The Colosseum

Chapter 1: andromeda

It was the sound of thousands of echoing voices that caused me to open my eyes. Blinking up at the ceiling in confusion. I slowly sat up, wondering where they were coming from. I glanced around the pitch-black room; the only light in the room comes from rows of ivory candles making a path. The path leads to a large white door. It looked like it was made of some kind of stone. Confused, I throw back the covers and slowly made my way up the candle-lit path. The closer I got to the door, the louder the voices got.

"This must be where it's coming from."

My voice startled me. It sounded like it was coming from underwater, echoing eerily. I pushed the fear welling up in my throat down as my hand clasped the cold metal doorknob. Steeling myself, I pulled open the double doors. The voices hit me full force. cautiously took a step forward. The door closed behind me and disappeared. I turned and looked around. I stood in a long, narrow hallway. It reminded me of the hallways of the family manor. The wallpaper was a deep crimson color and looked like crushed velvet. The mahogany floor was cold against my bare feet as I made my way down the hall. Unlike the halls in the manor, this one was devoid of furniture. Except for the walls, which were decorated with thousands of picture frames all in gleaming gold. The pictures were all moving, flowing like scenes from a movie. Yet this movie was somewhat familiar. As I approached one of the golden frames, my breath caught in my throat. The movies within the frames were my memories. I had a front-row seat to my own life. I saw so many fond memories mixing with those of despair. There were some I could not even recall.

As I walked down the hall, I felt my heart beating loudly in my chest. What is this place? I pause in front of one of the picture frames. It showed a woman with copper curls and emerald eyes, holding a baby wrapped in pink cloth. There was a man looking down at the baby girl with a prideful smile etched on his face. He strokes the baby's cheek.

''You shall never come to any harm under my watch, my beautiful Andromeda."

I felt my brows furrow. I recognized the man instantly. Zeus, king of the Greek gods. I had a vague memory of him. He left when I was three. My mother would never tell me why he left. She always changed the subject when i would ask. Now he was just another blank face in my life.

The longer I stared at his face, the more my hatred for the man grew. This was all his fault. Suddenly, the pictured memories grew louder, almost deafening. Covering my ears, I scream and race down the hallway. A large steel door stood at the end of the narrow corridor. Throwing it open, I rushed inside and slam it shut behind me. I pressed my forehead to the cool metal, trying to catch my breath as the voices grew quiet and finally disappeared. As my breathing returned to normal, trying to wrap my head around what the hell was going on. I felt another presence in the room. I slowly turn and look behind me. That's when I noticed it; a bed in the center of the room. An invisible spotlight bathed the bed in bright fluorescent light. I took a few cautious steps toward the bed. I could just make out what was sprawled against the bleach-white sheets. A body, but not just anybody. It was Dixie willow. my mother. It was at that moment that I realized something. This was all some sick trick. Even with every warning bell in my head blaring, I couldn't help flashing back to my mother's funeral. Seeing her lying in a cherry coffin, dressed in her favorite blue lace sundress. I remember thinking that it was all just a practical joke my mother was pulling. that any moment she'd pop up out of the coffin, laughing and saying.

"I got you, my little songbird."

But it wasn't a joke; my mother was truly gone. I remember the feeling of watching my entire world crumble at my feet. And for the first time in my life, I felt truly alone. I was wrenched from my thoughts when the body bolted upwards, latching onto my wrist. It began shrieking in a deafening tone. Terrified, I try to wrench my arm free from my mother's death grip, letting out a scream of terror. I was able to wrench my arm free as I stumbled back but she followed me. I watched as she staggered forward, laughing. Suddenly, her form melts away to reveal a girl.