Mia saw the last of the stars fade as the sky tinged a lovely mauve over a dappled rose as morning dawned. Birds sang everywhere as pretty, black flowers travelled on the wind.
"I have to get back to the orb, forward to my ti- what the hell?," Mia stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the grim atmosphere. As far as the eye could see, there were distraught people, weeping and sobbing everywhere, wearing dark funeral clothes as if mourning someone, they clutched each other for comfort as they walked with black flames in their hands
Mia slowly walked closer to the palace when once again she heard the beautiful voice of the woman singing in the street, calling out to her, luring her. Entranced, Mia followed her voice to the couple on the street- surrounded by a dark crowd- and slipped among them.
The woman sang softly, her voice low and laced with sorrow, a macabre edge to her words. The song she sung was hauntingly beautiful, Mia shuddered just listening to her voice and the haunting melody of the violin.
"Oh woe, hear the beat of the angels wings
let the skies weep and the clouds rain
Oh woe as the lonely nightingale sadly sings
For the lost princess we'll never see again"
The woman sobs as the crowd joins in. Mia shook her head in confusion and moved on.
"Let it rain! Let it rain on all of us so that our tears merge with the rippling oceans! Let it rain! So that it might drown this eternal pain," the singing woman shrieked as a few people raised their arms to the sky in unison.
Mia went closer to the palace as dark clouds shrouded the sky, the wind stopped abruptly as the haunting sounds of lone crying echoed everywhere. The palace stood gloomy and dark, caste in shadows, as Mia neared it she saw huge banners and posters with the picture of her as a baby.
Rest in peace beloved princess.
Read the poster and many people lit black flames under the picture and left gifts and flowers. Tears spiked Mia's eyes as she took in the depressing atmosphere, she was heartbroken at the way the people mourned for her. Mourned for someone who was still alive.
Mia walked in the palace and went up to her nursery. The door of the nursery was painted black and a sign hung on it that read:
Do not enter.
Mia pushed open the door and went inside. The nursery was almost sark void for the gray light that fought with the drawn drapes to enter the room and the handful of flames lit in certain corners. The furniture was covered in white sheets and all her toys were gone.
Mia walked forward and saw her mother sitting beside her cradle, clutching a furry, pink blanket to her chest and crying into it, softly repeating the same lullaby.
Mia opened it and tears sprung out of her eyes as she saw the sealed windows and all the toys and furniture covered in white sheets, the cradle was stripped bare of its silk sheets and candles shone from every corner, she saw her mother clutching her pink blanket and sobbing into it, repeating the same lullaby softly.
Mia felt tears run down her cheeks as she neared her mother.
"Mum," Mia swallowed, trying to remove the lump in her throat," I'm right here," Mia put a hand on her mother's shoulder, she felt her mother stiffen as the candles flickered in the room, their flames dancing eerily. "Mum?," Mia cried, hoping that her mother would turn and wrap her in a loving hug.
Her mother turned but not to her, she faced the door as it opened and Miranda entered, her eyes wet.
"Your highness. All I want to ask is how?," she sobbed as the Queen stroked the blanket and stayed silent for a while.
"The Sangfwads.." Her mother whispered,"my baby was too weak for portal travel. It happened during the journey and when they reached Earth, my..my Princess wasn't..wasn't breathing," fresh tears slid down her cheek." My daughter is dead Miranda! My sweetheart is gone!", her mother wailed as she shook Miranda by her shoulders.
"Gone," she sobbed as Miranda clutched her mother tightly as she shook. Mia pursed her lips as she slowly backed out of the room, shaking her head.
"I..I have to tell them," Mia whispered as she broke into a run," tell them I'm still alive". She ran out of the palace, past the wilting flowers and flames, past the couple and all the way back to Venom's palace.
She ran towards the emergency exit and retracing her steps went back to the creepy room. Her footsteps bounced off the walls as she ran towards the orb.
