Anna never had seen anything like it. She breathed into her hands, rubbing them together to combat the cold. She stood outside the shop on the square. Inside was the most beautiful dress she had ever seen. It was an ivory green, with a huge skirt and matching gloves. Something you would wear to a grand ball with the queen, as you were escorted by the Duke of So and So or the Lord of This and That. Anna laughed, fogging the glass between her and the dress. As she wiped it clear, she could see herself in the glass. She backed up and looked at herself. She was in the dress.

She turned this way and that. The color of the dress glittered with her hair, which she held up off her neck. The red would be so much more pleasing if her skin would turn back to its proper pale color instead of the odd pink it had turned in the cold. She blinked and suddenly, it wasn't cold at all.
She wasn't outside. Anna was inside the shop, wearing the dress.

The mistress of the shop lifted the hem just so.

“Isn't that better, miss?” the shopkeeper gestured to her.

“Yes,” she heard herself say, “so much so. Hmm. How much?” She slide the gloves on knowing full well that the answer didn't matter.

“Eighty, miss.” Anna tilted her head.

“I'll take it.” The shopkeeper clapped his hands together.

“Oh. Thank you, miss.” He moved to take her hand.

“Just have it sent to my seamstress.” She knew it was rude of her, but she didn't care. She didn't like this particular shop. But the dress had called her.

“Yes. Of course.” Her chaperone held out her had to help her down. She returned the dress and pulled her own dress, a modern gray one with a matching hat and jacket. The shopkeeper and wife bowed her out of the shop. She met her uncle as he pushed a vagrant away from the car, which was waiting for her.

“Hello, Anna. Did you get that dress?” he said, smiling indulgently. She nodded in his direction.
“Excellent. You'll command the attention of every gentlemen at the party.” All the proper gentlemen would be there. Every time her parents held a party, they would only invite the best that society could offer.

Her uncle opened the car door for her and she slide in. He ran around the other side and got in. “Home,” she said. The driver nodded and started towards her home. They drove through town, into the countryside and in front of the house. There a tall man opened her door, helping her out. She walked up her stairs and entered the house.

The opulence of the house left her unimpressed. The marble staircase shined brightly as she slide her coat off into the hands of a servant. Her mother slinked out of a hallway, a brightly colored drink in hand.

“Darling,” she smiled, “how was your trip?”

“Fine,” Anna sniffed. “I got a dress for your party.”

“Lovely, dear.” Her mother gave her a kiss and and walked away, sipping her cocktail. Anna had just the slightest feeling that her mother never heard a word she said. She walked up to her room. It was huge and filled to the brim with golden trinkets. She turned toward a servant in order to pick the dress she was to wear tonight, at dinner. When she indicated the dark blue dress with an asymmetrical hemline, the girl pulled it out and helped her into it. As she sat at her mirror, the sun had almost set.
Anna grabbed her brushes and started applying some makeup. Not a lot of makeup, just enough to show off her features. Nothing felt out of place. She didn't have any worries. She felt free. She felt...

“Get out of here, you! You're frightening away my customers!” Anna snapped back to reality as she was struck by a broom. She ran back to her current home, a crate lid leaned against a wall. She shivered. The rags she wore did little to quell the chill around her. She curled into a ball, tears falling down her face; it had seemed so real. She tried to stop crying as her mind tried to carry her back. She had almost made it when they found her that morning, frozen to death.