Sylvia Eversole was beloved by everyone in the small town of Bell Creek. Her
father had made them rich in that small coal mining town, but one would have
never known it since her family never did flaunt their money. Sylvia spent the
biggest part of her days visiting with folks and had learned from her father
that wealth means little if you can't do things for the people you love. Sylvia
loved the people of Bell Creek! She had helped the citizens of Bell Creek get a
first rate Fire Department, helped keep the small mom and pop stores thriving,
helped to put a steeple on the church, gave money to help a small hospital be
built, and her greatest love was providing for the small school that was in Bell
Creek.
That all changed when Russell Wurley came to the
town and put his sights on Sylvia. Some would argue that it was his "charm" that
had enticed Sylvia, but the majority came to the conclusion it was her daddy's
money he saw not Sylvia. Russell and Sylvia were married in less than eight
months after meeting. Her father had fought against it, and tried to reason with
his only daughter, but Sylvia wouldn't be denied. In her mind, Russell was her
'Knight in Shining Armour'. For the next four years Russell did well about
maintaining the illusion that he adored her. He pampered and lavished attention
on her. She would hang on to every word said and doted on him. Even when all his
buisness ideas failed, she stuck right by his side. When her father passed away,
there was never a more caring or loving husband than Russell Wurley. That,
however, would change.
The next six years, the
folks of Bell Creek saw less and less of Sylvia. When they did see her, the
smile was still there but the light in her eyes was gone. Sometimes there would
be hints of fading bruises, but no one right out questioned it. She still gave
to her charities and causes, but there was something different about her that no
one could put a finger on. It was also no secret that Russell cavorted around
the town late at night in the bars,gambling houses, and with women. Sylvia never
did discuss the rumors, but people assumed she knew but pride was standing in
the way keeping her mouth shut.
One night
Sylvia returned late from a church fund raiser to find strange cars parked in
front of her home and some sort of party going on. She walked in on drunken men,
women half clothed running about, and of course Russell was no where about.
Sylvia had finally had enough! She stalked up the large wooden staircase and
stopped short of the door to her bedroom...there was strange noises coming from
the room. She jerked open the door and found her husband and some blonde haired
trollop in HER BED! NAKED! Sylvia stalked over and grabbed the woman by her hair
and flung her off her husband and slapped her so hard she was sure the woman's
head made a "snap" noise. Russel just sat up in bed
smiling.
"What's wrong Sylvie, forgive me if I
didn't introduce Loretta to you." he drawled out in a bored
tone.
Sylvia was livid, "Don't you mock me Russell! This is
it! This is the last straw! You get your stuff and your whores and get the hell
out of MY house!"
Russell laughed, "You're
house? We're married, it's OUR house and I'll tell you what's going to happen."
He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up to his full height,
"First off, you're going to apologize to Loretta and then she's going to finish
what we started and you're welcome to watch, but if not there's the door.
Secondly, you're going to accept the fact that I am a man", he kept walking
towards her till he had her backed up against the wall, "a man that has needs
that does not require you to fill them! Third, tomorrow morning, you're going to
draw out about ten thousand dollars because I'm going to need it to go on an
extended trip to the Showboat down in Mississippi. When I come back, " he leaned
down to her ear and she turned her face because he repulsed her so, "you're
going to have a change in attitude,
wife."
Sylvia felt sick at her stomach! He was
no longer the man she'd fell in love with, or maybe he had and she'd been duped.
Either way, the marriage was failed! She would not be so easily dismissed! Her
father left her this house and the money was in HER name, and there was no way
she was going to cower anymore to Russell Wurley! She fisted her hands and
turned to him with a fire she'd thought had been extinguished long
ago.
"I would rather die first than give you
one red cent and YOU are going to get out of this house right this minute, or
I'm going to fetch the sheriff! Let me tell you what I'm going to do! First, I'm
going to have you removed from this property and then I'm going to make a call
to Mr. Lowery and have him draw up divorce papers, and then you're going to stay
the hell away from me!"
