Roses I Send to You (Beauty and the Beast)

Amelie the Tearful

I met Madeleine early the next morning by the creek, just like we agreed. The water was warm again today, and I was wearing my trousers and my shirt, as was she.  Together, we climbed up the willow tree that overlooked the deep part of the creek.

She had a cramp in her leg, so Madeleine wasn't very fast climbing up the tree that day. It took us almost twenty minutes to make it up twenty feet, and by that time, it had started raining and the wind had started blowing.

"This wind feels really dangerous. Should we climb down?" I asked her.

"Don't be so worried all of the time. You're worried about Chandler and you're worried about a little breeze," she scoffed. "I'll prove it to you," she said as she climbed higher up the tree. 

I had trouble seeing her through the heavy downpour, so it caught me off guard when she screamed in pain.

"Madeleine? Madeleine!" I screamed. I followed her voice and I saw her clinging to the tree trunk with her foot at a strange angle. 

"I twisted my ankle," she gasped as she squinted in the rain. I couldn't tell if the water on her face was from the raindrops or if it was from crying. I bent over, pulled off her shoe, and I gave her my opinion. 

"I think it's sprained. Grab on to me and I'll help you get down." Madeleine pulled away.

"It's nothing. Don't touch me, I'm fine," she said through clenched teeth. She winced as she scooted along one of the weaker branches that overlooked the creek.

"Madeleine, it can't hold you!" I screamed through the sounds of the storm. 

"Don't tell me what I'm not capable of," she shouted.

Those were the last words she ever said to me.

"Madeleine, stop!" I screamed I saw the branch start to split underneath her. She looked at me and opened her mouth as if to say something, but she didn't have time to get any words out. 

The branch broke.

She fell into the creek.

That was the last time I saw my best friend alive. Her screams were blood-curdling. They only stopped when she disappeared below the surface.

I knew I needed to help her. She couldn't swim with her ankle injury. I jumped in after her. Unfortunately, I couldn't find her. I barely made it out of the water myself. In fact, I only made it out because I grabbed hold of a floating branch. I kicked towards the shore and I forced my eyes shut until the rain subsided. 

When I opened my eyes, I saw the branch I was clutching. It was the branch that Madeleine was sitting on when she fell. 

I found my way to the rose-lined path and I didn't stop running until I got to Madeleine's house. 

"Amelie! What brings you here?" Madeleine's sister Jolie asked. When she saw the scratches that covered my body, her face grew solemn. "Where's Madeleine?"

I sat her down and I explained what happened. 

"But if you didn't see where she went. she's probably still alive. Madeleine's a strong swimmer. She's fine," Jolie mumbled as she ran towards the creek. 

I didn't run after her. I knew that I had to go and find Madeleine's parents so I could send them to the creek. I found them at the marketplace and the three of us went to the creek.

We saw a devastated-looking Jolie standing in front of a bush. She gestured behind the plant and she forced out a few words.

"I was wrong. She's not fine."

We looked behind the bush. 

It was Madeleine's body. She was dead.

I was always good at fighting tears, but not today.