{"id":2219,"date":"2013-10-21T23:03:54","date_gmt":"2013-10-21T23:03:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.everywritersresource.com\/shortstories\/?p=2219"},"modified":"2024-09-07T15:50:25","modified_gmt":"2024-09-07T15:50:25","slug":"hell-hath-no-fury-by-vanessa-horn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.everywritersresource.com\/shortstories\/hell-hath-no-fury-by-vanessa-horn\/","title":{"rendered":"Hell Hath No Fury by Vanessa Horn"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Hell<\/h1>\n

Hell Hath No Fury <\/span><\/h1>\n

by Vanessa Horn<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy here?\u201d Chloe asked doubtfully. \u201cWhy your Granddad\u2019s shed?<\/span><\/p>\n

Jo shrugged. \u201cIt\u2019s out of the way so no-one\u2019s going to disturb us and\u201d \u2013 she smiled knowingly \u2013 \u201cit\u2019s got exactly the right atmosphere.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cS\u2019pose.\u201d Chloe shuddered, noticing a hirsute spider making its way towards her. Resisting the urge to scream girlishly, she instead placed a flower pot over it. Then indicated towards the large cauldron in the centre of the room. \u201cShall we?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Nodding, Jo opened up her large hessian bag and reverently extracted a leather-bound tome. The other two stared at the title: <\/span>Spells and Potions for the Betrayed<\/i><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Becky shook her head. \u201cSeriously?\u201d she muttered. \u201cYou actually believe this is going to work?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jo laughed hollowly, her eyes narrowing to glittering slits. \u201cWell, if it doesn\u2019t work on October 31st then it\u2019s never going to, is it?\u201d She reached back into the bag, now bringing out a length of twine.<\/span><\/p>\n

Becky took a deep breath. \u201cI don\u2019t see why you have to do this, Jo. I mean, even if you succeed in breaking them up, he chose <\/span>her<\/i><\/span> over <\/span>you<\/i><\/span> \u2013 do you genuinely want him back after that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jo snorted.\u201dOf course not! No, I want\u2026 <\/span>revenge. O<\/i><\/span>n him <\/span>and<\/i><\/span> on her, whoever she is!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou still haven\u2019t found out yet?\u201d Chloe was mystified. She knew Jo would have tried every avenue to find out who had \u2018stolen\u2019 her boyfriend; it was odd that she hadn\u2019t succeeded.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jo shook her head. \u201cNot yet – despite my best efforts. But it doesn\u2019t matter, the spell \u2018ll have the same effect, regardless.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSurely you don\u2019t <\/span>really<\/i><\/span> believe you can curse them?\u201d Becky sighed. \u201cLook – scratch Matt\u2019s car, dump manure in his drive; get your own back that way, why don\u2019t you? Anything but this \u2013 this is just\u2026 <\/span>weird!<\/i><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Exasperated, Jo looked up from her rummaging. \u201cWell, weird or not, you did promise to help me; I need three women for this spell to work, after all. Now, make yourself useful and add this rainwater to the cauldron.\u201d She handed over a small plastic container.<\/span><\/p>\n

Raising her eyebrows in silent exasperation, Becky nevertheless removed the lid and tipped in the water. As it swished into the heavy cauldron, it made a strange gurgling sound and – despite her skepticism – she shivered. <\/span><\/p>\n

Jo nodded in satisfaction and passed an object to Chloe. \u201cGood. Now, Chlo \u2013 if you could light this special candle and place it in the holder on the table over there, next to the twine\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Feeling slightly unnerved by the strange glint in her friend\u2019s eyes, Chloe dug into her pocket, drew out her lighter and lit the slim, tapered candle. She took a hurried step back from the pungent aroma that followed as the flame licked the wick. \u201cGod, that stinks!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt has a very powerful substance embedded in it, that\u2019s why,\u201d explained Jo. \u201cI had to send off for it. Wasn\u2019t cheap either! Still, it\u2019ll all be worth it in the end, when those two lowlifes get their come-uppance!\u201d She chuckled – an unfamiliar and unsettling sound.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chloe and Becky exchanged concerned glances but, before they could comment, were distracted by the cauldron; the contents were starting to hiss and spit, releasing tiny wisps of dirty-blue smoke.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAh, it\u2019s ready!\u201d Jo declared, rubbing her hands together. She took hold of the candle, motioned for the other two to gather around the cauldron, and then closed her eyes. Chloe rolled her eyes at Becky but her friend was preoccupied, still staring intently at the sputtering cauldron.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Jo spoke again, her voice was low and guttural, with an intonation the other two hadn\u2019t heard before:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSingle candle burning bright<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Bear two yet be one
\nMatthew and the unknown one Wrapped-up tight
\nLet them come undone
\nUnleash the spirit of discord
\nUnleash the spirit of suspicion
\nLet no small block remain ignored
\nAs you let me have fruition.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

On her last word, Jo quickly seized the twine and held it over the candle. As soon as the flame had burnt the rope in two, she thrust the burning ends into the bowl of rainwater to extinguish the fire, then, running out into the half-dusk of the deserted allotment, proceeded to bury the two pieces in separate vegetable patches. Open-mouthed, Chloe and Becky hovered by the shed doorway, not sure whether they were supposed to follow or not. However, Jo returned within minutes, brushing the excess soil from her jeans.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRight,\u201d she said, now back to her normal voice, \u201cAll we need to do is to wait for the candle to completely burn out and then the spell will be cast.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Becky cast a dubious look at the flame, which was still burning brightly and fetidly. \u201cIt\u2019ll take ages,\u201d she volunteered, slightly nervously.<\/span>
\nJo shrugged. \u201cIt is as it is.\u201d She lowered herself onto a packing crate and folded her arms resolutely.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chloe and Becky simultaneously exchanged glances, sighed and gingerly sat down on the damp floor.<\/span><\/p>\n

***<\/span><\/p>\n

Some hours later, when the dusk had eventually slid into night-time, the solitary candle flickered for a few seconds and then \u2013 finally – extinguished. The three women gasped when, instead of the instant dark they\u2019d been expecting, tiny shoots of colour fired around the shed, followed by a huge blast and then total blackout. <\/span><\/p>\n

After several moments of fumbling, Chloe managed to flick on her lighter. With shaking hands, held it up to check on her friends.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jo smiled. \u201cIt worked!\u201d she hissed triumphantly, <\/span>\u201cIt worked!\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Puzzled, Chloe then turned to Becky and gasped as she took in her friend\u2019s appearance. Becky was a sham of her former self; skin covered in weeping boils and pustules, hair thin and stringy, and – possibly worst of all – several teeth missing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her breathing irregular and noisy, Chloe swung round to Jo. \u201cDid you know?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jo let out a long sigh and rested her eyes in satisfaction on the now-weeping Becky. \u201cWell, let\u2019s just say I had my suspicions!\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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