Winnie Paulson

## The Beginning

Winnie Paulson's life unfolded against the backdrop of 19th-century Paris, a city steeped in history, grandeur, and shadows. Born on June 15th, 1881, she was greeted by the world with innocent eyes, a kind heart, and a spirit untouched by the harsh realities that awaited her. Her parents, Charles and Rosalie Paulson, appeared as pillars of society to outsiders. Yet behind closed doors, they were tormentors, inflicting pain upon their own daughter. They made her feel as if she were an outsider, an unwanted presence in their lives. As a child, Winnie's nights were filled with vivid and haunting nightmares. A spectral figure watched her from her window, its gaze burning into her soul. Winnie was gripped by fear, unsure if this figure was real or a product of her imagination. She would spend days and nights convinced of its presence, trembling in the shadows of her own mind. When she mustered the courage to confide in her parents, they turned her pleas for help into weapons against her. They mocked her, belittled her, and further isolated her. Winnie's sense of loneliness grew, a gnawing ache that burrowed deep within her heart.

## Love Life

Amidst this darkness, a ray of light emerged in the form of Josephine Auclair. Their hearts entwined, and Winnie found solace in the warmth of Josephine's affection. It was a love that blossomed like a fragile flower, vulnerable yet vibrant. The world seemed a little brighter, and Winnie believed that perhaps, just perhaps, she could find refuge in this newfound connection. But beauty, as Winnie painfully discovered, is fragile. One fateful day, she stumbled upon a betrayal that shattered her world. Josephine, entangled with another, cast aside their love. The pain was a searing fire, consuming Winnie's dreams and passions, leaving only smoldering embers in its wake. In a moment of unforgivable darkness, Winnie's heart turned to stone. She enacted a terrible vengeance, extinguishing Josephine's light with a single, irreversible act. She hid the body, burying the truth alongside her shattered dreams. Time forged an unbreakable chain between Winnie and her secrets. Her parents grew more distant, their cruelty etched deeper into her soul. She felt herself drifting away from them, a stark contrast to their brutality. The nightmares persisted, each night a descent into a hell of her own making. In the rare moments of tenderness, Winnie's father, Charles, imparted skills that would later serve her in ways she could not foresee. She learned to wield weapons, to navigate the treacherous terrain of survival. These moments were islands of respite in a sea of darkness.

## The Beginning of the End

As the days marched on, a revelation swept through the household. Winnie overheard whispers of a looming figure, referred to only as "Saint." The name sent shivers down her spine, a premonition of dread. She knew she could not stay, but escape seemed a cruel mirage. Yet, to flee meant risking a fate perhaps worse than her current torment. Her father's threat hung like a guillotine, poised to sever her last thread of agency. Forced into compliance, Winnie watched as her world shifted to the sinful streets of Saint Denis, a place steeped in shadows and whispered horrors. Haunted by the specter of "Saint" and fueled by desperation, Winnie hatched a plan. She observed her parents, biding her time, feigning submission. The night arrived, dark and quiet, the world outside silent save for the distant barks of dogs. Armed with resolve and a knife, Winnie moved with a precision borne of anguish. The deed was done, her parents lay lifeless, their tyranny finally extinguished. She emerged from her home, her white gown now a macabre canvas of her liberation. Her breaths were ragged, her steps unsteady, but she was free. As the night embraced her, Winnie stumbled forward, driven by a singular question that echoed in the recesses of her mind: Who is "Saint"? She would confront this phantom, confront the darkness that had gripped her life for far too long. The path ahead was uncertain, treacherous, but for the first time, it was hers to navigate.