The Gown: A Short Story (with Study Guide)

A young woman is driven to madness by the recurring appearance of a hospital gown that first traumatized her as a child.

By the author of the bestselling gothic novel The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls, “The Gown” is a chilling example of how a seemingly innocuous event can tragically erode the psyche of a sensitive child.

This disturbing short story follows a nameless girl as she attempts to make a normal life for herself while struggling to escape the debilitating fear that preys upon her in her most vulnerable moments.

But is this fear borne of the rational awareness of a sentient evil, or merely the terrifying echo of a misperceived experience? Is the titular gown the source of madness, or the manifestation of it?

“The Gown” continues Emilie Autumn’s exploration of the nature of reality, the disintegration of identity, and the horrific effects of misplaced shame.

Please visit the Emilie Autumn author page to find blank journals, coloring books, yearly planners, music manuscript composition books, short stories, and the gothic fantasy novel that started it all, The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls.