A dark cloud has settled over rural Montana and it is here to stay

The dark cloud is named Hattie Hendricks,a mean spinster who has been teaching English at her local school for the last ten years.

Hattie isn’t very well liked mainly because she has the social graces of a black mamba with the personality and looks of a bulldog.

Her fellow teachers loathe her with a passion while the student body treat her with contempt.

And being over six foot tall and weighing over 200 pounds Hattie is a formidable figure.

You better buy yourself a raincoat because the shit is about to hit the fan.

It is almost midnight and Hattie is at home watching TV while devouring a large whiskey.

She is in a foul mood because today because another student complained about her teaching methods and lack of hygiene.

That makes five complaints in less then a year  and Hattie knows that she is skating on thin ice.

One more complaint and she will be suspended from teaching

Hattie scowls to herself and goes into the kitchen to wash out the whiskey glass and while standing at the sink she looks out into the far corner of her backyard where behind an old shed sits a well.

One way or another her tormentors will pay

After school the next day is walking to her car when she is confronted by Philipa Cates the student who made the latest complaint about her ‘Hey Miss Hendricks are you going home to have a shower? Because i think you should,you smell Miss Hendricks and you are a bad teacher,so why don’t you get the fuck away from my school’

Hattie stares down at Philipa and her blood begins to boil but she composes herself’I am sorry you feel that say Philipa i am sure that we can come to an understanding in the principals office tomorrow’

As Hattie talks she inches closer to her tormentor while she scans the car park to see if any one is lurking about.

And before Philipa knows what is happening she is punched hard in the face and bundled into her teachers car.

Philipa wakes to find herself gagged with duct tape and tied to a chair.

It isn’t an electric chair but it might as well because for Philipa Cates there will be no escape.

She struggles as hard as she can but Philipa soon ties and starts to cry.

‘Hello Philipa welcome back to the land of the living,you wont be here long so make the best of it while it lasts’

‘Y’know you really shouldn’t have reported me to the principal and called me all of those nasty names’

Those are you final words that Philipa will ever hear because Hattie is brandishing a set of garden shears.

And with a snip snip here and a snip snip there Philipa is cut into manageable pieces taken outside under the cover of darkness and tossed down the well.

As Hattie listens for the body to hit the bottom her mind wanders back to when she was in 3rd Grade

She was enjoying her lunch break sitting by herself when she notices the school walking toward her.

Betty Devereaux is a fifth grader with a mean streak and an acid tongue.

She gives Hattie both barrels and a whole lot more,Hattie pretends not to hear and scurries away to hide in the bathroom.

But Betty follows her into the bathroom and the abuse and name calling continues.

She peers over the cubicle wall looking down at her victim’What are you hiding for you fat ugly pig? But i have to admit that if i was as ugly as you i would be hiding as well’

Hattie looks up at Betty Devereaux with a creepy little smile on her face.

Betty notices the look on Hatties and tries to make a hasty retreat but Hattie is way too fast and she grabs Betty by her long blond hair and pulls her into her cubicle

She slams Betty’s head repeatedly against the toilet bowl until all resistance stops then she shoves Betty’s head into the water and leaves her to drown.

Hattie doesn’t get much sleep that night half expecting the police to come knocking on her door but nothing happens.

And at school the next day the principal calls an assembly and tells all the teachers and students about the attack on Betty’The police will be here shortly to interview anyone who might have seen the attack on Betty

‘I am sorry to say that Betty is currently in a coma so please lets all join hands and pray for Betty’

The police spend all day interviewing everyone who was on campus that day and when it is Hattie’s turn she smiles sweetly and tells the cops that she has no idea what happened to poor Betty

To this day Betty Devereaux still lies in a coma.

Eight years later Hattie starts dating a local lad named Brett Hyland and after a few weeks she invites him home to meet her parents.

After a great meal the foursome retire to the living room for a drink and some pleasant conversation,then Hatties mother spoils the occasion’It is so nice to meet you Brett do you know that you are Hattie’s first boyfriend’

‘We know that Hattie isn’t the best looking girl in town and she would be better off if she lost a few pounds’

Hattie listens as her mother prattles on,how can her own mother say all those nasty things about her,and how can her father just sit there without defending her?

Isn’t blood supposed to be thicker then water?

Hattie excuses herself and goes into the kitchen where she rummages through a drawer and picks out a sharp knife.

Her parents are chatting pleasantly with Brett when she returns to the living room.

‘Hello dear i was just telling Brett how me and your father how we are hoping that you do something about your weight and maybe get your hair styled’

Hattie walks behind her mother and puts her hand on her mothers shoulder’Thanks for those kind words Mom you really are an inspiration’

Then Hattie tilts her mothers head back and slices her neck from ear to ear and before her father can react she opens him up as well

Brett screams ‘What in the fuck have you done Hattie?His eyes look over to the front door’I wouldn’t bothering to run Brett just take your medicine like a man,i promise to make it quick’

Brett realising that he hasn’t much of a choice makes a run for it but he doesn’t get very far before Hattie plunges the knife into his back killing him instantly.

Hattie opens the back door and one by one she drags the bodies of her parents and her boy friend out onto the patio then down to the far corner of the backyard.

Then without any preambles she drops the bodies down the well.