He looked at her as if
he was going to strike her and she braced herself for it. After all, it wouldn't
be the first time but it would be the last time, that was for sure. Instead he
walked back to the bed and motioned for Loretta to join him. The woman just
looked at Sylvia with a slutty grin as she climbed back into the bed. Sylvia's
mind snapped! She stalked out of the door and down the hall to the room that had
once been her father's. She opened up his closet and took out his shot gun and
loaded it. She might have been his only daughter but daddy had made sure that
his girl had learned how to protect herself if need be. Sylvia went back down
the hall to her bedroom and fired one warning shot. No one had to tell Loretta
to grab her goods and go, because the woman fled so fast out the door, she
didn't stop running until she went out the door screaming "She's crazy! She's
crazy, she tried to shoot me!"
Russell wasn't laughing now.
He was dead serious. Sylvia kept the gun pointed right at him. She had a dead
aim right in the center of his chest.
"Russell, get your stuff and get out of this
house! The next shot I take won't hit the wall above your head!" she
threatened.
Russell got up and dressed but he
didn't pack anything. Instead he walked towards her, which caused her to take a
few steps back.
"Russell! I'm serious! I will
shoot you!" she warned and cocked the gun just to prove the
point.
Russell was unmoved. He still kept
walking until he was about six inches from the end of the
gun.
"Put it down Sylvia. Put it down right now
and no one is going to get hurt!" he hissed.
"I
SAID GET OUT RUSSELL!" she screamed.
Russell in
one quick fluid move grabbed the gun and the tug of war began. He was strong-but
Sylvia was holding on to the anger and rage she felt. She held tightly to the
gun even when he rammed the butt of it into her shoulder causing her to wince
with pain.
"Do you know when I really got sick
of you Sylvie? The night we got married. The only pleasurable thing about it all
was the money you were going to inherit from your dear daddy and the fact you
were a virgin! You were pretty enough but I've had a better time rubbing one out
with my hand than screwing you!" he taunted as he pulled and tried to jerk the
gun from her grip.
Sylvia felt her heart
plummet. Her marriage had all been a lie! Her father had been right when he had
claimed that Russell Wurley was only out for her money. He'd never loved her and
and had never found her satisfying in bed. She felt tears prick her eyelids but
she held fast! Russell seen the determination in her eyes and gave one big
shove, to knock her off balance, and succeeded! Over the high railing she fell
backwards until she hit the hard floor and then nothing.
Russell looked down at his lifeless wife and
at first he felt shock....then panic which then transformed into
joy?
ONE YEAR LATER
Bell Creek hadn't been the same
since the death of their Sylvia. Since her death a year before, Russell had cut
funding to the schools, the hospital, and the charities that Sylvia had been so
proud of. Several small buisnesses had closed due to bankruptcy and it was a
dreary place to be. When Sylvia had died, an outcry of foul play had been let
out but the Sheriff's hands were tied seeing as Russell Wurley had air tight
alibis. The jewel of the town had been the Eversole estate. That big fine home
had made the small town look modern and dignified; now it just served as a cruel
reminder of what had once been. The house was falling into ruin fast-out of
neglect. Russell had parties and it was no secret he kept half the hookers in
Spaulding county in high heels and lipstick. He had announced not more than a
week ago that he was intending on opening up a gambling establishment and when
the town council had rejected that, he'd simply said he'd open it up in his own
home. There was little the law or the town could
do.
"Russ, I think Banks is late with that
shipment of shine." a bloated man said as he laid down his cards on the table.
Russell was too busy paying attention to the
red head on his lap. "He'll get here. Why don't you go see if Delilah's done
with Arnie."
"Ah, I'm tired of her, she stinks
and I don't like fishin' in another man's sink hole, if you get my meanin'." the
man said with a belch.
The night went on and
on, and the rains from earlier began to turn into a storm. The lights flickered
on and off and the wind had begun to pick up. It had been a few hours, and
Russell heard a knocking and got up thinking it was Banks with the moonshine. He
opened the door and then froze! Standing in the cold rain, with the wind
whipping her hair, was Sylvia! Before he could even think, he slammed the door
and squeezed his eyes shut and then peered out the
window-nothing.
"I've got to get a hold on
myself. There must have been something in that last jug of shine!" he mumbled to
himself and then went to check his friends in the parlor and perhaps see if
there was an available girl he could amuse himself with for a
bit.
