Moonlight & Shadows (and a Dance):
"Lucky, are you going to the dance tonight?" Echo called out to her roommate.
"Maybe. Who're you going with?"
"James Calner. You?" Echo smirked as she put her brush down. She had James in her clutches and she would never let that boy go. Her eyes softened as she thought of James' green eyes and big smile.
"Just myself," Lucky said. She felt her heart clench at the thought of James dancing with Echo. Echo was undeniably beautiful tonight. In a red, floor-length dress that hugged her curves, Echo would have the boys falling at her feet. Looking through into Echo's room, Lucky saw her applying layers of make-up. But still Echo looked beautiful.
Lucky looked at her own face in her mirror. She was wearing a soft lilac dress that ended at her knees. A single amethyst pendant adorned her neck and on her slim wrist was an old silver charm bracelet. Some dark, smoky lilac eye shadow and eyeliner made her grey eyes pop and a touch of pink lip gloss was all the make-up she wore.
A knock on the door signaled James' arrival. Out of the corner of my eye she saw him smile and greet Echo with a teasing bow and a white rose. They stepped out together; his arm around her waist and Lucky felt an ache in her heart. James' beautiful green eyes caught Lucky's and he gave her a smile that made her heart race and her knees tremble. Lucky turned away before the tears spilled over.
James saw the sadness in Lucky's eyes before she turned away. Why did she look as though she was going to cry? James was sure of one thing and that was the fact that Lucky looked stunning tonight. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. You have a girl you've liked for ages, who is just as beautiful as your best friend, waiting to dance with you. James smiled at Echo as they entered the Hall of Light. Candles floated in the air around them and covering the walls was an every-changing mural relating to this year's theme – colour and life. Images of forests, rivers and buildings that seemed alive, danced across the walls as above them, a star-spangled ceiling reflected the real sky.
All through the night James looked out for Lucky. But she never came. He loved dancing with Echo but whenever she looked up at him, James felt that there was something wrong. He didn't want to see a pair of mahogany-coloured eyes gazing up at him.
Instead of being a wall-flower at the dance, Lucky had removed her make-up and taken shelter in the secret room. Sitting on a cushion she had brought, Lucky opened the novel she was currently reading. Before long, she felt the urge to pick up the Book. It was like an itch beneath her skin. She would have to go back to her room and get the Book. Lucky turned the door's knob and pushed at the door. It remained shut. An icy tingle spread from her neck all through her body. Lucky began to throw herself against the door desperately. Something was wrong. It wasn't just that her only escape out of the room was blocked but something was in that room with her.
It was almost midnight when James and Echo left the dance. At the door of her room she kissed him on the cheek. James returned the gesture but without feeling. At that moment, a terrible feeling of fear rolled over him. Lucky. "Thank you. I had a fantastic time," James said, forcing a smile onto his face. "Me too; I had so much fun," Echo replied. James nodded tensely. He had to get out of here. When Echo closed her door with a finally sultry smile and wink, James turned and sprinted down the corridor, silent as a panther.
Something had caused Lucky to be afraid; terribly, terribly afraid. And James would murder whoever had caused her to feel that kind of fear.
Something in James' heart told him that Lucky was in the room behind the tapestry. Pulling it away from the wall he threw himself against the door. When it didn't open, he took the flame from a nearby candle in his hands. Fueling the fire with his energy he took a wide ribbon of it and began slashing furiously and the wooden door. James couldn't hear anything from inside the room. It must be guarded by some magic. He thought. Though it seemed like hours, it only took a few seconds for James to burn through the door. He flung himself through the hole he had created. Immediately, the wood in the door grew back and covered it.
