Fairy Eyes

Chapter 4

The sun filtered through the window. It lit up the room. The bengal tiger had slept with her all night, and woke up lazily to Belle, purring.

Belle petted it, then realized where she was.

"Wait!"

She jumped out of the bed. He just looked at her with surprise and sleepiness.

She looked out the window at the tall towers and the rolling landscape.

"What is going on?"

Belle wanted to leave the bedroom. He jumped off the bed, looking at her.

Then she opened the door, watching him sprint out. He was in the boy's room, and sounded like he was attacking someone. Was he hurting the boy?

When she peeked inside, she saw the bengal tiger on top of a black panther.

"Oh my god!"

The black panther saw her and stopped. He looked deep into her eyes. He let out a guttural sound.

Heart beating fast, Belle peeked at it, then ran down the hall.

The King and Queen's room was empty.

She stood at the end of the hall looking back.

The black panther's eyes peered at her. He stood, as if ready to pounce.

She hid behind the door. Staring at it.

He stuck his bottom up in the air, his eyes widening at me.

Belle could hardly breathe.

Then he charged down the hall at her.

"EEEeeek! Help!" she cried.

Then it ran back, as if scared by the noise.

"Meow? Meeeeooowwwww" it cried.

The woman trudged up the stairs.

"Belle, are you okay?"

She peered down at her.

"I'm sorry. I just found my way into here and then your cat attacked me."

"Google and Rocky?"

She laughed.

"It's the cats darling" she said.

"Who are you? How do you know my name?"

"I am your mom" said the woman. "This is your house. Honey, are you ill?"

Belle couldn't say anything. What could she possibly say that her mother would believe? Maybe she didn't get enough sleep like her mother had told her, yet she hardly thought the consequences would lead to this.

She dragged her down the stone stairs.

There, Belle found the living room.

The King, or her stepfather, was sitting on the couch drinking coffee. He was looking at his phone.

The young boy, or my brother, was sitting on the chair opposite playing his Nintendo Switch.

She went into the kitchen, were food was waiting for her.

"Mom, you didn't have to go through the trouble of this."

In front of her was sausage, mashed potatoes, eggs, toast with jelly, and a bit of beef.

"It's just scrambled eggs" she said.

She peered at her, as if she was seriously worried about her. Belle just averted her eyes, heart still beating fast.

Belle turned away. What she tasted was not scrambled eggs, but the meal that stood in front of her. When she finished, Belle felt that she was incredibly full.

Her parents watched her throughout the day, constantly checking on her

Andrew wanted Belle to play video games with him, but something told her not to sit with Andrew that day. She was way too nervous, and did not want to let onto her parents that there was anything more wrong with her than there already was.

Instead, Belle found my way out into the forest. Her mom had no objections, only she was surprised at the desire to go out and commune with nature instead of spend hours on a screen like Belle normally did.

Belle saw the rolling landscape of forest. It went on for miles, with sounds of faraway creatures, sounds that she had never imagined hearing before. Was that the roaring of a dragon from faraway?

The trees towered overhead like the castle towers.

Belle saw glittering orbs in the air around me. They touched her, sending a sensation throughout her body.

When Belle looked closer, the transformation of the orb took shape of human bodies.

Some were blue, green, pink, and purple. Women and men. With beautiful gowns. Dancing in the air around Belle like children. They led her by the hand to a fairy kingdom, much farther into the forest. There she saw the houses that stood from the trees, the pathways that connected one house to another. Little fairy families inside, eating meals. Children playing.

Her parents watched from the window.

"She's never played outside before" whispered her mother.

Her stepfather just held her, and then went back to the important calls on his phone. It wasn't his child after all, maybe a therapist is what Belle would eventually need.