Barkis awoke with a start from his hiding place in the alley nearby the Van Dort household. He had thought he had just closed his eyes for a second or two, but one glance at his pocket watch told him he had been asleep for hours.

Apparently I dozed off, he thought drowsily. He stretched to work out his sore limbs and yawned. Obviously being dead didn't make him impervious to one of his least favorite signs of weakness: fatigue.

Barkis got up slowly got up and walked to the end of the alley to analyze the current situation. He peeked out from around the corner to study the Van Dort residence and didn't realize until then how late in the evening it was already. All the lights in the house were off except one.

This could be good, Barkis thought excitedly. It could mean the young bride is up all alone, waiting up for her fool of a husband.

This possibility gave Barkis the incentive he needed to once again leave his refuge and try his luck at entering the newlywed's home. Slowly but surely, he crept out from the alley yet again and made his way over to the mansion.

Once he reached the front steps, he stalled for a second, fearing that he predicted wrong and the same incident that happened earlier in the day would repeat itself. Once nothing happened, Barkis continued his mission.

He reached the landing undiscovered and peeked in through the window nearest to the door. He could see his ex-wife, Victoria sitting on a settee in the parlor by a roaring fire, busily sewing away some sort of scarf. By the looks of it, she was upset about something, because she would look out the window Barkis was spying through from time to time (which annoyed him greatly) with a mixture of worry and impatience on her face. Barkis scanned the house further for signs of servants, but all he saw was Victoria alone in the parlor and an abandoned candlelight dinner waiting in the dining room in the back.

Her precious little spouse must be late, Barkis figured. Perfect, he thought cunningly. Now, Barkis could waltz right in and pretend to be her husband arriving home from work. She would foolishly come running out to greet him and before she realized it wasn't her beloved, it would be too late.

At that thought, Barkis couldn't help himself. He let out a quiet, sinister laugh. Things were going quite well.

Quite well indeed…

Victoria sighed in frustration as she unraveled yet another piece of the scarf she was knitting and started over again. Usually she was a very good seamstress, but tonight her impatience caused her to be careless. And the fact that the staff had retired to their rooms and she was all alone in the large mansion didn't help matters.

Where is Victor, she thought with some annoyance. Where could he be?

It was the first night he had been late coming home since they were married, and he had to pick that night of all nights. It was a very special occasion.

Well, at least to me it is, Victoria thought. Earlier in the morning, as she was sitting in the garden socializing with their staff, she had realized that her and Victor had been married exactly one month that day. The second she had discovered that, she began bustling around the house preparing for a special surprise for Victor. She had her staff clean the dining room and prepare for an elegant romantic meal for just the two of them. As they were taking care of that, Victoria scrutinized for an hour at her fabrics before picking the softest, loveliest fabric she had and knitting a scarf for Victor. She worked hard for the rest of the day without giving a thought to the time. Until now…

Victoria glanced at the grandfather clock that sat at the opposite end of the room for what had to be the millionth time. It read nine o'clock.

Where could he be, she thought again, now more worried than annoyed.

Victoria sighed once more and looked down at her task at hand. She frowned slightly and realized something felt strange about the scarf. Victoria picked it up by its ends, stretched out in front of her, and gasped when she realized how long she had unintentionally made it. Victor would have to wrap it around his neck about ten times if he ever hoped to keep it on.

"Oh for heaven's sake," Victoria said out loud in frustration, this time giving up completely. She was obviously too tired and distracted to continue working on her husband's gift down in the parlor. She figured she might as well undress and repair the damage she had done in bed. She gathered her knitting supplies in her arms and began to carry them up to her room, but not before taking one last look out the window.

Please hurry home Victor, she pleaded silently with him. Please hurry home.

Barkis watched as Victoria climbed the stairs dejectedly and disappeared into one of the many rooms, making it all the more easier for Barkis to just walk right into the large mansion.

This couldn't be going better than if I had planned it this way, Barkis thought happily. He jumped to his feet with new found energy and walked over to the front door. He took a deep breath (more out of habit than necessity) and put his hands on the cool brass doorknob. This is it, he thought excitedly, the turning point that would change two lives and end one. He tried to take in every detail of the moment as he twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open.

Barkis stepped into the mansion with a sort of childish, gleeful smile on his face, being sure to audibly shut the door behind him to lure the young bride out of her room. His planned ultimately worked, for soon he heard a door on the second floor open and the rapid clicking of heels on the floor.

Barkis stayed as quiet as possible and waited for the young woman to appear. Oh how I've longed for this moment and it's finally here, he thought. Let the revenge begin!

Victoria had just finished changing into her nightdress when she heard the front door close distinctly.

Victor, she thought as her heart leaped with joy. She quickly slipped on her robe and shoes and ran out of her room to the hall. She ran down the long corridor and quickly began to descend the staircase.

"Victor? Victor, darling, where have you…" Victoria began to say as she was halfway down, but as she reached the landing she realized something was wrong. She could only see the silhouette of the person standing in the foyer, but she could immediately tell it wasn't her husband. She opened her mouth to ask who it was, but before she could, the person stepped out from the shadows and revealed themselves.

Victoria literally felt her heart skip a beat and her entire body constrict in fear when she caught sight of the person. She tried to speak, but her throat closed up immediately, making it difficult for her to breath.

"Barkis," she finally managed to say, though it was barely audible. She felt her stomach churn as he stepped forward once more and smiled a familiar, snake-like smile.

"Hello, my dear."