She sat in his office for hours..her legs indian style in her chair. Every time he came to the door he saw her and his body would react. She knew what she was doing. She had no appointment today, no reason to be there ...but she was, and he could not help but notice.She was older than what she appeared to be, he knew exactly how old she was. But, today she looked so young and innocent. She wore clean white tennis shoes with her thigh high white stockings, which he imagined rolling down over her calves. Her skirt was a green and blue plaid, you know the kind the catholic school girls wear.He knew he should not be noticing her as much as he did, he had everything to lose, but notice her he did. She was just sitting there, reading People magazine and sucking on a charms blow pop (by the color he guessed it was cherry).
Why was he so drawn to her he did not know, but she did.She was evil incarnate and knew his every fantasy and deepest darkest desires,and she was using that to her advantage. She was toying with him like a cat would a mouse. His office was about to close when he gathered the courage to ask her what she needed here at his office, but when he went to the lobby she was gone.
His heart skipped.
Had he imagined it all, had she really been there? He walked to the chair where she had been sitting and lifted the magazine. A slip of paper fell out and he picked it up and read what was written there.
" I saw you too, watching me each time you called in a client. I may be a daydream, and if I am, what harm can I truly cause?"
He sat down and tried to clear his mind, but all he kept seeing was her sitting there, taunting him. A few days passed before he saw her again. This time she was outside of his office sitting on one of the city benches. She was writing in a notebook and enjoying the fresh, warm spring sun. She would look up at the flowers planted by the city and smile or maybe a bird would catch her eye and she would look up at it and laugh,occasionally he thought he saw her look straight at him through his offices tinted window. Today she was wearing a beautiful white cotton skirt, sandals and a lavender summer blouse that he could see the outline of her breasts through.He would stop himself from looking long enough to tend to a client, but after each one he would go to the window and watch her.
She knew he was watching, she wanted him too. She was pulling him to her with her will. She had never wanted something or someone as bad as she did him. When he found he was too distracted by her, he closed his blinds. He was able to finish out his day and when he went to lock his door he noticed again she was gone.He went back to his desk to tidy up when a small tap came at the window, he turned and opened the blinds only to see another note left for him taped to the window. He went out and retrieved it, eagerly watching around him trying to catch just one more glimpse of her. He was finding himself more and more intrigued by her and did not know why.He sat and read the note.
" do you want to wake up yet? or shall I stick around a while?"
He caught the word before it escaped his lips, but not soon enough for him to take it back, he wanted her to stay. -The more he tried not to think of her, the more she came to mind. In the evenings with his wife and children he still found himself thinking of her. His nights grew restless and it showed on his face. She was taunting him and he was wanting her too. There were always a few days between her visits and on each visit she would leave a note urging him onward into his downfall. For 6 months not a word was actually spoken between the two, but her notes were as regular as her visits, each one only a simple question
"do you want me to stay or go"
He always found himself stammering the word "stay" when she was no longer there in front of him. Then as suddenly as her visits started, they stopped. For 2 weeks he did not sleep. He barely ate and found himself in his office earlier in the mornings and staying later at night. Where had she gone, what had he done to drive her away? He needed to see her for his own peace of mind if nothing more. When he thought he could handle it no more he recieved an anonymous email at his business email address. It simply read...
"To fulfill the dream, come to me, I will be waiting where the water meets the shore."
He was bewildered, the city was built along a waterway, there were miles of shoreline, how would he know exactly where or when. He sat staring at the monitor of his computer a mere shadow of the man he had once been. Fatigue showed all over his face, almost as if something were draining the life from him.
Then suddenly he noticed an IM blinking in his tool bar...who would be contacting him on IM. He hadn't used his messenger in years, not since he had that one indiscretion online. The blinking orange rectangle kept calling to him until he clicked on it. It merely had a time, a date and an address, nothing more.He had recieved the answer to the question he hadn't even spoken yet.
Later that night he made excuses and got in his car and left home. He drove for a few hours until he reached the address that was shown on the computer. It was an old seafood restaurant that had seen it's last days years before. He saw a shimmering small light inside a window as he parked his car. Fear should have set in at this point, or even regret but no....he was determined to see her. He needed to touch her, to hear her. He needed to know why she possessed his every thought.His hand was upon the door when, for a brief flash, the thought of turning back went through his mind.
He opened the door, what happened next he couldn't believe.
The interior of the abandoned restaurant came to life. There were fresh carpets on the floor, newly painted walls, glistening chandaliers and a table set for 2 complete with candle light and wine.A slight stirring drew his eyes to a shadowed corner, his eyes tried to focus, and there before him she appeared almost as if she were made from those shadows.
Was he afraid....no.
He moved closer to her and she slowly moved closer to him. His questions immediately fell from his lips, one after another and she smiled softly. Putting her gloved fingertip to his lips she reassured him silently that all would be told. She kissed him softly and ran her hands up his arms and circled them around his neck. There was music, but he did nt know from where, and she led him into a dance. The music became louder and their dance became more seductive until, he kissed her. He stopped her in the middle of the dance and he kissed her.She did not fight, she merely let herself melt into him, allowing him to carress her and touch her. She allowed him to taste of her body until he was satisfied. Never once did she say a word. Not once did she turn her gaze from his eyes. He was hers now and she knew it.When the music stopped he held her close and spoke the words meant only to be heard by his wife. Those three words spoken to someone he barely knew, the same words he had vowed to his wife years ago.
Her eyes lit up, her hair seemed to change and the skin, that once felt like silk against his own, became as coarse as sand paper and as hot as scalding coffee. Then suddenly she opened her mouth, baring her razor like teethe, and let out a sound that can only be described as every living creature screaming in the last second of life in unison.
Her name was Desdemona and she had fed her tortured soul through centuries with the souls of adulterous men, but this one was differant. This man she was going to keep, this was the man who would free her from her loneliness. This man would become like her, and with one small painfull kiss to his lips she sealed his fate.
He never returned home, but his wife and children were well taken care of. You see it wasn't their fault that he had left and although she was a demon, Desdemona felt one thing with him that she had never felt in her mortal life, pity.

