the chef and Ms. Brenda if they wanted to build a snowman or have a snowball fight. They politely declined and chuckled after me. "Still young minded" the chef commented. "Well yeah? Why not?' I replied. They ignored me and dispersed to begin their daily chores.

Tonight the festivities would begin.

The chef, whose name I finally learned was Dante- not sure if that was a first or last name- commented to Ms. Brenda when we both came in to the kitchen to snag a snack, that we were in for a blizzard tonight. ''Poor Ms. Humphrey", Ms. Brenda replied shaking her head slowly "she's going to be so disappointed".

"Is this a yearly event here?'' I asked since I was fairly new here, still.

"No, this wanting to have a ball, just dropped out of the sky. Ms. Lorraine doesn't take visitors at all" she said as she popped a tomato the size of a grape into her mouth. The chef nodded in agreement and continued dicing up vegetables and setting them to the side.

By 5pm it began to get real dark outside and soon the snow began to fall again hard and fast, then as time passed it tapered off  to a drizzle. 

Then the electricity went out. All of us servants were sitting around each other in the parlor and talking softly around candles set on various shelves and the coffee table in between us. The only warmth we had in that moment came from the grand fireplace ablaze with a crackling fire.

"The extra hired help won't be able to make it up the hill to the mansion tonight, shouldn't someone say something to Ms. Lorraine? No one is coming. That's it, full stop!!" I declared looking around the room.

 No one replied, they just went off in different directions. I stood to go check on Ms. Lorraine. I found her in the ballroom sitting in a chair by a window looking out to the empty circular driveway covered in fresh snow.  It's hard to tell what she must have been thinking, sitting there all alone. I decided not to bother her but would definitely check up later. 

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

My bedroom became so cold despite the two heavy blankets I had covering me. I could see my breath with the chill in the air. I thought I heard music and a lot of chatter and laughing. Had the electricity been somehow restored? Had all the invitees actually shown up? 

I had questions that needed answers right away. I got up and put my robe on. I padded along the carpet in my thick woolly socks, till I got to the ballroom. I must've been dreaming or at least hoped I was when I saw the scene before me.

The ball seemed to be happening in full swing, in the dark and complete with ghostly revelers, a small 3 piece band playing the old song "All of Me" and Ms. Lorraine. She was dancing in the middle of the crowd with a male apparition. She beamed with so much joy.

 I looked around at everything before me and out of the entry way. There was a small desk set up against the wall to the side. It had a guestbook for people to sign in and next to it was a stack of invites that had been returned marked Unknown Addressee or Return To Sender. 

Who were all these people? I shifted my gaze back to the empty guest sign in. Little by mysterious bit, signatures began to appear in the book as I turned the pages. The very last name to appear was mine, although I had not signed it. None of this made any sense.

I gazed one last time upon the dancers in their fancy dress clothes, the band playing their instruments, the people 'eating' the hors d'oeuvres and other goodies Dante had painstakingly prepared earlier in the day. 

Then there was Ms. Lorraine. Who, I wondered was that ghost of a man dancing with her twirling her about and dipping her, causing laughter and joy out of her that I'd never seen? 

There's a story to tell. 

I returned to my room and fell asleep. Tomorrow would be a big clean-up day for us all. 

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

By morning Ms. Brenda found Ms. Lorraine in the study slumped over to one side in her father's chair, two glasses of brandy half empty sat next to her on a small table. She had passed away but even then, she had not been alone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In His Room

 

Getting the new house was exciting, the prospects of  Sonny boy having his own room, while the girl's still had to share was beyond awesome, until...

He started hearing the voices whispering his name.

Then the bad dreams started.

He wasn't about to fess up that now he'd really like some human company in his room, even if it meant sharing with one of his sisters.

So he went to have a late talk with his dad about this.

Of course Pops was asleep and didn't like being disturbed, so Sonny boy took it upon himself to crawl in bed between his parents.

There he felt safe.

Then mom was awoken a few moments later to her son's voice standing next to her.

"Mom, I can't sleep". 

Without opening her sleepy, heavy laden eyes, she picked up the blankets on her side of the bed to invite the child in.

"C'mon and get some sleep, kiddo" she murmured.

Sonny boy was too terrified to speak, when his other self laid down on the other side of mom and whispered to Sonny boy with a grin on it's face.

"G'nite".

A Very Short Story About A Personal Demon

 

Her personal demon comes out of hiding because he hears her stirring in her sleep. 

“What is the matter, Madame?”

“It’s nothing Bruno, back to your space with you now”.

”But Madame “ he implores.

