The Head in the Tree

When someone is murdered it is natural for them to want revenge.  But what if instead of revenge, the spirit wants to just spread the misery? 

Cordelia was like every other kid, like countless other preteens, she heard the story of a woman who had been horrifically murdered and called her name three times facing a mirror in a dark bathroom.  And like all other kids, she was fine.  At least for awhile. 

Perfect for reader looking for a horror quick fix or just a different take on Bloody Mary.  This is part of the Bloody Mary series.  Each short story/novella can stand alone and can be read in any order. 

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This story came from a childhood of being terrified of Bloody Mary.  Like every other kid, I 'summoned' her after splashing a mirror with water and turning off the lights.  I can only assume the tradition stems from people seeing their own dark reflection and the dripping water looks like blood in the dark... Regardless, I was terrified Bloody Mary was living in my mirrors and ready to pounce at any time.  For years, I wouldn't turn off lights in a room with a mirror.  So I thought it would be fun to write just as a story-- Cordelia is terrified of Bloody Mary for years but instead of Bloody Mary being just a kid's story, what if she was real and just waiting for the perfect moment to attack.  This story managed to spawn a series centered on the delightfully messed up being that is Bloody Mary.  

Keywords: bloody mary, not your mother's bloody mary, something different, non cliché horror, a little fix of gore when you've had a bad day