Chapter 68 Isabella
A soft drizzle taps on the roof, like hundreds of loose tiny beads dancing a light waltz. Another rainy day. I open the curtains. The clouds shadow the sky - the typical Moonlit weather is back. Thousands of days, like the one outside my window today, have formed my life. But today is one that I am really looking forward to. I didn’t have a lot to look forward to in the past.
I got a letter from Noah yesterday. Ms. Bennett said that the letter flew out from the chimney. How strange! Noah said he’s safe somewhere with some trustworthy people. He mentioned the importance of his adventure and that it has something to do with the Moon, but I’m worried about the potential danger he’s in. He’s never been out of this town. Where could he possibly go? There wasn’t any return address written either. But it seems like there’s nothing I can do now. At least he’s safe. I’ll wait for Lily to come back to talk to her about this. She might have some ideas about how to find him.
Sitting here and doing nothing makes me fidgety. I have to hold on to something to feel grounded. I open my tiny closet, and there isn’t much clothing inside. The only dance dress I had was destroyed by Serena. I only have one dress left, made of white cotton. It’s an old dress, but still looks new because I rarely wear it. I take an umbrella and walk up to the center of the town.
The street is rather empty compared to yesterday. I like it better when the street is empty. The rain washes off all the dirt and makes the streets fresh again. My sense of smell heightens with every passing second. I have a weird feeling that something great will happen soon, but I don’t know what it is. The werewolf race is on the brink of a huge change. Everyone is experiencing a change in their bodies. The pain is starting to fade, as if the frost is melting. An invisible energy is awakening; I feel it is trembling under a thick layer of earth, like it will burst out with a full blast of power. It terrifies me and makes my mind race.
Walking past the intersection by the theater, I clearly see that the Moonlit Cafe is closed behind a rolled-down shutter door. It’s strange, as today is Sunday. Olivia wouldn’t close the cafe on a Sunday. I come closer to it and the notification on the board aggrieves me. It’s been shut down, for hiring werewolves and unhygienic conditions. Another generous gift from Serena! She said she wouldn’t do anything if I quit! Why did she do this? All my life, she’s been targeting me. What on earth did I do to make her hate me so much? I take out my phone and call Olivia. It goes straight to voicemail. I feel so guilty about this. If she didn’t hire me, then she wouldn’t have to deal with this. I look into the cafe. All the chairs are stacked on the tables, and there is no one inside.
“Isabella!” A familiar male voice shouts my name from behind me.
“Mr. Miller!”
“What a coincidence! You’re here to work at the cafe?”
“No, it’s just been shut down.” I point to the notification.
“Oh no. That’s a terrible lie. Olivia always makes clean and marvelous cakes! And what’s so wrong with hiring a werewolf? Isn’t it the whole point of this town? To protect them from being slaughtered?”
His words ring like a bell in my ears and make my lips curve upwards. “I was actually on my way to see you, Mr. Miller.”
“Really! You’re on your way to the theater? That’s great! Come on, we’re almost late for practice.”
The minute I enter the Moonlit Theater, I’m in awe. The stage is lit under a spotlight in front of rows of red velvet chairs. The dancers are warming up and stretching. They look so beautiful in their ballet dresses, turning, jumping, and spinning as they balance on their toes. It amazes me.
“We are in the process of rehearsing for an upcoming ballet show. The lead dancer is sick at home. She’s not able to do the opening anymore, as we’re running out of time. Do you want to give it a shot?”
“What? The lead? I couldn’t possibly..”
“I’ve seen you dance in the school theater once, alone,” Mr. Miller objects, “I’ve never seen anyone dance like that before. Your steps are right to the point and create a powerful expression with the rhythm of the music. You react to the music very differently. I wouldn’t let you try if I didn’t have confidence in you.”
I’m speechless. I’m so happy to know that Mr. Miller saw me dance and thinks I’m good at it.
“Can you do a pirouette en pointe?” He seems excited.
“I can try.” I’m so nervous, but my entire body wants me to stand on the stage. The stage is pulling me towards it.
“Go for it! The stage is yours.” He gives me a pair of ballet shoes and leans on the front chair and waits for me onstage.
The shoes are a perfect fit. I tentatively step on the stairs at the side. The other dancers are giving me curious looks. The sound of my breath is heavy and slow. I look down and Mr. Miller is patiently waiting for me to get ready. The light before me is glaring and I can see nothing but the brightness. It makes me feel a sense of privacy, like no one is judging or staring at me. It’s like I’m alone, hidden in the darkness again, a place that I’m used to.
I raise my arms, stretching them upwards and widely separating them. My legs are following involuntarily. I point my toes and start to make a turn. My arms swirl, leading the turn. Then, I make another turn. I feel a firmness in my muscles. Another turn follows another. A breeze is blowing around me. My world is spinning. A stream of smooth music is wafting in the air. I turn against it, like I’m living in the music itself, like I am a note in it. I turn, turn and turn, nonstop. All my pain is disappearing, I myself am disappearing, as if another version of myself is dancing under the light, another being sharing the same soul with me, a wolf is awakening inside me. I hear applause strongly ringing out around me. But I don’t want to stop. On the stage, for the first time, I have felt the meaning behind the word, freedom.