Drinks in the Dark

His bright blue eyes looked at me.

Not through me, but at me. Like he could actually see me. But as he turned and walked away, I knew that he couldn’t see me, no one could.

We were nothing but ghosts to them, the chill down their spine. The palace we’d been cursed to live in was our home and no one could step foot outside of it. Not that they’d try to, they were all oblivious to the fact that they were bound in a state of purgatory. Every night they would get dressed up and dance until the sun came up and we faded with the darkness.

I always sat on the grand staircase to watch everyone faded with the orange glow of the sun, just wondering why I wasn’t living in blissful ignorance with the rest of them.

We were all cursed but I’ve been aware of this since the night the party originally happened in 1921. I kept count too, I felt like it was the only thing that really kept me sane…thirty three thousand nine hundred forty five days we’d been trapped in this. We were doomed to forever celebrate the summer solstice like my whole family always did.

With that in mind, I stood in the mirror staring at my gold sequined dress. It was the only thing that remained a highlight. I loved the way that it flowed past my feet after hugging my hips, the corset was tied tight like it always was pushing my breasts up high, not that there was much to push. My green eyes came alive with the golden eye makeup that complimented my pale skin. I pulled my vivid red hair back into a simple stylish updo. I tied the black intricate mask around my eyes, leaving the gold make up to dance through the sheer material.

I checked myself over in the same gold carved mirror and headed downstairs where the party was just starting.

“Oh Florence, you look so beautiful.” My cousin Isobel greeted me as I descended the stairs. She did as well, in her light green lace dress with her blonde hair pulled into a bun. She hugged and gave me the same kiss on my left cheek.

“Your mother is looking for you.”

I smiled, “I know.”

I took her hand and let her lead me to the crowd where my mother stood talking to a man that looked around my age.

His name was Blake, he was someone that my mother thought would make a fine husband for me. She would introduce him then he would ask me to dance. While we were dancing al he would talk about is how beautiful I looked.

So I smiled and let my mother say, “Florence, honey this is Blake. He’s the son of one of your father’s friends.”

He stuck his hand out, “Good evening.”

I let him take my hand and kiss it softly.

“Would you like to dance?” he asked me with a wide smile, his hazel eyes twinkling in his chiseled face. He did look handsome with his brown hair slicked back which is why I took his hand and let him lead me to the hall where everyone danced.

He took me in his arms and we rotated around the dance floor in rhythm to the classical music that filled the room. He stared at me, smiling then said, “You look exquisite tonight. I’ve seen you before when doing business with our fathers and you’ve always look so…mysterious.”

“Mysterious?” I asked already knowing his answer.

“Yes, I felt like I just had to know who you were.” He smiled as he spun me twice then danced with me some more.

One thing I realized about this purgatory was that I could do what I wanted but nothing would ever change so instead of continuing to dance, I excused myself to the part of the hall that served the same refreshments. My other cousin Robert stood suspiciously by the giant punch bowl. I knew he was going to spike it and get us all drunk.

That’s when the real fun begins actually. See everyone gets drunk and goes crazy dancing all over the place. It’s always fun but tonight I decided to just sit back and watch it happen. Usually I felt like such a part of everything, but it was something about tonight that made me feel lonely.
I stood at the window where I saw the blue eyes peering at me from the darkness. I know that seeing him again wasn’t going to happen but I couldn’t help wishing for it as I stared at the beautiful fountain that sat just out of my reach.

“Florence, come and dance with me.” Isobel stumbled over to me pulling my arm. “Robert spiked the punch!”

I laughed, “I know he spiked it but I’m just gonna stand right here for a while.”

She giggled, “Suit yourself!” she ran back to the hall where the music went from slow and classical to upbeat and fun. People were dancing laughing and clapping, it always warmed me to see my family like this. They were together, cursed but happy.

I returned my gaze to the darkness outside that was our cage. A flash of blue caught my eye, it was him. He stood by the fountain staring at the calm waters. He wore a black tuxedo with a purple tie with a matching flower in the breast pocket. He stood tall with a glass in his hand his black hair slicked and shiny.

The look on his face was the same as mine, as I watched him I realized that he was just as lonely as I was. This was my first look at the outside world since that first night, I knew things had changed with time but as I watched him, nothing seemed that different to me.

Just then it happened again. He looked in my direction and smiled, showing perfect white teeth that blended well against his olive skin. I knew he wasn’t looking at me but I smiled back anyway, giving a small wave.

