A wicked stepmother

From the first time her daddy brought the woman home and introduced her as his girlfriend, Maddy did not like her.

But no matter what she did, she couldn't drive the woman away, and she couldn't make her daddy see that the woman was no good. It was like she had him under some kind of spell, half the time.

Within a matter of days after her daddy met the woman, she'd moved in and started redecorating the whole house. Preston, her father, was totally smitten, calling her "My Darling" all the time, and just doing or giving her anything she wanted. He started dressing nicer and working out more. Seemed to care a lot less about the future, or Maddy, or anything but his "darling" Victoria.

A month later, they got married. It happened suddenly, with minimal fanfare. They went to a courthouse and when they'd returned, the woman went from being just Victoria—Maddy had never even learned her last name—to being Mrs. Victoria Trent, wife to one of the most successful real estate developers in the midwestern United States.

Maddy spent more and more time in her room after that, because "Mother," as she insisted on being called, grew more and more overbearing, always finding fault or criticism with her 20-year old step-daughter. She made fun of her weight, which Maddy knew was perfectly healthy, or her clothing, her hair, saying she was lazy, or useless because she still lived with her dad, and how much happier she would be if she found a good use for herself, or just took better care of herself. The nagging **** went on and on, and so Maddy hid in her room.

One day, while watching the TV in her room, a strange flickering of the screen made her feel strange, but she couldn't look away. Gradually she became aware of a spinning spiral leaking into the picture until nothing was left but that black and white spiral, still flickering with something else, just beyond her perception.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there, staring at the spiral, but eventually Victoria walked in and smiled. Maddy was sitting in the middle of the bed, helplessly glazed over as the TV program still refused to let go of her mind.

"It's about time, you stubborn little bitch," she said, grinning, as she approached. She was careful not to look at the TV or block Maddy's view. "Take that ugly top off, Maddison. You know those graphic tees don't suit you.

To Maddy's horror, she actually obeyed, tossing it aside and then returned to her neutral position while Victoria climbed up next to her on the bed to whisper in her ear.

"I know you've always hated me, and I don't know how you resisted the program for so long, but you're mine now. And Mother is going to be making some changes around here. You need proper discipline to be happy, don't you, Maddison?" The woman put a hand on Maddy's arm, sending a chill through the younger woman.

"Yes, Mother." The words came out without thought or will behind them, but they were the only words the girl could think. The spiral, the flickering, Mother's touch and tone. All of it seemed correct.