The Pretty Poison

PART 25 - Symbolic Dance: Bound Forever

PART 25 - Symbolic Dance: Bound Forever

The stage is set again for a performance of darkened elegance. Red strips of fabric hang from the ceiling imitating a haunting forest. The silky material reflects the dim blue shining from above while a lone dancer steps out from concealment. Her face flickers with the spotlight; the bubbled pattern hide the emotions she holds within herself well.

The girl steps lightly towards the audience and into the even glow. Her skin shines in the sapphire lights, matching the color of her deep-set eyes. Her effortless beauty is unparalleled to any other and yet inside she burns with cruel secrets. A wicked grin plays upon her features as she twists her arm around the dark silk. She leans into the air trusting on her strength alone to keep her from collapsing to ground. Lights dim around only her body until she is not but a living statue in a sea of melancholy.

A man appears on the other side of the stage and stands at the edge. His palms face out while his head hangs low in the changing hue of the lights. The blue haze brightens until only a pale tint of the color remains. The dancers freeze.

All is quiet on stage. Not even a whisper of breathing is heard in the hush of the theatre. So with the air of stillness, the music begins its beckoning.

The girl comes to life by sharply extending her leg behind her and above her head. Her ankle gradually floats back to her knee and she pulls the fabric to hold herself high. Her arms climb until she barely touches the ground. A twist in the fabric and she is spun on her toe, protesting the laws of gravity. Hair drapes over her face and tickles the bare skin of her arms. Her neck stretches is satisfaction.

The song glides through the air with a soft hint of the sick and twisted. A harp is plucked in distant rhythm, calling out to a single violin which carries the melody. The wavering bow guides the movements of the girl onstage. Her back arches with the music as her feet remove themselves from the ground.

Back and forth she swings, using only the silk to keep her up. She curls herself on the strip of fabric hanging precariously and revolving slowly. As her feet fall back to the floor, she freezes facing offstage waiting for no savior from her tempting ways. The man opposite her comes to life.

His hands close into fists and rise with the lift of his head. He stretches his neck as if he has been long awakened and starts a dance of a forlorn life. His body bows forward as he steps away from the edge of the stage. Muscles pull in tight across his body and he falls forward. Before impact, his arms catch him and push the floor away.

Strength is the man’s only ally. His heart burns with emptiness which only deepens his torment. A point of his leg to the ceiling is quickly cast down, bringing his torso up with him.  His feet step fast and a turn in midair gives him a first glance of the girl. Curiosity stills his pain and guides him over.

Mistaking her for another, the man walks over and affectionately caresses the curve of the girl's hip. She comes back into light while she realizes where she is. Her lips create a muted surprise as he kisses her neck but her body does nothing to stop him. He is a stranger to her and yet she will not keep him from taking what he desires. A wanting hand reaches for his cheek.

A grab of her neck turns her with lust. In her eyes he sees not the girl he wants, but a shadow of a soul. A step away, an expression of alarm. She still wants him.

The girl extends her fingers toward his bare chest but he pulls away. A touch of sorrow binds her heart. The man is not afraid of the change in love but rather intrigued by her craving of flesh. Still, he turns his head from her but finds no reason to move. He is trapped by his own desires.

The red fabric still bound on her arm follows the girl as she glides behind him. The silk drapes around his body, wrapping him in a false comfort. The music deepens while his meager devotion falls. In a satisfying decision, he welcomes the young woman within the cloth. The material unwraps from her arm and the two become one.

His strength lifts the girl above his head until he could kiss her flattened stomach. The scarlet silk unravels, revealing the two lovers with romance forgotten. The girl’s fingers gently curl in satisfaction and entwine with her loose hair. She smiles, finally finding the man to fulfill her lusting. Her arms spread wide as he brings her back to the floor in finishing.

The music sighs and fades. It brings forth the emotion the girl so often keeps hidden. She will love him. She will keep him. However, a giggle from the violin tells the audience otherwise.

Muscled arms coil over her thin frame but quickly pull away. The man older than herself averts his gaze from her giving nature. He nods his goodbye and she draws back in uncertainty. He is done with her.

He steps with purpose across the stage while the girl falls in shame. She wants him, craves him. Sorrow glimmers in her eyes before resentment takes its place. The anger fuels her to stand and she draws another silky strip from the center of the stage. She pulls his body with it once more, drawing him close. The man refuses again.

Her persistence brings a fire out of the man. His foot takes her balance but his fingers take hold of her wrist. She is inches from slamming her head to the ground. The man pulls her in fury but she takes no shame. She revels in the intensity.

Thrown away yet she jumps back to him. Over and over he pushes her away, more and more she demands to be his. At last, he uses her own silk to quiet her. It is pressed under her chin until her eyes are lifeless. The two hearts are bound forever.

Regret fills him as the young woman falls to the floor. Her limp body becomes distorted and cracked with every touch has given her. No longer is she beautiful. She is as broken as her heart.

The man leaves her lying down. His hands call to the heavens in forgiveness, begging to give back the life. As if his cry has been heard, two girls of hazel eyes sashay in from the wings. A pretty face smiles dreamily to the audience while a girl with blistered skin pulls her away. Together, they help the broken one to her feet. She is not gone from the world but dismissed from the dance.

The man turns back to find the three huddle together. His eyes rejoice in the life he sees. His arm extends out to take her back but looks towards the audience in hope. There will be love.

The prettiest of the three girls runs and takes his hand. He sighs in relief when he sees the love he has known. His wrongs will be ignored because her innocence is in her beauty. The man presses her close in a formal position, finally understanding.

He will love her. He will keep her.

The two waltz around the red silk-forest while the music fades. Regret once found is lost within the older man. The girl traces the tribal tattoos curving up from the band of his pants as she leans her head upon his chest.

They forget the others onstage. The first dancer awakens to see what has happened. She silently cries out her love in rage. She's nothing more than a shattered soul. And though most broken things can be fixed, souls are never the same.

The quiet burns in the air. Black curtains are drawn down to hide the stage and the lights slowly fade. The clunks of the patterned spotlights shutting off break the silence and echo through the theatre. It is done.

Approving black consumes everything and the tale of the prettiest one begins.