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"Behind Closed Doors"
By Lucie Furr
[Winner of the first official G.H.O.S.T. Contest]


Charlotte stepped out of the cab and looked up at the dark, gothic mansion. This was to be her new home. The circular drive in front gave way to two-story columns covered in overgrown ivy. The multitude of windows were dingy and some of the shutters were hanging half off or else completely gone. The large oak front door opened up and a rather frumpy looking older woman came out an down the steps to greet Charlotte. She looked frustrated and her apron was dirty and stained. She walked up to Charlotte and picked up her two bags.

“Right, you must be the Master’s new bride. Follow me inside so I can get you situated in your room before dinner time.” The maid cocked her head towards the house and nudged Charlotte towards the door. The foyer was large and a large chandelier hung from the ceiling three levels up. The staircase was carpeted in red and curved both left and right, providing access to both wings of the house. The maid continued through the foyer and up the stairs while Charlotte followed.

Turning right at the top of the stairs the maid proceeded down a long hallway with five doors on either side. She walked down to the third room on the left and went inside. Charlotte found herself inside a huge room draped in what looked like very expensive fabrics. The huge poster bed sported a matching wooden canopy of mahogany. The curtains were velvet and the colour of cream that matched the intricately embroidered bedding. The room also contained an exquisite vanity and large wardrobe. Charlotte walked over and opened it up and found it already full of dresses of the finest fabrics.

“Are these for me?” She turned to ask the maid, but the maid had already left. Frowning, she went over to her luggage and put it up on the bed. She was halfway through unpacking when the maid came back.

“Dinner will be ready at seven, Madame. I suggest you find yourself a pretty frock and wash up before you come down. The Master likes to see a clean face, not a dirty one.” At that, the maid turned and left once again. Charlotte looked at herself in the vanity mirror. There was a large streak of dirt on her left cheek. Grabbing the water basin, she scrubbed it off and then washed her hands. Throwing open the wardrobe once again she picked out a emerald gown flowing in silk and taffeta. After dressing herself and readjusting her coiffure she made her way downstairs to the dining room. Not used to a bustle dress, Charlotte found sitting down in the elegant dining chair somewhat of a chore. When she had managed to make herself somewhat comfortable yet still maintaining her posture she smoothed her dress down and waited for her new husband to come to the table. Hours passed and he didn’t come. Hungry from the train ride, Charlotte decided to go ahead and eat. The food was cold but still delicious.

When finished she wiped her mouth daintily with her cloth napkin and set it down upon the table. Getting up she walked out of the large dining room into the foyer and made her way up the grand staircase. At the top of the steps she went to turn right to go to her room when she heard a cry issue from the left wing of the house. Curiousity got the better of her and she decided to investigate. She had already been stood up this evening by her husband, she wasn’t going to let him stop her from exploring her new home.

The left wing of the house was identical to the right except for one thing. At the end of the hallway a spiral staircase led up to the third floor. Charlotte stopped and the bottom and looked up. She heard the cry again and knew that it’d come from somewhere up there. Ascending the stairs she found herself in yet another hallway, yet there were no doors save one at the very end. Slowly, she walked towards the solitary door and stopped when right in front of it.

The door was made out of some sort of dark wood, most likely ebony. The intricate details carved into the door fascinated her. The mixture of cherubs and demons alike along with gruesome looking ghouls made her shudder. The handle was made of brass and was fitted inside the mouth of a gruesome looking gargoyle. Charlotte grabbed the handle and pushed the door open.

The room behind the door appeared to be a gentleman’s sitting room. A large wingback chair faced a fireplace that had a portrait of a beautiful woman above it. Charlotte stared in awe at the painting. The woman’s complexion was like that of cream and her shining platinum hair flowed in curls that frame her beautiful face just right.
Charlotte jumped when she heard the cry resonate throughout the room. She had been so infatuated with the portrait she had failed to finish looking around the room. Turning around she saw a horrific sight. Chained to the wall was what seemed to be a monstrosity of the human form. It’s body was twisted so that the creature’s back formed and S-shape. One leg was much shorter than the other and it had no arms. The face was what repulsed Charlotte the most. The facial feature were all pushed to one side and jammed together to make room for a parasitic twin that seemed to actually be alive.

The monster gave out another cry when it saw Charlotte and started to struggle. Then, from behind a curtain to the right of the monster her new husband emerged with a glass of brandy.

“Shut up! I’m trying to talk with your mother and your moaning is interfering!” He turned to retreat back behind the curtain, then spotted Charlotte.

“See what you’ve done now? Now I have to look for a new bride. Thank you very much, Augustus.” He strode over to Charlotte and grabbed her by the wrist. “At least we had our honeymoon. That was enough.”

He tried to pull her behind the curtain, but she resisted.

“What’s going on? W-w-who…what is that? What are you talking about ‘new bride’?” He picked her up by the waist and drug her into the adjoining room. In the middle of the candle lit room there sat a stone table. On the table lay the corpse of what was observably that of the woman in the portrait.

“What’s going on?” Charlotte began to cry.

“Darling, I’d like you to meet my newest wife, Charlotte.” He talked to the corpse as if it were still alive. He walked over and kissed it upon the forehead, then turned his ear to the corpse’s mouth, listening. “Very well.”

Standing straight, he strode over to Charlotte and forced her down upon her knees. Producing a revolver from inside his pinstripe vest he looked down at her with sympathy. Cupping her face in his hands he bent down and kissed her.

“Don’t worry, it will only hurt for a moment.” He then held the gun up to her forehead and fired once. Throwing the gun down upon the floor he picked up the body of the now dead Charlotte and placed her upon the stone table beside the body of his former wife. He quickly went into the other room an returned with a small bundle of surgical tools. Sweat pouring from his forehead he worked rapidly as he slice open the abdomen.

The child cried out as he pulled it from the womb sticky with placenta and embryonic fluid. He wrapped the child in a towel and took him out into the other room.

“Look, Augustus, it’s your new brother. He’ll take care of you when I’m gone.” He looked down at the newborn fondly. “I think I shall name him Edgar.”