I wrote this story while listening to 'The Last Waltz' performed by Love For Acoustic Cafe.
“Figures dancing underneath the dark moonlight, blinded by love”
‘1-2-3, 1-2-3’ Alexia counted.
She turned around, gracefully. It seemed like she was a professional. The music flowed gently as Alexia swayed side to side and twirled. It was midnight. The theater was closed because of the war. However she could see all her family and friends clapping for her. Tears fell down her cheeks, on to her scarlet dress. She kept on dancing, as if she was trying to forget what happened. Her sobbing got louder and louder. Her eyes were clouded by tears and she collapsed to the ground. Wailing, gripping her dress hard. It seemed like forever, until she smiled. But her smile was strange. She was smiling at an empty row of chairs. Her gaze fell towards a great big stage. She used to perform there ever since her father taught her how to dance. She would perform a short dance piece, and his family always sat at the front row, encouraging her.
“Reality hits them. Then time is frozen”
But when the war started, everything was different. Her father went to the army and never came back. Her mother fell ill and died after a few months. She and her younger brother was sent to a foster house, where they were mistreated. So young and fragile, her brother was sent to another foster family and never to be seen again. One day, she escaped from the foster home and started to work as an entertainer at a theater. She didn't get paid enough to live a happy life, but the fact that she could dance again seemed like nothing could bother her anymore.
“Hope flickers through the night, until it goes out out forever.”
Then the government wanted every theater to shut down, along with many other entertainments. The theater she worked in wasn't an exception. She didn't have money, but also couldn't dance anymore. Alexia lost her hope. Almost. She found a passage that led her to the ball room. In there, she danced all night, to forget her hunger, to forget her sorrows, to forget everything.
“Until the past becomes the now and the now becomes the past.”
She glides across the dance stage. All the time she spent alone in the dark, seemed like the past. Now, she could see her past. Her father, her mother, her brother. Young Alexia jumped down the stairs, into her father’s arms. He whispers ‘I'm proud of you, my daughter, my only.’ Tears rolled down her rosy cheeks. She grabbed the chair.
“I miss you. Don't leave me..”
But her eyes didn't have the glow it used to have. It was dull and colourless. She took a breath.
“Last Waltz.” She told herself and waltzed along the stage.
She looked up. Her father was there. Guiding her, holding her. And she smiled. A genuine smile. She hugged her father.
“I'm coming..”
“But in this mess, I'll still find you.”
The next morning, a security guard came in the theater. Today was the day the war ended. He was to open the door of the theater and tell everyone the theater reopened. However, he saw a figure lying down on the floor. He went up to the figure and gasped. Then he started to sob.
“Alexia! Dear sister! Why couldn't you wait a bit longer? I'm sorry.”