My Favorite Nightmare

I awoke to my cell phone buzzing, my usual alarm clock now that I had a roommate. I sat up in bed, and swung my legs over the side, glaringly aware of my jeans from the day before as they shifted against my legs. When my feet hit the floor, I realized that something was terribly wrong.

This wasn't my dorm room.

I looked about myself in panic, wondering where I was and why. I quickly surveyed my surroundings with wide eyes, my hands shook and my breathing speed up to match my racing heart. There was a large bed with deep velvet blankets dyed a bloody red, and white linen sheets, still crinkled from my slumber. The creme silk pillow had a small dip in it from where my head had lain. Deep red linen hung in gossamer clouds about the ebony posts at the four corners of the bed, and carven cherubs grace the massive headboard. They carried their bows and arrows, flying about in stillness, the light glinting on their unruly carven curls.

I backed away from the massive bed, socks sliding soundlessly across the polished wooden floor. I ran out of room to back up after what seemed an eternity, and when I turned, I was facing a large wall of books. They smelled the same as the scent that I had caught from him the night before. I paled. I could feel the blood pool in my feet and my heart slow as I realized where I had to be.

I looked around the rest of the room, finding a large fireplace, the width of the bed and tall enough to walk into if I were of a mind. I was tempted to, since there was nothing blazing in it, not even an ember, and yet the room was warm... Beside the oversized hearth stood a wooden table with an open book and several candelabra. The white tapers stood tall in their little cups, the wax dripping down like the tears from the little blazes of light at their tips. I couldn't resist. I walked closer to see what was written in the book. It was gloriously blank, and in it was a note.

"Sweetest Melody," It began, "I deeply regret the method of your retrieval, but how else could I ascertain that you would stay? I hope that you will forgive my haste, but if you do not, I see no way to make peace with you except through the course of long hours spent together. I anxioiusly await these." There was no signature other than a hastily sketched crest. OF course I recognized it... There was once a time that I had cosidered getting that same crest tattooed on my ankle or the back of my neck... I shivered and sat down to keep from falling to the floor. My head spun. I was supposed to be in Theatre Appreciation... We were supposed to watch a play today, and I had been looking forward to it for weeks. I laid my head down on the book and cried.

So began the first night of my captivity.