Jon used a door just off to the side of the wings that Madeleine had shown him to reach the stage and Karyn. Even though he had watched her dancing from a distance for the last few minutes, it was still strange to see her like this up close.
She wore an elaborate costume identical to those of the other dancers around her. A sparkling corset caught every hint of light. Thousands of tiny crystals and sequins covered its surface, giving the garment a rich, jewel-like shimmer. The neckline accentuated her wish-enhanced figure, while carefully stitched boning drew the corset into a graceful hourglass shape.
Long satin opera gloves in a matching soft pink reached almost to her elbows, their smooth finish contrasting with the glittering bodice. Flesh-coloured fishnet tights covered her legs, blending almost seamlessly with her skin while preserving the polished appearance expected of a professional chorus dancer. On her feet were pink heels with slim ankle straps and open toes. In all the years Jon had known Karyn, he could not remember her ever wearing heels, yet she had not only been wearing them but dancing in them.
Then came the feathers in matching shades of pink. The feather bustle spread outward in layered fans, framing her silhouette with soft plumes that extended well beyond her shoulders and hips. Completing her outfit was a sparkling rhinestone tiara set into carefully styled blonde hair arranged in sculptured vintage curls. Several tall feathers rose from the headpiece, mirroring the feather bustle behind her and drawing the eye upward. Matching pink crystal earrings added another touch of brilliance, while her makeup had been carefully applied to withstand the bright theatre lights, emphasising her eyes and lips with classic elegance.
This was Karyn as he had never seen her before.
Madeleine joined him and looked towards the tableau. Karyn was kneeling gracefully within one of the outer petals of the great flower-shaped formation, positioned near the front-right of the stage from the audience's perspective. Her weight rested evenly upon both knees, her posture tall and poised despite the demanding position. Her upper body was turned slightly towards the centre of the formation, allowing her to contribute to the sweeping curve that defined the flower's outer edge.
Her shoulders were relaxed and drawn gently back, giving her torso an elegant, elongated line. Both of her arms were extended outward and slightly behind her in a broad, flowing gesture, softened by a natural bend at the elbows. Her gloved hands remained relaxed, her fingers delicately extended without stiffness, creating the impression that she was presenting the enormous fan of pink feathers rising behind her rather than simply holding a pose.
The expression she wore was calm and composed, frozen at the exact instant the performance had reached its climactic tableau. There was no sense of strain despite the complexity of the formation. She appeared as though she had always belonged within it.
Just like all the dancers around her.
“Why? Why can't she move? She could last time?” Jon asked.
“Ah do not know, but Ah may know where to find some answers,” Madeleine replied in her softly accented English.
“But I can't leave her here like this,” Jon protested.
“She is probably in ze safest place zat she can be at ze moment,” Madeleine assured him.
Jon reached out and gently touched his friend, just as Madeleine had touched the dancer when they had first arrived.
“She is warm,” Jon said.
“So would you be if you 'ad just been dancing as she 'as for ze last few minutes,” Madeleine replied.
“I thought she would be cold.”
“She is not frozen. She is merely stopped. She is... paused,” Madeleine said, seeming to search for the final word before speaking it.
“Paused?”
“Ah think zat is ze correct word. She will return to normal when ze world begins again. Now come. We are not going to 'elp anyone by standing 'ere.”
Madeleine took his hand and led him towards a small door bearing the sign:
PERSONNEL UNIQUEMENT (STAFF ONLY)
Together they disappeared through it.