daniah and the witch

Daniah was born ensorcelled,
anathematized with an amaranthine face.
She lived her life as if in a fairy tale,
she was never in need it seemed,
but inside
Daniah cursed the gods.
Her unpaling beauty,
to her, was a curse.
She longed to know true love,
the kind of love like in the story Beauty and the Beast,
her favorite.
She longed to be loved for what she was inside
not what she was in their eyes.
On her birthday she clandestinely met with a witch,
a very wonderful (though very ugly) witch.
Together they cast a spell,
for one year Daniah would live as the witch
and the witch would live as Daniah
(at least in looks not position).
Once the spell was effectuated
the witch became quite beautiful,
her outside finally matching her inside.
Daniah became homely and unattractive
but never lost her compassion or innocence.
For one year this came to pass.
The witch found love in the world of Dania
and Daniah found love in the world of the witch.
At the stroke of midnight,
exactly one year later
they returned to the wood with their loves they had found,
and as the clocktower tolled the time
Daniah returned to her beauty,
but,the witch too remained beautiful.
For in her kindness to Daniah
the witch proved worthy of her own beauty,
and the gods smiled down on her
and granted her hearts desire.

(ensorcelled = bewitched, aramanthine = eternally beautiful, clandestinely = secretly, effectuated = complete, anathematized = cursed)

Eliza

Eliza was born unto Mr. and Mrs. Angus Rusht, a wealthy family from the hills of West Virginia. Her mother, a very pale and sickly woman, died within hours of Eliza's birth, leaving her father to raise her with the help of a nanny. Eliza's given name was Elizabeth Annalee ( named after her mother Anna Lee and grandmother Elizabeth)...but she refused to use the whole name from the time she was old enough to talk.

It was noted early in Eliza's life that she was not an ordinary child. She would scream and become unruly when out of doors in the warm sun, but it was not until she was around 2 years of age that the doctors agreed. Eliza was allergic to the sun, yes allergic is how they termed it. This hindered her growing process immensely, especially in her psychological developement. She never learned to be social by playing with the other children, the only children she ever saw were relatives who visited ( and that didn't happen often). Her every need was seen to by her father or her nanny Audree until her 13th birthday.

