Thank you all who've read and/or commented on this work of mine so far. It
has been quite a while since I got the chance to post some more, but here
it is. I have more than a few chapters already written- just waiting for me
to post them when I can. I have decided to kind of hurry along the
halloween part, more so than I was going to. It's just that I don't want to
get stuck anymore on the scenario, because there is way too much more
ahead. Keep reading!
TC ,janine
+++++++++++
---Chapter 17---
About an hour after Michael had arrived, Max and Liz walked through the entrance doors. They felt a moment of apprehension when they had stopped at the security, but there had been no problems with their fake, but very- convincing invitations.
Max and Liz had been in awe of their surroundings since before they'd stepped inside, but once inside, it was amazing. The whole place was dimly lit and decorated in macabre brilliance. There was even a romantic air to the dark brilliance. There was even a romantic air to the dark beauty. They looked around but noticed no one familiar and no one recognized them. This was not surprising since everyone wore costumes and masks, plus the guests were most likely only people they had never met.
The pair walked into the ballroom by way of a grand staircase leading down into it. The massive floor of the room lay before them. The marble floor, combined with the chandeliers and candles, dark décor and the French doors that appeared to lead out to a balcony- made everything shady and mysterious.
They walked about the edges of the crowd, looking around - being inconspicuous.
"What do we do?" -Liz.
"We wait. I don't know, but I have a feeling something's going to happen tonight. Let's just wait and see." -Max.
A waiter in a harlequin costume came bearing a tray of champagne towards them. Max took one for him and Liz.
++++++++
Victoria walked on the balcony. Far below, the courtyard lay. Outside stone steps led down to the ground from this large second floor balcony. She had not made her entrance by the staircase- instead she had walked in from a connecting door and looked around for Michael. She hadn't spotted him so she'd come out here.
Victoria wandered to the opened balcony doors and glanced inside at the crowded ballroom. A myriad of colors and costumes danced before her eyes.
A bright shadow caught her attention at once. Michael. If she hadn't been the one to send him the costume - perhaps she wouldn't have recognized him. Head to toe black, a black mask - and that glorious wavy hair of his falling past the top of his shoulders.
She moved inside towards him. He had no idea it was her. She wordlessly grabbed his hand before any protest could be given and walked onto the center of the floor, which was crowded with dancing people elaborately costumed.
Her hand lay lightly in his still- until he stepped closer and began dancing with her.
"Who are you?" -Michael.
"What would the fun be in knowing? Illusion is grand." -Victoria said in a pleasantly disguised voice.
Silence from him.
They danced closer for unguarded moments - closer than they'd ever been. When some of the people around them stopped dancing, Victoria withdrew and blended into the crowd.
Michael cursed. "Where did she go?" He wandered aloud, looking around.
++++++++++++++
Maria stood on the other side of the room. She'd made Kyle dance with her, but now he was off somewhere . probably looking for a pretty available girl. She was about to accept a dance offer from a guy, but she declined when she spotted. Liz. Costumed, yes. But it had to be her best friend- and the guy with her was most likely Max. Maria walked over to them.
"How original, Max." Maria said as she noticed the costume he wore.
"Maria?!" Liz said, looking at her closely.
"Yes, it's me." Maria said, but she was looking at Max with a slight frown. He was looking off in the distance behind them.
"Earth to Max." Maria said. Liz touched his shoulder and he turned. "Who did you see, Max?" Liz asked him.
"I don't know for sure. But either I'm seeing things or there's more than one person wearing a gray cloak." -Max.
"Do you feel like we're being watched?" Liz asked him.
"I do." Max said with a frown. "And it could be 'them'."
Maria started to say something, when Max just remembered she was there. "How did you get in?"
"With Kyle. Kyle said we were invited by Victoria. How lame! But - no one questioned it. Or at least we haven't been thrown out." -Maria.
"Well, where is Kyle?" Liz asked.
Maria looked around. "Somewhere around here."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Victoria had a hand to her chest. My God, but it was a good thing the music ended or she may have never stopped dancing with Michael Guerin. Of course he didn't know it was her, but she knew it was him. Her head had begun to spin at the end, almost as if she were about to lose control of herself.
When she felt a touch on her arm, whirling around she almost thought it was Michael, but she saw quickly that it was not.
"Victoria Winthrop, isn't it?" Kyle said, looking at her.
"What?" Victoria said in a lowered voice. "How did you know that?"
"I've noticed you before. I guess I guessed. Besides I don't forget shapes." -Kyle.
"Who are you?" -Victoria.
"Oh, I'm Kyle Valenti." He held out his hand. She took it and shook his hand.
"Listen, Kyle, this is supposed to be a masquerade - so pretend you don't know who I am." -Victoria.
