Masks

The people, the music, the faces, all glided around me. A sea of masks surrounded me. My own mask was that of a dark enchantress and was a welcome change to my pale complexion. My eyes gleamed from the depths of the eyeholes in my mask, surveying the room, searching the masks for familiarity. But the room was dark and the masks changed the identity of each person in the room. Smokey candles lined the walls and extravagant chandeliers hung by ropes from the ceiling. The walls were gold and mirrors and the room seemed to go on and on forever. The musicians seemed to play a haunting melody and bodies swirled in step with the notes. I wove my way through the dancing bodies and glanced around the room again, but the familiar ballroom was now a disorienting new world. My heart was beating rapidly as my eyes scanned the crowds for a figure, though I did not know what he would look like. Someone brushed behind me and I jumped, my nerves feeling as though they were stretched taught. I spun, trying be calm and unnoticed. I had said that I could handle this. I couldn’t go and freak out now that I was in the middle of it. From behind, someone gripped my elbow. My heart leapt, my muscles tensing and eyes growing wide behind my mask. The firm hand led me out into the center of the room, the people becoming more and more tightly packed. Then the hand spun me so that I was facing him. His mask was that of a wild animal and in his eyes, I could see he was dangerous person. His skin was darkened by the sun and smooth and his hair was dark as well. His movements were fluid-like as he swept me around the ballroom. I found myself unable to speak. Even with the mask, I could tell this man was handsome, perfect, strong and sure. I felt like a little girl, dropping my eyes to floor and blushing at his beauty. But then I remembered who he was and why he was dancing with me. I lifted my eyes and stared straight into the eyes of the wild beast. I could feel my heart beating as I held his gaze. His eyes seemed to be peering into my soul and it took all of my will to keep staring back. His hand tightened on my waist and he pulled my closer. I could hardly breathe.
“It’s quite warm tonight, don’t you agree?” he whispered close to my ear. Even those simple words made goose-bumps appear on my arms. But those words weren’t so simple, I knew. They were the words to prove his identity and I had to reply.
“I disagree. I find the weather quite pleasant tonight.” I say. These words will verify my reliability.
The masked man twirls me around, taking in the people around us. Then he leans close to my ear and says “The wind bends to the unanswering call and enemies are moths in the night.”
I pulled away, looking into my eyes to assure that I have heard his words. I slightly incline my head to show that I have understood. We stop dancing and the man takes my hand bows low over it, then kisses it. He looks up one last time into my eyes, then turns and disappears into the crowd of still-dancing people. The hand he has kissed folds around a small square of paper and then I turn in the opposite direction as the man and make my way back out of the ballroom.

This is a fragment of a story I wrote...