“Really, it’s nothing Bruno. I just had a fright that the mister dug his way out of his grave and found his way home again. Are you sure he’s dead this time?”

”Yes Madame “.

“Very well then, all is good. Goodnight to you, then”.

“Pleasant dreams to you Madame “.

10 minutes later there’s a soft rapping at her bedroom window. Annoyed the lady of the house sits up in bed and stares sternly in Bruno’s direction who has also returned looking quite sheepish now with both hands clasped together. 

“Really Bruno?”

Guiltily he looks down, he knows she’s angry.

Picture In A Box

 

Tags  regret, memories, pics

 originally written- July 2, 2019

 

He was quite the ladies man in his heyday. He had many lovers and collected many a naughty pics of his conquests that he kept in a little wooden box with a lock. He looked upon them proudly as trophies he had won.

 

So came the day he settled down and found grey upon his head. Life had taken its toll on him, but to his private joy, he found he could still turn a head.

A much younger spirit called to him, and so he spent many hours of his time in the light she brought to his dark days. She shared of herself as he did as well, and he found he favored her company more than that of those he had in his past.

So he sought her out more and more, to know her name and a picture to look upon in his lonely moments. These things she denied him for reasons she would not speak right away.

Time passed and he found himself alone again, when he came upon the wooden box that he had long since put away. As he sat alone at a table by the window that allowed the light of the morning sun to shine through. He opened the box and perused its contents.

He scratched his head, as picture after picture he pulled to view and wondered to himself who these women were. He couldn't place a name with a face any more than point out one star in heaven's sky.

But there was one he remembered well, that had touched his heart. He became happy recalling memories of her, as he dug thru his collection more fervently, but came up empty. He was for sure he'd recognize her right away if he could just find her picture, but happiness quickly turned to sadness.

For the one he sought was not among them many pictures in the box.

He returned to his room and sat on the edge of his bed with a tear in his eye, for he couldn't remember what had happened to his dear one in the small lifetime they'd shared many special moments.

 

Then, a familiar conversation came to mind, an exchange they'd had.

He recalled how in his arrogance, he had become angry she would not share a picture with him to look upon and delight in her body. She had laughed at his anger and left him with these words:

 

"I will not become a picture in your box to hold when you're old and lonely. For you don't see it now, how much more important to you I am, than that. And after you have long forgotten everyone else, it will be me in my faceless glory that your heart will remember, while your nights will be filled with torment".

"And you will remember how I fought for a better place in your mind and heart than what you were willing to spare" she continued.

"You will cry yourself to sleep wishing for one more time under the stars to share with me, but I will be no more to you, but a distant memory you'll recall as that "Once Upon A Time".

"Hug yourself from then on silly old man, and recall how I loved you but you denied me for the sake of that pride you stubbornly held onto. Hug yourself now even tighter, for you will find you have been dealt with everything you deserve for hanging on to those selfish memories, while you only have yourself and that never-ending pride".

" Maybe not now but you'll soon realize, I am worth more than a picture in a box, and mark my words, you will remember me best".

I Met An Old Woman

 

I met an old woman while I walked a path, she stopped me and asked for help. I did just that and set upon again on my journey, when she considered me a moment and called me back again.

"Pardon me" she said as she laid her hand upon my arm "but I sense something in you, that seems you are very sad. May I help you as you have helped me?"

"Thank you for thinking of me, but no there is nothing you can help. There is something I must do, and I must do it alone".

I bid her a good day and continued on my way. I must've walked for an hour or so, when I swear before me, there she stood.

"Please let me help you, young one. You seem in such pain. I have a remedy that may be of comfort", she implored.

I wondered from where she came from for her to pass me unseen or appear as a dream. I tried my best to reason with her that I didn't want her help.

Then she asked that I sit with her for a small spell. Her feet were tired and her eyes, weary.

So I granted her request on the promise that after this she would bother me no more. She promised, and so we sat quietly regarding each other with just a smile to share in between.

I was anxious to leave for night was coming quick, and I had a trip to make, a job to do.

But I'd been taught to respect my elders and maybe she still needed me though she wouldn't say, so I did with the wish her strength would soon return, and we could part ways.

"I sense in you a troubled heart, tell me what is the matter with you?" she inquired.

What I replied next should have me burn in a lake of fire. I was so rude and oh so mean to this old woman. I didn't realize she was saving me. An unlikely angel with a favor to answer.

"I just wish to set back upon my path, without being followed. I told you before I do not need to borrow a thing".

Oh, to see the look upon her face, what sadness I seen hung mine in disgrace. With heavy shoulders and a sigh to boot. I sat back down and buried my shame, but she forgave me and placed no blame.

