Solstice - The Goddess Awakens

The five minute ride to the university’s Great Hall gave Lola time to try and compose herself. She had been tempted to get into her the car and drive home again, but how could she have explained her actions to her friends. Besides, she would rather die than let her mother’s dress go to waste, so she decided to pull herself together and try and make the most of the night.

‘Is it alright if I drop you off here? It’s harder to get stopped out on the main road,’ asked the taxi driver.

‘No, this is perfect,’ smiled Lola. ‘Thanks a million. How much do I owe you?’

‘That’ll be £4.30, love.’

Shuffling through the contents of her purse, Lola pulled out a five pound note and handed it to the driver.

‘Have a great night, young lady, and you look stunning by the way. There’ll be some lucky boys in there tonight!’

‘I don’t know about that,’ laughed Lola, lifting her dress as she climbed out of the black cab.

The taxi had dropped her off on a street situated at the side of the university. She walked past the main library towards the front of the large Tudor-styled hall. Streams of revellers were heading towards the Lanyon building where the Vintage Ball was being held. Red carpet had been rolled out leading into the entrance hall, or the black and white hall, as it had become known, because of its large chequered floor. It always reminded her of the entrance hall at Arthur’s.

Lola retrieved her ticket from her purse, shivering as she entered the warm foyer where a statue of Galileo in deep contemplation sat as the centrepiece. A line had developed at the small door on the right-hand side of the room that lead to the Great Hall. Lola felt quite self-conscious as she stood alone in the queue, as everyone else seemed to have a partner. Lola handed over her ticket to the young girl on the door and made her way with the others up the narrow sandstone stairway to one of the most imposing rooms in the entire university. She had only ever been in the Great Hall once before and found it very pretentious and stuffy, like most of the people who frequented it. It was a magnificent room with vaulted ceilings, a raised dais and oriel windows, which allowed a great deal of natural light to penetrate the room, highlighting its ornate trusses and other features. However, once she stepped through the archway into the room, Lola was stunned to see how much it had been transformed. Any traces of the period room had completely disappeared. A white dance floor had been placed over the oak boards. The room was draped in a white canopy, which hung from the high ceilings and along the walls. There were large bunches of mistletoe with red and gold bows tied around them, suspended from the ceiling. The entire room was lit in hues of soft icy blues and whites, with frosted branches and icicle lights suspended from the ceiling.

It was enchanting. Small round tables, lacquered in black and gold, surrounded the dance floor. Each table was lit by candlelight which added to the ambiance of the room. Along the back wall was the refreshment stand where waiters and waitresses in white overcoats and aprons handed out mulled wine, champagne and other beverages. The centrepiece of the room was the large stage, which had been erected at the top of the long room. In true 1930s style, the art deco stage was lit in a soft yellow light, with a fan shaped backdrop. On stage there was a swing band with a the female singer belting out a jazzed up version of ‘Big Spender’. The university committee had managed to book one of the latest swing sensations. She was from Dublin with a voice like Billie Holiday and Aretha Franklin all rolled into one, Clara had told her. Lola scanned the corners of the room hoping to find the girls. Hanging up her coat, she headed towards the bar stand. After the fright she’d had back at the house she needed something strong. Lola didn’t usually drink, so to her ‘strong’ was a glass of mulled wine. Thanking the barman for the drink, she downed the contents of the glass. The combination of mixed spices, cloves and lemon was delicious so she ordered another. Lola almost spilled her drink down her dress when a cold pair of hands grabbed her back.

‘There you are!’ beamed Orla. ‘We were wondering where you’d got to. Ruby’s doing her nut in!’ Lola was relieved to see Orla, and gave her a tight hug; she could feel the cold night air that still clung to her garments.

‘Let me get a look at that dress, Lo, give us a twirl,’ said Orla, holding Lola at arm’s length, motioning for her to turn around. ‘That is just stunning. You’re like a model, and that green beading really brings out your eyes.’

‘Wise up, Orla,’ said Lola, clearly embarrassed and trying to change the subject. ‘You look beautiful, that colour is perfect on you. Where are the rest of them?’ asked Lola as she searched around the packed room for the familiar faces of Ruby and Clara.

‘They’re leaving in their coats. So,’ said Orla, rubbing her hands, ‘what are we drinking?’

‘I’ve just tried some of that mulled wine,’ replied Lola, waving the glass in front of Orla. ‘It’s really good, in fact,’ said Lola before draining the second glass,’ I think I’ll have another one.’

‘Here,’ said Orla handing Lola another glass of wine, ‘I’ll join you.’

