Danse Macabre

15

I spent a day and a half standing in front of the mirror in the dark. I didn't eat, I didn't sleep, I just exhausted myself and my power. I saw so many things, half snippets of Gregory in dark rooms with nondescript windows. There were no hints as to where he was, he could be anywhere. I told Aleksi about my dream, and he informed Tristan. Then, they all expressed in some form or another that I was worried about nothing, and that the envoy would find him before anything happened.

            Bang. Bang. Bang. I could hear the knocking on the bathroom door as I drifted through a vision. Gregory walking through another windowless hallway. He knew he was being followed. He opened a door to a windowless bed room. Written on the white wall in blood were the words: 'I know you're watching.  You've already lost.' It took every little bit of me to surrender myself to my vision and let it carry me along.

            Next I was treated to the vision of the fabled shot, but I never saw where the shot came from or who it hit. I had seen it so many times now I was numbed to it. I couldn't tell which direction the shot came from exactly, I just knew it didn't come from the right side. The right side, a handful of rows back was where I watched from every time. Who was I watching through? Was I watching it through Gregory?

            Suddenly, I was staring down the hallway that lead to the stage door at the theatre. Evan was walking down the hall, wearing black pants that pale pink button down I saw him in at the execution and black pants. A figure dressed in that earthy brown tone opened the door and Evan paused, he yelled something I couldn't hear and then there was another gun shot and I watched Evan stagger back against those pale gray walls and slide down clutching his stomach while the blood blossomed across abdomen and the brown clad man walked passed without even pausing.

            That was new. I was released from the vision as the candle snuffed itself. I clung to the sink and screamed in frustration and was met with the distinct pop of glass breaking. My grip slipped with exhaustion and I fell back onto the hard, cold tile crying and shaking.

            Bang. Bang. Bang. The knock changed, it was Leslie now. I didn't want to face her, so I didn't acknowledge the knock, I just curled up on the floor.  I could hear them murmuring, and then the crack and crash of the door being kicked in. Hiding won't solve anything. I shut my eyes hard against the light as I heard the footsteps flood into the room. Someone lifted me and pressed their small hand over my eyes.

    "Aleksi... you should see this," Leslie voice sounded from some nondescript direction as I was sat on the bed. "Is she bleeding?"

     "No... she didn't do it, the wood from the door frame probably did," Aleksi explained from across the room. Who had me in their arms?

     "I understand your concern for your friend Leslie, and you as well Evan. But I need to speak to Autumn alone," Elizabeta's sure voice rang out in my ears. "You have to go too, Aleksi."

     "Fine," he clipped out before the door was slammed hard.

     "I'm going to slowly lift my hand, the blackout shades are drawn so you should be fine if you keep looking forward," she spoke in soft tones before she uncovered my eyes.

            We were sitting at the foot of the bed, facing the ruin of the bathroom door. It was just shards of wood. I glanced at Elizabeta. In the darkness her skin was almost bioluminescent it was so pale. She wore a black line dress with little pale blue polka-dots and a match pale scarf at her neck.

    "I know what you're doing, and I'm here to tell you to stop. Leslie and Tristan both know the risks and are agreeing to go along with the show. They believe the Envoy will stop Gregory before tonight, you should too."