Violet and Theodore

In truth, it was all over for Becky the moment she opened the door.

She was in her home, relaxing and preparing to watch a horror movie for Halloween, when she heard someone knocking at the door. *Probably some trick-or-treaters*, she thought. When she opened her front door, she found herself face to face with a very strange looking man. He was tall and quite thin, and darkly handsome. His eyes were haunted and his long, black hair came down in front of half his face. His clothes were the strangest thing about him. He was wearing a white shirt, a black waistcoat and a long, very old-fashioned looking tailcoat. Becky couldn't guess how old he was. All in all, he looked like he belonged in a Victorian Gothic novel, or something. She guessed it was probably a Halloween costume, though somehow he didn't look like one for dressing up.

She was about to ask him what he wanted, when he produced a small, ornately-decorated ivory box. He held it forwards, facing her, and opened it. Immediately, a huge silver cloud poured out of it and floated towards Becky. She had never seen anything like it. It was like smoke but somehow ethereal, and the way it moved and swirled made it almost seem alive. Becky stared into the spirals and patterns it left in the air, and she could have sworn she could make out a woman's face. Before she could take a second look, though, the cloud surged towards her as if it had a mind of its own. Too startled to react, Becky opened her mouth to yell and ended up taking in a huge breath of the strange substance. To her horror, the rest of it vanished up her nose, forcing its way into her body. She could feel it moving around inside her, and eventually dissipating in her lungs. For a few moments, she came over extremely light headed. Once she got a grip on herself, she started to get angry. What the fuck was going on?

*What the hell was that? What do you want?* she said. Or at least that was what she tried to say, but she couldn't move her mouth at all. She tried again, but with the same result. It was like her mouth was frozen solid. When she tried to turn and flee back into her house, she found her legs were stone. Her whole body was paralysed! Panic gripped her, even though she couldn't show it.

Some seconds later, the strange man's reaction cut through her panic. His pale, drawn face warped into a warm, loving smile. "Hello, Violet," he said. "Shall we go inside?"

*Violet? I'm Becky! And what have you done to me?* Becky screamed internally. But for a second time, panic seized her when her body started to move on its own. She moved to one side and her arm raised itself as if beckoning him inside. He quickly obliged and Becky's body followed him, shutting the door behind her. The man turned.

"I'm sure you have questions. Rest assured, I will explain everything. But first." His mouth twitched in irritation. "What have you done to your beautiful hair?"

*My hair?* Becky normally had luscious, pitch-dark hair, but a couple of days ago she had dyed it to a light blonde, just for a change. But what did it matter what colour her hair was? And how did he even know she'd done something to her hair?

"This won't do at all," the man tutted. "We will have to wash it out. Lead the way, please."

Again, Becky was left a mere passenger in her own body as she turned and lead him into her bathroom. He grabbed a chair from another room, filled her sink with warm water, and instructed her to sit with her back to the basin and lean her head back. He stood above her, mixing the water with product to wash out the dye, and started to explain.

"My name is Theodore," he said with a little flourish. "I'm sure this is all very distressing for you, so I'll explain as quickly as I can. A number of years ago, I was engaged to be married to Violet, my beloved. She was so beautiful, and the love of my life. She had gorgeous, silky, black hair just like you - that's why I need to wash this awful dye out. Everything has to be perfect."

*Is this guy some kind of lunatic,* Becky wondered.

"Violet was always a sickly girl," Theodore continued, running his hands through Becky's hair. "And as our wedding approached, she started wasting away with a terrible illness the doctors could not treat. On the very day of the ceremony, just as we said our vows, she collapsed. Mere hours later, she was gone. You can only imagine how devastated I was." Theodore's voice was sorrowful, but he also sounded like he was reciting a speech he had given many times before.

"For a time, I fell into a deep depression. I realised I could not live without her. I despaired, until I chanced upon a book that promised it could unravel the secrets of life and death. As I read it, I vowed I would move Heaven and Earth to be reunited with my beloved." Ignorant of Becky's astonished reaction, Theodore kept working on her hair as he spoke. "And eventually, I was successful! I devised a ritual to call forth Violet's spirit, so we could be together. There were only two problems. The first was that the ritual only works on one day each year - on this day, Halloween. On Halloween, the veil between worlds grows thin, and the dead do not rest easy. The second was that the ritual requires a living body for Violet's soul to inhabit. And that brings me to you."

