The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

Fidelity
by Elizabeth H. Smith

With each chosen one she sent to the beyond, another symbol appeared on Carmen’s skin. Every life she took scrawled itself on her face, each memory of violence recorded so she would never forget. She had to view those moments every time she looked in the mirror.

She wished she could stop, escape the repeating horrors she herself committed. But she had no choice. She was doing the work of the Great One, to whom she owed her soul. He told her who was chosen, and how she would end their lives. The Great One’s ideas were deep in cruelty, born from a mind of madness intent on causing suffering.

No matter how gruesome, Carmen had to do as the Great One demanded. Over time she watched the number of icons grow, marking her deeds one by one. There was no determined number of deaths in this contract. Carmen didn’t know for how long she would have to follow his commands.

But the deal she made was without regret. Despite the atrocious things she had to do, it had been for her daughter’s life. The Great One cured the disease killing her in exchange for Carmen’s fidelity. And that He would have, no matter how many marks covered her flesh.

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Fiction © Copyright Elizabeth H. Smith
Image courtesy of Pixabay

More About Elizabeth H. Smith:
Elizabeth H. Smith is a storyteller who writes while trying to keep her cat, Luna off the keyboard. The musical group, Rasputina is her muse. She was born in the state of New York and would never feel at home anywhere else.