Seventh
The door closes gently behind her as Scarlett pauses at the beginning of the stairs. The pitch-black flight becomes illuminated by candles, one in a large, elegant gold crusted wall sconce next to the door, six on a tall stand in the middle landing, and another, large and fused to the final post before the hallway below. The old and crooked stair with torn carpet and gaps in the floorboards is one of two entrances into the bottom rooms. Although, no other soul than her, alive, knew of the second. She glances at the candle beside her face as it flickers in appreciation for its awakening. Her mouth curls tightly, the warmth of the flame kisses her cheek. The stairs creak as she makes her way down to the lower rooms. Scarlett stops a moment and turns towards the stand on the landing, and bows her head, ‘tonight,’ she whispers and looks at the candles as they dance before her. She picks up a book from beside the waxed light dancers, a picture falls from the pages. Quickly, Scarlett reaches out her hand in front. As if in answer, the image curves around and lands in her palm. Two young women, herself and one other, are sitting on a tree swing with a large house in the background, both women in each other’s arms, basking in the love of the moonlight. Placing the photo back into the now opened page of the book, she strokes the image of the second woman, ‘soon,’ she chokes as she closes the book and pulls it in close to her heart. Scarlett clears her throat and wipes her dampened face before she travels down further towards the thick air of the hallway. Again, the lights are awakened at the bottom of the steps welcoming the beautiful woman with a spark.