Eliza's 13th birthday was a grand event, a coming-out of sorts, with everyone who was anyone present. That night would change Eliza forever. Eliza was growing impatient wanting to open her presents, so she went looking for her father. She found her father in his office with Audree, and the position they were in was highly inappropriate for this day, Her day. Although Eliza was only 13 years old she understood what this meant and she became enraged. She went after Audree with the letter opener from her fathers desk, chasing her through the entire house in front of all the party guests. Angus politely excused himself to tend to his daughter and bid them all goodnight. Everyone quickly scurried to retrieve their coats and make their way home....all but one man. Well he was barely a man, he had just turned 18 himself, but he felt he needed to stay and help.

He walked through the house trying to find Eliza and her father, but everytime he thought he found them the voices would stop and start in another room. Finally, after what seemed like hours, he found Eliza. She was in her own room, sitting on her bed, holding her teddy bear who was covered in blood. Terrance, the 18 year old who found her, tried to discern what had happened but Eliza would not talk. He phoned the authorities, who arrived almost immediately, and the nightmare began.

It was determined that Eliza, in a fit of rage, had killed not only the nanny but her father also. It was never determined why or even how, the only conclusion that was clear is that Eliza was now alone and the ward of the state...She spent the next 5 years in a mental institution, where Terrance was the only one who visited her. She blossomed into the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and so did his lovefor her. When the day came for her release, he was the one who took her home, to his home in town, for he thought it unwise to return her to the families estate where the horrible night had occurred. It was a modest home but she thought it was beautiful...because it was his home. Yes, Eliza had fallen in love with Terrance, he being the only person she had contact with for 5 years except for Dr.'s and nurses.

Terrance loved Eliza, he had loved her from that moment at her birthday party where she ran into him laughing, shaking her presents. He was going to take care of her...and for 3 years he did...for 3 years they were the happiest couple you ever saw.But...this would not last, Terrance was shot during a bank robbery and died leaving Eliza alone for the first time in her life. Immediately there was a change in her, she became wreckless and moody.She began drinking and spent her nights in the arms of whatever man bought her the last drink at closing time. Some of these men were single, some weren't, and soon she was hated by all the women in town.

One night Eliza had been out drinking and mourning her lost love and her lost father, when another woman she barely knew accosted her. This woman accused her of being cursed...of being a demon...a harlot...a murderer. Eliza was snapped out of her drunken stuper when the bloody image of her father came to her mind....you see, Eliza had no recollection of that night. The Dr.'s and Terrance agreed it would be best not to tell her, to let her go on with life and maybe a happy one. Eliza ran, she ran out of the bar and down the main street of town. She ran all the way to her families estate on the outskirts of town. She didn't know how she knew where the key was...but she found it and went inside. The entire house was dark, everything covered in white sheets, she tore through every room until she found her old bedroom. She threw herself down on the bed and began to cry. She had fallen asleep crying when she heard a soft voice calling to her. She arose and followed the voice...it led her straight to her fathers office, where the memory arose like a demon and lashed at her very soul. Eliza fell to her knees remembering what she saw and in that brief moment she heard his voice. It was her father, she heard him calling to her and answered.
"yes father?" she called.
"Eliza, I forgive you" he answered.
"for what father, what did I do?" she asked.
"remember!" he said and then his voice was silent.
Eliza left her fathers office and proceeded down the hall to the library. She suddenly heard another voice, this one was a woman and she was crying. Eliza opened the door that led to her fathers sitting room and the crying stopped She noticed very quickly how the room was empty, everything had been removed as evidence. Eliza's mind pictured the room as it was that night and she saw herself stabbing at her father, as the woman cried out for her to stop. She saw the blank look in her own eyes as the Eliza of the past turned on the woman, the woman who had raised her, and violently slash at her ripping the flesh from her throat. After her memory was filled with that horror the womans disembodied voice called out to Eliza
"Eliza?" it said.
"Audree?" she replied.
"yes Eliza, it is me, I have waited to tell you I am sorry" the voice replied
"sorry for what?" Eliza asked.
"I am sorry I betrayed you and your trust, forgive me" said the voice.
"I don't know if I can" Eliza replied.
"then I cannot go on to the other side" said the voice.
" is my father on the other side?" asked Eliza.
"yes" said the voice.
" good, and that is why I will never forgive you...he is mine, not yours and I will never let you take him from me again" replied Eliza.

