Demons'll Charm You

Chapter 5: The Invitation

When Belle awoke the next morning, she couldn't remember where she was. An ache pulsated through her head as she sat up in a rather comfortable chair and took in her surroundings, realizing she was in Toby's sitting room. She squinted briefly as her eyes passed the window, the sunlight peeking through. Her hand was bandaged, and she stared at it in confusion before she flexed her hand and winced. Suddenly, her thoughts began to have more clarity, and pieces of what had happened to her during the night had returned to her. The demonic figure and his slit throat. Her heart quickened at the thought.

So it had not been a dream.

Belle, now anxious, then realized that she was alone in the room. The empty bottle of gin was on the floor and Toby's chair was empty.

"Toby?" She called out. Her voice was weak from sleep. Toby did not appear, however. Had he heard her screams from upstairs during the night? He must have woken up and when he noticed she was gone, it was the only explanation for why she was back here. Her bandaged hand was the only proof she had that all of it hadn't been a nightmare.

She was about to call out for Toby again, but he entered the room before she could do so. He looked exhausted, as exhausted as she felt. Dark circles could be seen under his eyes and his eyes squinted from the light of the morning.

"Good morning," he greeted in a raspy voice as he entered the room. "I have quite a headache."

Belle blinked hard and held her head in her hands. "I do, as well," she said quietly, remembering all the alcohol the two had the night before. "How foolish I must have looked and still look."

She heard Toby scoff. "I could never think of you as foolish. I should have never even served you any of that."

Belle lifted her head slightly and met his eyes. "I must ask," she began, "what happened to me? Did you find me upstairs? Did I faint?"

As she spoke, Toby sat down in the seat across from her and stared at her. The panic he felt when he awoke to screaming from above him triggered something within him. He raced out of the shop and up the stairs, knowing Belle was in trouble. He found her on the floor, blood all over her dress. He assumed the worst, but when he discovered that the blood had come from her hand, he felt relief. He was concerned, though, as to why she was up in his room in the first place, and why the razor was on the floor.

"I was going to ask you the same question," Toby said and explained how he found her. Belle looked frightened. She wasn't certain if she should tell him the reason why she went upstairs, but she felt guilty. She couldn't imagine what Toby must have thought, hearing her screams and finding her that way.

Before she could explain herself, she saw Toby wince from his headache and close his eyes briefly. She leaned forward in concern

"Toby, if you don't feel well perhaps you should lie down."

He waved her words away. "No, no, I'm fine." He opened his eyes. "Why were you up there, Belle? The razor was on the floor, you were bleeding from your hand. What were you thinking?"

Belle stared down at her hand in shame and she let out an exasperated breath. The image of what she saw entered her mind again, but she couldn't tell him. She didn't want him to think she was insane. For all she knew, it could have been the effects of the alcohol and the stories he had told her. Time to tell another lie.

"I... I don't remember what happened and I'm not sure how I ended upstairs, really," she stated, averting Toby's gaze. "Perhaps I was sleepwalking."

Toby glanced above before giving her a hard stare. He saw right through her. "Or curiosity. Am I correct?"