The Hangwoman

The existence of a present-day female executioner, or an executrix, has, for the most part, been perceived as an imaginary figure, a myth, a fantasy at best. Although there has never been an officially recognized female executioner, it is not beyond possibility that one could exist someday. After nearly five years of nursing, Rachel wants a career change. Undecided what to do next, she scours the internet for ideas. She comes across a story about a mythical figure called Lady Betty, the notorious Roscommon hangwoman in 1750's Ireland. The story of the Roscommon hangwoman seemed more like fiction than fact, but to Rachel, it was food for thought. When she learns that the local prison is in dire need of an executioner, and no man is willing to step up to the plate, she applies for the job, only to be told by the warden that he is in no mood for jokes and tells her to get lost. She knows he's desperate and persists until he gives in. Anxious to keep her identity secret, she disguises herself and gives him only her first name, which he assumes is an alias. With no previous experience, she takes a crash course on the internet with the help of her best friend. Miraculously, her first execution is a success, and she is paid $2.000. A disgruntled employee secretly tapes the execution, and the entire act is going viral on social media. The next day, she is on the front page of every newspaper in the country. An army of reporters descends on the warden with questions he can't answer. The governor freaks out when he sees the warden on TV, telling the whole world he has no idea who she is. A major network (CDS) offers former used-car salesman Warden Gord Sinclair a million dollars for exclusive filming rights to all her executions. Fearing her wealthy anti- capital punishment family will disown her, she practices her new career behind a black latex mask.