White… That is all I can see… A room that is so pristine and elegant that the floors look like they will never have to be washed.
Everything felt soft. There were no jagged edges or corners on tables where Madame could throw me into, no endless taunting from Miss Eponine every day. No, there was no pain here at all. No sadness or cruelty resided here. It was not allowed.
"Cosette."
I hear it, a faint whisper from the fog, calling out to me in a calming, hushed whisper.
"Who's there?" I called out into the open space.
The voice spoke again, only this time it was attached to a person. A beautiful woman clothed entirely in white, the only offsets being her long golden hair and kind blue eyes. I would think that the woman might look familiar, but my memory is hazy, and I can't seem to fathom where I would have possibly met such a person before...
I stumble back, caught off guard by the sudden appearance of light. But the voice spoke again, gently.
"Do not fear me my child, for I wish you no harm. Come to me, I wish to speak with you."
I take no more than three wary steps forward, never taking my eyes of the woman. No one had spoken to me so kindly in a long time.
"Do you know where you are, Cosette?" The woman asks me, her pretty features smiling down at me.
"How… How do you know my name, Madame?" I quiver, accidentally backing into a ceramic vase holding flowers, knocking it over.
I squeal, turning my eyes to the shattered remains of the vase.Oh no! What have I done? I am surely in for it now…Stupid! Stupid, Cosette! Why do you always have to be such a disappointment?
I feel my body tense as I feel a hand upon my shoulder, my instincts causing me to cower under her hold. My eyes start to feel wet, my knees wobbly. I want to disappear into a big hole and never be seen again! How could I be sostupid?
The woman crouches down to my side, I brace myself for the inevitable hit I was to receive. But surprisingly, I feel soft arms snake around my waist, pulling me against her chest.
"Don't cry, Cosette. I can't bear to see it, my darling," she hushed, stroking a hand through my hair. It was the most gentle someone has ever been with me… Or at least what I can remember… She then picked a fallen flower off of the floor and placed it in my hair. A lily… my favourite flower…
"Who are you?" I ask, curious, through my tears.
"I am whoever you want me to be, Cosette. This is your dream after all," She answered back to me, never ceasing her strokes through my hair.
"Dream?" I breathe, "This is a dream? But… it can'tbe! I want to stay here! I don't want to go back! Please don't make me go back-"
"I'm afraid you'll have to at one point, my darling," She said, sadly. I bit back tears, swallowing the bitter taste of bile back down into my throat.
"But…" I started, quivering, "But it's awful in the real world! Madame is so cruel to me; she makes me work all day and then punishes me for no reason… Please, don't make me go back. It's such a cruelplace!"
"I know, Cosette,"She said,"but it won't be like that forever, I promise."
"You really think so?" I ask, hopeful.
"I know so. I love you," She smiled down at me, pressing a kiss to my head.
"Hey! Get up, worm! Those floors aren't going to clean themselves!"An angry voice yelled at me, shaking me from my place on the floor.
My eyes snapped open. I was immediately face to face with Madame, her tall, fat frame towering over me. I smiled, hopped up immediately and grabbed my broom.
Madame glanced at me, puzzled, "What are you smiling at, you ugly little cretin?"
"Nothing," I smiled, pushed past her to enter the kitchen to start on my work.
If the strange woman was right, then my days won't be so bad for much longer.
All I had to do now was wait.