Drabble Wednesday: Alternate Worlds

Today in Drabble Wednesday something a bit different. I bring you three stories, three settings, one person in three alternate world circumstances…

Anticipation

For the moment she is alone.

She looks in the mirror. The bright sun streams in the window, casting sparkles over her beaming reflection. She smiles. Everything is perfect. Just as she imagined. Outside the door she can hear the commotion of the day, the voices, the chatter.

Soon it will begin. She leave this room, this temporary respite from what was to come, these last few moments of simply her.

A knock echoes on her rumination. It is time. She picks up her bouquet, and opens the door. Her father stands there, waiting.

The wedding march begins to play.

~*~

Apprentice

For the moment she is alone.

She looks in the mirror. The fading sun streams in the small window, illuminating the faint scar on her cheek. She examines her appearance. Everything is perfect. Not a button out of place on her regalia. This day will happen just as she imagined.

Outside the door there is silence. All her fellow students and teachers will be assembled on the training grounds for the ceremony. Soon it will begin.

A knock sounds, and she opens the door.

An officer of the Royal Guard awaits her, ready to escort her to her induction ceremony.

~*~

Annihilation

For the moment she is alone.

She looks in the dusty mirror. The sun streams past the cracked window, casting shadows on her pale reflection. She wants to cry. Everything is ruined. Nothing has gone as she imagined.

Outside the door she hears commotion, roaring voices, the sound of shooting, screams. Here, in her temporary refuge, she wonders how it came to this. To war. To genocide.

She picks up her gun and stares at the cold metal. One bullet left.

As ferocious pounding slams against the door, she knows it’s too late. They’ve found her.

A gunshot rings out.

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