True Love's Gift
Chapter 9
Regina's Point of View
I hold the heart shaped pendant in front of my facing by the worn , thin gold chain as my eyes strain in deep focus at the object – there was something about it that was struck great curiosity inside of me but I couldn't quite put my finger on it . I sighed deeply with frustration closing my eyes for a moment in defeat before placing the necklace safely in my top desk drawer. I sluggishly rose form my chair with a bit of a groan at my aching, stiff body – I cracked my neck from side to side, every muscle in my body was tense from the stress of this past week & honestly, of my past life.
I slipped off my black stilettos, grateful for the relief from the pressure those pedestals placed on me. I drudged over to the bar, positioned directly under the intricately designed glass & silver mirror – one of the few items of décor from my palace that transferred during the curse. I poured myself a large glass full of wine & as I lifted the glass to my lips I caught a glance of myself in the mirror – the woman looking back at my had deep dark circles under her eyes that no amount of makeup could cover up, her eyes were tired, sad & unsure of the future – nothing like the confident, regal queen it had once reflected. How did I become like this? So pathetic, so …weak.
1I turned from the mirror disgusted at the state in which I was finding myself – my mother would have been so disappointed – I instantly chuckled at the thought because, after all, when hadn't she been disappointed in my? My whole life controlled by her – she chose what I did, when I did it, who was in my life & unfortunately, who wasn't; I looked down grieved at the tiny brass band around my ring finger, wishing someone could tell me how it's possible for someone to be engaged & a widow all at once.
I quickly downed the drink , trying desperately to intoxicate past the pain but nothing worked anymore- I picked up a tiny bottle of pills on a table nearby , chemical slumbers were the only genre of rest I was able to take part in anymore. Shaking out two pills I made my way back over to the bar where I sat the pill bottle down & yet again picked up the wine bottle, pouring myself another generous glass that I used to wash the medication down. Archie used to plead with me not to practice taking pills with booze, he claimed it would kill me – I have yet to have any such luck.
I stumbled my way over to my leather couch which I flopped down on exhaling heavily then I started to laugh, partially out of drunkenness & partially at the thought of the Crickets concern for my life, after all these years he was still trying to be my conscience; little did the bug know, I died years ago, in a stable as the dust of my lost love filled the air in my lungs, suffocating out any life that once was inside of me. I was but a shell of a woman, the walking dead & there was no hope for me – after all, dead is dead.
Stretching out on the couch I find my quickly exhausting mind being directed to the little girl down the hall & the locket she wore around her neck – I didn't know why but I simply couldn't get those two subjects out of my mind's eye. I focused on the thoughts while gently resting my hands on my stomach & letting my eyes shut, very quickly everything became silent & dark.