Mia stopped, panting. The orb glinted on the table as beautiful and radiant as ever. Heart pumping Mia walked closer to it, closing her eyes she slowly reached out to touch the orb.
Her palm came into contact with the glass and she waited for the glass to melt. A few minutes passed and...nothing happened.
"Work! Come on!," Mia recoiled her palm, blew on it for luck and put it back on the surface. She waited for the orb to liquefy but still nothing happened.
"Maybe if I rub it.." Mia kneeled in front of the orb and rubbed her palm over it a couple of times still nothing happened.
"God dammit!", she threw her hands in the air in sheer frustration and sat cross-legged on the dusty floor when a dreadful thought crossed her mind.
"What if I am stuck here forever in the past?", she shook her head and absent-mindedly stared at the orb.
Where must Kira and Cathy be right now?
She saw the sunlight reflect on the orb and made it look like it was a big ball of glitter.
How many days must have passed?
The smoke enveloped the crystals inside the orb, rippling and pulsing gently.
Do the guards know that we have escaped?
The orb glowed brighter and brighter as Mia closed her eyes and suddenly the whole room went upside-down and then the walls peeled off as the shelves inflated, reached the stars before collapsing on the ground in myriads of glass shards.
Mia opened her eyes slowly.
"Did it wo-"
"Mia, come on! We found the exit," Kira's feet pounded in the room as Mia slapped herself to get rid of the dizziness.
"Oh, so you decided to clean the floor eh?," Cathy sauntered after Kira as Mia stood up and dusted herself.
"Mia, lets go-o-o!", Kira pulled Mia's hand and she started walking reluctantly, following Kira out of the room.
"Wait! Kira didn't you try to find me? ", Mia slowed down.
"We weren't playing hide and seek for your information," Cathy retorted.
Mia ignored her," Kira? I have been gone for-"
"Three minutes exactly before we came to call you!", Kira said excitedly and hurried on.
"No! I have been gone for three whole days!", Mia cried exasperatedly.
"What?", Kira asked,puzzled.
"Yes! I went to the past! Tha-that orb-", Mia started.
"Psycho," Cathy rolled her eyes and strolled to the other room.
Mia's blood boiled when no-one believed her.
"Mia are you alright?", Kira touched her forehead as Mia brushed it off.
"I'm fine," Mia said and went after Cathy as Kira followed.
They entered the passage as Mia fumed silently and then felt guilty for thinking badly about Kira. They reached a door and stopped.
"The door to the exit," Mia said.
"As if we couldn't see," Cathy said saucily.
"Hey, whats your problem!?", Mia screamed as she glared at Cathy.
"You!", Cathy said.
"You wouldn't be saying that if I told you that your beloved brother was going to kill your parents, Cath!", Mia folded her arms across her chest as Cathy's eyes widened and a shadow crossed her face.
"Why isn't it Venom's accomplice here?", Mia raised her eyebrows as beads of perspiration dotted Cathy's forehead." Say something why don't you?", Mia smiled as Kira looked in confusion between the two of them.
Cathy opened her mouth to speak and closed it immediately as all of them froze when they heard the heavy pounding of footsteps approach them
"Quick, open it!", Cathy diverted everybody's attention from herself to the door.
All of them pushed hard against it but the door wouldn't budge. Mia panted as she pushed with all her might.
"It's locked!", Kira cried frantically as she pushed with frail arms and then went off to the side, gasping for breath. The footsteps neared as Cathy gave up.
Only Mia pushed then, the footsteps were almost behind them. Mia willed for the door to open and pushed with all her strength. She closed her eyes, sweat running down her face as she pushed. There was a loud crack and Mia found herself standing outside the room.
"Woah! How'd you do that?", Kira exclaimed, examining the hole Mia had made in the door." Super Mia! Epic!", Kira patted her on the back as all three of them rushed out and made it behind some bushed in time. A handful of guards shuffled out and dispersed in different directions as the three girls exhaled in relief.