He waved back and for a moment I thought that I was hallucinating. He wasn’t supposed to see us, no one could see us. But he waved again and it confirmed that he could.

He took slow strides across the open space towards me. My breath caught in my throat, the closer that he got to me, the more handsome he looked. Finally he was standing before me at the window.
Hi, he mouthed through the glass.

“Hi.” I replied.

What’s your name?

“Florence.”

What?

“My name is Florence.” I said a little louder. But I gave up and pointed to the door just a few steps down.

I followed him and opened the door where he stood on the threshold. “Hi.”

“Hi, my name’s Florence.” I said in a shy manner.

“Hello, my name is Christian.”

“Like the religion?” I asked in surprise.

He chuckled. “Yes like the religion.”

“How can you see me?” I asked before I could stop myself.

He shrugged his shoulders, “I have eyes, why wouldn’t I be able to see you?”

“Because, no one can see me. No one can see us…we’re cursed.”

He glanced over my shoulder at the party behind me. “You guys don’t look cursed.”

“This is the way that it’s always been. Same party, same events, same night. Always.” I sighed. “I can’t even come outside.”

“What happens if you try to?”

“A force won’t even let me try.”

“Well since you can’t come out then maybe I can come in.” he smirked.

“No! You might end up trapped here.”

“I’m willing to take that risk.” He said before his pushed his foot across the threshold with ease. Nothing happened when he stepped inside, he was just inside of my house now. I don’t know if that meant he’d stepped out of time or into ours. All I knew was that I could touch him.

So I did. I set my hands against his broad chest, feeling just how real he was.

“See? I’m still in one piece.” He smiled. “Dance with me?”

I couldn’t say anything for my words were caged in my throat. He stared down at me like I was the only person in the room and it made me feel like I was.

Amongst my family, who were still dancing like maniacs, we danced slowly to our own music. I stared in his eyes for the longest time wondering what was so special about him to where he could see someone like me. The blue hue to his eyes seemed to dance with his emotions perfectly.

“What are you feeling right now?”

“Peace.” He answered without hesitation. And in his eyes I saw the truth. They danced like the calmest ocean waves I’d ever seen. I smiled widely, loving it.

“Take off your mask.” He whispered against my cheek.

“I can’t.” I whispered sadly. It was true, I had tried taking it off countless times, I’ve even tried not putting it on at all but it always appears on my face, yet another detriment to the curse. He wanted to see my face but it wasn’t going to happen.

“You can’t…but I can.” He reached behind my head and untied it. I put my hands against its sides to keep it in place.

“It’s okay.” He took my wrists in his hands and began to pull them away from my face. I felt it, the cool breeze of his breath ghosting across my newly exposed skin. I stared at the mask in my hands, I couldn’t believe that after almost a century, this was happening.

“You are so beautiful.” His thumb rubbed beneath my eye gently.

I was once caged in the bliss that was a party, constantly surrounded by the music and happiness until it faded into silence. But as I stood there with his hands against my hands, cradling the mask I’d always thought was a prison, I’d felt free for the first time.

“I…” I didn’t know what to say to him. What was there to be said? Thanking him wouldn’t feel like enough, I wanted to show him how grateful I was for his rescue. Tossing the mask over my shoulder, I leaned forward and kissed him.

He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer to him as he kissed me back. No one mattered in that moment. As his lips mingled with mine I felt a passion that I’d never felt before, a passion that burned hot all over my body. This couldn’t have been real.

But as he deepened the kiss, I was reminded once again that it was. It was so real…and it was all mine.

I pulled away just in time to hear the music around us fading. Looking toward the horizon, the orange glow of the rising sun shined on the floor of the party. Anything in its path, faded into nothing.

“No, no not now.” I said, burying my face into his chest. “This can’t be happening.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Look,” I pointed in the direction of the sun. “The sun resets everything. It’s over, you have to leave.” I started to push him away but he grabbed my hands and kissed them.

“Just dance with me Florence.” He smiled. “Whatever happens, happens.”

“I don’t want you trapped here like me.”

He pulled me against his chest and whispered it again. “Dance with me.”

I couldn’t object to the way his voice melted me from the inside yet made me feel so full and whole. So I laid my head on his chest, his steady heartbeat echoing in my head, and I danced with him…feeling as free as I’ll ever feel.