Becky's skin crawled. What he was saying sounded insane, but beyond the supernatural she had no way of explaining how he was exerting this control over her. Could he actually be telling the truth?

"You were a perfect vessel. You look just like she did. I always pick girls who look like her." Always? So he'd done this before? "Earlier today, I called forth Violet's soul from the aether and trapped in that enchanted box you saw. Once I opened it, her spirit entered you. She is inside you now, possessing you. That's why you can't move."

Becky wanted to scream. She was being possessed by some dead girl? It sounded ludicrous, but there was something on the edge of Becky's mind that made her believe it. Like there was another presence inside her. It was weak, but whenever Theodore gave her a command it flared up and took control of her limbs. Becky was gripped by an overwhelming feeling of being violated.

"Please understand," Theodore went on. He had almost finished with her hair now. It was back to it's natural, dark colour. He drained the sink and used a towel to lovingly dry her head. "We don't do this out of malice. It's just that true love is worth any price. You would do the same, if you had a love like ours. I'm sure that brings you little comfort, but let me give you some advice: just give in. Let Violet's soul fill your mind and body. It'll be so much easier. You can't win against Violet. Just give in."

*Fuck that,* Becky thought. *I won't let this dead bitch win. I'll fight this every step of the way. And when this is all over, I'll make you regret doing this to me, you fucking lunatic.*

"There. All done." Theodore helped Becky to her feet. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her hair was now completely black, and her face wore a blank expression that completely concealed the horror she was feeling. "Let us go somewhere a little more pleasant."

Becky's body jerked into motion, leading Theodore out of the bathroom and into her bedroom. *My bedroom,* Becky thought. *What the fuck?* She stood next to her bed, as if waiting for something. Theodore came and stood facing her.

"Violet, my love?" Theodore called out. "Can you speak to me?"

"Theo, my darling! I'm here!" The words forced their way past Becky's lips before she knew what was happening. It was like a nightmare. The words were coming out of her mouth, but not in her voice. She was speaking in the voice of some other girl. But that wasn't the worst part. The worst part was the way she could feel Violet in the back of her mind. Becky could feel the presence of this ghost, and when Theodore had asked her to speak she had felt Violet's happiness and eagerness almost as if it was her own. Was that what was going to happen to her? Was she going to lose her mind to the ghost, all her thoughts and feelings replaced by hers? Becky couldn't imagine a worse fate.

"How do you feel, my heart?" Theodore asked.

Becky felt a response rise in her throat. *Oh no,* she thought. Exerting all her willpower, she managed to keep her mouth shut. She could feel her face twitching, finally displaying the conflict going on inside her head. But she managed to stop Violet from speaking through her. She could feel Violet's resentment towards her like a smoldering flame, and she rejoiced at the victory.

"You're fighting her? That's a shame." *You bet I am,* Becky wanted to reply. Though she was slightly perturbed by the way Theodore didn't seem particularly concerned. "I did try to warn you. You can't win. You see, this isn't a fair fight at all."

Theodore bent forward and kissed her firmly on the lips. For a moment, all Becky felt was surprise. But then, a roaring fire of passion ignited in her mind. She was filled with a hundred desires - to return the kiss, to call out his name, to touch him, to hold him. *This is wrong,* she tried to tell herself. *This isn't me. These aren't my thoughts.* But in that moment, it didn't matter. She desired those things as much as she'd ever desired anything in her life. No, more. These were desires born of a love that crossed even the boundaries of life and death. What were her petty wants and needs compared to that? Becky could feel Violet burning inside her. Why didn't she just-

Theodore broke off the kiss. The desires did not vanish, but they diminished enough for Becky to be able to reassert control over he mind. It took her a worryingly long time to even remember her own name, though. And she was breathing hard. *That was bad,* Becky thought.

"Did you feel it?" Theodore asked her. "I can see in your eyes that you did. Now do you understand? The love I share with Violet transcends all boundaries. Death could not keep us apart. What hope do you have?"

