Chapter 13 - Exhausted

We finally reached the main chamber. Everyone was standing around as if waiting for someone or something. I proceeded to walk over to my seat. Once I sat down the music began to play. The man that walked me to my seat stood back for a moment. Then looked at me as if waiting for me to say or do something. I looked over at my escort and he just smiled. So I stood up and the music stopped. I looked over at the band and waved my hand ever so gently. They responded by playing a slow song. The other ever so handsome man that escorted me to my seat took a bow and held his hand out to me. As i placed my hand in his i felt a shiver down my spine. Though i continued towards the path he led me on while holding my hand. Once we reached the dance floor. I was swaying back and forth in the corner of the room. We were spinning slowly and i was being passed from person to person. I believe i danced with every man in the room. Finally my escort caught me and pulled me in closer to him. I could finally breathe again. I am not sure why but, I felt so safe and secure with him next to me. He seemed oddly familiar now that I think of it. I just couldn't place how or why I was feeling this way towards him. He put his hand up and everyone moved. The music finally stopped. We began heading towards the door. I followed ever so quietly. We were in the hall way again. We walked for a few minutes and entered another door. I thought it was a shortcut to my room. As I am very exhausted and was completely ready to rest my head. Once I entered the room I noted that everyone did not leave. They were all seated and watching the door that I just entered through. I was just about at my seat when this lovely piece of fabric gently stroked my face. I stopped immediately. I turned to look and see where it came from. A loud noise boomed into the room. The lights went off and then all i could see was smoke everywhere. I felt my escort grab my hand and so I followed in the direction it was bring guided to. Once I was close enough I could see my seat. It was empty and calling to me. Once I was seated The smoke was slowly fading and through it I saw glitter. Glitter was everywhere my eyes could see. Another loud banging noise rang through the room. I jumped as my heart did from the loud noise. This time all I heard following it was pure silence. There is so much panic in me yet There cannot be any danger. This is probably a dream, in a dream, in a dream of mine. So I really have no reason to fear right. The smoke was just about gone and I was sitting there looking towards the door myself. I saw the beautiful glittery cloth I saw earlier. Now that I'm looking at it, I'm not sure it's just a really pretty cloth. It was floating gracefully in front of me. I reached out to grab it but, as soon as my finger touched it. It retreated back out the door from which it came. Then more loud banging came and filled the room. Loud as before but, in a rhythm of sorts. A bunch of beautifully dressed men in woman. All glittery came into the door and surrounded everyone. They were moving so gracefully through the crowds. The women moved gently and as swift as the wind. While the men Moved in rhythm as the ocean. Once they made their way through the crowds and into the center of the room. The tempo in the back was picking up speed. A bunch of lights flashed and the very cloth i touched earlier. It was hanging from the very high ceiling. There was a bunch of them all bunched up together like a web. There was a really huge ring in the center of them. The smoke from the lights were pretty thick still but the room filled with clapping. Some of the women were at the top of the cloth swinging, tumbling and others were being tossed about. Once the smoke completely cleared, I sat there enjoying the performers. Some of them were doing these really cool flips between the rings and the cloth. Others were swinging between the rings. It was very much like a circus of acrobats. The men started doing some tumbling and lifts with the women. Everyone was tumbling forward, backward, sideways, over and under each other. Creating different shapes of all sizes. Towards the end of the performance for the swingers. They connected each of the cloths together and dismounted ever so gracefully. Then a few came and began creating a pyramid of sorts. While doing so they were throwing and flipping each other to build this pyramid. That looked amazing but also very dangerous. Everyone including myself was gasping. In anticipation of someone falling but no one did. Then I heard a drum roll and everyone was pointing and whispering to each other. They were pointing to the tower. There the woman with that beautifully long crafted fabric was standing there. She looked over towards me and our eyes met. She had a devilish smile on her face. She then whipped the fabric towards me. I closed my eyes as tight as I could. Next thing I knew, I felt as if I was no longer sitting down. I opened my eyes ever so slightly and saw I was above everyone. The cloth was now connected to the other cloths on the ceiling and I was so high up. I thought i was going to have a heart attack. Then just like that I was no longer in control of my body. I was falling alright. I was twisting, turning, tumbling ever so quickly. Every time I saw the ground it was getting closer to me. I felt like I was on a carnival ride for death. My heart began to beat faster and faster but then I was fine. I sprung right back up and it started all over again. Only this time I was not afraid. I felt like I was one of the dancers. Well until i felt as if my hand was slipping. This time my heart was racing but it was filled of fear. Am I going to fall to my death this time? I don't want to die here. There was so much fear that my vision became cloudy and i could hear my heart in my ears. All I wanted to do was scream for help. Only when my mouth opened nothing came out. Not a word nor a sound. Then the dizziness came. It's like being light headed and my cheeks were wet. I searched the room as i was spinning for the man who escorted me all day. Our eyes met for only a moment. Then I was twisting and twirling all over again. Only this time it was faster than ever. I suppose he saw the fear on my face or in my eyes. The next time i was facing him he was standing up. Walking towards me. Then I began falling straight and softly landed in his arms. He looked at me straight in my eyes and leaned in. He asked me if I was okay. Then he brought his hand to my face and wiped my cheeks. He darted a look at that beautiful but mischievous