"Okay, fair enough. Well, it will be fair enough. if you dance with me." -Kyle.
She hesitated only a moment then said, "Sure," and let him lead her to the dance floor.
---End of Chapter 17---
TC ,janine
+++++++++++
---Chapter 17---
About an hour after Michael had arrived, Max and Liz walked through the entrance doors. They felt a moment of apprehension when they had stopped at the security, but there had been no problems with their fake, but very- convincing invitations.
Max and Liz had been in awe of their surroundings since before they'd stepped inside, but once inside, it was amazing. The whole place was dimly lit and decorated in macabre brilliance. There was even a romantic air to the dark brilliance. There was even a romantic air to the dark beauty. They looked around but noticed no one familiar and no one recognized them. This was not surprising since everyone wore costumes and masks, plus the guests were most likely only people they had never met.
The pair walked into the ballroom by way of a grand staircase leading down into it. The massive floor of the room lay before them. The marble floor, combined with the chandeliers and candles, dark décor and the French doors that appeared to lead out to a balcony- made everything shady and mysterious.
They walked about the edges of the crowd, looking around - being inconspicuous.
"What do we do?" -Liz.
"We wait. I don't know, but I have a feeling something's going to happen tonight. Let's just wait and see." -Max.
A waiter in a harlequin costume came bearing a tray of champagne towards them. Max took one for him and Liz.
++++++++
Victoria walked on the balcony. Far below, the courtyard lay. Outside stone steps led down to the ground from this large second floor balcony. She had not made her entrance by the staircase- instead she had walked in from a connecting door and looked around for Michael. She hadn't spotted him so she'd come out here.
Victoria wandered to the opened balcony doors and glanced inside at the crowded ballroom. A myriad of colors and costumes danced before her eyes.
A bright shadow caught her attention at once. Michael. If she hadn't been the one to send him the costume - perhaps she wouldn't have recognized him. Head to toe black, a black mask - and that glorious wavy hair of his falling past the top of his shoulders.
She moved inside towards him. He had no idea it was her. She wordlessly grabbed his hand before any protest could be given and walked onto the center of the floor, which was crowded with dancing people elaborately costumed.
Her hand lay lightly in his still- until he stepped closer and began dancing with her.
"Who are you?" -Michael.
"What would the fun be in knowing? Illusion is grand." -Victoria said in a pleasantly disguised voice.
Silence from him.
They danced closer for unguarded moments - closer than they'd ever been. When some of the people around them stopped dancing, Victoria withdrew and blended into the crowd.
Michael cursed. "Where did she go?" He wandered aloud, looking around.
++++++++++++++
Maria stood on the other side of the room. She'd made Kyle dance with her, but now he was off somewhere . probably looking for a pretty available girl. She was about to accept a dance offer from a guy, but she declined when she spotted. Liz. Costumed, yes. But it had to be her best friend- and the guy with her was most likely Max. Maria walked over to them.
"How original, Max." Maria said as she noticed the costume he wore.
"Maria?!" Liz said, looking at her closely.
"Yes, it's me." Maria said, but she was looking at Max with a slight frown. He was looking off in the distance behind them.
"Earth to Max." Maria said. Liz touched his shoulder and he turned. "Who did you see, Max?" Liz asked him.
"I don't know for sure. But either I'm seeing things or there's more than one person wearing a gray cloak." -Max.
"Do you feel like we're being watched?" Liz asked him.
"I do." Max said with a frown. "And it could be 'them'."
Maria started to say something, when Max just remembered she was there. "How did you get in?"
"With Kyle. Kyle said we were invited by Victoria. How lame! But - no one questioned it. Or at least we haven't been thrown out." -Maria.
"Well, where is Kyle?" Liz asked.
Maria looked around. "Somewhere around here."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Victoria had a hand to her chest. My God, but it was a good thing the music ended or she may have never stopped dancing with Michael Guerin. Of course he didn't know it was her, but she knew it was him. Her head had begun to spin at the end, almost as if she were about to lose control of herself.
When she felt a touch on her arm, whirling around she almost thought it was Michael, but she saw quickly that it was not.
"Victoria Winthrop, isn't it?" Kyle said, looking at her.
"What?" Victoria said in a lowered voice. "How did you know that?"
"I've noticed you before. I guess I guessed. Besides I don't forget shapes." -Kyle.
"Who are you?" -Victoria.
"Oh, I'm Kyle Valenti." He held out his hand. She took it and shook his hand.
"Listen, Kyle, this is supposed to be a masquerade - so pretend you don't know who I am." -Victoria.
"Okay, fair enough. Well, it will be fair enough. if you dance with me." -Kyle.
She hesitated only a moment then said, "Sure," and let him lead her to the dance floor.
---End of Chapter 17---