Summary

In “On Pale Green Walls” by Clare Wigfall, a mute girl named Violet is going to Church with her parents for Christmas mass. On the way, she is frightened by a man offering her sweets, but inside the church she is impressed by the statue of Virgin Mary, whom she simply sees as a beautiful angelic person. Afterwards, Violet begins to see representations of the mysterious woman in all kinds of places: in a hospital, in a school, in a library, and at her grandmother’s.

One day she sees a picture of the same woman in a newspaper her father is reading. However, this time the woman is holding a child. Violet becomes jealous of the child and draws blood on it and a dagger. When they discover the drawing, Violet’s parents question her and are appalled by...