Wedding day

Her hands were painted with her sins, and blood was dripping from the fatal instruments of her deadly actions. Miranda's eyes filled with shock; the size of her pupils doubled as the scene in front of her came into focus. Anxiety shook her from the inside, fear, pain, and sadness boiled over the tears screaming the silent words coming out of her mouth.

A shadow appeared; the dark silhouette of a woman with glowing white eyes stood a few paces from Miranda, and the black figure's edges started floating around like a lava lamp. She became an ink-like liquid; steadily making her way towards Miranda's shivering body. The silence was cracked open as a deep-voiced bellowed from the approaching shadow. “Miranda”. The voice called, rumbling through the church.

Miranda looked down at her husband's lifeless eyes, and the church covered in the moonlight with tall shadows witnessing this wedding night.

“Miranda, Miranda, Miranda”! Miranda woke up to the voice of Brittany. Her sister and maid of honor.

***

“Come on, sleepy head. Did you forget it's your wedding today?” Brittany said with a bright smile on her face.

Miranda forced a smile as her heart was still fluttering in her chest. “N… No, I didn't.” with a touch of nervousness in her voice.

Brittany's face changed, and concern entered her voice. “What's wrong? Please don't tell me you are having second thoughts.”

Miranda looked up at her sister, and with the biggest fake smile on her face. “No, Brittany.”

***

Golden rays of early morning sunshine entered through the open windows of the house Miranda was in; the shower steam floating out like smoke from a chimney as Miranda was humming the song from her favorite movie. She heard the drain of the shower slurping at the water. A few wet coughs came from the drain; then the water suddenly stopped. The drain kept on coughing. Miranda bent down to check if she could see what could be blocking the shower drain, and as she bent down her face came closer to the hole; black ink sprayed in her face, instantaneously a black liquid hand had a firm grip on her face.

Panic and fear resumed control of her movements. Miranda was splattering like a fish out of the pond. Her hands pounding away at the vice-like grip on her face; her breathing almost like quick punches from a boxer.

The hand holding her down; a witch-like whisper came to her ears. “We must kill him, kill him.” Just as Miranda felt her body go numb, the hand was gone, and she was standing in the shower winded feeling at her face with warm water slowing flowing down her skin.

***

Miranda came down the stairs to have some breakfast, and she was greeted by the chattering of her four bridesmaids and her mother. “Morning, my beautiful daughter.” Her mother said as she came to give her a big smile. Still haunted by her dream, and the shower episode; Miranda forced a smile to cover her face.

“Morning girls.” Miranda said after hugging her mother.

“Morning.” Everyone said with excitement in their voices.

Her blonde green-eyed sister came up to her, always her bubbly self. “You ready, big sis? Let's go make you look like a princess.” The group of women all gathered their belongings, and skipped out of the house; with the enthusiasm of five-year-old girls.

***

The voices and conversation were muffled out by her thoughts, as they were driving to the Salon. Looking out the window of her Mother's SUV. Miranda could not get the dark image out of her thoughts; the familiarity that she saw in its glowing eyes, and when it touched her, she did feel fear, but also a strange calmness.

***

The Salon was a buzz, laughing voices, hairdryers, and splashing water all harmonizing in the women's club. Miranda's nails were done, and she looked over and saw her sister instructing the manicurists.

With her hair already washed, the hairdryer was a soothing noise, and she could relax a bit without the haunting voice invading her thoughts. A very lively and energetic voice took over from the hairdryer. “Miranda my darling, today is mos your big day huh girlfriend.” Johnathan; the hairstylist from Cape Town, spoke as he was examining Miranda's dark brown hair.

Miranda smiled at him with a simple, “Yes.” As she was facing him.

“O ooh! We're going to make you look like a princess no, no, a queen today sweetheart.” Johnathan said as he spins her back around to face the mirror. After Jonathan did his magic; Shirley came and whipped out her powders, and brushes to do Miranda's makeup.

With her eyes closed, facing the panel of judges, she heard her sister say. “Wow, big sis, you look breathtaking.” “

“That is even without the dress girl.” Johnathan's voice came from a little further away.

Miranda felt the seat turn and heard Shirley's voice. “You can open your eyes.”