*I can still fight this.* Becky tried to focus on that one thought, and make it her whole world. She wasn't just going to give up. She wasn't sure what good it would do, but if he kissed her again she was going to be as ready as she could possibly be.

"I see that fire in your eyes," Theodore said. "You're a fighter. Well, that's fine. As I said, you can't win. I'm sure you expect me to kiss you again. But Violet and I have more strings to our bow than simply that. Come, sit with me."

He sat down on the edge of the bed. Becky's body did the same, and she cursed. It was going to be hard to resist when she still couldn't control her own limbs.

"Remember... hmm, let's see." Theodore appeared to ponder something for a few second. Then, he made a decision. "Violet, remember Marigold Lake. Remember the night we danced."

*Marigold Lake?* It meant nothing to Becky. But then suddenly, it meant everything. Violet, burning in her mind like a beacon, assaulted her with images and feelings. She could picture Marigold Lake, even though she'd never been there. She could picture a small lake, frozen over with ice and made beautiful by the moon's twilight. She could see Theodore, skating across the ice towards her, beckoning her. She could remember giggling with joy as she took his hand and pulled her into his embrace. *How?* Becky asked herself. *How can this feel so real? This never happened to me. These are not my memories.*

But they felt like they were hers. Violet wasn't just a distance presence at the back of her mind any more. She was right behind her eyes, the window to her soul. In that moment, as she was lost in false recollection, Becky wasn't sure where she ended and Violet began. As she looked at Theodore, she couldn't help but feel warm and giddy, just as she remembered having felt that night, skating in his arms across Marigold Lake. His embrace had felt so comforting, so safe. Her whole body had burned for him. They had kissed with a passion that could set the world ablaze, and they'd whispered so many secrets and promises into each other's ears. They'd declared their undying love for one another. She remembered that most of all. Looking into Theodore's eyes now, she could see that same love, directed all at her. No, not at her. *I'm Becky,* she tried to think. *I'm not Violet, I'm Becky.*

"Do you remember?" asked Theo - why did she now think of him as 'Theo'? - in a tender voice.

"I... remember," Becky whispered. A cold shiver ran through. That hadn't been Violet. That was her. She still couldn't stand up or run away, but in that moment she had made the choice to open her mouth and speak those words. She was losing herself, she realised. What could she do to stop this happening? She tried focusing on her own memories, of friends and family and ex-boyfriends. But those memories were all dull and grey, like old silent movies. Only that accursed memory of being with Theo was vivid, so vivid she felt she could get lost in it for days. *It's not real,* she tried to tell herself, but she struggled to muster any real conviction.

"Violet," Theo said, a triumphant expression playing across his features. "It's so good to hear your voice again."

*But that was my voice,* Becky thought. *Or was it?*

"You look beautiful tonight. As you always do, of course." A warm, pleasant feeling shot through Becky, like Theo was really complimenting her. Maybe he was.

*Why did it make me happy when he called me beautiful? He's a creep, a freak, a monster, a...* She couldn't find any more insults to mentally hurl at him. It didn't feel right. He was so handsome, and there was such love and kindness in his eyes. Why was she fighting this? *Get out of my head.*

"We have such little time, my love," said Theo earnestly. "Let us not waste any more. I want to be one with you."

Theo pushed Becky's unresisting body back onto the bed. His hands on her shoulders set her body ablaze. It reminded her of their first night together. *No, it doesn't. It can't.* It had been rainy that night. She had gotten wet on the way back from the theatre. He had insisted she come in to his house to warm up. One thing had led to another. *Why does it seem so real?*

When he kissed her again, she stopped fighting it. This kiss was more intense, hungrier than the first one. Overcome by the ghost's burning presence, Becky kissed him back. Their tongues wrestled with each other, drinking in as much of each other as they could. Becky could feel she wasn't kissing him the way she usually kissed her boyfriends. She was kissing him the way Violet kissed him. But it felt natural. It felt right. It felt good. Even though some part of her was still screaming resistance, Becky realised she didn't want Theo to pull away. She wanted to stay close to him, just like this. With him, she felt complete. They were soul-mates. Of course they were. They'd both known that for years. *No, we only just met tonight. Is that right? I... I can't...*

"I love you," Theo whispered to her, between breathless kisses.

