An Imperfect Beauty and Her Beast

The Savior in the Woods

Copyright Statement:

Copyright © 2013: This story, "An Imperfect Beauty And Her Beast (*title subject may change) including all chapters, prologues/epilogues, and associated content is copyright under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved by the author or creator of this work (Gia Yetikyel aka Jane) and any unauthorized copying, broadcasting, manipulation, distribution or selling of this work constitutes as an infringement of copyright. All infringement of this copyright is punishable by law.

A/N So this is my first story and I'm open to any suggestions. Hope you guys like it!

I was running. I didn't know where but I couldn't stop. My lungs were burning and I started wheezing. The scenery passed by me like someone ran their hand across a wet painting. It felt like my world was melting around me. When I began to slow down, it was then I realized why I felt this way. My home burning in front of my eyes, slowly eating away at the landscape around it. It seemed as though the sky would be engulfed by the flames. I foolishly ran into the house yelling, but nothing was coming from my mouth. Tears started rolling down my cheeks from the smoke and memories. The photographs that had somehow been spared a few more moments were filled with blurred faces. It was after I whipped my head around frantically did I see my parents lying on the floor, breathing heavily. I needed to get them out.

"We need to go!" I finally yelled over the house quickly diminishing from the roaring fire.

"Why didn't you save us?" my mother asked. Her voice sounded clear, but belonged to a stranger. Nevertheless, her words stung me like I had been whipped.

"I-I'm sorry." My throat felt choked. I couldn't say all the words that bounced in my mind. There was too little time and air.

"You didn't save us," my father said. He lazily rolled his head to look at me. His green eyes slowly turned black as if ash were falling into them.

"Please come with me now. Now I can save you. Please," I begged. I felt guilt rise in me. Why are they saying this? I didn't know until I came home from school. None of us knew.

"It's too late now," my father whispered.

"No. Please. Don't go!"

The second floor fell on them as I fell to my knees crying.

My heart pounded heavily and eratically in my chest as I swung myself up. I was breathing hard as if I just finished a marathon. I shivered at the thought of my nightmare. But I was brought out of my fear by the loudness of my sister.

"Giovanna! GIOVANNA!" Gina practically roared.

"What?!"

I stomped downstairs with my hair crazy from not brushing it. Well who could blame me? I literally just woke up.

"Have some cereal and get ready to take Matt out and play some baseball."

"Jesus, you make it sound like an emergency. Wake me up at noon."

"It is noon!"

"Fuck," I muttered before plopping down and shoveling the cereal in my mouth.

~~~

"Are you ready yet?" Matt asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Be patient I have to find my- found it!"

"Finally! Come on! Race you to the woods!"

"Hey! No fair you got a head start!"

My annoying bag jingled from the contents inside along with successfully banging into me every step I took. It slowed me down but I was always able to keep an eye on Matt.

I've become very protective of my little brother ever since the fire. Although most of the time he finds it bothersome, I will always think of him as my responsibility even if Gina is our legal guardian.

"Slow down! You're going to trip over something!" I yelled

"Yeah right!"

We eventually reached our little spot in the middle of the woods. Matt discovered this clearing with hardly any trees when we first moved here. I was going to miss coming here so often when school started.

I put my bag down and emptied it out. I slipped on my worn glove and started pitching the balls to Matt. We went from that to passing to running bases to just cloud watching. Much too soon, I felt the air getting colder and knew we would have to be heading back.

"C'mon it's getting chilly out here. Let's go back home before Gina calls saying we're late for dinner again."

"Can't we just stay here for a little bit longer?" Matt whined

"I'll tell you what. How about we race home, if you win we'll stay out in the woods for an extra half hour next time we come."

"What's in it for you?" he asked suspiciously.

I supressed my evil grin and responded, "I need to think about it."

"Mmmm, fine. It's a deal."

As we laughed and ran down our usual path, a hooded guy showed up out of nowhere in front of us. I thought I could use it to my advantage and get ahead because he was going to get in Matt's way, but I was far from right. There was no time to react when he picked Matt up and ran in the opposite direction. It felt like hours before I could drop everything and run. As I did, I screamed for help, but knew it was useless. No one would hear me. My breathing was becoming shallow and could feel myself wheezing. This was worse than doing the mile run at my school. But at least there my brother's life didn't depend on my running. If I let that guy get away I didn't know what I'd do. So I used that thought to fuel me to go faster. But as I was actually starting to catch up to him, he stopped and turned around. A gun was clearly visible in his hand and I knew he loved the fact the color was draining from my face. I felt like he could hear my heart beating faster and louder by the second.

The fear practically emitted from me as I stammered out, "W-What do y-you want?"

He didn't bother answering me. His face was still perfectly covered by the dark hood. But I didn't care about his face or if was staring me or not. I didn't care if he was planning on killing me that very moment - if it meant that Matt would be safe I would fight. But instead of sounding heroic or even a little less scared, I still stammered like a child ready to cry.

"Please just g-give him b-back."

Suddenly, I felt another pair of hands around me. A white cloth was pressed tightly against my mouth, leaving no room for fresh air. My world began spinning and all I wanted to do was sleep. But instead, I cried. As if it were a silent prayer that would be answered.

I had no idea.

The last thing I remembered is a loud inhuman growl and then everything went black.