Present day.
It was two in the morning. I sat in an old wooden chair with my feet in the window ledge. I took a long drag off of a Marlboro smooth as I stared solemnly out the dirty window at the starless city sky.
"One day I will sit under a blanket of stars and dance under the moon and be as far from this place as possible." I sighed as I dreamed of the future.
Tomorrow will be my eighteenth birthday, the papers for my release from this group home I was placed in nine years ago will have gone through, and I will be broke but free to finally live my life outside of this place. I sighed again and put out the cigarette. I turned to look towards the door to be sure Nan hadn't smelled the smoke. I would catch hell if she found out but I figured one more night to go might as well be brave and enjoy it.
I decided it was time to sleep and I almost fell into bed as I realized just how tired I was tonight as if all of my energy was being drawn out of me to fuel something larger. Tonight I felt different but I found it hard to place the feeling. I felt like something was coming. I decided I just needed to sleep it off and sleep came quickly. It was the dreams that consumed every part of me, where all of the energy was waiting. Something dark that had drained me only to return to me in dreams.
I walked slowly towards two tall red doors where two men wearing matching white suits and masquerade masks opened the doors that led into an enormous ballroom full of masked people dressed in ball gowns and tuxedos dancing feverishly to an old melody that actually seemed familiar to me. I slowly made my way to the staircase and started to feel everything pause and I realized the music had ceased and all eyes held a piece of me as though their stares were hooks and if all heads abruptly turned away I would be ripped apart.
I continued slowly down the grand staircase and continued to take in my surroundings the huge ballroom; all of the faces covered in various styles of masks each one different and unique. I reached my hand toward my face and realized I too was wearing an intricately designed mask. I glanced down at myself and realized I too was wearing a ball gown of billowing white with a golden trim and embroidery and it was far more beautiful than any other gown I could see. When I finally reached the bottom of the staircase a man in black and an older woman in red waited for me.
"Evelyn your guests have been waiting for you to arrive." The woman in red smiled sweetly as she ushered me toward the middle of the crowd where the man in black had already made his way to the center and was waiting for me.
"My guests but….." as I turned to the woman to tell her I had no idea who any of these people were the man grabbed my hand and the music started again as he began to lead me in a dance I seemed to already know.
"Evelyn I'm so pleased you decided to grace me with your company this evening I've been waiting for you for so long." The man whispered into my ear as he removed his mask to reveal a monster with jagged teeth, eyes as black as coal, and twisted scarred skin. "We have all been waiting for you." I watched in horror as every mask was removed to reveal a sea of monsters with eyes that looked like they were waiting to feed.