86 Carousel

Slowly, Regan lost consciousness, dragged along to somewhere on the lonely beach she danced on, she could hear the screams of anger thrown at her, tears cried for her, yet she danced through them, ignoring their calls and skipping further into her demise.

'Pathetic,' the word rang in her eyes again, like bells rang at a funeral, carrying the lost soul away.

She continued to dance on the empty beach with a smile on her face. The warmth of the sand beneath her feet and the breeze surrounding her was addictive. She didn't want to stop feeling the breeze, she didn't want to stop dancing, she didn't want to let go of the firm hand of the shadow that danced with her.

The hand led her somewhere, deep into forests, through snow, and deserts but she didn't care, she was too intoxicated in the dance to notice. Together with the hand was where she felt safe, together in its embrace was her home. The heat from its touch was hypnotizing and the firm grasp of its hand in her hand made her feel like she could close her eyes and drift away with the flow. No matter where it led.

The ground hardened and spikes drove into her feet, rings of bells resonated in the ballroom she had ended up in and though her feet stung, she kept dancing. What spell was she under? Whose voice was so captivating that she wanted to drown in its reassuring promises? She didn't care. All she wanted to feel was the lightness in her mind and the weights lifted off her shoulders. All she wanted to do was be in that moment forever, spiraling further down to wherever the hand wanted to take her.

"Where are we going?" Regan asked as the hand twirled her around and pulled her close into a hug.

"Everywhere, will you promise to stay?" the voice replied softly, the low tones of its velvety voice sending shivers down her spine.

"Of course," Regan grinned, "I trust you."

Further, they danced, through the darkness, Regan couldn't look through and rays of light that forced her eyes shut and hugged her body with warmth. Everything felt so real...so hypnotizing… so free that at some point Regan left all the dancing to the shadowed stranger. Wherever it took her, as long as they could keep dancing, she would follow.

There, with her eyes closed, all she felt was the wind and the motions the shadowed stranger pulled her through. Round and round she spun, losing all sense of direction as she was dragged along with the mood. It felt like they were dancing in circles but she didn't feel dizzy, it felt relaxing. Like she was on a carousel she never wanted to get off of.

"Are we going to keep spinning?" Regan asked.

"Spinning? We've been heading in one direction," the voice replied with a chuckle.

"Are we almost there?"

"Of course,"

They stayed in silence again, the rings of bells chiming once in a while before fading into the background of silence.

'Where am I heading?' Regan pondered, the pain on her feet starting to kick in, 'where am I?' The chimes of the bells got louder. 'Where…?' she began her voice being caught off by another gust of wind that washes over her body, silencing her thoughts again. The rings of the bells faded into the background.

"Can you feel that?" the voice asked, it's sound resonating through her entire body.

A light gust of wind caressed her face again, this time carrying the taste of salt unto her lips.

"The sea?" Regan muttered, her lips barely able to form a word.

"No… a waterfall," The voice chuckled, "can you feel it? The light vibrations under your feet, the sound of the rushing water dancing amongst each other as they leap off the edge and into the sea below. The mist surrounding the bottom of the cliff, acting like a veil covering the world below. Imagine how'd it feel like to sift through it. The air surrounding you, rushing into your lungs, the warm droplets tickling your skin and that one moment of no gravity where you float before the sea opens its arms to you and welcomes you with a warm hug."

Regan closed off her mind and felt it.

"Can you feel it? Isn't it amazing?" the shadow giggled, "the feeling of being free. The feeling of having it be just you and the world. Just you and those who accept you no matter what society has branded you as. Isn't it nice to be here? Where you can wander freely without eyes on your back? Where you can run with the butterflies without them turning their backs on you and biting back?"

"Yes…" Regan mumbled, her entire senses sealing off with every touch of the mist.

"Don't you want to go with me? Down this path where nothing holds you back. Down this path where you can be you, down this path where the sun will smile back at you. Don't you want to go with me?" The voice pressed.

"Yes… take me with you," Regan replied, nodding her head slowly, "I want to go with you."

"Right…" the voice smiled squeezing her hands, "let's go together."

Together they danced again, but this time it was brief, their steps flowing to a stop after a few steps.

"Open your eyes," the voice coaxed.

Regan listened and slowly opened her eyes and sucked in a deep breath. They were in a tunnel, and although it was dark, that's what made it beautiful. Crystals hung from the ceiling and poked up from the ground, lighting up the path in front of her. They were cold to the touch, but lit up brightly, blinding Regan further.