Connect with us

Published

on

In 2020, Haunted MTL brought you the 13 Days of Krampus. Now we offer another exclusive series of holiday horror stories: The Twelve Nightmares of the Holidays. It’s day 8 of 12 Nightmares of the Holidays. If you missed it, check out the others so far: here for Jen’shere for Nicole’s and here for Phil’s. Enjoy.

Advertisement

Once upon a time in a faraway land, there was a kingdom ruled by a king and a queen. There wasn’t a single person in their community that had a bad thing to say about the royal couple. There wasn’t a single person without a meal on their table or without a warm home. Their life ran like clockwork, everyone existing together in perfect harmony. 

Well, except for one thing. 

Every year, as the leaves fell and withered, followed by snow burying the ground underneath its embrace, without fail the queen would retreat inside the castle, assisted only by her most loyal servants. Only very few had witnessed her during those times and they had all said the same thing – that she looked like death itself wanted to wrap its arms around her and never let go. 

In what could only be described as the search for hope in dark times, the king would host a Winterfest ball. No expense was spared; the best quality meats, fruits, and custom baked cakes; the grandest decorations of sparkly garlands and wreaths made out of fresh pine branches. There were even presents for the townsfolk under a giant tree in the corner of the ballroom, the biggest ones for the children. Orchestra would play music for people to dance to through the night. For most, it would be the most looked-forward-to event of the year, despite the unfortunate circumstance. 

Yet for some, it would not turn out so great. 

Advertisement

The king himself hosted a lottery during the ball for girls eighteen years of age and below with a grand prize of spending the night in the best suite in the palace. As one would expect, the girls of the kingdom were delighted to have a chance to feel like a princess, even if just for one night. To make it fair, the king settled for the simple method of writing all their names and putting them in a box. Whoever’s name was picked out would be the winner. The girl would be given a crown and a cape as well as the key to the suite. 

However, the girls would never return home. 

No one dared to say anything. After all, it would always be the depth of winter. The snow, the wind, the treacherous paths from the castle back to the town – it would be easy, even likely for the girls to get lost on the way home. No rulers would ever hurt their own loyal subjects, and if anyone ever dared to suggest such a thing, the punishment would be severe. 

In the darkest corners of their homes, whispers would still be shared. Things that should not have been possible, and yet it was right in front of their eyes. Shortly after every Winterfest, the queen would emerge from her chambers, looking more radiant than ever. At first, it had seemed like a miracle, and then each year it would only raise questions that there would not be an answer for. 

For how it seemed that despite the king’s face etching with wrinkles and his hair turning the color of ash, the queen remained untouched by the passage of time. Or one should say time would catch up with her at the first fall of snow and she would escape its grasp. 

Advertisement

Or how a few have said they heard what sounded like screams coming from the castle on the night of Winterfest. But even they would shake their heads as if punishing themselves for the thought. It must have been the wind howling. 

No king would ever harm their loyal subject. 

Continue Reading
Advertisement
2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. Jennifer Weigel

    December 22, 2022 at 12:32 pm

    Elizabeth Bathory would be the perfect Sow Queen, the warm blood provides such a beautiful and stark contrast to the cold white…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Original Creations

Religious Icons Revisited for the Second Second Coming

Published

on

Those religious icons really get around. This time it’s a journey to visit the Deep Ones. And Dracula’s Castle. Because everyone has to be a tourist now and then, and what’s the point if you don’t pick up a souvenir or two?

New religious icons - Jesus Christ visits Cthulhu and the Deep Ones
New religious icons – Jesus Christ visits Cthulhu and the Deep Ones

This was a gift for a friend for their sea life monster theme bathroom. It started as one of those old school wood plaques where the picture is waxed on. And the eyes were originally that creepy – all I did was add the tentacles. So don’t blame the overall weirdness on me, it wasn’t all my doing.

Bloody Mary goes to Transylvania
Bloody Mary goes to Transylvania

Oh, and apparently Mary wanted in on the action, so she’s gone to Dracula’s Castle for a bite. She even brought back her own religious icons souvenirs…

Repainted faux wood plate by Jennifer Weigel

So this one isn’t as old, nor is it real wood. But it still totally goes with Mary’s journey. And it’s also a little blacklight reactive with the flowers.

Portrait of myself with dark makeup and crow skull headdress, backlit by the sun.
Portrait of myself with dark makeup and crow skull headdress, backlit by the sun.

And feel free to check out more of Jennifer Weigel’s work here on Haunted MTL or here on her website.

Continue Reading

Original Creations

Repaint Porcelain Figs Plus by Jennifer Weigel

Published

on

So I just keep on going… Here are some more repaint porcelain figurines and other madcap painting. OK maybe some of them aren’t porcelain, but still totally redone.

Pennywise It Clown repaint by Jennifer Weigel
Pennywise It Clown repaint by Jennifer Weigel

This Pennywise clown started as some plastic figurine from Italy. I was drawn to this because of the pretty marble base. It’s a nice touch, don’t you think? I’ve seen others in this series and honestly they’re all kind of creepy to start with, so they really lend themselves towards repaint prospects. Perhaps I’ll pick up more to redo in similar ways later on… Oh, and the eyes are blacklight sensitive, in case he wasn’t creepy enough already.