"My world is crushed, my heart is broken. I have no use for it anymore. I was set upon a path to go bury it somewhere, so I shouldn't think of it anymore" I finally bled out.

Silently she watched me while at my lowest point. One question she did ask. "Why?".

The frustration within me began to build once again, but I would not make the same mistake twice. I took a moment to answer before my anger spoke.

"All my life, I've wished for a love so true. Someone to hold me, but love is just cruel. It took from me and drained me till nothing was left. Now I'm ready to be done with it".

"If you were to meet someone upon your path, that needed one. Would you give yours rather than bury it?"

"No, its tainted, its cold and black from misuse, I couldn't think to harm another with my curse".

"Very well" she said and stood, " I must be off for I too have things to do. I just thought since you helped me, you would help another too. Your heart seems to work fine, but go about your business I will not tell. But you may need someone as much as they need you".

Then in a blink of an eye the old woman was gone. I set upon my feet and continued on.

When I arrived at hallowed ground, there came upon my sight, a man of my age lost, dejected, and sad. Yet all I could think was about the old lady, what had she said about helping yet another?

The man asked me for help, and the goosebumps ran over my skin, why was that? I wondered to myself, as I tried to rub it away. He just needed help to find a lost love, and together we searched the grounds. When he found what he was looking for he sought to thank me and kissed my cheek.

I waved goodbye and found my spot. It was near an old oak tree and a statue of an angel ever near. I kneeled upon my knees, unbothered by the dirt and plowed away at it till I reached a deep enough hole.

Just as I had pulled out my heart and thrown it in. Another laid in that very same spot. A heavy hand rested upon my shoulder and I turned up to look in wonder. A most extraordinary thing happened.

We exchanged thoughts, memories, loves and laughs, pain joy and wrath. All within that simple touch and something ignited and lit within us both.

We were one in the same looking for each other. "Don't bury your heart, there" he said to me.

"I made that same mistake long ago, and returned to claim it before the girl came. An old woman told me you'd be here and said you were my match. I didn't believe her but curious to find the truth. I came as quickly as I could".

He began his tale " See, I'd buried mine long ago and had forgotten long since where? But when I seen you by the angel, I swore that had to be the spot. So let's join our hearts and see what happens."

He pulled his out as I had pulled mine, but instead of returning it to its old casing we traded to see what was missing. There we found we were the key to one another, and the old woman hid behind a tree and smiled. Her work was done at least for a little while.

The Fae Ring

 

It is believed that if a person steps inside a Fae ring, it is a portal to the Fae world.

Others believe that stepping into one will cause a mortal to be invisible to the outside world and find it impossible to leave the ring.

Here is a story of three friends who were aware of the tales and decided to tempt their own fates

by playing around one they found, and what became of them.

Evan, Lyla and Rick were a few short days away from their graduation when they came across such a ring in Evan's neighbor's front lawn. They sat around the Fae ring consuming strong drink and speaking foolishly about the ring till they were consumed in fits of  hiccupy laughter. Lyla looked up the history behind the Fae ring and shared it with her friends.

"I say, lets try it, let's step into the ring and see what happens. I bet nothing happens, after all it is a story" said Evan standing up dusting himself off and smiling at the other two. Lyla begged Evan not to play around, but he would not listen. 

Rick backed Evan up and dared him to do it, to step in and see what occurs. Lyla tried to stand before Evan, thinking that blocking him from stepping in would stop him. To her surprise, he shoved her to the side causing her to lose her footing and fall to the grass inside the ring. To the boys, she had disappeared. 

To her, she could see them and reached her arm up demanding they help her back up to her feet. The boys looked down in shock where Lyla had been. Evan shouted in surprise as Rick tried to stand but stumbled further back instead. They both called out for Lyla, but neither of them could hear her or see

her. Lyla thought the guys were messing around and were blatantly refusing to help her. 

So as she sat up, she felt something behind her pushing up her back. She turned quickly to look to find tiny fairies gathered around her trying to help her up. She froze in shock covering her mouth with the back of her hand. 

While she could not understand what was being said to her by them, watching their gestures made her realize they were only there to help. But for one, who stood away from the crowd of Fae, had his tiny arms crossed on his chest looking angry. The Fae rallied around the girl, and to her further surprise, learned they were quite strong for their diminutive size. They helped her up and pushed her back beyond the ring as others waved goodbye and smiled.

Evan and Rick seeing her reappear before them apologized immediately and explained what had occurred. She shared her experience with them also and urged them to part ways and go home, being that it was already late. 

