Beauty and the Beast

Kenna laid there. A beast hovering over her. Its paws on either side of her shoulders. It looked down at her, snarling, drooling. Her heart was still racing. She dared glace at it. Its eyes squinted almost. Its breath smelled of rotting meat. When it breathed hard on her and snarled again Kenna screamed and flinched. Kenna refused to open her eyes again.

She felt a rush of air over her and fur graze her ankle. She opened one eye to see that she was alone. She put both of her hands on her still beating heart. She was alive, that she knew. But that…beast was ready to kill her. Why didn’t it? She sat up slowly. Looking toward the forest and back into the village. With one last look toward where the beast fled she stood and ran back home.

She was home within 30 minutes. Out of breath and still scared out of her mind. She closed her front door behind her and took a deep breath. The candles were lit, giving mention toward someone else being home. She stood from the door and walked as calmly as she could to her room. She peaked into her brother’s open door to see that he was fast asleep. His bedroom candles threating to burn the stand they sat on. She blew them out leaving him in darkness. She closed his door quietly and heard a knock at her bedroom window.

She closed her bedroom door behind her and shown a light to her window to see Bordan frowning. “What’s wrong?” She questioned when she opened the window.

Bordan leaned his elbows on the sill. “I was just worried you wouldn’t make it home. I meant to run after you but…” He looked down at his intertwined hands.

Kenna put her own hand on his, the candle still in her other hand. “I’m fine.” A lie she told quite well now a days. “It was just hard to see Jordan cuddling with him while he shot such words at me.” Kenna took her hand off of his and set the candle down next to the sill.

Bordan looked to the side of her and took a deep breath. “He’s the only one who pays attention to her that way. Or really the only one she wants attention from.” They bother knew that their friend loved men with authority. It was a surprise she hated Mayor Losvy though.

“Thank you for the flowers this morning.” Kenna nodded remember the white petals that she woke up to.

“I thought you would like them.” Bordan smiled. “Roses are my favorite.

Kenna gave a noise that let Bordan know that she had just remember something. “Roses!” She giggled.

Bordan chuckled in return. Then he stopped. His face grew serious. “Im serious though Kenna.”

She cocked her head and narrowed her eye brows. “About what?” She almost wanted to laugh.

“Marry me.”

She never thought he was serious. “I…I…ca” Kenna stuttered.

Bordan gripped bother of her hands in his. “Marry me tomorrow.”

Kenna pulled her hands away, trying hard to not offend him. “I don’t want to marry you Bordan…” She bit her bottom lip and looked away.

Bordan rubbed the bruised side of her face gently. “He will never hurt you again.”

“You should leave, Mark is still awake.” Kenna had to lie. She didn’t want to say yes, she couldn’t marry her best friend out of fear.

Bordan knew she was lying. He hung his head low and rested his hands on the sill, standing up straight. “I’ll wait as long as I need to.” She couldn’t look him in the eye. “I’ve grown to love you, more than a friend. And I will not let anyone hurt you anymore.” He left closing her window for her.

She stayed still. Standing in the middle of her room. The roses were a promise. A question. “Will you marry me?”

No, never Bordan. She could never. She didn’t love him the same way he loved her. And what kind of marriage is one that is untruthful.

“I’m fine.” When she was close to death not an hour ago.

That beast hesitated. And she needed to know why. But…did she really care? Why was she spared? Did her prayer to an unseen force really help? Was she being protected by her dead mothers God? She wanted to stop thinking. To sleep for the rest of her life.

But she continued to settle for only 6 hours of sleep a night. 6 hours of peace, dreams, and visions of what could be. More than anything although, she did not want to face what tomorrow would bring.

Notes