Beauty and the Beast

“My dear people!” Mayor Losvy shouted from the podium in the middle of the bricked court yard.

Two and even three story buildings were circled around them. Red and orange leaves bloomed on the trees, telling everyone to prepare for the soon to come cold winter. Kenna stood with her two friends. She had finally been able to see the awful mark that her brother had placed on her. It looked like a healing burn. Bordan and Jordan refused to leave her side, especially if her brother came to whisk her away.

Today was a holiday though, the memorial of the burnt orphanage. It had been 8 years today. Kenna had little memory of the event, being only nine and all. Bordan knew a lot about it though. His father had worked on the trial that sent the boys away who burned the whole place down. But that’s all she knew about it.

“Today marks a tragedy.” He paused and looked down as if he was indeed sorry for what had happened. He took a breath and looked back up, “we mourn the 57 souls that had no hope when they stepped into that orphanage that morning.”

“Same speech every fucking year.” Jordan mumbled, not really directed toward everyone.

“You can’t really pretend to care if they keep changing the speech on you. It’s like a script.” Bordan responded.

Jordan continued to look at the mayor with her arms crossed and her head cocked. Bordan had his hands in his pockets and looked just about as annoyed as Jordan. Kenna stood tall, her hands at her sides and her hair covering the side of her face that needed it most.

“Today!” Kenna had realized she had not been paying attention until Mayor Losvy shouted. “Today,” he nodded his head toward the people who were crying in the front row. “Today…we celebrate their lives.” He made a fist and jerked it to and fro fast. “Unlimited portions until dawn!” He widened his arms toward the crowd who screamed and shouted in return. The mayor nodded his head and smiled. “Feast my friends. We may have only a few more hours to do so.”

Everyone in the village had crowded into the food court. Kenna, Jordan, and Borden stayed outside. They sat on the ground in the court yard. Laughing amongst each other. Kenna played with a pebble that had caught her eye.

To her surprise the pebble flew out of her hand from cause of someone hitting her hand upward hard. “Every fucking time.” Grant Losvy, the worst of them all, son of the mayor, sat down next to Jordan, whom was smiling like a fool.

Kenna rolled her eyes and looked away. She knew the first thing he would say if he saw the bruise on her cheek. “Shouldn’t you be with your father?” Jordan asked letting Grant take her hand in his.

“I would never miss to spend time with such a beautiful flower.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

Jordan giggled, “talk about nasty.” Bordan whispered to Kenna.

“Got a problem pinky?” Kenna heard Grant say.

She glanced over to see that he was indeed talking to her. “What?” Kenna dared.

“Just because the only action you get is from your brother doesn’t mean you…” Kenna didn’t let Grant finish.

“My life is a living hell already.” She got in his face, like always Jordan seemed to be blind and deaf when it came to Grant taunting Kenna. “I don’t need a stuck up prick like you to make it any worse.” Kenna stood up and walked away from the group.

She wanted Bordan to follow, but she couldn’t hear footsteps. It was already getting dark. A little light still showed a faded orange in the sky, but the sun was nowhere to be seen.

She kept walking. Farther to the edge of town. No one was in their homes. She had never realized how much walking could do for a mind as messy as hers. It was pitch black outside. The stars were not as bright as most nights. She kept her head low and her hands in her pockets. She hadn’t realized how far she had gone until she felt a branch break beneath her feet. She looked up, gasped, and took a few steps back. She had reached the edge of the dark forest. Haunting trees leaned over the stone path way. Creaking of trees and cooing of animals only added to the fright she was feeling.

She gulped. A small breeze pushed dead leaves off of their branches and moved the dirt that was lose on the forest floor. She looked high into the trees and could see the eyes of animals staring back. She took another step back.

“Who the hell though that fairies came out of the place?” She questioned to herself.

She was about to turn back to her home when he heard a low growl. She whipped her head around to look back into the trees. Her heart was pounding. She had heard horrible stories of wolves that lurked at the edge of the forest.

“Hello?” She whispered, her voice cracking from fright.

She was shaking. She would never be able to outrun and animal as big as the stories say. Her mouth was open slightly, ready to scream. Her eyes, kept wide, to try to see into the forest. A crack of a branch and another low growl emitted from the darkness. Her heart pounded faster. He gulped one more time before two pairs of bright yellow eyes seemed to open in the darkness.

“Oh shit…” She mumbled, ready to say her last prayer to the God her mother always talked about. She slowly stepped back, away from the eyes.

But they just got closer. She could soon see a full body. Mangled fur covered its huge muscular body. Giant shoulders swayed up and down as it walked toward her. Claws the size of her hand clicked at the stone as it lurched toward her more. A snarl revealed large yellow fangs. Her heart was pounding harder than ever, sweat dripped from her forehead and palms. He growled and snapped its jaws. Kenna flinched continuing to walk backwards. The back of her heal hit a large rock, sending her crashing down to the ground. At the same time the animal lunged toward her. Pouncing onto her body. Kenna screamed…

Notes