Persephone's Angel

Box Five

Chapter Eight: Box Five

--* I don't remember much after Firmin snatched the score book out of my hands, in fact, I-I don't believe I remember anything!

I woke to find that I was in a white nightgown...but it wasn't my nightgown.

My nightgown was plain and horribly boorish, but this night gown, it had to be from La Carlotta's wardrobe!

It was thin, and pure white with a fitted bodice exactly my size! It was complete with flared sleeves that fell down just above my calf and it was trimmed with white lace around the hem and the neckline. It was absolutely stunning! Yet, I didn't remember getting into it, or where it came from! I took a step forwards, out of bed, and noticed that there was a large tear that ran almost the entire length of my leg.

Also, I noticed I wore some strange type of white stockings with white elastic sewn at the top, the tops of them wrapped around my mid--to--upper thigh. Where in the world did all this stuff come from? I walked into the living area to find that Abelia was asleep on the plush couch, cradling a gun close to her chest. Her index finger was around the trigger. "A-Abelia?"

I asked quietly, walking closer to her, she shot up and aimed the gun at me; I jumped back and held my hands up in surrender. "It's just me!" I cried, Abelia sighed and dropped her arm down, rubbing her face with her free hand and yawning. I walked over to her and sat down next to her, she gave a weary smile and sighed.

"You're wondering why I almost shot you" said she, I nodded and motioned to the dressing gown, she shrugged. "I don't know where that came from, you were already in it by the time I arrived" she added.

"What happened?" I asked, again, she shrugged. 

"Nothing for you to worry your pretty little self about" she answered, standing and walking into the kitchen, getting a glass of water.

"Nothing for me to worry about? Have you gone absolutely mad? I wake to find you lying in my living room, aiming a gun at my head! And that's not something I should worry about?" I yelled, hurrying after her.   

"No" she answered, taking three large gulps from the glass.

"Yes, Abelia, yes, it is something to worry about. What in the hell pushed you to think you needed to sleep holding the trigger of a gun?" I asked, trying to get through to her, she seemed distant and a bit unfeeling. Something really bad must have happened whilst I slept. Abelia attempted to protest once more, but I had it with her.

"Abelia, I have a damned right to know!" I yelled, narrowing my eyes at her; I figure we had a staring contest for what felt like hours, but, in reality was only a few quick moments. She looked away first.

"Apparently, La Carlotta drugged you, remember the champagne you served? Remember the one you drank? No? Well, you did, you drank one, and you liked it; but I wouldn't let you drink any more than one. Yes, this was after that man kissed your cheek, it was after the party ended, you were talking to Hamish and you drank one.

I was going to help you down to your room, but I couldn't find you and I figured Hamish helped you down. But, he didn't. Two hours after the party ended I walked down to your room, to make sure you made it here okay and I found that you were asleep, in that nightgown, and the man, the man that I warned you about, he was sitting on the side of your bed, watching you sleep." Abelia paused and drank from the glass of water, she kept licking her lips too, as if she was nervous. "We chatted and I told him to get out..." she trailed off and smiled weakly to the gun "..he wouldn't without a fight" she finished, my heart fell to the floor and split in half.