Suddenly

🌸Murky Waters🌸

I pulled the candle back and forth, the candlelight dancing off the mirror, no matter where I moved it, my reflection couldn't match what I had seen. "Has he been watching me this whole time?" I said in a disgusted tone. I scoffed and blew out the candle situating myself on the bed beside me, my pain wasn't as bad as earlier but the exertion from a few seconds ago was still prominent. "It's just a dream...it's just a dream...it's just a dream...it's just-." I repeated to myself until I convinced myself it was true and fell into slumber.
The next morning I was able to move more and was almost completely healed from my accident. I attended the final class before the big show, I had a lot of pressure on my shoulders. It was my very first show and now I was supposed to be the lead chorus girl. Dancing didn't come easily but I pushed through and tried not to show any pain, my body ached after practice and I yearned to lay in my bed again to melt into the satin blankets and feather mattress. Just thinking about it made me feel mildly better. I made it to my room and slipped into my dressing gown laying on my bed and staring at the ceiling, I rehearsed my music and played with my hair. I felt what felt like eyes peering at me and I continued to sing. Much to my enjoyment I made myself sit up and walk over to the vanity, I knew with the position of the vanity I could see the wall mirror through my vanity's mirror. I pulled a brush out of one of the drawers and sat down singing and brushing my hair, I tried to catch glimpses of the mirror every so often so it wasn't obvious I was listening. That's when I caught it, the white mask hidden behind the glare of my candles. It was staring daggers into me as I sang, "I don't have time for this." I said in my head standing up, I kept my head down as I tied my hair up walking over to the larger mirror. By the time I came face to face with the mirror what I had once seen was gone, it was replaced with my singular reflection. "Impossible." I whispered. "I'm losing it, how hard did I hit my head." I said rubbing my forehead. I moved my hands across the sides of the mirror when I noticed a gap, it was barely a inch but not quite a centimeter separated from the frame, but the mirror pushed away from it. I couldn't find the strength to pull the mirror open and it seemed to be locked in place but a cold wind coming from the other side of the mirror answered my suspicions. I grabbed a candle and held the flame up to the sliver and I was able to make out a handle on the other side, the mirror must move easier when you push the handle. I used all my remaining strength to push the mirror as hard as possible, my core muscles were burning from the past two days. It moved enough for me to squeeze my hand through, I managed to cut my hand on the glass in the process. "Agh!" I let out as I shoved the mirror open. I pulled my hand back to me as I stared into the void of darkness in front of me, I reached over with my good hand and grabbed a lit candle as I looked in front of me. "What a creep." I whispered taking a step through the mirror into the vast darkness surrounding me, I shuddered as a cold breeze flew through me and the sudden realization of what I'd gotten myself into had sunk in. I held my hand against my breast bone and walked forward, the hallways were dark and maze-like, every turn I took was identical to the last with nothing to comfort me but the cold wet stone and the sound of water. I came across a stairwell lit by only a few torches and covered in cobwebs, "what is this place." I said lifting the train of my skirt and walking forward, I could see a platform in the middle of the stairwell and I walked towards it collecting myself. As I stopped and looked I could see nothing but miles of spiraling staircases. "Too late to go back now it's either forward or I'm stuck here for the night." I took my chances with what lay ahead of me and took a step forward. A deep mechanical noise rang out as the plate beneath me sank just barely an inch. "What the he-." I managed to let out as the ground beneath me dropped and I plummeted down to a well of water. I hit the water hard knocking the air out of me, it was musty and old leaving a weird slime-like feeling on my hands. I pushed myself to the top of the water for air as I noticed above me the mechanical sound of the cage like covering slowly lowering closer to me. My heart sank and simultaneously beat faster then ever at the same time, the pit in my stomach made me feel sick and my aching muscles were screaming at me for the exertion I was putting them through. "Damn it." I said looking around, I took in a huge breath burning my lungs as I dove down under the water's surface. I opened my eyes for a split second burning them with the dingy water but I caught the glimpse of a metal wheel, I dove towards it grabbing it tight. It seemed like I could move it if I would have had any strength in me. I pushed and pushed but the rusted gears wouldn't move and I could hear the plate above me coming closer it's loud screeching gears sounding more and more like laughter mocking me for my stupid decisions. I shot up breaching the water and burning my lungs once more with the dry air. I pushed the hair from my face and pushed back down, putting any last adrenaline into pushing the wheel. It felt like it could almost move when suddenly my hands slipped, I couldn't get a grip back on it and my air was slowly running out. I drifted back to the top as I grabbed the metal bars that were just inches above my head. "No! It can't end like this." I yelled trying to steady myself as the metal bars pushed my shoulders under water. "Madame!" The deep voice rang through the room echoing in my ears and never had I thought I'd want to hear that voice. The sound of a lever dropping followed by the mechanical gears shifting and lifting me above the water. I dropped my hands back down trying to keep my head above the water as I slowly lost my last bit of energy. I felt two hands grab my underarms and drag me up and onto the cold cement. I coughed up murky slimy water and lay limp against the ground. The leather gloved hands lifted me up once more to sit, before swinging me into his arms. I couldn't fight him as much as I wished I could. I had never felt safer and my freezing body attracted the warmth from his as he held me close. I couldn't help but be rocked to sleep by every step, every breath, and every beat of his heart.