Ding dong! The door bell resounded off the grand entrance hall as servants and butlers rushed about in an excited tizzy. The entrance hall was round in its structure, white in its color; with high ceilings and grand beige tapestries edged with silver dripping from the walls. The furniture; a sitting chair and tables with exotic plants, were placed about the hall with utmost precision and care. Through a double door entry to the left of the grand hall was the ballroom, where everyone was dashing in and out like ants into an ant hole. There was to be a grand Masquerade Ball for Halloween at the Devonsworth Palace that same night.
Ramelda Devonsworth sat in her bedroom’s closet on a stool, three of her hand maids were picking out dresses and shoes for her to wear to the ball. They held out their selections and bowed their heads.
“Are you all complete idiots on fashion?! What are you trying to make me wear? Look at this! Are you trying to make a fool of me?” Ramelda grabbed the dresses and threw them at the hand maids. “I’ll do it myself!” she hollered, “Get out!” The maids ran quickly out of her closet bowing and apologizing on the way out. Ramelda had always been a cold and heartless person, always thinking about herself and never caring about anyone. She always treated her maids and servants like trash, especially Mary. Mary was the kind hearted hand maid that always got everyone’s attention; she was plain looking, dark brown hair always pulled back and had a plain face. Ramelda was the complete opposite; she had long silky strawberry blond hair with the face of an angel, but the heart of a demon.
Ramelda walked around her closet several times trying to make a decision when her mother walked in,
“Mama, I have absolutely no clothes in here I could be seen in at the ball!” Ramelda whined. She ran to her mother and clutched on her shoulder.
“Somehow I knew you were going to say that.” Her mother said and snapped her fingers. Her mother’s two hand maids came into the closet carrying a long black gown with diamonds covering the whole gown. Ramelda gasped, grabbed the gown without saying thank you, and ran to try it on. She came out with it on and twirled,
“Oh mother it’s just so perfect!” she giggled. She looked her full length mirror, “Edward DeBurgh will have to fall in love with me after he see’s me in this.” She smiled devilishly.
Ramelda strolled around aimlessly through the many people who were dancing at the ball. The chamber music mixed with the chatter of everyone there made her head ache. Many men had asked her to dance but she simply sneered and walked away. She was looking around for Edward when she spotted him leaning against the wall by the maids, drinking punch, and chatting it up with…that Mary. Ramelda glared, Edward was flirting, with a maid! It was an outrage! She was sick of that Mary, always getting commended and always getting the attention. What was so great about her? Ramelda had to get rid of Mary; her own mother even thought Mary was a saint. Ramelda made her way to Mary and Edward, when a man stepped in front of her,
“May I have this dance-?”
“OUT OF MY WAY YOU WRETCH!” Ramelda yelled angrily, shoving him away. All eyes were on her now. She reached Mary and grabbed her wrist.
“Come with me, we need to talk” she spat, not caring what people thought, completely ignoring Edward who wore a bewildered look. Ramelda dragged Mary up to the third floor and dragged her into her room. She ran into her room and wrenched open the balcony door still dragging Mary along.
“Madam, I am terribly sorry, have I offended you in any way? Have I done something wrong?” Mary asked when they had stopped. Ramelda faced away from her and let go of her wrist. Mary rubbed her wrist, which was swollen red and purple in the imprint of a hand.
“Since you came here you have been nothing but trouble, always playing the innocent card. Just looking at you makes me sick!” Ramelda hissed, her anger starting to grow now. Mary was stunned to silence and looked at the floor. Ramelda whipped around, her eyes were murderous,
“I WISH YOU WOULD JUST GO AWAY!” she screamed and shoved Mary. Mary hit the guard railing and she cried out. From the force of impact she lost her balance and fell over the edge screaming and flailing her arms. There was a thud and screams from below. Ramelda smiled and laughed evilly,
“That’s what you get, you filthy girl.” She turned around and stepped back into her room. Her eyes went wide with realization; she fell on her bed and began to breathe erratically. She pushed her self up and burst out of her room. She ran blindly pushing past anyone and everything. She reached the grand entrance hall and tore off her high heels and broke into a frantic run out the front door. She stopped when she saw Mary and almost threw up, which spurred her to run again, faster this time. She ran into the forest that surrounded the Palace, and she kept running until she couldn’t breathe, fell on her knees and leaned on a tree. It was completely dark out side and the only light was the moon. The forest was dense so the light came through easily. A twig snapped and Ramelda turned slowly afraid someone had followed her. No one was there. Another twig snapped in front of her, only closer. She stood up supporting her self,
“You are the filthy one.” Someone whispered coarsely. Ramelda turned slightly to look behind her and saw the mangled form of Mary standing there blood dripping from her head and mouth. Ramelda let out a horrified scream and began to run. She thrust herself into the forest not looking to where she was going and tripped. She fell on her back breaking her ankle completely sideways. She saw Mary coming closer and closer.
“Mary I’m sorry! Please don’t hurt me please! I’m so sorry!” Ramelda sobbed.
“It’s…..too…..late…..for….that….now….Ramelda Devonsworth.” Mary wheezed ghoulishly stopping over Ramelda.
“NOOOOOOOOO!!!” Ramelda Screamed.
The search party was out till dawn when the dogs began barking and men began shouting,
“She’s here! We’ve found her!”
They found of Ramelda lying on her back, her left foot was laying a foot away and her face was twisted with pure terror; her eyes stared back blankly as if looking into oblivion.
Himoto_Yasaku Community Member 
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