Sadly it did not change the mind of Evan who now excited by this knowledge that the stories were true, decided he wanted to try the experience for himself instead of heeding Lyla's warning. She wanted no part of it and chose to walk away. As soon as she was of a short distance, Evan called out to her. "Look!!" he cried out laughing and leaped into the ring, consequently disappearing himself. Rick stood up and laughed bewildered by what had transpired.

Lyla screamed "NOOOOO !!" and ran back stopping right before the ring. Rick grabbed her by the waist picking her up and swinging her out of the way. She shouted Evan's name but there came no response. 

Rick became concerned after a few moments gone, Evan had not yet returned as Lyla had. Rick suggested to Lyla maybe they should both jump in and try to find Evan and help him if they could. She refused and sobbed quietly as she thought who could they turn to for help? No one would believe them.

Rick's thoughts were by far his own and lost in a sea of uncertainty. He decided he'd go in alone. He backed up a couple of feet then made a run for it and leaped in. Lyla screamed again for Rick this time. But he was gone too. 

It was quiet the night after the boys disappeared and never returned. Life resumed its course and Lyla graduated. Hesitant to begin her new life, she returned night after night to that same spot, long after the Fae ring had indeed itself disappeared. She was consumed within the books of myth and legend if there was any way to get her friends back. If she could appease the Fae somehow and at least return one of them to her, she would offer a token of peace, whatever they asked she was willing to give. 

Her cries fell on the deaf ears of the angry Fae for even though the ring was gone, they could still hear her pleas thru their magical veil. She pulled a silver ring from off her middle left finger. The ring was fashioned in the shape of a dandelion, so kneeling down in the grass she laid the ring in the center of where the Fae ring once camped, as an offering of peace.

Lyla went on with her life, and when anyone asked her about her two friends, she'd sadly reply "They are gone from me".

Many years later, Rick appeared in the grass one night in the very spot he had disappeared from. Still in his youth. He was frightened and very much alone. He sat up and looked around. Looking back down into the grass he found Lyla's ring she always wore. He stared up into the night sky and spoke Lyla's name. He needed to find her and tell her what happened to him, what he saw. As he reached to pick up the ring it sunk deep into the grass as if it had been consumed. 

"I need to find her" he said to himself. Shakily he stood on his legs and walked slowly down the street. 

He wondered if he'd ever find Lyla or Evan. Did Evan ever make it 

back out of the ring? First stop...home, if he still had one. Then he'd

go in search of his friends.

Book of Nite

 

"Bren, Bren...." a females voice echoes in the night..

Bren's eyes open on command. He thinks he's dreaming, as he was all the other times.

He turns to check his wife who slumbers peacefully by his side.

"Bren" the voice calls again.

He sits up in bed and shifts his eyes in the direction of the open glass double doors leading to the outside balcony of his bedroom.

Bren remembers who that sweet voice belongs to.

His lost love that met her early demise on a cool breezy night such as this one.

"Bren" she calls to him again.

"Vivienne? Is that you" he whispers.

"Bren" the voice calls out to him once more.

He follows the voice as it leads him away from the safe confines of his home, to the edge of town just beyond the old churchyard.

Under the old sycamore tree, he examines the bark to see the carvings he made when they were young to love. Vivienne and Bren 4 ever

He runs his fingers gently across the carvings.

With slow sure steps, he finds his way to her grave and kneels down.

He begins to silently weep for his lost love.

How long ago has it been? Months? Years?

Bren recalls her 1st night in the ground. He slept atop the mound to keep her warm and keep her company, lest she awaken and find herself lonely.

Unable to accept the truth or to let go, it took his childhood friend Marie to lead him back home after the 5th night.

"Vivi is resting now, she is in a better place, Bren. Let her go or her spirit will not rest".

But that was not true, it was all a lie and as she watched them from afar, Vivienne swore to Hell she would make them all pay, starting with Bren.

Now, he sat in the dark alone, whispers all around him. The spirits of the dead have returned.

Then silence.

He wakes from his slumber "Where am I?" he wonders. he stands, turns to leave and there she stands. The same as he last saw her many years ago.

"Vivienne?" he asks in shock.

She smiles, exposing her fangs and closes in on his neck.

"Aaaaahhhhh!!!'

Bren-

Marie went into town, frantic to find her husband, Bren. He had disappeared in the night and had not returned. As she made haste running thru town, she ran into the Reverend Beatty just as she crossed the street to the church.

"Oh my lady, I'm so glad I've found you. There's a matter with Bren you need to be made aware of my dear" ,he told her resting both his hands on her shoulders.

