Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 5

Though the only light I had to see him with was what reflected off of Francis, there was no mistaking him as an animal. Thick, black fur stuck out in every direction on every inch of his body. I watched, shell-shocked, as his chest rose and fell from him panting. He was an animal, there was no doubt in that, yet he wore torn pants and a golden cross around his neck. What kind of animal wore clothing?

He took a step closer, crystal blue eyes glared at me as I sat there petrified. "What are you doing in my house?" The animal growled at me. I could only blink at him in utter shock. Did he just talk to me? "Answer me!" He screamed. If a mirror were in here, it would have broken with how high pitched my scream was as my ears rang and popped from his growl echoing around the small space. Covering my ears, I doubled-over not really knowing if it was from seeing the creature or hearing his deafening voice.

Claws dug into my arm as they wrenched it away from my ear. Looking down in horror, I saw that blood was now coating the claws. I was too scared to scream, too shocked to even look up from my now bruised and cut arm. I heard the animal utter a curse as he looked down at my arm, before letting me go. Still looking down, I saw his feet, which had both the dark fur and curling claws, step away from me.

Slowly and cautiously, I raised my head to look at him. He was still glaring, but his features seemed to get slightly softer as he stared back at me. Swallowing down the lump of fear that was in my throat, I opened my mouth to speak. "I-I've come for my brother." I tried, and failed, to make my shaky voice sound even remotely close to being strong.

The animal's glare darkened as my words processed through his mind. "You're here to take my prisoner?" He asked through gritted teeth that looked sharp enough to slice my head off in just one bite.

Trying to calm my breathing from the loud pants that echoed in my ears, I nodded my head. What was the use in lying? It was quite obvious that he wasn't going to leave either of us alive. One look at Charlie in his condition already told me that. He didn't even seem to care that his 'prisoner' was sick, which only concluded that this creature was definitely an animal. Only an animal would kick a dying man while he was down by chaining him to a wall.

"He broke into my home, and you expect me to just let him go? Get out." He growled at me before taking a step forward.

This time, instead of backing away in fear, I took a step closer and glared right back at him. If I was going to die anyway, might as well do it with a fight. "I broke into your home and you're telling me to go?" My brown eyes formed into slits as they glared right back at his crystal ones.

An angry, furry brow raised as he regarded me. "You're just a girl. What kind of man walks into another person's home without being invited?" He ground his teeth against each other as he looked past me and took a step towards Charlie.

Eyes widening in alarm, I took a step in front of him to block his path. "Then take me." I said with as much strength as I could.

The animal blinked at me as he looked me up and down. "What did you just say?" He asked, his voice still low, with a growl bouncing around in his chest.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I took a deep breath before looking him straight in the eye. "Take me in place of my brother. Let him go and I will stay here for as long as you wish." Deep down, I knew this was a bad idea, but when I looked back at Charlie's pale face, which was looking at me with petrified horror, I knew I had to do this for him. He's already done and lost so much for me. I closed my eyes as guilt continued to pour into me at the thought of my mother. "Take me instead."

"Ella," Charlie struggled on a gasp, "no!" He yelled at me.

"Silence!" The animal roared at him. Charlie coughed but thankfully kept his mouth shut; the last thing I needed was this animal ripping out my brother's throat right in front of me. I shuddered at the thought. Looking up, I watched as the animal seemed to be calculating whether or not I was being serious. "You would stay here as my prisoner, just to let this wasted life go?" His eyes narrowed, as he cocked his head to the side.

Anger boiled within me. "Don't call him a wasted life! You know nothing about him and I'm sure that he's a better person than you could ever even hope to be, because I know for a fact that he would never lock you in a basement while you were sick." I glared at him as I took an angry step forward. Maybe it was a bad idea to yell at an animal who could probably rip out my heart and have it for dinner with just one flick of his wrist; at the time I didn't really care. I would have rather him rip out my heart, than see either me or Charlie left behind as some prisoner that meant nothing to this animal in front of me.

A throaty laugh shook the creature. "You're so tiny, I'm sure your worst anger couldn't ever scare off a cat." He leaned down so his face was only inches from mine as he stared into my eyes. How could such a cruel animal have such precious eyes? They were the brightest blue I had ever seen and his black fur looked almost inviting enough to run your hands through. I didn't dare move my hands from my side, though, as I continued to glare at him.

After a few minutes he sighed, causing me to scrunch my face in disgust at his breath that fanned my braid behind my back. "Let the prisoner go. And Francis? You let anyone else in here and I will kill them right in front of you." He growled as he gave a murderous look over to the candlestick.

The candlestick shook for a fraction of a second before his middle candle bowed as if agreeing with the creature. The animal shot one last glance at me before stomping back towards the stairs. I stood there, frozen, as I watched him crawl away on all fours. What in the world kind of animal is he?

He was too large to be a dog, yet he had a long tail just like a wolf. He was even larger than a bear, but his fur made you picture him as one. He had a snout long enough to have poked me in the face, if he leaned in right. Then there were his teeth, which looked like two sets of white razorblades just waiting to sink into his next victim.

My thoughts were cut off by Charlie yelling as the chains came alive and started pulling him down the hallway. "Ella, what have you done?" His voice echoed off the broken walls as he was dragged. "Ella!" His voice still sounded scratchy from being sick.

I stepped forward to go after him, but soon chains were wrapping around my wrists; pulling me back against the vacant spot where Charlie just left. "Charlie!" I yelled after him, until my throat grew raw and I knew he was gone. Once I had no voice left, I sunk to my knees, in the same position I had found my brother in earlier, and cried my eyes out.