"Craig, look at this one!" Cindy Matthews held up the gold and silver package. It was of a rectangular shape about two feet tall and two inches thick. "Can you guess what it is?"

Craig pressed a finger to his lips, "Hmmm...could it be a new car? No? What about a boat? A pair of jet skis? We could've used those on our honeymoon."

"Very funny," Cindy laughed, leaning over to give her new husband a quick peck on the lips. "It's from your Aunt Louisa. The card says she bought it at one of her art auctions and that it's worth a pretty penny."

"Ooh...a pretty penny. Not an ugly penny but a pretty one?"

"Will you stop joking? I'm guessing it's a painting. The corners feel like a frame," Cindy began tearing at the matte paper to reveal the portrait of a beautiful brunette with bright green eyes looking towards the left. She appeared pensive, as though she had a lot on her mind. The portrait was ensconced in an ornate golden frame. Cindy leaned it up against their sofa.

Craig gave a wolf-whistle, "Where can I meet her?"

Cindy playfully shoved at him, "She is beautiful, isn't she? And her eyes...they're so...so piercing. I feel like she's looking right at me. She's gorgeous."

"Honey, I love you...but if you're secretly bisexual I won't stop you from acting out on your desires. As long as I get to watch," Craig laughed when his wife shoved at him again. "I'm kidding! I put a ring on it so you're mine now and I don't share." He pulled her into a hug as he continued to stare at the painting. He kissed Cindy's temple before asking, "So where do you want to hang it?"

"Nowhere."

"Nowhere?"

Cindy nodded, "Why would I want a painting of a woman I don't know in my home? Especially if she's prettier than me."

"Prettier than you? Impossible. You're the most gorgeous woman I know. Want me to prove it?" Craig leaned down and pressed his lips against his wife's. He deepened the kiss before she pushed him away. "What's the matter babe? You know I leave tomorrow morning and won't be back for two days."

"Nothing...I just feel like she's watching us," Cindy whispered.

"Who is?" Craig whispered back.

"The painting."

Craig chuckled, "Is my wife getting shy on me? You don't like an audience? I guess I'm the only pervert in this marriage."

"How about we finish this in our bedroom?" she suggested, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I'll race you!" Craig winked as he shot towards the stairs.

Cindy giggled as she took a few steps to her right. She felt a sudden chill causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end. She felt as though someone really was watching her. Cindy slowly turned around. Her eyes flickered to the portrait of the woman, narrowing as she peered at the green eyes that were now facing towards the right.

Weren't her eyes facing the left?

Cindy pushed the thought aside. It was impossible. Still, she couldn't help but look back at the portrait a few times more as she made her way up the stairs.

---------------------------------

Early the next morning after Craig had left for his trip out of town, Cindy decided to take a quick shower.

"Your lips...your lips are moving," she was humming the tune of some song she had recently heard on the radio, washing the last bit of shampoo out of her hair. Water splashed against the opaque shower curtain to her right while her hand turned the wet knob to turn off the water.

The squeaking sound of the bathroom door opening caused her to freeze. She slowly turned her head to the right to see the shadow of a figure against the shower curtain.

"Craig, did you forget something?" she asked, knowing the figure was too small to be her husband's. She grabbed a bottle of shampoo, her only possible weapon, and pulled back the curtain to attack the intruder.

There was no one.

"I think I'm slowly losing it or something," Cindy whispered to herself.

She went downstairs and spotted the painting of the woman. Cindy frowned. The woman with the green eyes appeared to be smiling.

Wasn't she frowning yesterday?

"That's it. I'm done. I know this thing wasn't smiling yesterday," Cindy grabbed the portrait and tossed it in an empty hall closet. She started to walk back towards the living room when she heard a banging noise from behind her.

Cindy stilled, the thudding of her heart echoing in her ears. She wanted to ignore the noise and took an unsteady step forward when the banging started up again. It was as if someone was pounding against the door. It became louder and faster...more desperate. Cindy turned and followed the noise to the closet door of where she had just placed the painting. Her body shook as she extended her hand towards the doorknob. She quickly pulled the door open and the noise stopped.

Cindy looked down at the painting as a wave of nausea rolled through her. The woman's green eyes were staring up at her.

---------------------------------

That evening, Cindy decided to e-mail Craig's Aunt Louisa for more information about the painting. An hour later she received a response.

TO: [email protected]

FROM: [email protected]

SUBJECT: Re:Wedding Gift

Hi Cindy, I'm so happy you're interested in getting more information on the painting I gave you two. Isn't it just gorgeous? I always say you can tell when a female artist puts her soul into her work. This particular piece was a self-portrait by a woman named Evangeline Harris. Interestingly enough, many people considered it a failure at first because it looked nothing like her. It was too beautiful. Isn't that funny?

It wasn't until after she passed away that it became popular. In one of her personal journals she explained that although the painting didn't look exactly like her, it was a reflection of how she wanted to look. She was an interesting artist. She was definitely eccentric, that's for sure.

