Joan

Chapter XXXII

"Joan." Like a faint ghostly whisper, I stir at the sound of my name being called. "Joan, wake up."

The voice beckons me so gently that I'm able to ease out of my sleep without a fit, yet at the same time everything feels surreal like a lucid dream or something.

"Come outside," The ethereal voice calls.

Sitting up, I notice the faint light coming in from the entrance- it's the only thing that lets me know that I'm actually awake and not going crazy (or blind).

Unlike me, I delay getting up and exiting the burrow- not because of common sense but because

I'm not sure if anyone else is hearing this voice or if it's just me. Maybe it's like some divine power or whatever trying to tell me something important to my mission.

As if to get me to take that first step, the voice gently coaxes me again. "Come."

If this is a sign of help or anything crucial to my mission then I'm not going to miss it. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I carefully make my way to the entrance, trying not to disturb anybody in the process. Crawling through the tight space, I emerge on the other side, squinting my eyes as a bright, white light overwhelms me. When I open my eyes again, I'm met with a shocking change of scenery.

What I'm expecting is the usual steamy, humid-cursed pitch-black jungle, but what I arrive at is a grand, light-filled ballroom humming with cheerful murmurs from an elegantly dressed crowd. Peering down from the balcony I stand on, I watch the happy couples dance to the lively orchestra while I try to figure out what I might have accidentally eaten to give me this delusion. It's like a scene from a Disney princess movie or some medieval romantic scene.

"What the?"

My attention, though, is diverted when I hear the same voice call out to me again.

"Joan."

Looking down into the crowd, I can't seem to pinpoint the origin of the voice but I know whoever is calling me is down there somewhere.

This is just too weird for me so late at night so I decide to return where I came, but just as I'm about to turn around, that voice calls out to me again.

"They're waiting on you."

Confused, I look back over the balcony and realize that the once lively crowd has paused and everyone's eyes are trained up at me, waiting expectantly. The music has come to a lull and it feels like I'm holding up the party.

I'm not one to freeze up, but this actually takes me off-guard and I'm not sure what to do. What are they expecting of me (and don't they know I never meet people's expectations)? Like a deer in headlights, I stare back at them like a moron, ready to bounce when the same alluring voice instructs me.

"Come down."

Not sure when I started listening to random voices in my head that don't belong to me, but after a brief delay, I slowly start to descend down the grand staircase.

I'm not sure what I'm expecting when I reach the bottom. Like, are they going to jump me? Am I going to wake up from this mind fuck? I'm literally walking into the unknown.

"Look at you," The voice coos. "Have a look for yourself."

I'm confused what they're referring to until I pause on the last landing and look straight ahead at my reflection in the mirror.

Not only is the scenery different, but I'm different.

Instead of the clothes I've been sporting for days, I wear a dark serpentine color, off-shoulder, long lace sleeve ball gown that glitters like a starry night under the soft light. It's the most beautiful dress I've ever seen or worn- and it fits me like a glove; the color compliments my skin tone while the v-neck highlights my hooters in a flattering way (unheard of when it comes to dresses for me). To top it all of, I wear a matching necklace that looks like it came from a pricey art museum. But my wardrobe isn't the only change. My usual frizzy, curly mane has been tamed into an elegantly complex updo that looks Pinterest worthy- not to mention my hair looks sleek and richly brown. Probably the most shocking transformation of all is my face. I'm still me but with smooth, porcelain skin- like a doll's- and soft pink lips that look as natural as the light blush on my cheeks- as opposed to my usual flushed face when I've just finished a sprint. Even the faint traces of glitter on my eyelids looks natural, like I woke up looking this fresh and model ready; even down to my well-manicured hands and- I'm sure- toes.