Limelight

Chapter Six: Les All Hollows Mascarade (Part Two)

Chapter Six: Les All Hollows Mascarade (Part Two)

October 31st, 1910, 9:30pm

The song 'Dies Irae Requiem' by Mozart now sounded from the huge gramophone, Mamma twirled me and danced with me at a very fast pace. Our hands were interlocked, her gloved hands interlocked with my pale, cold hands; as the music boomed she twirled me and broke our hands, she regained me again and held my waist whilst she wrapped my arms around her neck. Mamma was three feet taller than she normally is, (one foot taller than I) which surprised me; I didn't think they made heels that big! All of a sudden she twirled me again and at the table I recently vacated there sat a ghost...a short ghost with luminous, hazel eyes; the ghost had tan, wrinkled, old, hands with long nails and I knew in that moment that I was dancing not with Mamma, but with someone else. The person didn't see that I saw Mamma at the table, and continued to dance with me; their hands on my waist and my arms wrapped around their neck again, I looked up and stared into this person's eyes...they were a glimmering black now, still I felt that the person knew my most intimate thoughts and stared deep into my soul, figuring out my most honored desires.

My most personal wants...most intimate thoughts...my most respected desires...my most sensual and wonderful dreams...everything that I held dear and everything that I hid in privacy this person now knew; just by staring into my eyes. The person's grip was gentle and yet...it was tight, as if to hold me with them; the person's grip tightened and the person slowly dipped me down, holding me close to the ground for a few moments and then quickly pulled me back up, letting go of me and twirling me as my feet touched the floor of the lobby once again. The person then pulled me from my twirl and my hand touched the person's chest, along with the rest of my body; I was pressed against the person's chest and torso, I felt the warmth from the person and the gauntness of the person. The person was male and the person was skinny, but strong; very, very strong (as I would soon find out). We danced like that, the man's hands holding my waist whilst I was pressed against his chest; I felt as if I was in a trance, moving with his motions and following his actions, his left hand left my waist and stretched out.

My left hand slithered from his chest, up his arm and locked fingers with his left hand, his right arm wrapped around my waist and held me to him whilst my right arm hugged his back (for, it couldn't wrap fully around him). We danced like this in short strokes (his legs were long, but for his every one stroke of his step, were two for me) for a very long while, until the Managers tapped on a champagne glass and told that dinner was to be served in a few moments, so to find your seats at the table. I looked up at this man and his left, gloved hand touched my cheek, gingerly; and his right, index finger traced my jawline. Our left hands intertwined and he led me to the table, straight to my spot, he pulled out the hand carved chair and I sat down; never losing eye contact with him, he pushed me to the table and nodded to me "w-wait!" I said in an urgent whisper, the man turned back to me, his black eyes gleaming in the candle light "aren't you going to eat?"

The man shook his head and walked back to me, kneeling on one knee he kissed my hand, looked up at me, stood (nodded again) then he walked away; he walked up stairs leading to the second floor in the lobby and I never saw him come back down. My sister quickly sat beside me, a smile plastered all over her face "You danced so wonderfully! I didn't even know you could dance! So, who was that?" She asked, she talked so quickly and with such energy, it made me smile.

"Vikki, I can't dance; I don't know who that was..." I said slowly, even though he walked away from me I still felt as if I was under a trance; and every time I blinked or closed my eyes his black, mysterious eyes were staring back at me. "But" I whispered, gaining Victoria's attention again "whoever he was...I like him" said I so extremely softly that Victoria had to lean very close to me to hear what I said; she gasped and clapped her hands in joy. Dinner that night was Shepherd's Pie and chips or a Pastry-wrapped, Cranberry Brie; I had the Shepherd's Pie, and for desert there was a choice of Red Velvet Cake with hand whipped Cream Cheese frosting or French Toast cupcakes. As M. Richard came around, taking orders I felt inclined to do something "Monsieur Richard" I said

"Yes, Margarita?" Said he with an amiable smile as he held his pen, ready to take my order.