Eliza kept her word too. She slowly replaced everything in the house with new things, dark things...evil things. Masterpiece art was replaced with abstract and obscure paintings that some believed to be demonically inspired. Beautiful lace drapes were replaced with heavy black linen ones. Even Eliza's clothes were black. All of the furniture, which was once bright and stately, was now replaced with cold stark pieces in blacks and grays. She cursed her father, she cursed her mother, she cursed Audree and she cursed the darkness she had to live with her entire life. She cursed everything until the darkness had finally encompassed everything.....even her heart.

i watched them as they walked slowly through the park
they thought they were alone
but i, being the voyeur that i am,
knew there would be something to watch with these 2
she was dressed in a black silk blouse that had no buttons
you know the kind that wraps around and ties on the side.
it had a lovely neckline showing her pale skin
and just the gentles of curves between her breasts.
she had a black velvet choker necklace on with one silver teardrop hanging from it
her jet black hair was pulled up into a tight bun with a few tendrils of curls hanging loose
and she had silver teardrop earings hanging from beautiful lobes.
her make up was slight
but the outline of her eyes was silver and the sparkle caught everyones eye.
she wasn't thin like models but her curves were soft and very feminine.
the leather skirt she wore hugged those curves like a well fitted glove.
her heels were thin and of a silver tone and just added to her loveliness.
he was a handsome man, long thick black hair pulled tightly back into a ponytail
held by a silver ring.
his complexion smooth, without even a trace of a 5 o clock shadow...
his smile seemed to light up her face
and i myself had to admit it was a lovely one.
his shoulders were broad under his black turtle neck
and he carried his leather jacket flung over his right shoulder
his black dress slacks were held up with a thin black belt with a silver buckle
and were custom tailored because they beautifully formed his round firm backside....
he wore perfectly shined stacey adams shoes and oddly,
he had a silver teardrop charm on one.
they walked along in the park holding hands and talking softly
she occasionally put her head on his arm and he would kiss her head softly
after walking for some time they felt assured they were alone
(they didn't see me in the shadows)
he stopped and turned her to him...she did not resist..
she dropped to her knees without a care for her clothing.
she slid her hands up his legs up to his hips
and to his belt buckle.....all the while keeping eye contact
she slid a well manicured hand into his pants to retrieve her reward........

DARKNESS COMES

darkness wraps itself slowly around my world
cold fingers closing in the corners of my heart
i know you, too, are coming for me tonight
and i wait, impatiently in the shadows
when you arrive i will feel your warm hands
hard upon my skin , strong around my wrists
and i will feel safe once more
safe from the coldness of an uncaring world
safe from the ridicule of those who do not understand
with each binding you wrap around my body
i will feel freer than i feel during daylight
with each knot that you tie to keep me
i will leave a care of this world behind
and then when i am without means of motion
you will show me you love me
you will leave the ribbons of your love over my body
and i will cry....but the tears will be of joy
for i will feel more alive each time your hand touches me
and each strike will cause the fire in my soul to burn higher
yes the darkness comes with its cold hands
but with it you bring life with your stinging touch
and biting hunger to possess me
mlady
5/18/05

