20 February 2012
Nothing. That's what I feel. Black? White? I'm not sure. All I know is that I have to get out. Nothing is boring. Nothing is strange. I hate it. 'Let me out.' Nothing. 'Let me out.' Nothing. 'Let. Me. Out.' Nothing. 'LET ME OUT!' Something. The tiniest flicker of light. The slightest breath of a word. It was working. I scramble and claw my way out, out of nothing.
I slowly opened my eyes. What greeted me was startling, yet somehow not unexpected. A face leaned over mine, glowering and grinning. As my eyes started to focus I realized what I was looking at. It was a mask. Half smiling, half snarling, half black, half white, altogether disturbing. I started and inched back, pressing my back into the wall. The mask bobbed and I heard a small chuckle. "No need to be scared, princess."
Somehow, I found my voice. "And how do I know that?" I used the wall to pull myself up, keeping an eye on the mask and it's owner. A jester. His hat was a dead give away. Black and white checkered, bells dangling on each of it's three floppy points. A white jacket and black tights completed the strange ensemble. He stood to his full height and opened his gloved hands.
"You don't. You can only trust." Did one of the mask's eyes just wink?
I kept silent. Do I trust him or do I run? ...Run where? For the first time I took in my surroundings, and they nearly scared me as much as the jester had. A white stone floor met white stoned walls, rising to meet a white stoned ceiling. Marbled columns stood along the edges of the room, their black and white swirls both calming and disorienting. Several large black banners hung from the walls. No design, no emblem, just black. I crane my neck to find the only door was directly behind the jester and a good twenty feet away.
Noticing my stare, the jester looked behind him. "Yes, that is the door. You have seen a door before, right?" The voice was filled with humour, yet the mask betrayed no emotion.
I nodded, still frightened, but I felt a strange sense of... Something between the stranger and I.
"Well, princess, how about we find out what's behind this particular door." The costumed man extended his hand.
My mind screaming not to go, yet my heart whispering to follow him, I took it. Like a fool. Like a jester. "My name is Alyss." I whispered.
"Well then, Alyss, I'm glad you decided to trust me." Crooking my hand into his arm, he led me to the door, opening it like a gentleman for his lady.
I smiled slightly, then asked, "What is your name, sir?"
The question seemed to freeze my gentleman. It was a few more moments before he replied. "Love. My name is Love." He then guided me through the door and out into the hall.
I had no time to contemplate the jester's odd name. I was too busy taking in the decor. A large black carpet disrupted the white floor. It ran the length of the hallway and looked for all the world like a gorge, waiting to sallow us whole. This of course was dispelled by the fact that we were standing on it. The next feature I noticed was a series of windows lining the left wall. Taking a look outside I figured it must be near midnight. It was pitch black out there. Somehow, the last thing I noticed was the painting. It was enormous. It reached across the entire length of the hall and soared almost to the ceiling. Awestruck, I pulled myself free of the jester and walked up to the painting. What I saw did not scare me, it didn't startle me, and frankly I wasn't even surprised.
It was a picture of me. Or at least partially of me, there was a man also in the picture. He seemed familiar to me, his green eyes whispering that he knew me and I should know him. No... It was more than his eyes. 'You know me. You know me. You know me. I know you. You know me.' The man's portrait whispered, looking down at me. I stared back, afraid... But not of the painting. I closed my eyes, wishing the painted man would go away. As I thought those words the whispers faded away leaving a black silence.
I cracked open one eye. There it was, looking like any other painting you'd see in an old castle. I glanced over to my guide. I found him staring at the painting, as if he was having his own conversation with the man. I cleared my throat, ready to get out of this room.
"What? Oh, yes, princess?" Love turned his mask to face me. "Is something wrong?"
"Oh, no. I was just wondering if this place went on any further."
"Of course! It wouldn't be much of a castle if it didn't!" Laughed the voice. The mask just bobbed a bit, still as stoic as usual. "Would you like to see the rest? We might even be able to find who you're looking for!"
"What? Who?" I asked bewildered. I didn't even know where I was. Much less who, if anyone, I was looking for!
"You'll never know 'till you know, princess!" Love spun around on his heels and skipped over to the far door. "Well, you coming or not?"
Alyss In Netherland - Chapter 1 • Opuss № I