"You are so beautiful tonight, my Cat." Jem smiled down at Thienna, filling her with a happiness she never knew. He was like a father to her, and tonight she felt like she could actually be his daughter.
"Yes, Jem." She said, looking around. The space was hazy for a moment, then the details of a grand ballroom exploded like paint being thrown on to a canvas. Great swirls of red satin gracefully dipped and twirled. In the freshly waxed marble floor, she could see that the satin clothed beautiful women who danced with invisible partners. When she looked up again, she could see the couples dancing and weaving around each other.
The she felt a finger on her chin as Jem tilted her head to look at him. "Come now, let's dance," he said and she couldn't find the words to question. He pulled her into the crowd and the rest of the ballroom disappeared behind walls of bodies and dresses. She could hear the murmurs and laughter of the people around her, and somewhere a band struck up a soft melody. Jem tugged her into a spin and everything became a blur.
When Thienna finally caught her bearings, she looked up and was surprised that she was no longer in the arms of Jem, but a beautiful woman with long black hair. She had soft but unyielding features, and when the light struck her face, it cast sorrowful shadows across her skin. The woman gently touched Thienna's cheek and whispered softly, "You must be parched, child. Go and find a drink."
Confused and suddenly thirsty, she stumbled away from the strange lady and deeper into the strange crowd. The number of people seemed endless. The further she moved away from where she started, the more there seemed to be. They were stepping on her dress, tearing the pretty folds of blue silk and satin. Her throat burned and itched with a terrible thirst. She pushed her way through people, starting to panic and run. The music was fading, and she felt she was no longer in the ball room.
The people were getting harder to part, as if they were made of stone. Then finally she moved between a couple and found a stairway in the wall. She quickly started to climb it, and when she looked back down from where she came, there was only darkness. Afraid of what she might find if she went back, she continued upwards in hopes that she could discover a way out.
"Yes, Jem." She said, looking around. The space was hazy for a moment, then the details of a grand ballroom exploded like paint being thrown on to a canvas. Great swirls of red satin gracefully dipped and twirled. In the freshly waxed marble floor, she could see that the satin clothed beautiful women who danced with invisible partners. When she looked up again, she could see the couples dancing and weaving around each other.
The she felt a finger on her chin as Jem tilted her head to look at him. "Come now, let's dance," he said and she couldn't find the words to question. He pulled her into the crowd and the rest of the ballroom disappeared behind walls of bodies and dresses. She could hear the murmurs and laughter of the people around her, and somewhere a band struck up a soft melody. Jem tugged her into a spin and everything became a blur.
When Thienna finally caught her bearings, she looked up and was surprised that she was no longer in the arms of Jem, but a beautiful woman with long black hair. She had soft but unyielding features, and when the light struck her face, it cast sorrowful shadows across her skin. The woman gently touched Thienna's cheek and whispered softly, "You must be parched, child. Go and find a drink."
Confused and suddenly thirsty, she stumbled away from the strange lady and deeper into the strange crowd. The number of people seemed endless. The further she moved away from where she started, the more there seemed to be. They were stepping on her dress, tearing the pretty folds of blue silk and satin. Her throat burned and itched with a terrible thirst. She pushed her way through people, starting to panic and run. The music was fading, and she felt she was no longer in the ball room.
The people were getting harder to part, as if they were made of stone. Then finally she moved between a couple and found a stairway in the wall. She quickly started to climb it, and when she looked back down from where she came, there was only darkness. Afraid of what she might find if she went back, she continued upwards in hopes that she could discover a way out.