"I love you too," replied Becky, and she did. Her love for him was a raging inferno. Her heart was on fire for him. She'd never felt such love. Such a love deserved to be realised, no matter the cost. As she had that thought, Becky remembered that she was the victim here. Theo had forced his way into her home and violated her mind with occult magic. But somehow, that didn't seem to matter the way it had before. Who was Becky, anyway? She could hardly remember. Just a small, unimportant girl. Better to be Violet. Better to be the girl Theo loved.

In her mind, Becky could feel Violet purring her approval. But the dead girl didn't feel like a foreign presence anymore. She spoke in Becky's voice, and Becky spoke in hers. Listening to Violet was like listening to a part of herself, like her conscience. She couldn't bring herself to want Violet gone anymore. Being one with Violet was such a special experience. With just a thought, she could sift through Violet's memories as if they were her own. Perhaps they were, now. At first that had been discomforting, but now she realised Violet's thoughts and memories were such precious things. So many beautiful memories of Theo.

Reluctantly, Theo broke off from kissing her so he could remove her top and unclasp her bra, exposing her breasts. Becky realised her clothes felt unfamiliar now. They weren't at all like the clothes Violet had won, when she was alive. Well, it wasn't the first time she'd found herself in strange clothes, in a strange body. *My first time, but not hers. Not ours. Is that weird?* When Theo kissed her chest and took one of her nipples in his mouth, teasing it with his teeth, Becky wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in tighter. His touch was so incredibly gentle and tender, and it was like he knew exactly where to touch her to make her moan. *Of course he does, he's known me my whole life. Was that my thought, or Violet's?*

He kept kissing her body, and she bent her head to kiss and moan into his neck. She even bit him, playfully, when he kissed her a little too hard. At that, he let out a throaty groan that resonated through her body. That drove her wild. Nothing got her hotter than knowing she was making him feel good, and she knew he felt the same way for her. That was what made them so perfect together. She wanted more. She wanted him to rip off her clothes and thrust into her. She wanted to feel him inside, taking her, fucking her the way a husband should. She started to whisper that do him in a needy voice, and to her surprise he pulled away and looked at her quizzically.

"My love, what's your name?" Theo asked.

"Violet," she replied instantly. *Wait, no that's not right. I'm not just her. I'm not just some dead ghost. Violet's not the only one who loves him now. I love him, me. I need to tell him that. I... what's my name?*

The girl pinned beneath Theo flew into a panic as she realised she couldn't remember who she was anymore. A sense of grim dread settled over her. She'd given up too much of herself. She'd let Violet in. She'd stopped fighting. And Violet had taken everything from her. How was the dead girl so strong? Love, she realised. Violet's love for Theo was a passionate wildfire. Nothing in her life matched the strength of Violet's feelings. How could she compete? But she had to try. The girl forced herself to try and remember something, anything, that might give her strength. She tried to remember her friends, but her thoughts were murky. She tried to remember her parents, but somehow their faces were blurry and indistinct. *I can't lose them,* she thought to herself. She concentrated as hard as she possible could, so hard it gave her a splitting headache, and their faces started to come into focus. *I...*

Then Theo kissed her again, and they were gone.

He kissed her with a furious passion that she instinctively returned. All of a sudden she didn't just want him, she needed him, the same way she needed oxygen. She started grabbing him, grappling with him, pulling at his clothes just to keep him close. Theo was momentarily taken aback by her newfound enthusiasm, but quickly he too was lost to the same burning hunger that was driving the girl to the point of no return. As they wrestled and writhed in one another's embrace, they raced to clumsily undress each other, desperate for the true closeness they could only achieve with skin-on-skin contact. Before long, they were completely naked. Theo raised himself up on his hands for a moment, drinking in the girl's naked body. She could feel his gaze burning into her body like something physical. The way she was breathing hard had her chest heaving suggestively, and her nipples were twin, rock-hard nubs pointing up at him. She could see his love and lust for her reflected in his eyes, and it made her too happy for words. And then her eyes scrunched shut and she screamed in pleasure as he thrust himself into her.