‘Cheers, bud.’ Lola clicked her glass off Orla’s as she filled her in on her journey up the road. ‘And that Ruby one, leaving my bloody bedroom window lying wide open. She nearly gave me a heart attack. I thought there was someone in the friggin house,’ rambled Lola, but her friend wasn’t listening. ‘Orla. Orla,’ nudged Lola. ‘Are you listenin to me?’ Lola hadn’t had anything to eat all day so the wine had gone straight to her head, or her knees – she wasn’t sure. So it was a few seconds before she sensed that something or someone else, held Orla’s attention. The venomous look on her friend’s face told Lola all she needed to know.

She didn’t have to ask her friend, she didn’t even have to turn around because her body sensed his approach immediately. She could feel his eyes burning into her exposed back. All heat extinguished from her body and her blood ran cold. Orla was speaking over her shoulder but the deafening roar inside Lola’s ears made it impossible for her to hear anything. Everything felt distant and strange as she leaned on the makeshift bar for support. He’s the enemy. Keep it together, Lola.

Orla positioned herself between Lola and Alex Stein. Lola could feel him closing in, and although she willed her brain and her feet to move, they wouldn’t abide.

‘You have some cheek coming here tonight, Alex Stein. Don’t you come anywhere near her,’ barked Orla. ‘Come on, Lola, let’s get a table.’ Orla, who had started to move through the crowd, turned around, annoyed to find Lola still embedded in the same spot. Catching Orla’s eyes, Lola nodded for her to go on. She could handle this.

‘I’ll be with you in a minute,’ she said, gulping down the rest of her mulled wine.

Lola didn’t move an inch, he was right behind her now, and she could feel his warm breath on her back. Aibgrene had warned her about this – so why was she still there? The amulet around her neck lay dormant. There was no fear. She could never fear Alex despite the fact that he posed such a threat to all that she held dear. Slowly turning, there was hardly any space between them now. He looked as radiant as ever.

He had a drink in his hand. ‘Would you like a drink, Lola?’ She had longed to hear that voice. It had seemed like years since she had seen that smile. Nervously, she snatched the drink and downed the contents. She had to get away; she had to get out of there. Lola’s head began to spin and for an instant she thought she might vomit right on the spot. As she tried to shove past Alex he caught her by the arm, pulling her back.

‘Please, Lola,’ he pleaded, ‘just one dance.’ And there it was. That look. He was back. The Alex Stein that she had fallen in love with. The Alex that she was still in love with. What is wrong with you? Screamed her head. But her heart answered. What harm could one dance do? What harm can come to us in a large room full of people? Go on, one dance won’t hurt. So, intoxicated on mulled wine and Alex Stein, Lola took his warm hand in hers as he led them out to the middle of the dance floor. The familiar current of electricity that she felt every time she was with him ignited through every part of her body. As he pulled her closer, Lola recognised the first few bars on the piano; the melody floated out onto the floor and the lady on the stage began to sing that song. The lyrics that she’d cried a river to for weeks suddenly floated through the hall. All she could feel and see was Alex Stein and all she could hear was their obituary as it rolled from the singer’s mouth in a beautiful lament. ’Don’t ask me, what you know is true,’ she sang. ’I don’t have to tell you. I love your precious heart. I, I was standing, you were there, two worlds collided and they could never tear us apart.’

‘Why are you doing this to me?’ Lola asked but Alex didn’t answer straight away. Instead, he pulled her closer to him as he ran his fingertip down the crease of her back.

Caressing her neck, Alex whispered into her ear. ‘Because you have been the only spark in my eternity of darkness.’ Lola felt more disorientated as the wine made the room swirl. Still the words of the song fell on them, not one word escaped her. ’If we lived for a thousand years, if I hurt you, I’d make wine from your tears.’ But Lola knew that Alex Stein would make more than wine from her tears, he’d make it from her blood. Lola thought that she was about to lose consciousness. She needed air and she need to get out of this room. She needed to get away from Alex. Breaking free from his arms, she stumbled through the crowd and descended the stairs in a haze. Running out into the quad, Lola greedily sucked in the cold night air but it only made her worse. Her vision became blurred. Panicked, Lola staggered forward in a futile attempt to steady herself. Dad was right, she thought to herself, it’s snowing. Lola’s brain didn’t register the neat set of foot prints that lay in the newly fallen snow. The quad began to spin and swirl around her.

‘Have we had too much to drink, Lola?’ were the last words that she heard, before the black abyss of unconsciousness took over.