The tales of Anna Landon (short story-part 1)

'I believe that sometimes
Some people aren't meant to die
But they do and yet they are not really dead
Because they always want to come back'
-Anna Landon

18th century England

There once lived a young woman named Anna.She married the love of her life Jard Landon.After their first year of marriage something terrible happened,Jard Landon was murdered when walking home from work one night in the cold dark streets of London.He was hacked to death or so the police say,stabbed and mutilated.Devastated at her loss poor Anna could not take care of her small baby daughter Isabelle and the child was left neglected and helpless and died in her crib.The grieving woman was left with no money,no home,no husband or child and was thrown out onto the streets.It was the end of winter and the snow hit hard.She wondered the streets endlessly in a dream like daze and would often stroll about in the church yard where Jard was burried.Many people said the woman had gone mad and talked to the grave stone as if he could hear her.No one knew her secret,she knew if she told them then they would think she was really insane.Anna could hear him in the distance calling to her,his voice missing far out beyond the smokey mists.He was not dead,he was not alive.Anna crouched next to the head stone.
'Please come back!'she cried,'I know you'r out there!'
An old wealthy woman passed her by,she looked at her in disgust.
'You should be put away in an asylum.I don't know why they let you wonder,'she said.'Good for nothing girl.'
'You know nothing!'Anna shouted angrily standing up and clenching her frozen white fists.'I will find Jards killer and when I do there will be hell to pay.'
The smug woman lifted her nose and walked away very unimpressed.
That night she slept on the street huddled in a door way,she stole food from left over pickings outside of Inns.But when she closed her eyes and leaned in closer to the door to escape the bitter wind,she heard his voice again.This time singing to her.Tears flowed down her face,she had lost all feeling in her body and couldn't stop shivering.Suddenly the wooden door opened and a fat man looked down at her.
'What are you doin here?'he asked unpleasantly.
'Please Sir I have no where to go...'
He looked gruff and poor himself,his dark graying hair all dirty and his hands were greasy from cooking.
'Well then,'he said,'You best come inside before you catch your death.'
'Thank you very much Sir!'
He led her into a dim lit Inn,it was late and a few men sat drinking at heavy wooden tables.They stopped one moment to look up at her,grumbled some drunk words and then continued.The man showed her through the hallway and then to some stairs.
'You can sleep up here for the night.I have an extra room,you can have it if you can work your keep,understand?'
'Yes,oh thank you for your great kindness!'
He snorted and took her to a tiny damp dark room at the far end,it wasn't much but it was a roof over her head.It consisted of a small iron bed.a chair,a draw and a dirty window.
'I'll bring you up some supper.What's your name?'
'Anna,Anna Landon,nice to meet you.'
She shook his hand,'My name is Joseph Shepard.'
She settled into her room and sat on the frail bed while he fetched her dinner.He came back a while later with a bowl of hot soup and bread.'That's all I got.'
She smiled and ate the soup almost choking on it.Even though she was very grateful there was a look in his eyes that she didn't like.Something sinister and dark in those beady black eyes.He handed her a key.'You'll need to lock your door.Never know who wonders bout up here.'
She noded and he left her in peace.She had a fitful sleep that night,the room was very cold but not as bad as outside.Anna made sure that she locked the door like he said.She heard crashing noises and some shouting down the hallway.
The sun was a weak insipid light the next morning,she got up and got dressed into her only other dress she had which needed mending badly and looked horrible.It was a dark blue colour and a little moth eaten.She found a mirror in the draw and held it up to her face,she gasped at the site of herself.Her once pretty face was now so white she might as well have been a ghost.Cheeks were slightly sunken in,her long blond curly hair now a tangled mess.Her blue eyes no longer bright and full of life,dull and morbid.She could not smile.The voice of her husband suddenly came back to her and said,'Don't trust him,'
'Why?'she asked,'He's been good so far and kind.I would have died if it weren't for him.'
The voice did not answer.
There was aloud knock at her door,she unlocked and opened it.Joseph stood hands on hips glaring at her.'Well what you starin at? Eh?Youv'e got sum work to do.'
She followed him down stairs,he handed her an arm full of dishes,pots and pans.
'Go outside and scrub them good,don't want to see nothin on them.'
Anna walked out into the icy cold cobble stone back yard.Turned on the outside tap,which was nearly frozen and ice was forming under it.She cried out in pain as the her hands hit the water,it made them go blue and ache.She scrubbed for a very long time,food had been baked on and getting it off was almost impossible.Anna could see her breath,the wind bit into her face,she wiped her long hair out of her eyes.Joseph had her work all day,scrubbing pots and pans,cooking,washing the floors,dusting,buying vegetables from the market and cleaning the other rooms.By night time she was tired and ready for bed,but he did not let her stop.That night he had serving drinks and food to the late night travelers,her were rather impressed by the site of her.As she set down the meals on the tables the men would joke,laugh at her and pinch her arse.She kept working until three o'clock in the morning.She fell heavily upon her bed,exhausted and forgot to lock her door...an hour later the door opened and someone entered.