The Marionette

Chapter Six - Dance For Me

Chapter Six- Dance For Me

As the story unfolded, there was a girl who had everything she ever needed. She had a loving family, a nice home, and friends who stood by her no matter what. Until one fateful night, she met a handsome stranger. He drew her in with his personality, his unique ability to tell stories through his Puppets. He offered to take her to dinner if she would show him around town; to which she agreed. But she watched herself agree to his offer, later that evening, she was invited up to his hotel suite. There, he performed a special act that no one had seen yet. It was to be showed later that night at the theater.

As I watched my seated self in the video and Vladimir's substitute sat in front of me with three of his Puppets, I watched a supernatural, an electric blue substance, be drawn from my lips as I was engrossed in the story. As I looked closer, the man representing Vladimir, was actually Vladimir, and I don't know what the blue mist is or how he had created it out of thin air. As the seconds turned into minutes, I watched my skin grow even paler; ashen almost.

The story continued on after that. The girl lost almost everything; her friends and family. Then as she tried to piece back together what she could salvage of the lost relationships, Vladimir captured one of the girl's friends and held her hostage so that the girl would have no choice but to do as he wanted. She would meet him to save her friend and that's when he took what she had left; her life's essence.

He needed souls to keep living. An old, dark magic swirled around her, white and icy-blue gray color wrapped around me on stage and then I disappeared. The act ended with Vladimir pulling a wooden Puppet out of a trunk, showing the girl (whoever I represented) was now apart of his collection.

I stared blankly at the screen as the video came to an end. I don't know what to say or think. What I saw in the video is exactly what I am going through now. That couldn't be a coincidence. But what I don't understand is how, or why he's showing me. How do I have any connection in the entirety or the story? How did he pull it off? Why did he choose me?

My head began to hurt the more I tried to piece it together. I grabbed the sides of my head and let out a whimper. And just like that, everything else was forgotten about all except an impending migraine.

"What's wrong, Baby? Do you need some migraine pills again? You have been getting a lot of headaches this week. Maybe I should call your Family Physician and make an appoint for you, Hun."

"No. I'm fine. I just need a headache pill and some uninterrupted rest for a little while."

"Okay, I love you."

"Love you, too."

I forced my heavy body off the couch and dragged my lead-like feet up the stairs and to my bedroom. I gently laid down on my bed; my head was pulsating horribly. It even felt like my eyes were thudding in rhythm. Reaching into my bedside drawer, I grabbed my pain-pill bottle. I broke my leg last year and I still had a few Percocets left. Now was the time I was thankful for leaving some behind for emergencies.

I popped a pill and swallowed it then laid back and closed my eyes trying to keep my mind clear while waiting for the pill to do its magic. It must have worked because sometime later, I found myself dreaming.

***

It was dark, my window was open letting in a chilly draft. My room was engulfed in shadows and as I sat up and slid out of the bed and stood on my bare feet, I felt off... It was as if I was under a spell. I was there - but not fully conscious. I grabbed my coat that was laid on the arm of the chair and slipped into it then slid my black house slippers on and zipped my coat up before making my way downstairs. I took each step carefully, quietly. It was early morning, almost four-thirty and the sun would be rising very soon.