Star_Spark
07-05-2008, 09:52 PM
Ashleigh was frantic. The Christmas ball over at the Manor was drawing nearer and she still didn’t have a thing to wear. She had emptied out her wardrobe and drawers, throwing countless of outfits on the floor, in a hurried heap.
“Ashleigh?” called her mother from the bottom of the stairs. Ashleigh rolled her eyes.
“Yes mother?” she replied, opening the door a crack.
“You ready yet?” Ashleigh sighed. Her mother was the most annoying, impatient person in the world.
“Not yet,” she replied.
“Well hurry up, I wont let you set a bad image for us!” Ashleigh slammed the door shut in annoyance. Sure, she was such a bad person, setting a horrible example and letting down the family. It was always her fault.
Finally, Ashleigh settled on a long pink dress, which she had brought a while back at a beautiful French dress shop.
She slipped in it on, checking herself out in the long mirror which stood directly in front of her.
Ashleigh smiled, liking what she saw staring back at her. She did a few experimental swirls, her skirts billowing out in the momentum of the spin, then grabbed a purse and jumped down the stairs.
Ashleigh had already applied her make up and styled her hair before pulling on the dress, so she was ready to leave.
“Hey,” she yelled to her mother and father, who were conferring in the kitchen, “hurry up, I don’t want you to set a bad image for me!”
Ashleigh heard a light hearted chortle from my father, but her mother stormed out, practically screaming a lecture on rudeness. She just rolled her eyes and stepped out of the door into the chill night air.
The ride to the manor was long and tedious. They passed several different fields and moors, the landscape dull and boring.
Eventually, they pulled up on to a gravel filled path, the stones crackling and crunching under the wheels of the car.
Ashleigh stepped out, standing awe-struck by a massive detached manor, with cute lights lining the gutter and roof and down the sides of the house. In the porch was a small plant laced with small fairy lights.
Smiling, Ashleigh climbed the stairs towards the door, and pulled on the door bell. A kindly face whisked behind the curtain, grinning at the guest’s queuing at her door. There was a moment of stillness, the music and laughter ringing out loud, then the door flew open and the true decibel of the noise almost swept Ashleigh off her feet.
The host, Wendy Baxter, greeted them warmly, showing them into the house, having to yell over the din.
Ashleigh was whisked into the huge ballroom, which was beautifully decorated with sparkling trees and tinsel and lights. It was a wonderland.
Ashleigh wove between the beautiful partners who spun elegantly across the room, towards the drinks area.
No matter how beautiful the place was, Ashleigh had no intention to dance. Many men, both young and old had offered to take her for a spin, but she had kindly refused, saying she was no dancer.
Until the angel descended form heaven, and appeared in front of her. He wasn’t a real angel but he sure looked like one. He had gorgeous brown hair, with blue eyes the colour of an idyllic ocean.
“May I have this dance?” he asked, his voice washing over Ashleigh like melted silver, extending a hand. She was breathless, what would this angelic man want with plain Ashleigh? But she gladly took his hand, and allowed him to sweep her up, and lead her into the middle of the dance floor.
“What is your name then?” Ashleigh asked, breathing in his seductive scent.
“Edward, and yours?” his voice tickled her ear, sending a pleasant shiver down her spine. She had always thought that love at first sight was a lie, but this encounter had proved her wrong. She was already falling in love.
Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, tying it in complicated knots, and every time his cheek brushed against her own, she shivered pleasantly.
The song was over all too quickly in Ashleigh’s opinion. She smiled up at Edward, her eyes glittering in the light.
He took her face n his hands and kissed her deeply, showing all the affections she felt. It was breath taking, and Ashleigh didn’t want it to end. She had only known him a matter of minutes and she was already head over hills for him.
All through the night, the two were joined at the hip, kissing, laughing and having a generally good time. Ashleigh fell more and more in love with him as the seconds passed, although she was curious to know why he constantly checked his watch.
“Look, I have to go sort something out,” Edward said suddenly, fear glinting in his eyes as he glanced at his watch one last time, “Will you wait here?”
“What about the dance?” Ashleigh asked, disappointment fogging her brain. She loved the feeling of his arms around her, pressing her closer to his warm body. He took her hand smiling, “how about you save the last dance for me?”
Ashleigh nodded happily.
“Promise?” he asked.
“Promise.” He planted a soft kiss on her cheek then melted into the crowed. Curiosity burned at her, niggling in the back of her mind. Surely it wouldn’t hurt to just see what was so wrong with Edward.
Ashleigh slipped through the crowds, heading the same way as Edward. She spotted him just leaving through a side door, and pursued him silently.
Quietly she followed him, and Edward finally stopped out side a door, bracing himself, and then entered.
Ashleigh scuttled after him, listening at the door, looking through the key hole.
