The Ball continued into the night, paper faces on parade. Maria danced all night long, her mask hiding her face, the world could never find her. Retiring for the evening, Maria headed up to the astronomy tower, another restless night ahead of her. Though it seemed the unsettling chill in the air had other plans for her subconscious.
As she was walking down the corridor, passing young couples courting, a wave of tiredness came over her. It appears as if thirty years of sleepless nights finally caught up to Maria.
Just about making it to her private quarters, Maria let out a deep yawn, collapsing onto her bed, party clothes still on. It wasn't long before the nightmares that plagued her dreams submerged from their deep slumber.
Numbers of guests flooded the ballroom, taking up every square inch. Maria was submerged in between them, unaware of how she got there.
Soon, the music began, an excitable melody clashing against its sinister harmony. Couples danced around Maria, their bird-like masks sneering at her, forcefully trapping her in a circle of darkness.
The music sped up, the dancing increased, the lyrics taunting Maria as she tried to escape the madness.
"Masquerade! Burning glances, turning heads,
Masquerade! Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you, "
Her sizable dress only tangled her further, the guests deaf to her pleads and screams of release.
Maria was thrashing and screaming in her sleep, unable to stop the voices in her head. It wasn't long before most of the school was awoken to heart-wrenching cries, its torturous reverb echoing down the halls and carried by the wind.
People were thrown into the air, surrounding her in all angles as she shimmed through the hall. Masked men tugged at her dress, pulling her back into their feculent hands. Their eyes roamed her body, hungry with lust while the women sneered and laughed, the voices wailing in her head.
Crying out, Maria collapsed onto the ground, covering her ears in attempts to block the music in her mind. Everyone surrounded her, ready to swallow her whole like a pack of ravishing wolves. Maria was being pulled and yanked, her dress ripped at the hems, her hair dishevelled.
Yet the music continued to rise, the orchestra only adding to the feeling of restlessness and uncertainty of the ball.
"Masquerade!
Grinning yellows, spinning reds,
Masquerade! Take your fill, let the spectacle astound you."
In a blink of an eye, everyone was to the sides of the ballroom floor, leaving Maria in the centre.
Minerva and Albus rushed into Maria's quarters after being woken also by agonising shrieks. Coming into her bedroom, Minerva let out a gasp, holding her racing heart, as poor Maria struggled against her mind, against fantasy and reality.
All Minerva could do was cradle her with care, running her hand through her tangled hair and wiping the beads of sweat off her forehead with a cool muslin, her motherly instincts kicking in.
Maria looked around, all the masks watching in fear towards the staircase. Maria followed their gaze, meeting the cold eyes of her tormentor. He gracefully walked down the staircase, drowning in power and control. Maria's eyes scanned the room with lightning speed, desperately looking for an escape, yet all doors and windows were blocked off by clandestine aristocrats.
Turning around, a scream fell off her lips, coming face to face with her demon. His hands gripped onto her waist, pulling her into close proximity to his person. His iron hold left no way of breaking out, using her favourite pastime and twisting it to be her worst nightmare.
The screaming became more painful to hear for Minerva, stray tears falling at the sight of her close friend in such distress, while there was nothing she could do nothing to ease her suffering. Maria's ball gown was left on the chair, Minerva had changed her into a light nightdress, the low cut neckline essential as her dress was choking her as she thrashed.
After what seemed like a lifetime, Albus returned with Poppy Pomfrey, in the hopes that she could do her magic.
"Oh thank Merlin you're here Poppy, " Minerva went to get off the bed to give the matron space to work, but Maria kept a firm grip on her hand, the only thing keeping her grounded, " She's been screaming in pain for hours and we've tried everything." Minerva cast a look of sorrow towards Maria.
"It will be alright my dear, don't fret, " Poppy rang out damp cloth and placed it on her forehead.
She rummaged through her bag of potions and salves, taking out a clear vile.
"This should help calm her thoughts, " Poppy carefully poured the tainted liquid against her lips.
Maria mumbled inaudible syllables, her words forming clearer sentences as she cried out, " Please, don't do this. I beg of you, don't do this to me!" She lashed out at her surroundings, Minerva and Poppy holding her still so she wouldn't hurt herself.
"Hush, my child, " Poppy rubbed her hair and forehead, whispering soothing nonsense, Minerva holding Maria's hand reassuringly, " you are safe, we will keep you safe."
Yet, safety was the last thing Maria felt. She was being used as a puppet, unable to break free from its master. Her phantom waltzed her around the room, what was once a great joy for Maria, turned into a source of fear.
They danced and danced, Maria was exhausted but she couldn't stop. Her head was spinning, his wicked smirk and cackle, reminding Maria of the monster he had become.
Everything was becoming so overwhelming, the haunting music, the jeering crowd and most of all, the man who she had trusted, ready to run away with him, until he betrayed that trust and used her.
Too many fears and anxieties rushing through Maria's head, her body heading into overdrive, it wasn't long before her body shut down, plunging her into a sea of shadows and voices.
Author's Note
Hello lovely people! This chapter is really about talking about why Maria cant sleep, the nightmarres are so vivid. I wonder how many people can guess who is supossed to represent the Phantom in teis chapter, commont below your answers.
~The_lost_flower~