The Bridal Act

A Mansion for Acting

I kept my eyes on the moon as the door slowly opened up; whoever was on the receiving end let a small gasp out at noticing me standing there. My usual attire gone, so the police officer had no idea who I truly was. The wedding dress flowed down to the floor, caressing the old mahogany wood. Slowly turning my head 'round, I took in the darkened figure of the police officer. The usual attire of the workforce, his dark brown skin being reflected by moonlight; though the fear in his eyes proved he was living.

"Who-"

"Who are you?" I scowled, letting my voice echo in the vast bedroom. Twisting my body fully around, the officer seemed to almost puke at the sight of the dress. A massive patch of dried blood splattered across the front of the wedding dress; I stepped closer by one step, noticing him back away quickly. "Should I ask again?"

"Victor," He coughed out, regaining his composure. I kept my hands cupped above my thighs, the dress' old silk grazing my skin. "Have you seen someone run in? They were in full black - face covered."

"I do not care who has come in here," I responded, looking to the side as my hands stayed still. With a quiet sigh, I looked back at Victor. "But please leave me alone; you are not him."

"What? Who's him? We can help you ma-"

"Just because I died in this dress, you assume?" I scowled again, glaring at him as he tried to apologise. I wasn't having it of course. I need them all out. "You are not my groom - my husband! So leave me alone right fucking now!"

I screamed my words, feeling my body slowly start to levitate thanks to Valice's help. She was underneath the dress, using all her might. Victor stared up at me, not knowing how to react. Though, luckily for her, he scrambled away after processing what had happened. Feeling my feet gently touch the wood flooring, Valice poked her body out from underneath the dress I was wearing.

"Never again," She gasped out, weakly flying over to the bed to plop her small body atop it. "Never, ever, ever am I picking you up again."

"How dare you," I dramatically gasped, laughing a bit as Valice whipped her head around to glare at me.

"I'm small okay?!" She cried out, flapping her wings to, for some reason, remove the fatigue.

"-think we should leave!" We heard Victor yell out, snapping us both out of our little conversation. Through the mumbling of the other officers I was able to hear one part of the sentence.

"-see what you saw, then we'll leave-"

"We need to hide, now!" I whispered to Valice, walking over to pick her up in my palms. Earning a small nod from her, I hid behind one of the massive window's curtains. Thankful that the curtain was never see-through to begin with; instead a thick layer of curtain that was hard to slink across its rail.

The door slammed open just as I leaned against the window's outer framing, holding my breath for as long as I could to make sure I couldn't be heard no matter what from. I could hear someone stammering over their words - perhaps Victor.

"They were in here just a few seconds ago!" He exclaimed to the others. Yep, Victor. "I'm sure of it! The bride-"

"Look, Victor, you need some rest," Another officer butted in. "We'll leave for now okay? You need a break if you're seeing the ghost of a bride apparently."

"Okay..." He mumbled out, the footsteps of all the officers leaving the room calmed my nerves. I leaned into the framing, feeling a shimmering cold spiral delicately wrap around the dress. I didn't dare to look down, not wanting to disturb the curtains and alarm them all, but Valice instead looked for me. Leaning her small body from atop my palms, her head snapped up to the wall behind me. Her eyes piercing it like a scum it had been to her and me. Hearing the slam of the mansion's front door, I stumbled out from behind the curtain finally looking down to be met with nothing now.

"What was it?" I asked her, watching her flap her body to the bed once again. She continued to glare in my direction, though it didn't appear to be at me in general. It was behind me. "Show yourself!"

The dress spun with me as I whipped my body 'round, only to be met with nothing but one of the bedroom's walls. I thought that either of us were finally going insane. Though after all we've been through, it wouldn't be surprising. Hearing the squawks of my best friend, I turned back around to find Valice flying in a more defensive way than before. This time though, I could see the reasoning why.

"Who the hell are you?" I gasped out, letting my legs unconsciously take a step back. Taking in the fact that some inhumane being had been in the room with us the entire time. "What do you want from us?"

"Oh, I did not want to introduce myself like this. How embarrassing," The ghostly apparition apologised before beginning to answer, floating over to me to hold my hands midway through. "I shall introduce myself though, for you have asked of me to. My name is Elias Gallagher, one of the many members that used to live and reside within the Gallagher mansion's walls. And fret not, but may I ask: who may you be you beautiful bride of mine?"

"I- Bride of yours?" I retorted, flinging my hands away from his body. Elias tilted his head a little, pointing down to the bloody wedding dress I was still wearing. Though there was no longer an embarrassed smile, yet a frown of discomfort laid upon his lips. "Oh, this. I was using it to get the police off my ass for the... tenth time now I believe. I'll take it off."

"I would like that, thank you," His awkward smile returned again, jumping when he heard Valice squawk at him.

"Turn around then ya fucking perv!"

"Huh? Why is the raven so angry at me? Have I done something wrong?" Elias let his eyes wander onto me, my wrist twirling around with my index pointing up. Thankfully he got the hint and let his ghostly back face me as I removed the dress I no longer needed. I turned my head to check on the two; Valice glared daggers into Elias' spiritual soul, I could almost sense his fear towards her.

When I was done putting my usual attire on, I snuck up behind the ghost and grabbed onto his shoulders quite tightly. Earning quite a fright out of the dead man.

"Please do not do that again my darling," He pleaded a little, twirling around to look at my full face gas mask instead. He seemed to be a bit shocked after seeing it, but relaxed when I gave him a thumbs up. "It frightened me. Especially with your raven friend here glaring terrifying daggers into my precious soul."

"What is left of it anyway."

"Hey!" Elias called out, trying to act tough and angry as I walked out of the bedroom. Why not search the place huh? I've got nowhere else to go. And hey, this Elias Gallagher could be some nice company. Seems like he needs it more than me honestly. "Don't ignore me dear!"

"We just met sir, why are you calling me that and your 'darling bride'?" I asked, folding my arms as he floated over towards me. Valice not far behind. He messed with the white lily that was clipped onto his ruined suit, all by stitches, tears, and blood. Wait... what the fuck?! How'd I not notice the massive, gaping decapitation of a wound that was splitting his neck in half?! That should've been the first thing I saw, but oh well. "And... I'm sorry about your neck. Though I need to know about these nicknames. We've literally just met sir."