"Reverend Beatty !! Thank God, what is it? My husband isn't dead? Please tell me the truth" she exclaimed already becoming faint of heart, as she tugged on the Reverends shirt tail.

"No, no my dear. Bren is very much alive, but he is in the hospital now. Come, I shall take you to him right away", he consoled her as he tugged her along in the opposite direction.

He led her to Bren's bedside where she rushed to him to ply his face with kisses. Bren accepted her affections, but for some reason was now repelled by her scent. He felt his eyes start to burn from the overpowering stench.

Reverend Beatty studied Bren's reaction to his wife's coddling. His eyes had turned blood red, as the little veins beneath the surface of his skin hardened and pulsated then return to normal.

"Bren, what happened to you, son? Do you recall anything?" Beatty asked him.

Bren shook his head no in confusion, but Beatty saw the lie. Marie caressed the face of her husband" My love are you well?" she asked while holding his hand fast in hers.

"I remember nothing. Why am I here?" he asked panicked now.

"I found you early this morning, laying over the grave of Vivienne Sutton", Beatty cleared his throat and informed Bren. Marie gave a startled and pained glance at her husband that stretched to the Reverend.

"Bren? Were you dreaming of Vivi again?" she asked near tears. He picked up the edge of his blanket and dabbed his wife's eyes dry.

"No my love, of course not. Do not worry yourself so" he crooned trying to appease her. "I do not recall anything, I said".

The doctor walked in "Well Bren, you seem to be fine, no reason to keep you here. You're free to go" he smiled and bid the threesome goodbye. Marie jumped from her seat and followed the doctor out into the hallway a few feet away from Bren's room. She tugged on his sleeve.

"Oh doctor, I beg your attention a moment please", she begged. he stopped and turned to face her.

"What is it that concerns you further, my dear?" he asked politely.

"What of the bandage on my husband's neck? What happened to him there?" The doctor patted her hand and smiled.

"No worries there, my dear. Just what appears to be an animal bite. Do not concern yourself further. I gave him a shot in case of rabies and prescribed for him a few herbal remedies for infection, just in case. But he should be fine and make a full recovery". With that he excused himself and continued making his morning rounds with his patients.

As the days passed, Bren appeared quite the opposite and took to behaving strangely. It was beginning to terrify Marie the changes she saw taking place within her husband. No matter how attentive she was to his well being, she worried more for him for he could not shake the pallid color that became apart of him now.

Marie requested an appearance by the Reverend about 2 weeks following Bren's mysterious disappearance. She had left him sleeping soundly upstairs in the room they shared, as she prepared coffee and hot cakes for the Reverend and herself. They spoke in hushed tones so as not to wake Bren.

But no matter the distance, or how silent they chose to be, Bren heard every word they spoke with remarkable clarity.

It pained him to hear his wife's heartbroken murmurings as she cried on the shoulder of the Reverend, for a husband she now learned, had never truly recovered from the death of his one true love but had managed to suppress his own suffering to appease her. He could not help himself, and it even made his guilt heavier on his chest for lying to his wife about Vivienne. For he was not dreaming about Vivienne, but was seeing her quite frequently now.

Revenge-

Bren no longer made it a secret that he was seeing Vivienne. Or that he would leave at night to handle some business for her. He knew he was breaking his wife's heart but he couldn't help himself, he needed to do this. Bren would kiss her cheek while holding his breath, fighting down the urge to bite down on Marie's sweet neck. Lately it had become more than he could tolerate, and so he would bid her goodnight from afar.

All thru the small village, terror ran amuck with countless victims turning up everywhere drained of all their blood. The council was beside themselves trying to come up with a plan to rid the town once again of vampires, as it had 10 years ago.

All the while trying to keep the scared people of the town calm, they fed them with the story that the nightly attacks, were the result of a rabid wild dog pack that had somehow made a home in the nearby forest. The council set up a town curfew that no one could be out past sundown until the problem was eradicated completely.

Marie continued having talks with Reverend Beatty who urged her to speak to the council. She pled her case to them, so they advised her they would investigate her claims and come to a course of action. They also told her it would be in her best interest if she pulled away from Bren, in the event they found him guilty of their suspicions, they would have him put to death immediately. She gasped in horror as she covered her cries with a lace handkerchief.

The Reverend went to be by her side and wrapped protective arms around her, assuring her it would not come to that, just to hold fast to her faith. While escorting her out of the office, and old friend of her family, Ben Chivers confronted her.

"I'm sorry Marie, but there is no other solution. If he is what you suspect, he is an abomination and must be destroyed" he said taking her hands in his. Reverend Beatty shouted at Ben and reprimanded him.

