The Rift

Chapter 19

Creak!

Dust billowed towards Marie's face, causing her to cough. She was in the schoolhouse cracking open a dusty wooden door that laid flat against the ceiling. Marie often found herself staring at it during school hours, wondering what lay above. Now, as her blue eyes swept the darkness, her curiosity was increasing.

I can see in the dark now, she thought to herself, taking a step up and pushing the latch all the way open. Every tone was died down; the darkness did not reflect color the way light did. It must be the same way that the cold doesn't bother Elsa, she thought to herself. To her surprise, a double sized bed and brand-new furniture lay waiting, neatly polished and clean. She set the door down and climbed inside.

Marie walked over to one of the grey windows and tore a sheet down that hung over it. Immediately, light punctured the small room, igniting the colors that darkness could not. She grimaced, the sudden light causing her head to pound. The loft was around the size of a medium sized dormitory, or a small studio apartment. As her eyes scanned the few boxes that lined the back wall, Marie noted that the loft was about the size of her apartment in her world. She sat down gingerly on the end of the bed. She did not mind. Marie grew up having a smaller room, so small spaces were a comfort to her. She slowly slid down and leaned back on her elbows and looked up at the bed canopy. It was mahogany-colored wood for the four-poster frame. White and purple linens draped over the top and shielded the bed. Marie laid her head down, her body more than happy to meet the soft mattress.

Everything is so nice, she thought to herself. Her body relaxed, and her face soon fell as the stillness crept around her. She would never see her family again. Marie covered her eyes with her forearm as tears swelled behind her eyelids. Anna had simply held her as Marie had cried earlier. She rolled on her side. I've been shown so much kindness by everyone here, she thought. Even the guards in the castle hallways and a couple of townspeople had stopped Marie and asked her how she was doing as she was leaving the castle only a few minutes prior. Marie felt herself sink into the new mattress below her, her body finally able to release some of the tension she was carrying around. I may never see them again... She gripped the comforter below her. So why do I feel a sense of...relief? Her eyelids slunk shut, and sleep overtook her.

Marie stood in the town square. She blinked and shielded her eyes, even though it was dusk. A familiar dark form stood in front of her. She took a step forward, her fists clenching. "Is it true?" she yelled out, her voice echoing. "Is it really over?" The darkness stood still, seemingly watching her. Suddenly it cupped its palms together and spread them apart. Marie felt the earth rumble as the rift formed from its hands. She was knocked to her feet but braced herself on the ground. "No!"

It was too late. The rift pulled everything nearby into itself. She gritted her teeth and lashed out with her dark power, conjuring a dark whip, and slashed the black hole. It shrunk. She regained her balance and let out a proud chuckle. The dark form spread its hands out farther, and the rift grew. Wordlessly, the darkness launched the rift towards Marie. She could only let out a scream as it overcame her.

She woke with a jolt. Marie shook her head and blinked sleepily. A thud! sounded on the window that she had uncovered. Marie pushed herself up when she recognized the sound, and she could not help but snicker as another snowball was thrown against the glass. Marie rose and went over to the window. She opened it and stuck her head out. "I'll be right d-" A snowball hit her in the face.

Elsa gasped below her. "I am so sorry! Are you alright?" she called.

Marie wiped her face off and playfully tossed down some snow that had stuck to the window at Elsa. They both laughed. Marie gazed down at her, her heart fluttering. "Have you been waiting long?" Marie asked.