The lights were out, only the flicker from
the kerosene lamps lit the room. Russell cursed and then grabbed some logs and
built up a fire, and the room became illuminated. He turned around to speak to
his friends, when a sick feeling gripped his stomach! He wanted to scream, but
couldn't! He wanted to run, but couldn't! All he could do was clamp his hand
over his mouth and tremble! The sight was horrific! His three friends were
laying with their heads in their laps and their throats ripped open. The women's
bodies lay much in the same fashion. On the wall, written in blood read :
"YOU'RE NEXT RUSSELL!"
It was then that he ran
out of the room and up the stairs to his room. He locked the door and grabbed
the same shot gun that a year earlier he had fought Sylvia over. The house fell
eerily quiet, and he watched the door. Slowly the knob began to turn...slowly
the door began to shake. Russell aimed the gun,
shaking.
"Russell, open the door sweetheart!" a
eerie but familiar voice echoed.
"GO THE HELL
AWAY! GET THE HELL AWAY! I GOT A GUN!" he screamed.
"Let me
in." the voice echoed again.
Russell could only
cry out for her to go away! The door began to shake more and the voice outside
got louder and louder and it felt as if the whole house was going to shake
itself into shambles. Russell almost fell to his knees in fear. Then
-silence.
Russell didn't know how long he sat
there clutching the gun. Minutes seemed like hours, and all he could hear was
the pitter patter of the rain against the windows. Was it over? Had he dreamed
it? Had he imagined it? He'd been to opium dens before and had some crazy times
there, but nothing...NOTHING like this! He'd never been so afraid in all his
life, as he was now! Then with a mighty quake and roar, the door exploded into
pieces, the windows burst, and the fury of hell itself was standing before
him!
Standing at the threshold, Sylvia stood in the blood
red dress that she'd been buried in. The lace of the sleeves was a bit worn but
that was it. Her face was a sickly shade of gray and white and her eyes were as
red as her dress. She hissed and he coudl see the blackness of her teeth from
the embalming no doubt. Her skin had places of decay in it and along her cheek
he could see the bones and rotted tissue. Her nails were long and yellowed and
her fingers bony.
"Why husband, aren't you
happy to see me? Haven't you missed me?" her eerie voice
called.
She circled him like a bird of prey,
keeping her sharp red eyes upon him. She laughed when she saw the crotch of his
pants grow wet and urine puddle at his feet. Sylvia grabbed him and whispered in
his ear, "Am I pathetic now?"
"N-N-Nooo!
Sylvie, p-p-please, let m-me go!" he
cowered.
Sylvia just laughed and flung him to
the ground, "Beg, beg for me to not kill you! Beg for me to go away and leave
you in peace Russell!"
Russell began to sob
along with shake, "Mercy S-Sylvia! P-please, d-don't d-do this! P-please!
I-I-I'm s-sorry I h-hurt you! I-I didn't mean to k-kill you! I-I'll turn myself
in, I'll leave town! Please just leave!"
Sylvia laughed, her voice shrieking almost.
Russell covered his ears as tears streamed in rivets down his face. The last
thing Russel saw was her hand plunging into his chest and ripping out his heart,
that still was beating as she
laughed.
"Grandma, Grandma
tell us the story of the Lady in Red!!" a little girl
piped.
An old woman sat in a chair next to a
fire place rocking, "Oh honey, why do you want to hear that old
story?"
"Mama says if I'm bad, the Lady in Red
will come to get me!" the little girl exclaimed.
The old woman grabbed her up and sat her on
her lap. "That is true in some ways. It's said that if you look up on the ridge
and you see a lady dressed all in red, that sickness and death follow. To those
who wrong the people of Bell Creek, it's said she reeks her vengence on them
just like old Russell Wurley. So you better be a good little girl and not tell
tales that aren't true, or the Lady in Red will come looking for you!"
The little girl shivered and snuggled close to
her grandma, "Granny I ain't ever gonna steal no more cookies when mama isn't
looking and I'm going to say two prayers every night and I won't fight with
Nathan no'more! I'll be good granny!"
The old
woman chuckled, "Oh child, that's just an old ghost story! You don't have to do
all that, you just be a good little girl! Grandma will keep you safe and sound!"
AUTHOR'S NOTE
The idea for
this story came from an actual accounting. When my grandma's father would come
down with one of his spells from an illness he had, he would see a "lady in red"
before he would fall ill or sometimes when his fever would be upon him. For some
reason, that always sent a shiver up my spine. So it was from that story that I
created this one. I hope you like it and will comment.
