Horror Story
By Carmen Maria Machado, first published in Granta
When a lesbian couple moves into a haunted house whose lease they can't break, they must change their way of life to adapt to their eerie surroundings.
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Plot Summary
A woman and her wife move into a new house. Soon, they notice that things have been changed, broken, or moved by some mysterious force. Objects begin to go missing in their home and turn up in strange places, and the two women at first accuse each other of doing these strange things. Because of the stress of the situation, they struggle to maintain their relationship, and feel suspicious and distrustful of each other. As the couple grows apart, the happenings around the house get more extreme. They decide to research the house at the local library, and find out that many horrible events have happened on the property, including a suicide, a murder, and a kidnapping. They try to utilize the services of a priest and a psychic, but neither are able to change anything about the house. They even hire a woman who is notorious for her ability to succeed at cleansing houses like theirs, but the woman tells them that there is nothing to be done and suggests that they move away. The couple disagrees on whether or not to stay, and their discussions are futile. As much as they want to leave, they know that they cannot afford to break their lease. Finally, one of the women goes into the bedroom and sees an unfamiliar girl who looks like she is from a past century. She watches as the girl climbs into bed with her female lover. After they witness this, the couple finally feel alone in the house for the first time, as if the girl has finally gone peacefully into another life without them.
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