Supposedly she was a woman after true love who always fell fast and hard. It was said that once she was attracted to a man, she'd sneak into his home wearing nothing but her underwear to surprise him. There were even rumors that she poisoned the wife of a man she fell in love with. I do believe they would have found her guilty if it weren't for the fact that she committed suicide after the man publicly declared his hate for her. Despite the darkness behind it, I'm so glad you two love it!

Louisa

Cindy was sitting on the sofa, stunned. The green eyes continued to haunt her as she opened up the video-messaging application on her laptop.

"Hey honey, what's going on? Miss me already?" Craig asked from the other end.

"Of course," Cindy forced a smile. She turned the laptop towards the portrait which was again on the sofa.

Craig laughed, "Did she miss me too?"

"Craig your aunt thinks we like this portrait. I'm not even sure what she was thinking sending it to us."

"What's wrong? You seem...I don't know...rattled," her husband said.

"This painting bothers me. I don't like it. Do you know what your aunt told me about it? She said that this woman was a murderer. I don't want a portrait of a murderer in my home, Craig. Do you?"

"Of course not," her husband answered.

"Not only that, this was supposed to be a self-portrait but this woman was ugly so she painted herself differently. How weird is that?" Cindy grimaced as she shook her head. "I don't know why your aunt thought it would be a good gift but I want to get rid of it. Are you okay with that? I didn't want to just toss it since it's from your side of the family and it was expensive."

"Honey, this is our home. Fifty-fifty. If you don't want it in the house...then get rid of it. It doesn't matter to me. It's just a painting. If it's worth money, we can pawn it when I get back. Aunt Louisa might be pissed but who cares? Listen, I need to head out for dinner but I'll be home tomorrow. I love you."

After finishing her conversation with her husband, Cindy closed the laptop and turned back to the portrait.

"What the Hell is that?" Cindy leaned forward.

Running down the portrait's cheeks were wet streaks that Cindy swore looked like tears. She touched one of the wet drops with her fingertip and shuddered.

"It can't be."

Cindy pressed the drop to her mouth. It tasted salty...like a human's tears. She grabbed the painting and once again tossed it in the hall's closet, ignoring the pounding noises that began once she closed the closet's door.

---------------------------------

That evening, Cindy couldn't sleep. She stayed up researching haunted paintings online. She had even e-mailed an online psychic hoping to get answers. She stared at the oscillating ceiling fan thinking of the portrait downstairs. Once Craig returned home, they'd sell it or destroy it. The tear thing was just too much for her.

An icon of an envelope popped up on her computer notifying her that she had received an e-mail.

TO: [email protected]

FROM: Customer.Service@PyschicAnswers.net

SUBJECT: Confirmation of Inquiry

Dear Curious One,

Thank you for your recent submission to PsychicAnswers.net. This is confirmation that we have received your inquiry re: Haunted Painting and you will be charged in the amount of $24.99.

For future questions psychic and paranormal, don't hesitate to contact us PyschicAnswers.net.

Cindy licked her lips as a second e-mail popped up shortly after.

TO: [email protected]

FROM: Madame.[email protected]

SUBJECT: Paranormal Objects

Dear Curious One,

At times, the dead leave behind traces of energy that can become stored in inanimate objects. These objects typically hold some sort of significance to the spirit. This can be very dangerous for living beings that come into contact with possessed items as the spirit world thrives on the energy of the living.

If you have an object that you feel is possessed, it is best to destroy it. Most importantly, do not touch the item as the spirit may become attached to the living being and attempt to reverse hosts by taking over the human body and trapping the live spirit into the object.

Best of Luck,

Madame Chloe

For future questions psychic and paranormal, don't hesitate to contact us PyschicAnswers.net.

"This is such crap," Cindy muttered, slamming close her laptop. A bang to her right caused her to jump. She turned to see the portrait, leaning up against the wall, the woman's green eyes staring at her.

"How the Hell did you get up here?" Cindy's voice cracked as she slowly stood up. She took a tentative step forward. She knew she needed to get rid of the painting. She reached out, her hands shaking, as she took hold of the cold lifeless frame and picked it up eye-level as the painting's eyes seemed to start glowing. Cindy tried to let go of the painting but couldn't. It was as if something was forcing her hands to continue holding it. Two silvery puffs of smoke reached out to her, caressing her cheeks.

Cindy's screams filled the darkened room.

---------------------------------

The following evening, Craig returned home to find Cindy waiting for him in the living room dressed in black lingerie, a glass of wine in her hand.

"Well...well...well...it looks like my wife isn't so shy tonight. Was the wait for me to come home long?" Craig asked, pulling her into his arms.

She grinned, "It felt like a lifetime."

He kissed her neck and spotted the portrait of the green-eyed woman. Craig frowned. She looked a little different. As if she were frightened or angry. Perhaps both. He turned to Cindy and asked, "So what do you want to do with the painting?"

Cindy looked back and smirked, "I think we should just toss it. I don't need it anymore."

~THE END~