"Can you not see this young woman is under enough stress without you adding to her anxiety. You speak harshly on a matter you know nothing about. That is her husband we are speaking of, do try to show more compassion for her and apologize". Reddened from embarrassment, Ben apologized quickly and excused himself.

"Get home, my dear" the Reverend urged Marie "night is approaching quickly. Mind the curfew sweet dear, I wouldn't want any harm to come upon you". She nodded her head and obeyed.

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

That night at dinner, she sat at the other end of their dining table on Bren's orders. The farther away he kept her the less likely he would wish to feed upon her. She watched him sadly as she sipped her wine. His thoughts had propelled him far away from where he was at that moment.

He suddenly pushed his chair back and stood calling her to attention.

"I am going to retire for the evening, Marie. If I see fit a reason to step out, do not concern yourself", he walked to the open archway of their dining room then turned and said to her " and sweetheart, don't wait up".

Marie watched him ascend the spiral staircase that took them to their rooms. She debated with herself whether she should sleep in the guests quarters or sleep next to him. She feared it may be her last night with him if he chose to step out. So she chose to curl up next to him despite his body temperature being ice cold, she would find a way to warm him up, if it was the last thing she could do for him.

It didn't help matters, he was insistent on keeping the patio/ balcony doors wide open on such a frigid evening. She trembled from the cold in her sleep. Bren looking upon his wife, gathered the blankets around her and laid back down next to her.

Soon after, a fog rolled into their room and Marie felt movement on her bed. She feared to look and see, but she couldn't help it for Bren was moaning in his sleep. She feared he was having another fright till she sat up and turned to see Vivienne straddled atop her husband in a sexual manner and was riding him. His eyes were closed as his head lolled from side to side.

Marie shrieked in horror as Vivienne turned quickly to her and smiled wickedly. Marie felt a force shove her back down on the bed restraining her from further movement.

Vivienne slit Bren's wrist wide open, she willed Marie to sit up as Bren was forced to make his wife feed of his vein. Bren protested in agony, as he watched his wife choke and splurt up blood, until she ultimately swallowed. Releasing her power hold on Marie, Vivienne twisted Marie's neck with a force so strong, breaking her neck and allowed her now lifeless body to fall back upon the bed.

Bren sat up and yelled "Nooooo!!". He turned to examine his wife's body laying next to him with her head dangling off the edge of the bed. The fog retracted out of the room, slamming the patio doors closed in its wake.

Holding Marie in his arms, her scent no longer tempted him, he cried as he rocked her and cradled her closer to him. Tears rolled down his face as he cried "Marie, please wake up my love. I'm so sorry, I did not wish this fate upon you. Please wake up my love".

Bren belted out a mournful anguished howl of regret. In the darkest parts of the night, a diabolical snicker could be heard mocking this man for his wife.

Betrayal-

The council was having a late night meeting at the town hall. They were discussing the town massacre of 10 years ago.....

Hestor Niemi had rode into town on his one horse drawn carriage, in the middle of the night. Hestor set up an appointment to meet with council in regards to seek permission to opening his medical practice and apothecary. He showed them all of his credentials, so finding no reason at the time to deny him his request, they allowed him to set up shop on the outskirts of the village.

Everything was going fine for Hestor, until one night he had a man approach him just as he was closing up his practice for the night. The man complained of a serious stomach pain and begged for help. Hestor allowed the man to follow him into his office so he could check the man. Oddly the man had an ashen complexion to him, and when he asked the man to open his mouth so he could check the back of his throat, the man bared his teeth at Hestor revealing to him a sharp pair of fangs, attacking Hestor.

The man mutilated Hestor's body beyond recognition and when someone from the council found Hestor's body and reported it, everyone was devastated and afraid. Soon after, a similar string of grisly murders began to occur. The council were beside themselves with a solution to this problem. They did not know if it were a pack of wild dogs, or a lone bear. But upon further and closer investigation they realized the murders were occurring at the hands of a madman.

Unfortunately, it wasn't just at the hands of one they soon learned but quite a few, so when the hunters rallied up all five of the ones they deemed responsible,  they held them all in one cell together at their jailhouse. Reverend Beatty noticed a few traits these killers had in common. He did his research and then came before council and reported his findings. Vampires. Without so much as a trial given, they were all sentenced to death by hanging. Everyone in the village came to witness justice being carried out.

As the platform was released from beneath their feet, they struggled and strangled themselves till their last fight was done.  One by one, another councilman took it upon himself to pull out his sword and swung it against each of their necks as he walked by, decapitating them all,

********* 

On a spring evening when matters in the village had began to calm, and Vivienne Sutton was walking home from Bren's family home to her own. She met a man during her walk who was every bit handsome and  charming asked for a moment of her time. He told her he was new in town and had gotten lost while out on a stroll. He asked for directions back to the Inn where he was residing for a weeks time.

