Visiting Malevolence

Ding-dong! The front doorbell chimed quite unexpectedly, making me jump.

I turned of the faucet and left the dishes to soak in the soapy warm water. I have this weird obsession to clean dishes out of the sink as soon as they're put there. Today, I'd been busy meal prepping for the week, so the pile was larger than normal. I thought, "Great. Now they'll never get done"

Wiping my hands on my apron, I walked to the door. The cat, who always seemed to be in the way, slinked from the door as I grabbed the knob. She sat on the other side of the room, glaring at the door.

"Chicken shit" I mumbled at her, smiling.

ZAP! I felt a shock that made me pull my hand back immediately. I didn't know what would have caused that, but wrapped the handle with my apron and opened the door.

Standing outside of the screened door was Catherine Stills. She had a reputation in this town. A use 'em and leave 'em kinda gal. She reeked of booze and pretentiousness. How was I so lucky to have been graced by her presence?

"Can I help you?" I sneered.

"You most certainly can!" she exclaimed. "You can leave my husband alone!" She stomped her foot and with closed fists at her sides. She huffed, tantrum-like.

Before she could finish her sentence, the cat suddenly reared up and hissed loudly! My focus immediately went to the cat. Behind her, the wall seemed to come alive! The normally sand colored wall had suddenly taken on a stormy gray-black tone, and the house began to tremble. I stared a moment in amazement and slowly turned to Catherine.

"Strange request coming from a woman who's turned out to be a fraud. You promised to love him. You promised til death do you part. Mitchell and I have been friends for years, I am a friend to him, which is more than I can say of you. You're the one that quit her job. You're the one that demanded so much from him. You spent all of his money on your whims, and now that he's broke, broken and not well, you're the one that wants a divorce." I stood scolding her with my hands on my hips. "I have never come between you and you know it. Stop trying to blame your shortcomings on me and get a job...and a life!"

The wall behind me brewed an uglier shade of darkness. The rumbling was getting louder.

"I always said you were wife Number Three" she taunted. "I got to him before you could" she laughed, cruelly.

"You put a hard working, intelligent, kind man in the poorhouse. Both monetarily and emotionally. Some partner you are."

The rumble because more pronounced every time she spoke.

"I am fifty-nine years young. I'm sexy and I can do what I want" she cackled. "He's old and worn out. I can do better. I'll leave him broke and wanting." Her evil smile painted an even more ugly side to her. "He won't know what hit him."

At that, with a huge rumble, the earth opened up a crack below her feet and she disappeared. The screeches of the banshees dragging her soul down still rang in my ears as the earth closed up behind her.

I closed the door, looked back at the cat and said "Thanks for the backup, girlie! We got rid of her, didn't we?" She blinked at me, her eyes sparkled a shiny green as she stood in front of the sand colored wall. "That'll teach her to disturb the peace of OUR little realm." It seemed the house sighed as i went back to washing the dishes. The protection of home, sweet home!