Torment

LEAPING RHAPSODY

Burns sighed deeply on her seat next to Lydia when her peripheral visions caught Salieri and Francisco standing few metres away from her. It agitated her a bit because really, do they really have to be there? However, as the requiem mass went on her annoyance had turned into wonder and curiosity when she noticed that the two men had gone to walk away. Gently, with her purple veil still covering her face Burns turned around. Salieri and Francisco were nowhere to be seen.

Being seated at the second row of the church made it quite difficult for Burns to see where they were or what was going on behind. She lifted up her head higher and even wearing her lenses did not help her situation. If she really wanted to see where the two men were going she had to stand and look for them herself. She had always preferred for them to go but Burns also knew that they were never going to leave her alone like that unless... No, she could not think of another horrible thought that might have happened today.

"Miss Burns okay lang po ba kayo?" Lydia probably felt her slight discomfort but she managed to force a fake smile. Without knowing that she was already clutching on her dress Burns was more aware of the fact of how her heart was beating and hammering so fast against her chest. "Of course." She gulped and glanced over her shoulder one last time but she saw nothing. Her eyes briefly caught Rosalie next to her husband who seemed a bit paler than usual but Burns could not look at her any longer. Without further ado, she had decided to think positively and not worry about anything else except for the fact that she had to deal with this mass, later walk on high-heels and heavy tunic dress and lastly, she had to win the race tomorrow afternoon.

With her heart still beating restlessly, Burns forced herself to stay focus and calm with her eyes now staring on the main altar and now with her ears fully understanding the Latin prayers that were being sung. The violinists, the organist together with the choir, played a perfect symphony of Confutatis Maledictis.

Confutatis maledictis,
Flammis acribus addictis:Voca me cum benedictis.
Oro supplex et acclinis,cor contritum quasi cinis,
gere curam mei finis.

Once the cursed have been rebuked,
sentenced to acrid flames:
Call thou me with the blessed.

While the wicked are confounded,
doomed to flames of woe unbounded
call me with thy saints surrounded.

***

Harriett was carefully taking off Burns' corset when the old lady suddenly asked, "Jane? Are you okay dear?" Perhaps she could also notice Burns' anxiety quite obvious from her physiognomy in front of the mirror. Furthermore, the moment the parade had finished, she immediately went home and did not even bother to observe the celebration for a longer period of time. It was a rational response for some reasons that maybe Burns was just really overwhelmed of Rosalie's presence. However, Harriett could still sense something a bit odd.

Giovanni and Francisco only came to pick her up after the parade. Burns did not even saw them after the mass or during the parade. The two assistants were just miraculously gone, which did not quite made sense to her.

Her thoughts only came back when the purple corset finally released her body and the old lady immediately helped Burns to get on her casual clothes. "Did anyone arrive here today?" The old lady could only blinked at her wide curious eyes. "No Jane, why?" She shook her head slowly and laughed nervously. "I'm just, just wondering. I just thought someone- you know what Harriett, never mind."

"Jane-"

"I'm going to the floríade to support Lydia and his family." Burns hastily zipped her dress and ran out of her room.