Crystal Plains

The Mask

Those days of pink and gold fill my mind. Flowing music swirl in the air as we dance. Twirling and clapping. Our faces hidden by masks. Mine not only hides my face, but my past. The days of war are finally over. Pretending to be a boy is the worst mistake I have made so far. No worthy man would want me. A blemished maid. This man I dance with now seems so familiar, like I know him. His broad shoulders and thin laugh. This man dressed in black takes my hand once the dance ends. Gently tugging me to the gardens I have fervently labored to keep. "I know you." said he. "If you are who I think you are you will listen to me." Johnathan! It's Johnathan, my buddy. He suffered with me, he fought alongside me. He trained me. Pulling me close he whispers in my ear. "It might be to late. ... We need to prepare. ... He has come." The beauty of his voice fell on deaf ears. The one person who knows the secrets I hide in this mask is here, and he is out for blood. My blood. 

I brought the men together. I moved legions. I ruled over him in battle. Now he wants it back. All of it. The people, the land, the empire we destroyed. He wants it all. Most importantly he wants to feed. Knowing Dracula the way I do he won't stop at one. There will be no humans left. I should let him eat us, only to make us all vampires; but we'd all die. No humans equal no vampires. Looking up into Johnathans' masked face tears begin to fall. Slowly stating, "It is I; and I listen." tore my cracked heart. Johnathans' calloused hands cupped my head and loosened the strings to my mask. "No need to hide now, Ithilya. We will fight him together like in the days past." Gently moving his thumbs under my eyes he drys my tears. 

A shrieking sound came suddenly from the sky, and Johnathan fell limp to the stone path. A dark figure on him, drenched in blood gulped, and slurped at his neck. The black trench coat and rank of death marked my enemy. Glowing red eyes shoot to my face. Quicker than the eye can see Dracula is at my neck. His cold lips brush my skin as he says, "No need to hide your face.". I can almost see his glistening red fangs. "You will be one of us. Ithilya. You will. Mark my words." With a woosh he's gone. The breath I didn't know I was holding escaped. Bending over I pick up my fallen mask , now splattered in Johnathans' blood I tie it back on. Free tears stream down my cheeks as I kneel at Johnathans side looking to the sky he flew off in. I vow with every ounce of hatred I feel, "I will never be a vampire! You can trust that!"