“I…I can’t go through with it,” she heard Edward state nervously.
“What?” hissed another voice, sound rather menacing.
“You have to help us,” said another simply.
“Well I wont,” spat Edward, “I refuse to help you hurt those people.”
“Oh you refuse do you? Well I know how to deal with traitors.”
Ashleigh looked through the keyhole and saw what Edward couldn’t; behind him stood a shadow aiming a gun at his head, and pulled the trigger.
Ashleigh didn’t know what she was doing. Acting on impulse she threw open the door, screaming. Edward turned to her in shock.
“Ashleigh, no!” but it was too late, she had already thrown him to the floor. Edward groaned from being thrown to the floor, staring at the body draped over him.
Ashleigh.
“Ashleigh!” he yelled, rolling her off of him, and checking for any signs of life, but to no avail. She was dead. Blood trickled out of the wound in her head, pooling on the floor and over Edwards shoes as he held Ashleigh’s corpse close. Tears rolled down his cheeks.
“YOU KILLED HER! HOW COULD YOU?” he screamed, but the two men could only laugh.
“That worked even better, now onto business…” and they exited, leaving to enact the robbery they were there for.
*********
The guests who had survived had left in shock, but one still remained. Sitting the shadows, with only the dark moon for light, Edward sat cowering under the tree, weeping.
It was his fault, he shouldn’t have agreed, and now the only woman he could have had a proper future with was lying stone dead in a morgue.
Its was all his fault. He as good as pulled the trigger himself.
In the corner of the room, a light blazed for a moment before dulling, but Edward didn’t even look up. Until he felt a cold hand upon his arm.
He looked up, to find the beautiful face of Ashleigh smiling down at him. He opened his mouth to say something, but she simply placed a finger to his lips and pulled him up. She was still in the dress, but with no bullet hole. All around her, a ghostly aura of silver light hung, illuminating her.
Ashleigh pulled him into her arms, and began to sway slowly, dancing elegantly to no music. It seemed like time had stopped, and the heaven’s had forgiven Edward by sending his love back to him, but alas, this didn’t last.
Far too soon, Ashleigh pulled away, ethereal tears falling down her cheeks. Edward grabbed at her.
“No, please don’t leave me,” he begged, tears glinting in his eyes.
“I have to, Edward. I love you, even if it was just for one night. I just came here to finish my promise. I saved the last dance for you, Edward, I saved the dance.” And with that tearful depart, Ashleigh turned and walked away, without looking back and slowly dissolved into the darkness.
“Ashleigh?” called her mother from the bottom of the stairs. Ashleigh rolled her eyes.
“Yes mother?” she replied, opening the door a crack.
“You ready yet?” Ashleigh sighed. Her mother was the most annoying, impatient person in the world.
“Not yet,” she replied.
“Well hurry up, I wont let you set a bad image for us!” Ashleigh slammed the door shut in annoyance. Sure, she was such a bad person, setting a horrible example and letting down the family. It was always her fault.
Finally, Ashleigh settled on a long pink dress, which she had brought a while back at a beautiful French dress shop.
She slipped in it on, checking herself out in the long mirror which stood directly in front of her.
Ashleigh smiled, liking what she saw staring back at her. She did a few experimental swirls, her skirts billowing out in the momentum of the spin, then grabbed a purse and jumped down the stairs.
Ashleigh had already applied her make up and styled her hair before pulling on the dress, so she was ready to leave.
“Hey,” she yelled to her mother and father, who were conferring in the kitchen, “hurry up, I don’t want you to set a bad image for me!”
Ashleigh heard a light hearted chortle from my father, but her mother stormed out, practically screaming a lecture on rudeness. She just rolled her eyes and stepped out of the door into the chill night air.
The ride to the manor was long and tedious. They passed several different fields and moors, the landscape dull and boring.
Eventually, they pulled up on to a gravel filled path, the stones crackling and crunching under the wheels of the car.
Ashleigh stepped out, standing awe-struck by a massive detached manor, with cute lights lining the gutter and roof and down the sides of the house. In the porch was a small plant laced with small fairy lights.
Smiling, Ashleigh climbed the stairs towards the door, and pulled on the door bell. A kindly face whisked behind the curtain, grinning at the guest’s queuing at her door. There was a moment of stillness, the music and laughter ringing out loud, then the door flew open and the true decibel of the noise almost swept Ashleigh off her feet.
The host, Wendy Baxter, greeted them warmly, showing them into the house, having to yell over the din.
Ashleigh was whisked into the huge ballroom, which was beautifully decorated with sparkling trees and tinsel and lights. It was a wonderland.
Ashleigh wove between the beautiful partners who spun elegantly across the room, towards the drinks area.
