Beauty and The Beasley

Chapter 25

The sky became a mix of grey and black as low clouds hung everywhere, whipping around to form a dozen tornadoes. The storm seemed to have a mind of its own and as Bree watched, she could see lightning crackling in the middle as though the storm were flashing an evil smile at her.

Bree shuddered as a sense of familiarity hung around her. She had seen a storm like this before. But where?

She had walked out of the burning stable that crumbled to ashes immediately she was four feet away from it. Behind it was the rest of the largest castle Bree had ever seen. The walls were made out of granite blocks and complicated brickwork. There were two towers on opposite sides of the castle and one in the middle. That one had a broken wall that looked like it had been bulldozed.

Bree had no idea how but she was suddenly transported to a cliffside where she could see the entire landscape spread out before her. Lightning flashed across the castle walls, illuminating them for a nanosecond before the whole place went entirely black again.

Bree turned to look back. Behind her, the weather was as clear as a sunny day on the beach but in front of her, the world looked like it was coming to an end. The storm did not look normal. Bree had the feeling someone or something must've caused it.

Who could create a storm? She thought.

Bree was sure what she looked at was an entire kingdom. She'd seen enough of them in movies. The village always came before the castle and the one in front of her was almost in ruins.

Bree didn't wonder how she got there or why she was dreaming about castles and thunderstorms but a feeling settled over her, one that made her feel she already knew what was going on and that she needed to help. The cliff vibrated making her fall to her knees. The wind was powerful and threatened to pull her hair out from their roots.

The entire kingdom was empty which was strange. There was no sign of life. The stables held no horses, there were no birds or people, not even a single rat. Bree could feel all the empty spaces in every house in the village and in every room in the castle.

There was only a bitter cold and an alarming silence save for the whooshing winds.

She made to climb down the cliff but her feet wouldn't move. All the hair on her neck stood on end and Bree knew there was someone behind her.

"Do you see? My revenge is in motion." A shrill voice said from behind. Bree tried to peep out of the corner of her eye but she could only see trees and mountains. Whoever spoke was female but a very old one. She sounded like she had a sore throat and was trying to sing the National Anthem two pitches too high. Bree had picked up on her accent - it was unmistakably French.

"They all pay now. They all pay." She said with a wicked growl. Thunder rumbled overhead as if in agreement. Bree struggled to turn but her head budged only an inch.

"What if they find a way?" A mature voice asked. Bree was certain that one belonged to a man and she was also certain he was wrestler sized. His voice was so sharp it could split a metal sheet in two.

"No. They will not. They have no hope. They will rot forever in the shadow of my fortress."

"That is indeed good news. And what about the other one?" The man asked.

The female laughed wickedly. She was about to give an answer when a loud bang woke Bree up. She jerked and sat up.

"Christ! What is that sound?" Bree muttered and stood up.

She dragged herself to the source of the noise and gaped at the scene in the kitchen. Her mother sat in her wheelchair next to the wall with Norman kneeling next to her. Pub, the maintenance man had hammered down one section of the wall next to the sink.