SHARKMAN'S DEMISE

Caroline was a sweet woman, always giving to others before herself. We all assumed thats why her first 2 marriages failed, they had taken what they needed and moved on. She had 4 beautiful children, and when it was just her and them they were spoiled by her love. James had lived a horrible life until his 18th birthday, when he escaped his mothers tyranny. Noone would have ever expected the two of these people coming together. Her, 34 with 4 children and him all of 18 and seeds to sow, but, one night they both were attending a movie alone, Fate stepped in and these two hearts were brought together, much to the chagrin of Carolines 4 children. Her older daughters, already in their teens, disapproved of this boy trying to become part of their mothers life and made it clear every chance they got. They would purposely ignore him and play him against their mother, but Caroline fell in love with him and would not allow them to force him away. Things were rough that first year, James worked long days trying to keep a roof over his new family's head and Caroline worked right along side of him. They moved around a bit, but finally settled down into a nice home in town. But the children never accepted him. When things were pretty much settled James took up his first love again, fishing. He would leave first thing in the morning and come home at dusk every day he could. Caroline would go with when she could or when she had nothing better to do. This went on for a year or so until Caroline decided it was time that she got to choose what they would do sometimes instead of it always being his hobbies. James would have none of this and refused to stop his fishing.
So, Caroline took up a hobby of her own. She had always loved writing and in her younger school days would even be paid for doing it. She decided to see if anything would come of it now as she was older. She bought herself a computer and began joining groups of writers, reading others works and honing her own skills. She had one authur in her groups that she would read over and over everything he posted. The more she read of his stories the more she was convinced she could do this.
James and Caroline stayed married 25 years, had seen two of her daughters get married, 1 get her masters degree and her son go on to be a phys ed teacher at the local elementary school. If you ask Caroline then what made their marriage work she would say fishing, because the more he fished the happier they were (and the kids would even have to agree to this) James loved to fish, especially for his beloved shark. People would stop and watch him until it grew dark and chilled and still he would fish. He had often talked about swimming with his beloved creatures, yes he was very gentle with his catch..moreso than he was with his human companions I suppose. While James fished Caroline read, wrote and researched and waited. Years later, on a beautiful summer morning Caroline was called to come to the pier where James fished. She pleaded with the officer on the line to tell her what was wrong...any clue of why...but all he said is she would have to come to the pier...She arrived at the pier, shortly thereafter, to see it taped off with the normal yellow investigation tape. There were divers entering and exiting the water...officers questioning passers by and when they noticed Caroline they came to her. "ma'am, was your husband fishing last night?"Caroline looked at the officer trying to remain calm and focused....she answered" yes, he always fished here at night." The officer was taking notes of everything as Caroline described his clothes, his demeanor and all of his equipment he would bring...She remained calm, although the officer noticed tears in her eyes. "ma'am we have accounted for everything except the pole you call the shark pole and your husband, is there anything more you can tell us....?"Caroline hesitated and feigned disbelief..."he always said he wanted to swim with the sharks...and he did quite often....he has the scars to prove it....do you think???" and her words trailed off into mere mumblings of worry ( or thats what was believed no one heard her silent laughter).
The search continued for 3 days and was called off for lack of any evidence,and listed the case as a "disappearance no foul play". The officers released James's belongings to Caroline , who promptly buried them in the basement, She put it all behind the other unwanted belongings that James had collected over the years, including several large buckets that had only been used once... for chumming. Noone ever knew what happened that night, but Caroline remembers the sharks in a frenzy as she chummed the water for her husband.....no one ever knew what was in those buckets....no one but Caroline.....and ...oh ...yes .... James

i watched you pts 1 and 2

watched you prt 1 and 2
i watched you undress tonight,in the moonlight.
You were poetry.
You didn't know i was there or at least i hope you didn't.
I watched your strong hands unbutton the shirt you wore,
first the cuffs and then from the bottom up.
I found this odd but beautiful.
I caught a glimpse of your perfect navel and the small path of hair that led from it,
downward to.....
when the last button had been released,
you exposed one shoulder and then the other....
moonlight hit them both,strong and smooth and deliciously tanned.
It was warm last night so your skin had a glow from the slight persipiration you created.
You turned to place the shirt over your chair...
not an ordinary man are you?
You stretched your lean body in the moonlight and i saw your lightly haired chest expand
as you breathed in the night air.
Oh how i wish that i was that air.
Your hands deftly undid your belt and slid it swiftly from around your waist.
You undid the button and slid the zipper down.
I almost lost control then...
but you could not know i was there....not yet.
You slid your slacks down over your tight firm buttocks
and your neatly covered treasures
and when you laid them across the chair so neatly,
I thought i was in a dream.
You slid your socks off and placed them in a basket by the door (not a typical man at all).
You walked perfectly out onto the balcony
and in the moonlight you looked like a god.
I wanted to come to you,
to wrap myself around you like the cool night air,
to carress the fine curls on your chest,
to smell the musky smell i knew only someone like you would have,
but all i could do is watch you from the shadows in the moonlight.


