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Wren

WREN

I stepped forwards into the entrance of the mirror maze. The only sound was that of my breathing. My heart was racing, and I couldn't see anything.

"Little bird."

The soft, sweet words echoed around me. I shivered, goosebumps erupting all over my skin. This time, the goosebumps were delicious, temporarily chasing my nightmare away.

"W-what?" My own voice came out as a shaky whisper.

There was silence, punctuated by my breaths, faster and harsher the longer the silence continued.

I registered the heat of someone else's body, at the same moment the voice spoke again, right into my ear.

"Run."

The delicious scent of toffee apples hit my nose, and it took a moment for the words to register. But when they did, I smiled, and ran.

I had no plan. No sense of direction. I just kept running deeper into the maze, seeing my distorted reflection in the mirrors that lined the walls.

I stopped dead, spinning around, gasping for breath. Somehow, I was surrounded by mirrors on all sides. How was it possible? I spun around again, but my movements were halted by an arm wrapping around my waist.

Gasping, my gaze flew to the mirror in front of me. I saw a waterfall of blonde hair cascading over my shoulder as a head lowered, lips close to my ear, and at the same time, the scent of toffee apples surrounded me.

"Fuck," I whispered. "Amélie?"

"Little bird. ."

"Hi." My voice came out as a whisper, and Amélie laughed softly.

"I didn't think I'd catch you so easily."

What was happening? She was holding me against her, soft curves pressed against my back. We'd never been this close outside of our trapeze performances. Okay, occasionally we'd hug, or lean against each other…nothing different to the things we'd do with other cirque members.

My heart beat faster.

Did she know how I felt about her? She couldn't, surely. I'd kept it hidden, along with my other secret that I kept close to my heart. Secrets that should never be spoken aloud.

"Um." I swallowed, trying to get my brain to work. "Chase me…if you want to."

Then I tore myself away from her, running headlong into the darkness.

She laughed, clear and bright, and followed me.

"I'm going to catch you, ."

My self-preservation instinct kicked in, and I ran.

I lost myself in the darkness.

For a moment, the adrenaline carried me forwards, a smile on my face, but then I hit the true darkness. The blackness with no shadows, no light to break up the dark, walls surrounding me, bearing down on me.

I froze in place. There was no sound, and it was so, so dark. Too dark.

F lash .

My panicked breaths loud in my ears.

Flash .

Diving under my bed, moving from memory alone in the pitch-black room, the windows covered by blackout blinds.

Flash .

My hand clamped over my nose and mouth, willing myself to stop breathing for a moment. If I was silent, maybe he wouldn't find me.

Flash .

A sliver of light from the doorway cutting through the shadows.

Flash .

His hand wrapping around my ankles, yanking me out from my hiding place.

Flash .

The snick of his belt buckle as he stood over me.

Flash .

S inking to the floor of the mirror maze, I fucking sobbed, curling in on myself, forgetting where I was. Forgetting everything that made me who I was now, lost in my past, screaming and crying, my body shaking as I made myself as small as possible.

"Oh, fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. ." Arms came around me, and I lashed out, scratching and biting and kicking.

". It's me. Amélie." The voice was urgent in my ear. "It's me. Breathe."

I was dimly aware that the keening cry I could hear was coming from me, but I couldn't stop, tremors wracking my body as the tears fell.

Eventually I became aware of a hand rubbing up and down my back, and another hand on my heart, warm and steady.

"Breathe with me. In, and out." The hand left my heart, fingers curling around mine, lifting my hand to place it against soft skin, a steady heartbeat beneath. "In, and out. In time with me."

I gulped in a breath, my body still shaking, but I attempted to match my breaths to the ones I could feel underneath my palm.

"That's it," the soft voice murmured, drawing me closer. "Keep breathing. I'm here."

I didn't know how long we remained there. When I came back to full awareness, the mirror maze was lit with candles, soft flickers around us, and Amélie was sitting with her back against the wall, her arms around me, while I huddled into her.

"I—"

"No." Amélie's finger covered my lips. "I should never have done this. I'm so, so sorry, ."

"It wasn't your fault. How would you have known?" I whispered, lifting my head.

"." Her voice cracked, and she buried her face in my shoulder.

When she raised her gaze to meet mine, her eyes glistened with tears.

I held her gaze, dragging the words out. "It wasn't your fault. It's me…it's…no, it's not me, but it's my past. It's nothing to do with you, I promise."

"Do-do you want to talk about it?" Amélie was uncharacteristically hesitant.

I shook my head violently. "No. Please. Can we just…" Trailing off, I let myself fall back into her. "Please. No more."

"Okay." Her hand stroked down my back. "No more."

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