Dear, readers. I am dearly sorry that I did not distinguish the time period of this story. This story is taking place around 1870-1875. I hope this clears up the confusion when I make references to clothing and that you may get a better picture of the settings the characters are in. THANK YOU!

Slowly my gaze changed from pitch black to vivid red. I was unable to tell where I was and this frightened me. I looked at the objects all around me and then slowly lifted my pounding head, making my vision blur for a few moments. When I opened my eyes I was much more frightened than I had been before, for sitting on the edge of the bed sat a young looking suitor. The lights were dim which made it hard for me to distinguish his features, even in my condition. From what I could see, his eyes appeared to be brown with tints of gold and his hair a dark chocolate brown. He was dressed in what seemed to be formal wear, quite up to date in mens fashion.

We sat a moment more, neither of us made a sound. At this point in time he tore his gaze away from me, uncomfortably shifting where he sat. I moved slowly upward, my hands gliding on the smooth silk sheets, until I was sitting in an upright position to meet him at eye level. I bit my tongue. 'What do I say to him?' I thought. My thoughts darted from here to there and finally our silence was broken. "Who are you?" I said calmly but, with an undertone of panic. He turned his head back to me in surprise that I had spoken or that I could speak. I repeated myself, a little more forwardly. "Who. are you?"

"Alright, Alright." He cleared his throat and paused a few moment before continuing. "Lets start with why you are here. I had to escape from this place you are currently in and found myself outside of Paris in a wooded area that I had never ventured to before. I noticed a familiar smell in the air...the smell of fire." He looked at me, got up from where he sat, and began a slow and calm pace around the room. "I finally found the source of the fire. It was a small house not much bigger than this room you reside in now. The house was drenched in flames and I noticed a small buggy out front of this small residence and felt worry and panic for that there may be someone trapped inside. I ran toward the residence and noticed that it was not as drenched in flames as I had previously thought from afar." He shifted uncomfortably on the edge of the desk he was now leaning against and continued his thought. "I was able to get inside, but it was extremely hard to see anything but I could vaguely see shapes amongst the smoke. I searched the room and came across a body laying unconscious on the floor. I picked them up and escaped just in time. The small residence came crashing down." He moved towards me and sat facing me as much as he could trying to appear some what comforting for what he was about to tell me. "This is important and that you listen to me as best you can. I ask you not to worry for I have more explanation. But please, just listen...please." He looked at me trying to meet my gaze but I broke eye contact with him. My thoughts were exploding and spiraling down inside of my mind. I closed my eyes trying to imagine myself someplace else, home, with my family, out in the open to scream for help...anything. I looked at him, partially containing my panic and asked him to continue. "When I was able to get back here, knowing I was safe now to return to my home, I laid this person…" He hesitated and furrowed his brow. "I laid…you down." He tore his gaze away from the floor and looked up at me for my reaction. I had figured that it was me but, he confirmed it. My heart seemed to jump to my throat and I couldn't breath. I knew that was not the end of the story when he began to speak again. "I waited hours for you to wake and somewhere deep inside of me I knew that you would not wake again. I began to panic at the sight of a soon found death and I could not take the thought any more." He swore to himself. "I never thought...that I would drive myself to do such an act but, I had to...I watched you lie there practically dead if not already."