"Monsieur, there's a man" I pointed to the second level "up there...and I...well, I...wanted to.." said I fiddling my hands as my cheeks blushed, M. Richard smiled and wrote something down on his pad, I craned my neck to see what; he smiled.

"One Red Velvet cake slice for the Margarita and one for the man" M. Richard smiled, I thanked him and before he left he leaned down to me and whispered in my ear "I'll give you yours first, and then I will give you his, oui?"

"Oui, oui" replied I, smiling at M. Richard, he smiled and continued taking everyone's orders. As the dinner wore on and I almost finished my cake Megan got drunk again and Mamma Giry had her escorted to her dressing room by a security man, Timothy sat next to Victoria and kissed her cheek; making her blush and return the favor. Mamma Giry walked and switched seats with a man who sat next to me.

"That man in the black domino has had his eye on you all night, Elizabeth" Said she with a smile, to this comment I peeked around her to see a brunette man with blue eyes staring back at me; he waved to me to which I gave a weak smile back. "You don't fancy him? He comes from a very wealthy family; he is Aaron Benjamin, son of Jasper Benjamin, you know, they founded Benjamin gas and oil? They're multibillionaires, Elizabeth" She whispered to me, I smiled fakely and finished my cake.

"No, I most certainly not fancy him; I have met him before, in another pretense and another disguise, he is an utter prat to anyone else who is a social class below him; never mind his looks or money. All of his hair may fall out and his money may run dry, he will lose his 'friends' and he will end up a bitter, old man with nothing. But all of his life he will remain a prat; for a personality is hard, near impossible, to change; Mamma, you should know that." I hissed in a very low whisper, Mamma Giry's eyebrows rose at hearing my tone, Mamma nodded and I turned to M. Richard and nodded, he smiled and a few moments later I was handed a slice of Red Velvet cake; Mamma's eyebrows furrowed "I'll tell you later" said I, standing and walking for the stairs. I rounded a corner and came to a darkened staircase, with one hand holding the plate and one hand on the banister I slowly walked up the stairs and came to a hallway with a red, lush carpet.

There were beautiful archways to the right which opened into the lobby where I could look down and see my fellow performers dinning and laughing. To the left there was a dark brown wall and a few dark brown doors which led to prop rooms, all of these doors were closed and I walked the entire length of the second floor (which ended in a dead end wall), my brows furrowed...until I saw that the very last prop door was open; but there was no light inside. I peeked inside and turned on the light, but no one was there, I sighed, turned out the light and closed the door; I walked back to the middle of the second floor and walked to one of the archways, I placed the cake on the ledge and watched the candle light twinkle downstairs. In this moment I felt eyes staring at me, attempting to gain my attention; I then heard a cough behind me and I turned to find the man in the ghost costume standing before me. "Hello again" said I with a smile, the man bowed, I quickly turned and took up the cake; whilst I was turned the man came very close to me "I-I know you said you weren't hungry...but everyone deserves something sweet...especially on All Hollows" said I, quickly glancing up to him and then back to the cake; I felt my cheeks betraying me and turning a pink color, which you could clearly see through my make-up.

The man's eyes never strayed from my face, I glanced up to him again to see him staring into my eyes; I then felt him take the cake from me and set it down on the ledge beside me, he held out his gloved hand, a motion that asked me if I wanted to dance. I smiled with my cheeks still pink and slipped my hand into his, his eyes had softened when he saw my nervousness and they now shined against the white sheet; he turned me so that my back was to him, my hands griped the ledge as I felt his gloved hands sliding around my waist. My pulse skyrocketed as I felt him push all of my hair to one side of my neck and he set his head down on my shoulder, his hands left my waist and slowly, came forwards, slipping oh-so nervously over mine as if I was going to yank my hands back. I bit my bottom lip and closed my eyes, then I just listened to his breathing, slow and even; his calmness calmed me and reassured me...but reassured me of what? At the moment, I didn't know, and didn't care, all I knew was I felt secure and for once these past few grievous months I felt...happy.