So she threaded her arm thru his and happily escorted him back to the Inn. The man kept  up a lengthy light hearted conversation with her all the while. He talked her into coming up to his room and it was there that he seduced her, assaulted her, then drained her of her life source. Her family had reported her missing a few days and when they finally found her wandering the streets alone she was taken into a makeshift infirmary where a doctor from a neighboring town came to treat her. He let her go stating she just needed rest and needed fluids being that she was quite dehydrated. He soon returned back to his own town, disregarding the bite on her neck and how deep the puncture marks were.

Now Bren's father was part of the council during that time, and had happen to come across Vivienne in her sickly state. Thinking nothing of it at first, he began to see changes in her and brought his concerns to his son.

"Keep an eye on her son, she still does not look well, and when I asked to escort her back to the doctor she outright refused", he told his son.

Bren had been hearing stories among the gossip mongers of the village that Vivienne had not been faithful to him with the stranger who had left town suddenly. He feared she may be with child if the rumors were true and maybe she was too frightened or embarrassed to seek help on her own.

Talking to his longtime childhood friend, Marie Scott about this, she refused to believe every rumor that came up, for Marie loved her friend and always watched out for his well being. She believed Vivienne was a good person and would never hurt the man she was soon to be betrothed to.

Until it was no longer deniable the true state of Vivienne's health, Bren consulted his father over his findings concerning Vivienne. The council picked her up and put her in jail. They finally had their last vampire. The council arranged for another public execution by hanging. They brought her out in chains to the platform kicking, screaming and cursing everyone. She had to be dragged the rest of the way. Wrapping a noose around her neck, they made sure the strangulation would be effective.

"Any last words, what say you?" Bren's father asked . He was conducting the execution. She refused to speak for a moment. She believed the councils efforts to destroy her would prove useless and vowed to return. 

" I have no regrets except that I will not marry my Bren" she announced, then turned a pleading eye to him who stood in the crowd, with Marie close by his side, hand around his arm with tears streaming down her cheeks. Vivienne became jealous and angry but hid it so she may have her last words begging for her life thru Bren. He could not handle her desperate cries and moans for her life, and  turned his head away.

Infuriated now, she cursed Bren. "Hear this Bren, I will come back for you. I will make you remember this night and I will come back for you!! LOOK AT ME !!'' she demanded. In that moment, the platform underneath her collapsed beneath and at the pull of a rope, it caused Vivienne to struggle while being choked until the fight was gone from her body and it dangled limply from the rope.

 Bren's father pulled out the same sword from before and strode over to her lifeless body intending to behead her as he had the others. Bren could no longer stay silent and moved quickly thru the crowd to confront his father and beg for mercy upon Vivienne.

"Please father, allow me to bury her properly", he cried by his fathers side.

"Son, you don't know what you're asking, she's an abomination and  cannot be buried in hallowed ground. Also, she just threatened you my boy, please let me do my job. Let me put an end to all this".

"Please father, I beg of you please, don't do this", he'd interrupted his father. Seeing the pain in his son's eyes, he turned and ordered for Vivienne's body to be released to Bren for an immediate burial. He told his son, she would have to be buried away from the village, perhaps in the woods. Bren did as his father instructed and stayed overnight in the woods by her burial plot.

Two weeks later some fishermen were hiking thru the woods headed for a stream to fish from. It was there they found the decapitated head and no body of Bren's father.

It drove him to the brink of insanity to lose his family and his girl so close together. Marie took it upon herself to see him thru his grief and rehabilitation.

2 years later Bren and Marie were married.

The End Of It All- Back to Present.

Bren couldn't let go of his wife's body long enough for the maids of the house to prepare her for burial. She was laid upon a bed in the guests quarters until it was time for her funeral. Bren sat by her bed everyday and held her hand. He couldn't believe that this lovely young woman had been married to him.

This was the same girl, who went fowl hunting with his father and himself when they were kids. The same girl he used to climb trees with and set bear traps for the imaginary beasts that chased them thru the woods, the very same girl that taught him to fish when work stole his father's attention away, and the one he made mud pies with and cut up with in Sunday school class where they'd get caught and harshly reprimanded or all together just thrown out.

He fell into a desperate state and no longer cared that the villagers  blamed him for the death of such a lovely girl. Maybe not directly, for they had no real proof, but because of what he was rumored to be now, made all the difference.

