Beast

The Attack

Torn pieces of an envelope were dancing with the soft wind on the floor of the book store. Gaston was hesitant to rip it open at first, but he changed his mind eventually. It had been hours since he had come to the shop. He was not sure what time it was; probably sometime in the early morning. The faint screams and cries had died down at this point. The occasional weeping was heard over the rushed winds through the town. But the small shop was completely silent. No sound came from the loose hinge on the window. The bird perched on top of the door that lay on the floor did not stir. And Gaston's tears did not make a sound as they hit the ground.

Gaston had not cried in years, but this was the first time that it seemed to not matter if anyone saw his strong, brave façade wither away. He broke down piece by piece until he was left sobbing alone in an abandoned book store. He decided then, when he felt like he had nothing left that it was time to open the letter he was planning to read with Belle.

Gaston Bonfils,

Your audience with the council last week was a great demonstration of confidence and determination. We, firstly, applaud you on your fortitude. Not many would do what you did just to marry the woman they loved.

As Secretary of the Council, I personally congratulate you on your success. The Original Ten Laws have never been edited in the existence of this fine city. But, as the centuries have passed, the council has agreed that they should be edited in terms of this growing and advancing city. I formally grant you in the name of the council, city, and state of Piana the legal ability to marry Belle Marie Desrosier as soon as you both desire. The law will be edited and once it is, any other couple will be granted the legal right to marry after two years of courtship at the age of twenty.

Congratulations, Monsieur Bonfils. We look forward to a wedding invitation.

Sincerely,

George Étroit

XXX

The bind on her hands made Belle's skin itch. Black metal dug into her wrists as she tried to free herself. There were no keyholes or punch codes on these handcuffs. She sighed in defeat. She had been tossed toward a second in command after the meeting with Pierre. No amount of screaming on her part got her freedom, however once a man in black did yank on her hair to subdue the screams. Callahan walked ahead, toward a black machine waiting outside the wall. The man who had waited with her outside the mayor's office, Maxwell, held the chains connected to the foreign handcuff tight and locked her arms behind her body. He had strange markings up his arms and on his large bald head. She had never seen them before. But before she could look further to read what was scribbled into his skull, Maxwell's gaze fell on Belle. His brown eyes darkened and she shrunk back in her spot.

I should have just rushed home... Belle scolded herself. When she heard, or more liked felt the explosion, she hesitated in going straight to the house. The mayor never told the people what to do in case of an explosion. In an earthquake—which rarely happened but procedures were taught in grade school—they were supposed to hide under the table. This felt like an earthquake, but when Belle looked out the window and saw the men and women of the city running around like chickens with their heads cut off, something within her knew it was an outside force. So she decided that her home would be safer than the store which was in the center of town. She gather her things but she didn't get farther than the door. As she was trying to lock the door, a gloved hand covered her mouth, and a knife was pressed against her back.

"I will only say this once, make one sound and I won't hesitate in killing you." Callahan's voice echoed in Belle's mind. She grimaced as she remembered how he twisted the knife against her back when she started to cry. She heard the fabric of her dress ripping and the sharp knife touching her bare skin. The keys to the shop dropped from her hands. This, taken as an act of defiance by Callahan, caused the knife to plunge into her skin, making a large gash in her skin. Callahan twisted the knife before pulling it out of her body, making the cut deeper. He dropped her shaking body to the ground and picked up her keys from the ground with a low laugh. Belle started to get dizzy while watching him open the book store's door and step inside. She tried to find someone on the street to help, but in the ten minutes it took for her to gather he things before, the whole street cleared and Belle was alone. She rested her head back on the cobblestone as she tried to ignore the searing pain in her back. And when Callahan was standing above her again, her eyes shut and wouldn't open again.