25 November 2007

— the second mrs. winters —

“Ugh.” She threw the book against the wall. It slid to the floor, where it lay with its pages torn, covers bent, and spine broken. She was a modern woman, not some simpering female from a stupid Gothic romance novel. Of course, no one would guess that from her surroundings, a large, dark mysterious mansion on the Scottish moors. The house and its occupants brooded, seemingly under the spell of the first Mrs. Winters.

Well, damn it, spells were made to be broken.

She pulled a plastic garbage bag from the pantry and began. Anything belonging to the first Mrs. Winters was the first to go.

Seeing what she was doing, the maid, Mrs. Dante, trailed her every step, wringing her hands. “Oh, missus, you really mustn't do this.”

She just glared at the maid and continued purging the house. At last, there was only one thing left to do. She grabbed a crowbar and stalked to the room at the top of the stairs. With quick movements, she pried the hinges off the door. It fell to the floor with a satisfying thud.

Rebecca stood silhouetted against the fireplace, her hand at her throat and her green eyes wide with fear. Blood splattered the wall.

Rebecca lay, battered and broken, like the book that shared her name.

She smiled. Living here would be tolerable now that she had to share the house with only the ghost of the first Mrs. Winters.

Pam Skochinski is an editor for Mysterical-E and has had short stories published in numerous publications and e-zines. Her short story, Song of the Sea , will be appearing in Strange Tales of Sand and Sea, edited by Esther Schrader. Pam currently lives in “Pam”demonium with her family in California.

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