Hattie spends the following two weeks cleaning up her parents house until it shines

Once she is satisfied that she has covered her tracks she rents out the house jumps into her fathers beat up old chevy and hits the road.

Hattie settles down in Sioux City and begins to rebuild her life.

She enrols in college to further her studies and four years later she gains her diploma as an English teacher.

She gets a job at the local school and despite a few incidents she is happy.

But lately a little voice has begun to talk in Hattie’s ear and a few weeks later she has packed her bags and catches a train back home to Buttholeville Montana.

She gets a cab in the realtor that has been looking after her parents house and is told by the agent,a Miss Higgons that the house has stood empty for the last year after the last tenants left after saying they were hearing strange noises and screams.

Hattie is given the keys and moves back into her childhood home.

After unpacking her bags Hattie goes downstairs and makes herself a cup of coffee then she goes outside and wanders down to the well’Hello mom and dad i am home,have you missed me?’

Hattie spends the following weeks settling in and keeping a low profile,she doesn’t want her return to be noticed.

But it doesn’t take long before the word spreads the Hattie Hendricks is back in town

After doing some housework Hattie goes to make some lunch when she realises that she doesn’t have any supplies in the house so she picks up her keys and walks to the local supermarket.

Hattie is pushing her trolley down aisle three when a little voice pipes up behind her ‘Hello is your name Hattie ? Because my mom says that you are fat and ugly and smell like a dead fish and i can see that she is right’

Hattie glares down at a little boy with snot running from his nose ‘Hello what is your name young fellow?”My name Joey Stanton and i think you stink’

‘Why that isn’t a nice thing to say young fellow’Hattie says as she inches closer to the little turd who cant keep his mouth shut.

Then when the coast is clear she pounces and grabs Joey by his left arm and twists and twists until she feels his bones snap’There you go Joey that will teach you not to say nasty words,now run off and tell your mom that i said hello.

Hattie abandons her trolley and walks back towards her house while Joey Stanton runs screaming to his mother over in the produce department.

At home Hattie runs outside and down to the well’Why do people have to be such assholes?All i wanted to do was come home and lead a peaceful life without any shit but other people just wont leave me alone’

‘I did a bad thing mom and dad and i think the police will be here soon and maybe Joey Stanton’s mother will come along for the ride’

‘Well i am telling you now mom and dad that i wont go down without a fight,no siree’

And sure enough an hour later Sheriff Jones knocks on Hattie’s front door with Mrs Stanton right behind him’I am telling you Sheriff she is a crazy bitch’

‘Now now Mary lets not jump to conclusions,lets just wait and hear what she has to say’

After knocking a few more times the Sheriff and Mary Stanton open the side gate and go around to the backyard to find Hattie Hendricks with her head down a well.

‘Sheriff Jones takes charge’Hattie i am the Sheriff and this is Mrs Stanton,i just have a few questions about your whereabouts this morning’

Why Sheriff i have been here all morning,i have just moved back to town after a few years away’Why you lying fucking bitch,you broke my little Joey’s arm at the market with your bare hands’

Sorry Mrs Stanton but i haven’t left the house your son must have me confused with someone else’

Hattie hasn’t moved an inch from the well,she wants her mom and dad to hear how brave she is’You can’t come into my yard accusing me of something i didn’t do’

‘Why don’t you both just go home and leave me alone’

‘Sorry Miss Hendricks but i cant do that i need to ask you a few questions and clear up this situation’

Hattie doesn’t reply and Sheriff Jones and Mrs Stanton walk closer and closer until they are just a few feet away.

Then she grabs a pitchfork that she had hidden behind her back and runs it through the Sheriff’s stomach and out the other side

Mrs Stanton just stands there with her mouth opening and closing like a goldfish in a bowl,Hattie slams her head against the side of the well until her brain is expose

‘Mom and dad i am pleased t announce that you will soon have some company’ Then she grabs Mrs Stanton by her ankles and throws her down the well.

Sheriff Jones is still breathing when Hattie drags him to the well and with a bit of effort throws him in.

Six hours later at the Stanton household Joey is sitting on his bed holding the cast on his arm wondering why his mommy hasn’t come home yet.

She said that she was going to the crazy women’s house with the sheriff and that she wouldn’t be long but that was hours ago and Joey is getting worried.

So without telling his daddy who is asleep upstairs he sneaks outside and rides his bike to the weird lady’s house.

It is just about dinner time when he arrives and noticing the side gate open he walks around the back.

The lady who broke his arm is leaning against a well talking to herself’What have you done to my Mommy?

Hattie spins around’Why if it isn’t little Joey Stanton,do you want to see your Mommy Joey? Because i know where she is’

Joey rushes forward’You do? Tell me please where is she?

‘Why Joey she is right here down in the well’

Joey doesn’t know why his Mommy would be down a well but he walks closer

‘Come on Joey i want hurt you i think your Mommy needs your help’

Down in the well Sheriff Jones has been listening to every word,he is barely alive and with the last of his strength he unbuckles his holster and pulls out his service weapon and fires.

BANG Joey is shocked by the noise and also by a small red hole that has appeared in the middle of the crazy woman’s forehead.

Hattie sways back and forth on her feet and before she falls to the ground Joey goes behind her and with a shove Hattie disappears down the well.

‘Go to to hell you crazy fucking bitch’

THE END