For those unaware, Claudia was based on Anne Rice’s own daughter Michele, who died at five years old from leukemia. The resulting depression led to Anne Rice publishing her first of many gothic horror novels, starting with Interview with the Vampire, in 1976. While Claudia was based on Michele, so was Lestat on her husband Stan (originally intended to be named Lestan) and Louis on herself.
The 1976 novel is unfortunately the only entry in The Vampire Chronicles from Louis’ POV, which came from a place of her own personal trauma. Lestat was obviously a far more flamboyant, fun, fanciable character for her to focus on, but ultimately not as prone to exploring the existential crises and philosophical questioning present in her original novel.
One may also notice that the doll shop owner Madeleine’s backstory is that of a mother who lost a young daughter who likewise never got to grow up. Rice’s house in New Orleans was famously filled with antique dolls, which is imagery very much associated with Claudia.
For obvious reasons, a five year old was deemed unable to handle the demanding role of Claudia, which is that of a woman’s mind driven mad trapped in a child’s body (she’s actually over eighty years old by the end of her story), and so the role was aged up for a then eleven-year-old Kirsten Dunst. There was a nationwide search that included younger actresses, but Dunst was one of the few who could handle the part. She actually didn’t get to see the film until years later, either. The 1994 film also included her first kiss, which was with none other than Brad Pitt, though neither were enthused! Dunst also wore the blue dress when she attended Rice’s Memnoch Ball in 1995.
So I’ve fallen down a rabbit hole and ended up in the fictional town of Piffling Vale just in time for the latest and final season of Wooden Overcoats. This dark comedy about dueling funeral homes has been such a delight. I’m sad to see it end, but happy I caught the tail end and get to listen to the new episodes. Definitely give it a listen if you like The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, hanging out in mortuaries, and/or general shenanigans with lovably eccentric characters.
Lisa and Madeleine glared at each other in their respective black and margaret bikinis; the ritual was just about to begin.
The tribe of women had no love for each other.
It was only the most powerful which they wanted as a leader.
Lisa and Madeleine were the two competitors of the division, with one of them just around half an hour away from their end.
Lisa’s heart pumped fast with anxiety; she knew Madeleine was to be the strongest foe whom she had ever faced before.
Never mind the fact that Madeleine was 3 years older, a more mature and experienced huntress.
Madeleine felt the same.
Her heart was hammering beneath her ribs, almost knocking on her breast with each ounce of blood it delivered throughout her veins.
The beach was silent and the sun was bright.
The two women both tried their utmost best to look as sturdy as possible.
The audience was also silent yet merely for respect; they had no sympathy whatsoever for either of the women in front of them.
Lisa’s heart pounded faster and faster as the minutes passed, but she had to wait until the flames were lit to commence the fight.
The only sound that could be heard was from the waves softly landing onto the shore and drenching the two women’s bare feet.
*FOOM*
The flames on both sides were lit.
Lisa and Madeleine circled around the small sand arena, still glaring and examining each others’ thoraxes to seek the perfect location to strike through.
The rules were simple.
No retreating.
Reveal the beating.
Madeleine and Lisa simultaneously charged at each other and began.
The first punch from Lisa directly struck Madeleine’s collarbone, with Madeleine not giving up a single moment as she followed it up with a blow straight toward Lisa’s stomach.
Lisa coughed and shook it off, shooting a punch aimed right at the center of Madeleine’s pounding chest.
The punch missed as Madeleine took a step back, then making the same move onto Lisa’s breast.
Lisa was caught by the punch and felt a deep and immense force push her by the chest as her heart began to hammer in anger and rage.
Madeleine gave a huge scar on her position.
Lisa was struck straight on the chest.
Madeleine smirked, realizing the humiliation that she had given her opponent.
“I almost felt a beat,” Madeleine stated in pride.
Lisa showed her teeth in rage and tackled Madeleine down to the sand.
Madeleine quickly kicked her off and stood back up to her feet.
The two exchanged punches and kicks for nearly 20 minutes straight, with neither of them willing to have their beating hearts torn out by the other.
But that didn’t depend merely on their will.
Lisa and Madeleine both seemed to be meeting their limit, with both their organs booming inside their chests, as if they were asking for the fight to end.
Madeleine gasped for breath as she and Lisa stood still, both with their fists clenched and covering their faces.
The two then collided once more and continued to push through their limits.
Lisa shot out a powerful punch toward her enemy’s chest again.
Madeleine groaned in pain as the punch struck the middle of her breast and slammed her ribs onto her heart.
She then rampaged in sheer outrage and trapped Lisa’s right arm as she let out a decisive uppercut on to her chin.
Lisa lost her grip for a few seconds.
Madeleine smirked once more.
“You’re finished, girl…”
Lisa couldn’t stand still.
The blow toward her chin was too critical.
“Here, I’ll let you feel my heart before I dig into your breast…”
Madeleine gently grabbed Lisa’s hand and pushed it deep onto her left breast.
Lisa could feel her opponent’s heart pounding fast inside; she only wished that she had the power left in her arm to let go of Madeleine’s grip and properly drill inside the lovely chest and feel the heart first-hand.
Madeleine then pushed Lisa’s hand off and stared at her for a few seconds as she stood weakened, shaking all around the place.
*THUD*
*CRUNCH*
Before Lisa could even notice, Madeleine launched her hand targeted straight for her bosom and dug through the flesh and bloody rib cage.
The audience watched in satisfaction as they saw Madeleine’s hand and wrist bore through Lisa’s breast into her hammering and panicking heart.
Lisa couldn’t make a sound and only stared at her foe’s head as she reached through her flesh.
Madeleine loved the feeling.
The feeling of Lisa’s young and warm blood course through the aorta, veins and arteries as her heart raced inside her grip was the best satisfaction Madeleine had ever felt.
She tightened her grip and pushed further inside of Lisa’s thorax just to take up as much space inside of her as she could and feel Lisa’s lungs move along with her pounding heart.
“It’s so warm.. I love it, darling…”
Lisa groaned and whimpered as she watched the hole in between her breasts pour out her crimson blood.
She could feel Madeleine’s hand grabbing so tightly onto her most vital organ as beat its last.
“I told you that you shouldn’t challenge me..”
“F*ck you…” Lisa whispered as she clearly felt the arm ripping through her soft flesh and the hand tightening and relaxing its grip just to mock her torment.
The audience could only see Madeleine’s arm rooted inside of Lisa’s chest and a bloody hole circling her wrist, but it was satisfying enough for them.
They readied to greet their new leader.
Lisa could feel the pull.
Madeleine grabbed hard and tugged on Lisa’s heart.
Lisa screamed in pain as Madeleine ripped her whole heart out, tearing it apart from her veins and arteries.
Madeleine smiled in pride as she saw Lisa collapse to the ground with her rib cage sticking out of her breast and her black bikini torn as the bones rigidly stuck out of the cavity.
She then threw the still-beating heart into the water, watching the blood float across the surface as the heart puked out its last ounces.
O-Oh…. oh god. thank you so much!!! I absolutely love how you’ve drawn our babies in their wedding outfit ! They look absolutely adorable in your style !
