Evelyn's Escape

    By Storybird

    Evelyn's Escape cover image

    13 Oct, 2023

    In the heart of southern America, the 1970's were a stifling time for Evelyn Lockwood, a gothic girl with an unusual fascination.

    She loved Edgar Allan Poe's eerie tales, and her world was painted in shades of black and white. Yet, something was amiss in her heart.

    Her hatred for Christianity was palpable, and she yearned for a spiritual pathway that resonated with her soul.

    Then, she stumbled upon Shintoism, an ancient Japanese religion, and it ignited a spark within her.

    Shintoism's reverence for nature and spirits, intertwined with Evelyn's love for the supernatural.

    She yearned to explore this new path and, against all odds, decided to escape to Japan.

    One stormy night, she snuck into a freighter and embarked on an uncertain journey across the Pacific.

    After weeks of arduous travel, she finally set foot on Japanese soil, a stranger in a strange land.

    Wandering the streets, Evelyn was discovered by a kind-hearted woman who took her in.

    The woman ran an okiya, a geisha house, and saw potential in Evelyn's striking appearance and spirit.

    She offered Evelyn a place in the okiya, an opportunity to become a geisha.

    Evelyn, intrigued by the prospect, accepted the woman's offer and began her training.

    She embraced the rigorous discipline, mastering the art of conversation, dance, and the tea ceremony.

    Her unique style, a blend of gothic aesthetics and traditional geisha attire, attracted attention.

    She donned a black and white kimono, with her long black hair styled in a traditional shimada.

    She was an enigma, a gothic geisha, the first of her kind, and the patrons were captivated.

    Evelyn soon became a sensation, her performances a blend of East and West, tradition and innovation.

    Despite her fame, Evelyn remained true to herself, her love for the supernatural seeping into her performances.

    She recited Poe's poetry in the candlelight, a haunting echo in the silence, sending chills down the spines of her patrons.

    She embraced her love for vampires and skeletons, incorporating them into her dance routines, a nod to her gothic roots.

    Her passion for Gashadokuro, the giant skeleton spirit from Japanese folklore, was especially intriguing to the audience.

    Yet, amid the applause and admiration, Evelyn found solace in Shintoism, her spiritual sanctuary.

    She visited shrines, prayed to the kami, and found peace in the whispers of the wind and the rustling of the leaves.

    And in these moments of solitude, Evelyn realized she had found what she had been seeking all along - freedom.

    She was no longer the outcast girl from southern America, she was Evelyn, the gothic geisha, a symbol of defiance and liberation.

    Evelyn had carved a place for herself in a land far from home, blending her love for the gothic with the grace of a geisha.

    Her journey was a testament to her resilience, her spirit, a beacon for those who dared to be different.

    Evelyn Lockwood, the gothic geisha, remained a legend, her tale echoing through the streets of Japan, inspiring generations to come.

    And as the sun set on the land of the rising sun, Evelyn's tale was whispered in the wind, a story of courage, defiance, and freedom.

    Thus, in her escape, Evelyn found not only a new home but also her true self, forever etched in history as the first American geisha.

    She had dared to break the mold, defy conventions, and in doing so, she had created a legacy, a tale of the gothic geisha.

    And thus, Evelyn's escape became not just a journey from America to Japan, but a journey into her soul, a quest for freedom.

    From the southern American gothic girl to the mesmerizing geisha, Evelyn's tale remains a beacon of hope and resilience.

    In the end, Evelyn Lockwood, the gothic geisha, found not just freedom but also herself, in the heart of Japan.

    And so, her tale continues to inspire, a testament to the human spirit's unyielding quest for freedom and self-discovery.