Author's Note: Comments and reviews and what not would be greatly appreciated, you know, so I know someone actually reads this therefore it is worth writing more.
The shrill screaming of the musical bells slowly clawed their way into my head, stirring me from my pleasant slumber. Lazily I snaked one fair hand out from the burrow of blankets I had nestled in and gently rested my hand against it, flicking the off switch with one fluid movement. Sighing in relief I rolled myself to the edge, my torso near falling off the bed, arms dangling, then gently sliding the comforting warmth and softness of fur. Drowsily sitting up and swinging my legs on to the floor, shivering at the coldness of the wooden boards. I raised my arms above my head, ensuring my spine and shoulders were thoroughly indulged in a gentle stretch. Finally awake and alert a smile crept up my face as I stood up and blindly reached for the electronic that had woken me. Running my hand over the device's exterior on my bed stand I seek out for the other switch, soon after upbeat music began to play.
I woke the same way every other day, but today unbeknown to me, my life was only creeping closer to its end.
I slinked out of my room, the music wafting after me as I padded over to the bathroom. Only to notice just how dimly lit everything was, leaning over the rail I gazed down to the lower floor which was flooded with suffocating darkness. The others should have been up by now. Shrugging it off and ignoring the pleading way my gut turned, begging me to stop, I walked into the bathroom and flicked the light on. The only sight was of blood and carnage as corpses twisted in all manners of unnatural angles, mouths still hanging open, releasing silent screams as they hung from meat hooks suspended from the ceiling.
My eyes slowly open as I sat up sighing, the same bells ringing as before, having experienced too many dreams of a similar manner to fuss anymore. Once again I started my morning routine, but the coldness of the florescent lights blinded instead of darkness as I treaded down the hallway. The clinking and clanging informing me that Scud was up. Turning on the shower, I sighed in content and washed away another strange dream from my train of thought, letting it sail across the sea of consciousness and far from me. Warm rivers caressing and drawing me out of my sleep-induced stupor, allowing the heat and energy to flood into me, filling me with vivacity once more. It was another day, actually afternoon. In just hours the sun would fall from her throne and be sieged by a moonless night with only the stars to adorn the sky.
Smiling knowingly I quickly turned the knobs, water flowing to a drizzle then stopping completely, conscience clean off any sort of evil I stepped out and immediately wrapped myself in a soft white towel. Today was the last night of the current show at the alternative theatre I worked at, the Court of Miracles. It was a quirky place, known for its unique shows that tempted its audience with roaring comedies, woeful tragedies and tumultuous romances. Not to mention the five-star dining and accommodation next door. Sure there were snags, parts could lack (not to mention actors) but it was always a rewarding experience…it also put bread on the table. "Lockhart" would finish today, and the next group would take over the stage for the next six months, I would be taking up the waitressing for a while. The third group would take over next, and we would start rehearsing whatever the writer and directors had agreed upon would be our next musical. I had once hoped to make it into the bigger broadways, Cats, Phantom of the Opera but…this was far more fulfilling. Not to mention that I never had to leave Prague, which meant I could still satisfy all parts of me as I patrolled the night and kept the naïve safe and innocent of the knowledge that things did go bump in the night.
My name... is Viv.