No matter how beautiful the place was, Ashleigh had no intention to dance. Many men, both young and old had offered to take her for a spin, but she had kindly refused, saying she was no dancer.
Until the angel descended form heaven, and appeared in front of her. He wasn’t a real angel but he sure looked like one. He had gorgeous brown hair, with blue eyes the colour of an idyllic ocean.
“May I have this dance?” he asked, his voice washing over Ashleigh like melted silver, extending a hand. She was breathless, what would this angelic man want with plain Ashleigh? But she gladly took his hand, and allowed him to sweep her up, and lead her into the middle of the dance floor.
“What is your name then?” Ashleigh asked, breathing in his seductive scent.
“Edward, and yours?” his voice tickled her ear, sending a pleasant shiver down her spine. She had always thought that love at first sight was a lie, but this encounter had proved her wrong. She was already falling in love.
Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, tying it in complicated knots, and every time his cheek brushed against her own, she shivered pleasantly.
The song was over all too quickly in Ashleigh’s opinion. She smiled up at Edward, her eyes glittering in the light.
He took her face n his hands and kissed her deeply, showing all the affections she felt. It was breath taking, and Ashleigh didn’t want it to end. She had only known him a matter of minutes and she was already head over hills for him.
All through the night, the two were joined at the hip, kissing, laughing and having a generally good time. Ashleigh fell more and more in love with him as the seconds passed, although she was curious to know why he constantly checked his watch.
“Look, I have to go sort something out,” Edward said suddenly, fear glinting in his eyes as he glanced at his watch one last time, “Will you wait here?”
“What about the dance?” Ashleigh asked, disappointment fogging her brain. She loved the feeling of his arms around her, pressing her closer to his warm body. He took her hand smiling, “how about you save the last dance for me?”
Ashleigh nodded happily.
“Promise?” he asked.
“Promise.” He planted a soft kiss on her cheek then melted into the crowed. Curiosity burned at her, niggling in the back of her mind. Surely it wouldn’t hurt to just see what was so wrong with Edward.
Ashleigh slipped through the crowds, heading the same way as Edward. She spotted him just leaving through a side door, and pursued him silently.
Quietly she followed him, and Edward finally stopped out side a door, bracing himself, and then entered.
Ashleigh scuttled after him, listening at the door, looking through the key hole.
“I…I can’t go through with it,” she heard Edward state nervously.
“What?” hissed another voice, sound rather menacing.
“You have to help us,” said another simply.
“Well I wont,” spat Edward, “I refuse to help you hurt those people.”
“Oh you refuse do you? Well I know how to deal with traitors.”
Ashleigh looked through the keyhole and saw what Edward couldn’t; behind him stood a shadow aiming a gun at his head, and pulled the trigger.
Ashleigh didn’t know what she was doing. Acting on impulse she threw open the door, screaming. Edward turned to her in shock.
“Ashleigh, no!” but it was too late, she had already thrown him to the floor. Edward groaned from being thrown to the floor, staring at the body draped over him.
Ashleigh.
“Ashleigh!” he yelled, rolling her off of him, and checking for any signs of life, but to no avail. She was dead. Blood trickled out of the wound in her head, pooling on the floor and over Edwards shoes as he held Ashleigh’s corpse close. Tears rolled down his cheeks.
“YOU KILLED HER! HOW COULD YOU?” he screamed, but the two men could only laugh.
“That worked even better, now onto business…” and they exited, leaving to enact the robbery they were there for.
*********
The guests who had survived had left in shock, but one still remained. Sitting the shadows, with only the dark moon for light, Edward sat cowering under the tree, weeping.
It was his fault, he shouldn’t have agreed, and now the only woman he could have had a proper future with was lying stone dead in a morgue.
Its was all his fault. He as good as pulled the trigger himself.
In the corner of the room, a light blazed for a moment before dulling, but Edward didn’t even look up. Until he felt a cold hand upon his arm.
He looked up, to find the beautiful face of Ashleigh smiling down at him. He opened his mouth to say something, but she simply placed a finger to his lips and pulled him up. She was still in the dress, but with no bullet hole. All around her, a ghostly aura of silver light hung, illuminating her.
Ashleigh pulled him into her arms, and began to sway slowly, dancing elegantly to no music. It seemed like time had stopped, and the heaven’s had forgiven Edward by sending his love back to him, but alas, this didn’t last.
Far too soon, Ashleigh pulled away, ethereal tears falling down her cheeks. Edward grabbed at her.
“No, please don’t leave me,” he begged, tears glinting in his eyes.
“I have to, Edward. I love you, even if it was just for one night. I just came here to finish my promise. I saved the last dance for you, Edward, I saved the dance.” And with that tearful depart, Ashleigh turned and walked away, without looking back and slowly dissolved into the darkness.