He was determined now to find Vivienne and destroy her. He realized what a mistake he'd made letting his grief decide for him what he wanted, over what was best. Now he had no one, and he would not let Vivienne win at this sick game she insisted on playing and using him as a patsy.

As he walked thru town, the people steered clear of him, frightened he would feast on them for their blood. He walked all the way past the old Niemi building on the outskirts of town and headed along the path that led him straight into the woods. He didn't have to walk for too long when he came across Vivienne sitting upon a rock by a small pond. 

She sensed his presence behind her and warned him " Come any closer and I will mount your head upon that stake you dare threaten me with, you filthy traitor".

Stepping out from behind a tree, he held the wooden stake he'd fashioned from a thick fallen tree branch he'd picked up along the way. No point in keeping it hidden now when he held it firmly in his grasp, ready for his moment.

Reading his mind, she stood up and rushed to his side disarming him and throwing his weapon into a nearby bush. Pushing him up against a tree she rubbed her body against his as she began to kiss his neck contemplating biting him again. He couldn't push her away and was being restrained by her supernatural force. Bren hadn't realized he possessed the same power as Vivienne, he just hadn't tapped into it, and she sure as hell wasn't going to tell him. She rather enjoyed the fact she could keep him under her control.

"I'm a lot stronger than you Bren, don't fight me darling. This could be fun for us, re-acquainting ourselves with one another in the wild, no one would notice. Even if they did, so what? What a show they'd get right before I rip their heads clean off" she crooned in his ear while nibbling upon it and chuckled.

"You didn't have to kill my Marie, she never caused you harm. She defended you against the gossip of the villagers".

She shook her head slowly as she denied this truth " Ssshhh now, yes I did Bren. I had to kill her cause she was in my way. She kept you from me. Why did you marry that little old church mouse, anyway? I told you I would come back for you, my love. Couldn't you have just waited for me? Was your grief too overwhelming for you that you had to rush to be in her arms?" she asked mocking his internal feelings.

"You threatened to kill me Vivienne!!" he blasted back at her. She laughed and shook her head wagging her finger at him "Oh no... no, no, no my darling Bren. Have I killed you yet?".

"You have!!" he fired back "you made me into a monster like you. You destroyed the one person that mattered most to me. And somehow I will destroy you too" he spat trying not to show fear. Swiping up the wooden stake, she ran it through his stomach, coming out of his back and mounted into the tree, keeping him stuck in place.

"Don't go anywhere Bren, I have to take care of some unwanted company", she told him as she slid her tongue along his lips and bit down. He winced in pain as blood began to dribble from his lip.

There had been five huntsman who had stumbled upon the scene and were watching in fright how she'd pinned Bren to the tree. Now she was coming for them. Two of the men ran, which she gave chase to.

The other two ran to Bren as they worked hard to release him from the tree. The last one stood in his hiding place and fired shot after shot at her, emptying his cache of bullets into her to no avail.

She disposed of the men whom she'd bashed in the head of one and ripped the neck off the other, she soon went charging after the gunslinger. Realizing he was no match for her, he dropped his weapon and ran. She giggled and caught up to him and ripped his head away form his body tossing the remains into the bushes opposite each other.

Vivienne then turned her sights on the two that had been helping to free Bren. They managed to pull out the stake just in time, as he shoved them to the ground and rushed to her, sticking her with the stake in her heart.

She screamed and hissed struggling to get free as Bren wrestled her to the ground, falling backwards holding her arms and legs out in an x fashion. He ordered the men to remove her head. One did so with a fell swoop of an axe, he kept handy on the strap of his belt.

Bren tossed her body to the side of him and laid quite exhausted breathing heavily. As her head rolled the other way, the eyes and mouth closing.

"Go now, you haven't much time before her body reattaches itself. Go gather as much firewood as you can and set the body ablaze" he commanded. The 2 men rushed to do as they were told. Her eyes reopened and stared hard at Bren. He reached for her head and tossed it into the flames, as one long squeal came from the fire and faded away.

The men looked on in shock. They could not believe what their eyes had just paid witness to. Bren managed to sit up against a tree, one leg bent up at the knee the other laid out straight before him.

"It's time now for you to do the same to me" he said looking up at them. They refused but he would not hear of their reasoning.

"You must do what is right, then go before the councilmen and tell them what has been done. Let your women know after today, all will be safe".

Sadly they did as were told and tossed his remains also into the fire. The men stayed till the fire died and paid their respects to Bren, then headed back into the village that evening to inform the council of what had transpired earlier in the woods.

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

Laying peacefully upon her bed, Marie's eyes snapped open.

"Bren?"