Lydia the Beetlejuice Bride repaint by Jennifer Weigel
Lydia the Beetlejuice Bride repaint by Jennifer Weigel

With all of the new movie hype, I couldn’t resist a throwback to the classic Beetlejuice, and this little bride figurine and teddy bear were just too perfect. Featuring more blacklight sensitive accents, like her veil flowers. And I don’t know why she only has one glove, I blame it on the 1980s… Or maybe she was just that drunk (you’d have to be for that wedding)…

Zombie Apocalypse Prepper repaint by Jennifer Weigel
Zombie Apocalypse Prepper repaint by Jennifer Weigel

So yeah, all those preppers ready for the zombie apocalypse – you know some of them are gonna get bitten. It’s in the script, what can I say? More blacklight eyes, cause why not?

Abigail vampire ballerina repaint by Jennifer Weigel
Abigail, vampire ballerina repaint by Jennifer Weigel

I admit I haven’t seen this film, but it sure looks fun. Mathilda, eat your heart out. Literally.

Sexy Sadie by Jennifer Weigel
Sexy Sadie by Jennifer Weigel

OK so this isn’t a repaint. Nor is it porcelain. What is it even doing here? Well, she’s cool and ready for a party and kinda reminded me of Abigail, so she sort of just tagged along. Sexy Sadie started as an Avon perfume bottle with a fragrance I didn’t care for (I think it was called Head Over Heels). Because honestly the bottle topper was all that mattered. And now she has her own disco dancing platform. What more could a vampish vixen want?

Portrait of myself with dark makeup and crow skull headdress, backlit by the sun.
Portrait of myself with dark makeup and crow skull headdress, backlit by the sun.

And feel free to check out more of Jennifer Weigel’s work here on Haunted MTL or here on her website.

Continue Reading

Original Creations

Beyond the Veil: Video Script by Jennifer Weigel

Published

on

I wrote this script for Beyond the Veil awhile back, exploring the bond between two twin sisters, Edith and Edna, who had lived their lives together. There was a terrible car crash and someone didn’t make it.  The other is trying to contact them beyond the veil…

Spirit Witch altered doll sculpture by Jennifer Weigel
Spirit Witch altered doll sculpture by Jennifer Weigel

Beyond the Veil Setting:

Two women reach out to one another individually in a séance setting.

One sits on one side of a dining table.  The other sits at the other side.  Each studies a candle just beyond her reach; there is darkness between the two candles.  The long table is barely hinted at in the interstice between the two but it is clearly present.

The camera is stationary showing both in profile staring through each other.

The women are both portrayed by the same actress who is also the voice of the narrator, who is unseen.  All three voices are identical so that it is impossible to tell which of the two women the narrator is supposed to represent.

Advertisement

Both women are spliced into the same scene.  They are together but apart.  The two candles remain for the duration of filming so that the two halves of the film can either be overlapped (so that both women appear incorporeal) or cut and sandwiched in the middle between the candles (so both women appear physically present).  It is possible to set the scene thusly using both methods in different parts of the story, with both women seemingly flickering in and out of being, both individually and apart.

Script:

I. Black, audio only.

Narrator:

I was riding with my twin sister.

We were in a terrible car crash.

The car drove over the median and rolled.

Advertisement

It spun off the road where it caught fire.

There was smoke everywhere.

My sister didn’t make it.

II. Fade in to the long table with two lit candles; flames flickering.

Two women are just sitting at either end.

They stare blankly through each other.

Advertisement

Call and Response

                        Edith: Now I’m trying to contact her…

                        Edna: …beyond the veil.

Simultaneous:

                        Edith: Edna, do you hear me?

Advertisement

                        Edna: Edith, do you hear me?

Together (In Unison):

                        If you hear me, knock three times.

Narrator:

Knock.

Advertisement

Knock.

Knock.

Call and Response:

                        Edith: I miss you terribly.

                        Edna: I miss you so much.

Advertisement

                        Edith: Do you remember…

                        Edna: … the car crash?

                        Edith: We rolled…

                        Edna: … over the median.

                        Edith: There was fire.

Advertisement

                        Edna: There was smoke.

                        Edith: I could hear the sirens.

                        Edna: They were coming…

                        Edith: … to rescue us.

                        Edna: But they were so far away.

Advertisement

                        Edith: So far…

                        Edna: … away….

Simultaneous:

                        Edith: Are you okay?

                        Edna: Are you hurt?

Advertisement

Together (In Unison):

                        Knock three times for yes.  Knock once for no.

Narrator:

Knock

– pause –

Advertisement

Knock

  – pause –

 Together (Syncopated):

                        What’s it like, on the other side?

– long pause –

Advertisement

   Simultaneous:

                        Edith: I miss you, Edna.

                        Edna: I miss you, Edith.

  Together (Syncopated):

                        It’s so lonely here.

Advertisement

 Call and Response:

                        Edith: There’s no one here.

                        Edna: I’m all alone.

                        Edith: Without you…

                        Edna: …the spark of life…

Advertisement

                        Edith: …is gone…

                        Edna: … so far away.

                        – pause –

Together (Entirely Out of Sync):

                        It’s so dark.

Advertisement

III. Fade out to black

Narrator:

I was riding with my twin sister.

We were in a terrible car crash.

The car drove over the median and rolled.

It spun off the road where it caught fire.

Advertisement

There was smoke everywhere.

I didn’t make it.

Close up of sculpture
Close Up of sculpture

I had planned to actually turn this into the video for which it was written, but quickly discovered that my plans for recording required a space that was too drastically different from my new house (and new large gaming table) and that my vision for filming could not be well-fully executed or realized. So now it exists as a script only.

Portrait of myself with dark makeup and crow skull headdress, backlit by the sun.
Portrait of myself with dark makeup and crow skull headdress, backlit by the sun.

And feel free to check out more of Jennifer Weigel’s work here on Haunted MTL or here on her website.

Continue Reading

Trending