Ballroom [Short Fiction]

A large, bright and empty throne room. Only one living soul stood in the middle of this hall and looked at empty waltzing dolls whose faces were masked.

"Let's dance," suddenly the girl's hand was taken by a guy dressed in a white suit with a milky color mask on his face, and his snow-colored hair was braided in a sloppy tail.

"Sell," she wanted to pull away, as the boy suddenly pressed her to him.

"Let's dance," he said softly. "Look, everyone is dancing."

"I do not want…"

"Let's dance," he continued softly.

"I really do not want to..."

"Come on. Dance. "

"Cell, I..."

"Let's dance," the guy interrupted Mira and laid his hand on her waist. - Peace, everyone dances.

Without answering, the girl obediently put Sella on her shoulder. The guy gently took the girl's free hand into his and barely touched her forehead with her lips, as if trying to calm her.

"I'll lead," he said quietly.

They danced slowly, not hurrying anywhere. Sell skillfully rearranged his feet, while the World stomped like a hell, just to catch up with a partner. Nobody looked at her, she was ashamed of the ineptitude, the dolls still like you are dancing.

"Sell..."

"Yes?"

"When can I leave here?"

"Why should you leave?"

"I-I cannot be among all these dolls anymore..."

The guy did not answer, only slightly accelerated the pace of the waltz. Mira, with a sigh, noticed that all the "guests" looked at her, continuing to dance. Their eyes were fixed on the girl, they turned their heads 360 degrees, just to see her. They did not like her plan to escape.

"You'll be fine," Cell muttered.

"Why am I here at all?"

"First of all, it's something like your new home, I guess. Secondly, your friends will not stop you from writing here."

"That's it. More like prison, do not you think? I need my friends..."

"Believe me, no."

The girl again did not say anything. It was pointless to argue with Sell, he would always believe that he was right.

Continuing to dance, Mira looked at the hall, trying to find something that could give an opportunity to escape. Behind the large, gold-rimmed windows stood the thick steel bars of the black grill. The door, as Mir had long time to check, was locked. There was no exit.

"I cannot be here anymore"

"Forgive me, " a woman's voice brought the girl out of her thoughts. "Sell, I'd like to talk to Mira."

"Allethia..." the boy grumbled discontentedly, letting go of the girl. "You are a full-fledged muse. Have right…"

"Thank you," snorted Alestia.

"What happened?"

"It's oppressing me that I'm free as a bird, while you wither in this gilded cage, cursing Sella ... and me," began the woman with wavy, long, fiery-colored hair, and her blue, frightened eyes kept staring at each other. "Yes, it was our idea with him to put you here, but I could not think that you would be SO bad here."

"And what do you want?"

"Here," Alestia put a key in Mir's hand. "It's the key to the main door." The guests will not do anything, and I will take over Sella.

Unable to say thank you because of the interruption of his breathing, Mira nodded with a smile and with cautious, but rapid steps, clinking her heels, went to the door.

Minute. Two. The door is open, the cool autumn air burst into the castle. It's already autumn. Without thinking for a long time, Mira quickly ran. Somewhere. Somewhere. Away.

When the castle was no longer visible beyond the horizon, Mira paused to catch her breath. She did it. She escaped. Now it remains to find the way home. Around the girl there was only one large field with low grass, nothing more. Where to go?

Mirra closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'll go straight, we'll see."

But when the girl opened her eyes, how a bright light blinded her, and the music hit her ears. Dolls in colorful dresses and masks circled in a waltz, synchronously performing all the same movements.

"Let's dance," suddenly Cell and took the girl by the hand.

"What?"

"Everyone is dancing. Let's dance shall we, "said Sell, putting his free hand on Mira's waist.

Without answering, the girl obediently put her hand on the boy's shoulder and, like a doll, almost simultaneously synchronized the movements of the dance of all "guests" in the hall.

---

Thanks for reading!