Finding Beauty

Chapter 6

~Beauty~

I wake up to the sound of a vacuum cleaner. I'm guessing it must be Carina who I am now realizing is probably the maid. I look around and don't need to remember where I am. It's all I thought about last night. Even in my sleep -which I got very little of- the thought of being in danger lingered there somewhere.

I study the room and find it looks like a hotel room. Clean white sheets and pillows on a king sized bed, a nightstand and a lamp, a dresser next to a sliding door closet, and a desk in the corner with a small window looking out into the forest. There's even a small bathroom where I find an untouched soap, toothpaste and toothbrush.

Walking out of the bathroom, I stretch, not sure of what to do. Carina locked me in so I guess I'll have to wait for her to come to me. Maybe I should savor these moments. What if they're my last? I shudder at the thought and hug myself.

For the next few minutes, I search for something to use as a weapon but find nothing. With The Beast's athletic and beastly build, it's unlikely that I'll escape through fighting anyways. Maybe my strategy should be to play it cool and learn more about this place. Then, when the opportunity strikes, I'll find a way out and escape. But then again, any opportunity may be my last. Maybe it isn't a wise survival skill to play pretend.

My stomach growls as I realize I haven't eaten since breakfast yesterday. I must be so hungry that I'm imagining things because I swear I smell bacon and . . . pancakes?

Don't tell me The Beast is a master chef! I try to force myself to laugh but it doesn't come out. There's nothing funny about this situation.

I move closer and closer to the door until I'm leaning against it, breathing in the delicious smell of homemade breakfast. When was the last time I ate pancakes? Or bacon? All I know is that it was way too long ago.

My mom has never cooked anything except for eggo waffles and cereal since my dad passed away. We never had enough money to eat anything nice either.

Thinking about my mom makes me grit my teeth. I can feel the sting in my heart like a freshly cut wound. Did she ever really love me? The words she said to me yesterday said otherwise.

"Ouch!" I yelp as the door opens, connecting with my nose.

It's Carina. She's wearing an apron around her pajamas. "Oh sorry, dear! What were you doing so close to the door?"

"I thought I smelled food," I say holding my nose and carefully backing away from her.

She chuckles sweetly. "Well, you were correct. Breakfast awaits." She places a plate of bacon and pancakes on the desk with some orange juice. My mouth begins to water but I remind myself to not get excited too fast.

"Thank you," I mumble. It doesn't feel right to say thank you to a woman who agreed to hold me prisoner but I guess it could be worse. She could have let me starve. Wait, what if she poisoned the food?

"You're welcome. But um, The Beast, as you know him, requested that you stay locked in here until dinner. Though, I'll be back to bring you lunch."

"Why does he want me to stay locked here? What is he going to do with me?" I demand feeling my cheeks redden with frustration. The suspense is killing me.

She places my utensils on the desk and smoothes her apron with a sigh. Her eyes old the same desperation as mine. "I guess we'll both have to wait to find out, won't we?"

~The Beast~

I smoothen out my blazer and run my fingers through my hair over and over. I don't know how I look because all the mirrors in here have been destroyed. I broke them all. No, not with my hideous but with my fist. The image staring back at me upset me. But it's not like I want to know anyways. Well, I already do. I look hideous and I have for a while.