Suddenly

🌸Encountering Shadows🌸

"Who-who was that." I said standing up cautiously. I waited but there was no response. "H-he-hello I-I'm not messing around." I said feeling around with my hand till I found the letter opener. I thrust my arm out in front of me pointing my letter opener towards the darkness. "I'm armed!" I said taking a deep breath and controlling the shakiness of my arm. "Quite amusing." The whisper responded. My eyes were wide in a mixture of confusion and terror. "Where the hell are you." I whispered under my breath. A hand emerged from the shadows almost as if the shadow were reaching out to me, it was black as night just like the shadows. It wrapped around the letter opener and pointed it towards the floor, "Excuse me Madame, but is this how you say hello to everybody." I couldn't see anything but the hand, "wh-who are you...wha-what are you." I said I could feel myself trembling, my mind was racing with what or who it could be. "Let go." The deep voice said as it took hold of the letter opener tighter than before. In my dazed confusion I slowly nodded and dropped my hand from the letter opener. The black hand took the ivory letter opener into its grasp and set it down on the dresser beside him sliding it over to the end near the door. It was odd because depending where he was, the letter opener was closer to me then him. "What was that supposed to do?" I asked sarcastically. "I supposed it would make you feel safer." The deep voice responded. I looked at it confused and then back into the darkness. I moved slightly and it felt the eyes of the shadow were following me, I just barely caught a glimpse of shine as I turned, about head height it was reflective and white. "Who are you." I repeated. "You must know me." The voice responded. "I have no clue what you mean sir." I said confused. "Why you must, I believe you have something that belongs to me." The shadow said as it slowly emerged from the darkness, the shape of a man clad in black and a draping cape emerged followed by a white mask. "Oh dear god!" I said, stumbling backwards, hitting the vanity knocking things over. "Agh!" I let out, grabbing my side. The man shot his hand out to stop an alcohol spray from falling off the vanity and setting it back down. "My apologies." He said looking at me. His demeanor was menacing but his eyes looked warm, of all things it calmed me and I relaxed a little staring into his ice blue eyes I'd never seen eyes so clear before. "About the mask." He said eyes darting behind me to the mask that was resting on the vanity. "I thought it was better I asked for my possession back then taking it." He said standing up straighter. "H-how did you know about this." I said looking at him he was still focused on the mask behind me. "I have my secrets and you have yours, like how you got my mask." He said looking back at me, his eyes looked less warm and inviting this time so I straightened up returning the glance. "I'd love to give it back but this happens to be very important to me." I said. I really would love to give it back but this mask has to have something to do with my coming to this century so there has to be some way it can get me back home. "Absurd this is mine." He said looking at me his eyes were like daggers now. "Well it happens to be very, very special to me and I simply can't give it back to you." I said reaching behind me and grabbing the mask, keeping it behind me. "Mademoiselle I do not want to get handsy, but I will take that back even if I have to fight for it." He said the time in his voice changing to a deeper angrier tone. I pushed my back against the vanity and slowly inched away from him closer to the door. "I'm deeply sorry monsieur but I simply can't hand it over right now." I said pulling it from behind my back and holding it right against my chest. "Madame." He said placing a hand forward to reach for the mask. "I'm very sorry sir." I said placing my hand on the door handle. I slowly opened it and looked up at him. "Farewell." I said pushing the door open with my foot, I grabbed the letter opener and dashed out the door. It wasn't easy to run in pointe shoes and I kept tripping one everything. I turned down a hallway, it was hard to see when all the candles were out and it was even harder not knowing my way around, but I'd worry about finding my way back when I wasn't being chased down by a dangerous masked man. I stood there catching my breath, "Madame give me my mask." A familiar deep voice said from the shadows beside me. "Oh my god!" I yelled as I stumbled forward and ran from the hallway. I felt my way to the staircase running down the marble steps. I caught myself on a step and flew forward hitting the ground hard. The mask and letter opener slid away from me as I lay numb on the ground. I let out deep heavy breaths as I tried to regain movement in my body. "Madame!" The masked man hurried down the stairs behind me, at this point I was too out of it to move. I tried reaching for the letter opener but I could barely lift a finger. I laid restless against the cold floor as I accepted the fact I'd never see the mask again and I'd never leave the 1800s or see my family, or friends again. Two cold leathered hands slid under my chest and flipped me around raising me into the man's arms. "Madame what have you done." He said looking down at me, his eyes had returned to a warm and gentle gaze. "It's yours now." I said laying limp in his arms looking up at him. I couldn't fight it any longer here he was right next to the mask and he chose to help me first. "Mademoiselle-." He started, but I felt the pain and exertion finally take over me and I slowly faded out of consciousness. "Madame!" I heard his voice yell but it sounded distant, I was already too far gone.