Ch 1: Masquerade
He was here, in all his glorious splendor. I felt my heart quicken and then I felt my companion's heart race in tandem as he pressed me to his chest. My eyes never left the red figure atop the grand stair. His last words had been cried in anger as he released the chandelier. He was descending the stairs, basking in the attention and silence of the crowd. He had finished his opera. Did he mean to die now? He had told me he would die upon its completion. I had responded, Then you must work on it as seldom as possible. I didn't want my Angel, my teacher, to die. All life was precious. Suddenly I had to know, yet feared to know. His eyes found mine and he was beckoning me towards him. I came willingly. What did he want?
Then I felt the ghost of his fingertips upon my neck, so swiftly did they leave, and I shivered.
His eyes were wild as the beheld mine. "Your chains are still mine. You will sing for me." And the chain and ring were gone. I instinctually raised my hands to my throat. Then I found myself tugged and then falling into his velvety form. Then I let loose a scream as the floor ceased to exist and I was falling. I threw my arms, my hand searching for a purchase. I grabbed at the cloth form before me. He meant to kill us both. I ran out of screams.
Then I was falling forward, to land upon him. I sobbed with relief that I was not dead. Wait, was he? His hold upon me had slackened upon impact. My hands found the ground as I pushed aside his costume. I pushed up and off of him. Still he had not moved. He terrified me and yet. I found his hand amongst the fabric. I pressed searching for his pulse. He lived. A morbid thought entered my mind. If he died I would die here too. A living bride to his corpse. I didn't know what to do. The darkness was so complete. I felt about his face but I could only feel the great death's head he wore. I dare not remove it, the memory of unmasking him, too painful. There it was, his breath upon my hand, a warm reminder that he lived. He was such an odd man, conjuring up fear and yet I still felt a need for him. His moods, shifting like sand on the beach of late. I laid down, the ground so cold. Perhaps he would not mind if I shared a bit of his scarlet cloak. I inched closer and closer. The soft fabric scrunched up as I tried to pull a bit toward myself. Would he mind my touch? I shivered once more. My choice of costume, suddenly too short and low for the climate down here. I tugged a bit of the fabric trying to cover my shoulders and I found myself pressed against his warm form, my head near his heart. It's steady beat lulled me to sleep.
xxx
Kindly review. What should happen next? Does he live? Or is she trapped?