Beast

Untamed

Beast Chapter Nine: Untamed

Callahan stood outside Belle's door for hours the next day. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Louis was right. She did not deserve to be trapped in that room. If he liked her as much as he thought he did, he should let her out and be free. In the mansion of course. He was scared, however, that she would run once he stopped locking that door every night. But he hadn't seen her in two weeks and her beauty was starting to fade from his memory. She may miss her home, but he did nothing wrong in taking her here. She should be with people like her, beautiful.

"Just...knock," Callahan said to himself. He took a deep breath and knocked quickly on the door to let Belle know he was coming in. Then he placed his thumb on the door and a handle shot out, ready for him to enter. But when he did, he regretted it immediately. The room was in the same condition he left her in, and the table glowed softly, showing that it had been in use. But Belle was laying on the bed, her porcelain skin pulled taut against her bones leaving her too skinny and starved. She wore the same clothes she had on when she came and her hollow eyes started at the ceiling.

"Belle." Callahan stood near the door with his arms crossed. She stirred on the bed, slowly sitting up with what seemed to be a great deal of effort. When her eyes landed on the man in the doorway, they grew with fear and she sat up quickly.

"What do you want?" She said, crossing her arms in defiance and anger. This was the man who had single-handedly ruined her entire life. He deserved no respect.

"You...you..."

"I what, Sir?" Belle mocked. Hunger pangs taunted her, made her wish to be nice to him in hopes he would feed her more. But she was much too stubborn for that.

"You need to shower. Now." Callahan's eyes were dark and he was frowning, but on the inside, he was ashamed of what he did, leaving her locked up like animal to see that she had turned into a ghost of a person. But somehow, she kept that attitude.

"I can't do that." Belle stood up and slipped on her flats that were scattered near the bed.

"And just why not?"

Belle looked away for a moment, hoping that she had the courage to just get it over with. "I don't know how to work the darn thing. How can I shower?"

Callahan, instead of groaning, smiled at her a little. He entered the bathroom and pressed a few buttons, making the water fall from the faucet ceiling. He checked the temperature and set shampoo, conditioner, and soap in the stall for her to use. When he went back into her room, she was shutting off the table with its button.

"There, it's on. Enjoy yourself. I will be back in an hour. And get dressed into something more clean." Callahan gave her a look and began to head out the door.

"Wait! There are no clothes!" Belle called out. Callahan turned around and popped his head in the door.

"Ask the table."

XXX

When Belle stepped out of the shower, she wrapped herself in a fluffy towel and went back in her room. She sat down in front of the table and switched it on. The soft lights glowing under the surface told her it was on.

"Yes, Belle?" The robotic voice was gone now; Belle figured out how to change that setting. She had become quite tech savvy, with the table at least.