Subj: The Funhouse Mirror Pt.6
Date: 8/29/99 9:14:23 AM Central Daylight Time
From: marcos1

The Funhouse Mirror Pt.6

~~~

London, England in the present day

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The room was dark and smelled dank, curtains pulled, only a small nightlight burning in the corner. She lay on the canopy bed. Her flesh old, rotting and putrid. She was over a hundred years old. Yes, she had lived a century. A century of lying, deceit and murder. She was called the Black Widow. In her youth, she had been a beauty. And she used that gift to marry wealthy men. All of whom, died mysteriously. Now, gravity having taken it's toil, she was nothing but a hag. Her only saving grace was enormous wealth.

"Mrs. Gardner," the butler called out, opening the door only a crack, he had worked as her servant for forty years-never ceasing to fear her, "you have visitors."

The old woman rolled over in bed. She felt her feeble heart starting to race. She was excited. "YES, send them in, you bloody fool."

Barnabas and Julia walked into the room. Julia was carrying a black bag. She set it down on the foot of the bed.

"Barnabas and Julia Collins," the aged woman whispered, "how very nice...how very nice, indeed!" A growl seemed to come from deep inside her throat. "Did you bring it?"

"Of course, Mrs. Gardner," Barnabas said, reaching for her bony hand. "You do understand our arrangement. The money, land holdings and precious jewels, are to be turned over to the Collins family, in care of our attorney, Nicholas Blair." He pressed her hand with force. The sound of brittle bones cracking, filled the room.

"YES," Ava Gardner cried. "I understand...don't hurt my hand...the pain is terrible. I'm so very old. You could kill me."

"Oh, no," Barnabas said smiling, "quite the opposite." He turned and looked at Julia. "Give her the shot."

Julia opened the black bag, pulling out a syringe It was filled with a red liquid, sparkling with rays of golden light. The fluid seemed to have a life of it's own, breathing and shaking with the movement of an unseen heart. Julia rolled up the bed clothes of the old hag and gave her the injection.

Ava Gardner's whole body began to shake and quiver. Her flesh began to fall away, showing first veins and muscle and then bones. She looked to be a corpse, except for the powerful white light that poured out of her entire being. But then gradually, everything went in reverse, veins, muscle, and skin falling into place. However this time, her's was the body of a young woman. Her skin, soft and glowing, lovely long brown hair, azure eyes that twinkled. A beautiful woman. Young. Very young.

"Mrs. Gardner," Barnabas said, picking up his wolfhead cane that he had sat in the corner, "I hope you remember that the effects of this, are only temporary. You will need another shot in a year." He laughed. "But not to worry, we will be back." He walked to the door opening it for Julia, turning around to Ava. "I just hope that you have something to trade, next year. But then remembering your history, I'm sure you will." He closed the door to the sound of Ava Gardner's mixture of tears and laughter.

The butler stood in the hallway. Barnabas walked slowly over to him, reaching for his neck and breaking it. The thud sound echoed through the dark hall, as the corpse hit the ancient wooden floors. "Can't have any witnesses," Barnabas said, walking past the dead butler.

"Barnabas," Julia asked, pausing to stare into the face of the dead elderly man "sometimes I wonder what have we become?"

"The answer is quite simple," Barnabas replied coldly, "Evil." They walked out the front door of the mansion, boarded their car, and drove away.

To be continued-