50 Word Thursdays # 20 – The Hidden Vault

This story was written for The 50 Word Thursday Challenge. This week hosted by The Haunted Wordsmith, click on the link below:

https://thehauntedwordsmith.wordpress.com/2019/05/15/50-word-thursday-20/

The picture prompt is above and the words to include are:

I always want to frighten them more.

SHIRLEY JACKSON, WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE

 

The Castle on the shores of Lake Geneva looked like such a peaceful place. It was a welcome sight to visitors to the area. That was their first impression. It was never their last.

The Countess was a lady who appeared both beautiful and charming, though age had diminished some of her outward glamour. Her once cascading blonde locks were now heavily tinged with white and fine lines like a spider’s web surrounded those still intensely blue eyes.

I remember the day I arrived at her court. She was surrounded by servants, old and bent, in brown raggedy clothes. This only made the sumptuousness of her silk gown stand out more starkly.

I remember too how she coaxed me to follow her down to the deep vault beneath the castle.

Too late did I see the splash of fresh blood on the walls. The device designed to remove a thumb from a helpless victim.

I remember turning to her and seeing her laugh and say “I always want to frighten them more.”

Who she was referring to, I never really understood.

She continued to speak, as her black-clad servants strapped me down to a stone table,

“I hope you have more fortitude than my last guest. He only lasted one night.”

I asked her, the terror in my voice as clear as a scream “How can you do these wicked things?”

She replied, “Life has been an excellent teacher.”

Then it had begun and now I am forever bound here.

 

[250 Words]

 

I have also included the following prompts:

https://lightmotifs.wordpress.com/2019/05/15/three-things-challenge-pl91/

Today’s prompt: Geneva, thumb, teacher

https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2019/05/15/vault/

FOWC with Fandango — Welcome

https://onedailyprompt.wordpress.com/2019/05/16/your-daily-word-prompt-fortitude-may-16-2019/

https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2019/05/15/rdp-wednesday-splash/