Please forgive me for watching,
but your scent caught my attention.
So now, i watch you from a shadowed corner just outside your view.
A vision of beauty you are as i watch you undress.
You slip off your sexy high heel shoes..
placing them neatly by the door.
You step further into the room removing your silk blouse,
it is the color of your eyes,
i will treasure that shade of blue forever.
You place the blouse in a bin marked dry cleaning...
how perfect you are.
You reach behind you and without hesitation it's slip, slip, slip
and the bra of pink lace is released from your body,
the glow from your candles reflects off those perfect peach colored breasts,
with their areolas reminding me of the center of a black eyed susan flower.
You are not what the magazines consider beautiful...
but you are a beautiful woman.
My eyes travel from your voluptuous breasts
down over your slightly rounded, but soft looking stomach.
You are an outie and i think its so cute...
it looks like a smiley face.
You unzip the long black skirt you are wearing
and let it slip to the floor,
picking it up with your toes,
I cant help but giggle at this(my heart skips thinking you heard me)
it too is placed in the dry cleaning bin.
You sit on the edge of the tub and remove your thigh high stockings
rolling them down seductively
(do you know i am watching)
they are placed in a net bag on the back of the bathroom door.
You stand up and my eyes dance over your body...
finely trimmed auburn hair gives slight concealment to the treasure that lies beneath....
i watch you slip into the bubble bath and disappear
I want to run to you but i cant...
not just yet...

the room at the top of the stairs....a short story

the room at the top of the stairs
Mama always told us growing up about a place our family owned
down in west virginia. She said it was a really big place
and the family used it for reunions, retirements and vacations
....basicly a get away type of place. But I was 21 now and had
never been there. She told me she was going there for awhile
and not to worry ....that when the time came i would be there.
I paid no serious attention to her i figured she just needed
some time alone.. You see my father had left her for another
woman and she had been in a severe state of depression since then.
I hugged my mother at the airport 2 weeks later as she boarded
her plane to "home". She held me longer than usual and
whispered softly to me that she would always be where she
could watch me.....i now was scared. My mother had never
spoken so softly or sincerely to me and she was leaving me.
I turned and returned to my car and drove home to my small
apartment not really knowing what to make of what was going on.
For the next 2 weeks I slowly let myself forget my mother soft
words to me....i had let myself think she was spending time with
family and healing. I was wrong.
Exactly 2 weeks from her departure i recieved an urgent
letter via registered mail...
" dearest vanessa...please forgive me for not telling you
what all has happened to me since your father left.....
i am not the woman i thought i was ...all i ever knew was being his wife
and your mother....now i am finally free to be me...
.i love you , have always loved you and will always love you
... remember me as i was before....come to the house
i will wait for you there....in the room at the top of the stairs
....mother"
I panicked, i cried and i left without even packing a bag...
.my mother needed me and i had to be there.....
I arrived at the "home" 36 hours after leavingmy apt...
i had not slept i had not eaten ...the only things i did were cry and drive.
I found a key in the mailbox and entered a house i had never seen...
it was gorgeous....there was ornate woodwork throughout the foyer,
a crystal chandalier which must have had a thousand pieces of glass,
wallpaper with the most ornate red velvet pattern i had seen.....
to the left of the door was an armoir style chest where i laid my keys
...to the right was an old mahogony table holding a silver candleabra
and a book of matches...i assumed this was how i was to find my way thru
the house. I lit the candles and lighted the stairway that lay directly
in front of me...i slowly ascended the beautifully ornate spiral staircase
.....i passed the second floor and went on to the third...
it housed only one room...one door...the room at the top of the
stairs...
I opened the door to find an ominant looking room that was lit by a glow
i could not explain...even now 16 years later.....the walls were covered
with murals...gorgeous murals of places only found in the imagnation...
fountains with unicorns....woods with fairies....
mountains with brightly coloured birds flying around dazzling
golden waterfalls...i collapsed in the middle of the room in awe
Mixed in with these remarkable imaginary creatures i could see faces
and bodies of family that had passed away...
all with smiles and enjoying the creatures within the mural...
.they all looked so real to me....i almost imagined them all moving and
waving at me from beyond the walls.....
why had my mother told me to meet her here and she was not there.....
I found a ltter in a golden envelope on a small table in the center
of the room...it was from my mother
" vanessa...please dont be sad...i am here...i am all around you right now...
i am with my family and we are all watching you even now as you read this...
the murals my darling daughter is each of ours legacy to the ones we leave behind....
if you look you will find me here.....there will be no funeral...no long good byes....
just you here with us and discovering our family secret
we love you and you are welcome here whenever you need us...
and when the time comes you too will know what to do
mother"
I found my mother quickly after reading the letter...
far back in the far corner of the room there was a log cabin
with a porch that faced west toward the sunset,
my mother always loved the sunset....and there in a rocker,
painting was my mother...it seemed as if she could see me
and as i drew closer i could see she was painting me...
...she was painting me ...in the room at the top of the stairs.