Miranda's heart almost stopped. It felt like a freezing hand smothered the scream from exiting her mouth, and her body felt like shrinking into a chair. Her bleeding mouth, blue-purple face, and one eye were totally closed from swelling. She thought it was a bad joke, the evil air around her whispered, the truth in her mind. Her good eye saw her this time, her skin looked like it was burning. Black skin is being burned by a dark blood-red-yellow flame, the skin was peeling off, and falling like leaves from a dying tree to the salon floor.

A sinister smile met the gaze of Miranda as the burning figure moved closer to her. Miranda could not move, fear holding her in place. The woman wrapped her hands around Miranda's face, and a burning cold tortured Miranda's skin. Flashes of screaming figures rushed through her mind, pain, fear, sadness, and a feeling of hopelessness washed over Miranda.

“Miranda!” her sister's voice saved her from demolishing Shirley's hard work with her tears.

“I'm ok, really, just a bit of nerves creeping in.” Her smile was not very convincing as her sister looked at her with worry in her eyes.

“Are you sure?” Brittany still studying her sister.

“She'll be fine.” Her mother's voice took the attention away from her, as Brittany put her interrogation of her big sister on hold.

***

They arrived at her parent's estate. 24 Hectares of land; the family home had mesmerizing gardens as you drove a hundred meters to get to the main house. Miranda stared out the window deep in thought as they got to the huge front door. She got out of the car, almost on autopilot, as she went through the motions of smiling and greeting everyone. Finally, she got to her room, and her wedding dress was almost hovering in midair like an angel waiting for her.

Brittany and the other bridesmaids followed her into the room. After eight hands helped her put on the dress; she was alone. She looked in the mirror and examined all the hard work that was done today. A black shadow appeared in the corner of her eye; just as Miranda tried to turn and run. The figure had her by her neck, suffocating the screams in her throat. Up close, she could see charcoal skin mixed with patches of pale white human skin. Her face had one blue eye with a small amount of pale skin surrounding it, and half of her head had long blond hair. She looked like a doll that was owned by a very troubled child. The door opens, and the air rushes back inside Miranda's lungs.

Her mother looked suspiciously at her daughter. “Are you ok?” Her mother's voice finally came.

Miranda looked at her mother and smiled. “Yes, I'm fine Mom, just a little nervous.”

***

The wedding was held in the small church on the estate; a tradition that has been there for generations that all their family members must get married in this church. Miranda stood in front of the closed doors as she heard 'Here Comes the Bride' being played on the piano and the rustling of feet. The doors slowly opened. The small church was filled with about fifty people, and all of them staring, and waiting for the bride to walk in. Her father gave her a proud smile as he hooked her arm into his, and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She looked up, and saw her fiancé, soon-to-be husband “kill!” The voice in her head fighting through the sound of the traditional bride's song.

They made their way down the aisle gracefully, and as her father gave her away, she felt the anxiety slowly growing inside her like cancer. Silence fell over the church as the Priest lifted his hand for the music to stop; everyone was still standing. “You may be seated.” The Priest's command was taken, and the fifty people sat down. “Dearly beloved, we are all gathered here today.”

The Priest's voice was drowned out. “Miranda we must.” The voice sounds more human now.

“We?” Miranda asked the voice.

“Yes, Miranda we, I, you” The voice sounded more and more familiar to her.

“I can't.” Miranda now pleading.

“Then I will!” The evil and brutal intent in the voice was clear, and the atmosphere in the church changed. Miranda could feel a cold breeze running by her as the Priest's silent words floated past her ears. Miranda looked behind her and saw her. A piercing glare came from her blue eyes, long blond hair dancing in the wind, and young slim twenty-year-old body. Miranda's eyes were shocked with surprise, and her heart galloping, she recognized the girl.

“Yes, Miranda, he has made you forget who you are. Broken you into pieces, and ripped out your true, beautiful self.”

The realization stabbed Miranda, and seeing herself standing in the door, she could still not believe what she had become. “Kill!” Her voice screamed in her head.

“NO!” Miranda felt the hands around her neck. The Priest was replaced by the younger her; the son with the moon, and the people by long-standing shadows. Her knees buckled under the pressure, Miranda's face begging in agony for her to let go. The blue eyes turned into a solid black, she lifted Miranda and pulled her close to her. A kiss followed just as Miranda's lips started to turn black, she woke up next to him, her fiancé. Miranda's eyes flashed open, and as the darkness disguised the room, splattered with broken glass and thorn clothes, Miranda’s soaked pillows from all her tears. She heavily got up and heard the voice. 'Kill' and she knew exactly what to do.