woman. She stepped back a bit, apologized while looking down. My body relaxed in his embrace. My head rested on his shoulder and my hand over his beating heart. His shirt was wet, probably because I was crying so hard. I tried to wipe the tears off my face as much as I could. He looked at me once more then pulled me in closer to him. I wasn't sure where he was taking me but no longer then it took me to look. He was putting me down on my feet. I steadied myself the best I could. I was still feeling dizzy from all the twisting and tumbling. I noted my seat was right in front of me. He was still holding me up. I guess he knew how uneasy I felt. He guided me to my seat. Up until now I did not realize how many were still cheering me on. Once I was seated safely in my seat. I heard them cheering and chanting.That woman was on that cloth doing all different types of tricks. These looked even more dangerous than the ones from earlier. She glided through the pyramid so gracefully. In and out, over and under. Tangling her cloth through all of it. She was doing it so effortlessly and gracefully. The cloth seemed to have a mind of its own as she stood at the center of the pyramid. A flash and the rope was now looking more like a rope than anything else. A tight rope to be more exact. She climb the others like it was easy. As high up as she was, I would've been too terrified. She made it to the tight rope and was performing tricks. She twisted and twirled back and forth. Then others began to join her. They were all taking turns swinging and throwing each other. Some were throwing mid twist, twirl or tumble. While the ones being thrown were doing other tricks. I started to imagine I was still up there with them. If only I wasn't so afraid of falling to my death. I'm sure I would still be up there. I was lost in my imagination. Imagining myself where she was. When all of a sudden the lights were off and everything was pitch black. Then I heard a loud thump and footsteps in a panicked manner. The lights came on and all the entertainers were surrounding someone. I searched the crowd and realized it was the the woman from earlier. The one that picked me to use on stage earlier. She was not moving and i couldn't tell from afar if she was even breathing. She was such a skilled performer. She moved with grace and fluidity. How can someone as skilled as she, how could she have fallen? In an instance, I felt my body being lifted. I quickly turned only to see it was my escort. He grabbed me and wrapped me up in his arms. We were close enough that I could feel the warmth of his skin and the beat of his heart. He covered me to where nothing from my head to my toes were free of his embrace. I could feel that we were moving and going somewhere. I tried to peek but to no avail. I was completely covered. I heard a door open and then close. Then he was placing me on a chair. He grabbed a blanket and placed it over my lap. Turned to look at me and then told me I was safe in here. That i had nothing to worry about because there is only a few keys that could open the door. It is a panic room. So I could survive in here for days if I needed to. The keys that were made is for only the most trustworthy of his men. To never open the door. No matter what I am to stay put and stay far away from the door. Then he turned to leave. I quickly stood up and grabbed his hand. His body stiffened a little then completely relaxed. My hand fit perfectly in his and he lightly squeezed my hand. Never letting my hand go, he turned back around. Looking me straight in my eyes.Neither of us spoke as we stood there face to face. I'm sure he could see the fear in my eyes, as I'm sure I saw worry and kindness in his. I pleaded with my eyes, begging him to stay. He just gave me a gentle smile and picked me up. Put me back into my seat and covered my lap with the blanket. Tears now filled in my eyes threatening to fall. I blinked a few times as I tried to clear the tears. I was finding the strength to say something, anything so I wouldn't be left alone. Nothing came at first. So I searched deeper and tried again. This time a whisper came out. Wait.. He seemed to have heard me because he slowed down. Then Again I forced myself to speak again. Please wait. Please stay with me. I'm scared and don't want to be alone. This time he turned and walked to me with long strides. Once he reached to me our eyes met and for a long moment. In his eyes I could see a strangely familiar look. It showed of fear, worry, resolve, acceptance but in a calming way. I shouldn't have felt such calmness but I did. I thought that maybe he decided to stay. Everything fell silent for a moment. Then I felt his hand. First his fingers slid across my face. Then his palm was laid on my cheek. I closed my eyes as I felt him hold the side of my face. A single lone tear fell from my eye. He wiped it away with his thumb. His hand slid to my chin and raised my head so our eyes would meet again. This time the tears filled my eyes. My heart sunk and I felt completely exhausted and defeated. I could hear the screams of others so clearly at this moment. He leaned over and lightly kissed my forehead. I watched as he walked away this time. Knowing I may never see him again. When he opened the door, I saw what was really going on. We were under attack. A bad sinking feeling washed over me. My mind began racing and before I could think I was beside him again. Begging him with my words to please stay here. He looked at me, placed his hand on my shoulder and slightly nudged me out of the doorway. Then in the corner of my eye, I saw a man look right at us. MY escort looked to see what it was that shook me. The man was charging right for us. So he pushed me a little harder and once I was clear of the door. It slammed shut. I stood there in shock as I heard them fighting right outside my door. I saw blood seep into the room from under the door. I fell to my knees and prayed It was not him. Not the very man that promised to come back and protect me. Please make sure he is safe and that blood belonged to the man that rushed to my door. I walked numbly back to my chair and covered myself with the blanket he had placed on me before. I pulled it close to my chest and leaned down. I took deep breath to take in its smell. It smelled just like him. I'm not sure how long I had been sitting there staring at the blood seeping into my room. My eyes were growing heave and threatened me with the promise of sleep. As I settled in my seat to invite it in and I began to drift. I heard a loud bang. Then my door swung open.