Delirious
Ruby roses filled the halls. Piano music fluttered down from the grand ballroom. Besides the pounding rain thrashing on the roof, she could hear it. A brass tray topped with a melting candle extended from her shaky hand.
"Ember, my dearest," a voice hissed all around her.
"Come to me, won't you?"
Velvety petals brushed against her pale toes and the poor girl shook harder.
"What do you want from me?" She bellowed, scolding wax pouring on her clothes.
The framework of this terrified young woman was no more than one inch taller than five feet. Tangles of cocoa hair limply dangled from her troubled head. A lacy dress draped over her trim body, now complimented with wax.
Ember tiptoed down the hall, reaching for her ear with her free hand.
"My darling, 'tis time. Take a rose and come to me."
Her face grew nearly the same shade as the flowers before her with fret.
"I ask of you, what do you want?!" She screamed, jostling the tray further.
Abruptly, the music ceased and a subtle beat of steps replaced the silence. A man's shadow appeared in a doorway along the hall.
"Ask yourself, Ember. What do you wish me to want?" He asked.
Tears flooded her face and she looked away.
"Why can't I leave this place?" She mumbled.
The man approached her with his apparel of a black suede suit and top hat. He turned her cheek towards him and smirked.
"When you have come to terms with all," he proclaimed in a breathy whisper.
Then, he grabbed the candle from her and turned his back. The halls were now extremely dim. Suddenly, he had vanished from thin air and Ember was staring in a mirror! Sweat profusely drained from her head and she spun around to find gulfs of fire climb the walls of the hallway.
"My god! What's happening?" She yelled.
The flames were mounting higher and farther up the hall. She thrusted the mirror out of her way and it shattered to bits. Ember sprinted down the hall, leaving her dress to drag behind her. When she had gotten far enough from the fire, she heard a strange sound, like a splashing. Taking a few steps to turn around, she came to a gut wrenching site. The halls filled with ruby red roses were now filled with blood.
"Where are you?! Get back here! What have you done?" She cried.
"Where is the candle? I need the candle," she muttered to herself, looking at the floor around her.
While searching for the candle, she found something quite different in her hands. A ruby colored knife.
Then, she heard herself say seven horrifying words.
"Have I come to terms with all?"
THE END
Blood boils,
almost like water,
more like that bubbly asphalt tar in southern summer,
so
hot,
it melts the sole.
Sure,
butterflies
with twitterpated flippant wings
thrash about
in something not unlike ecstacy
but
if you look close enough,
if you can focus clearly,
you can see a sad little frozen heart
beat itself
to death.
