Spirit Animal Ficlets

Fairy tale 3

Tale 1: Beauty And The Beast PT 3

Shane was let out of his room about two days later. The beast had unlocked the door and repeated his warning but Shane wasn't listening. He was going to find out what he was hiding.

The third floor was amazingly clean. It was neat with a dark green rug and dark blue curtains. Shane backed through the hall until he reached a single door at the end of the hall. Shane twisted the door knob and pushed open it open.

A young boy stood in the room. He was sewing a piece of fabric back together when he looked up to see why the door opened. His face became horrified. Shane was surprised seeing him again "You're the boy from the garden," he said.

The boy placed his fabric and needle down "You broke the master's law!" He said.

Shane took a step forward "Please help me, I need to escape! That beast just keeps me locked up in my room all day without anything to do," he said.

The boy shuffled back on the bed "Please go back to your room, you'll make the beast angry for breaking the master's law!" He begged.

Shane stared at the boy and wondered how long he had been here "If you help me, you can go home too," he offered.

The boy shook hid head "There is no home left for me, just return to your room or you'll severely punished," he warned.

Shane stood at the door for a heartbeat longer "At least tell me your name," he asked.

The boy hesitated then sighed "I used to be called Conor," he replied. Conor stood up "Now please leave, I don't want you getting hurt," he said.

Shane nodded, he pulled the door close as Conor went back to his sewing. How could he accept his fate like that? How long had the beast kept him here? Shane would find out someday.

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The door to his room open slowly that morning. Something was placed down on his nightstand and a hand pulled his blanket down "Wake up," a voice growled.

The blond didn't move and hand jerked on his shirt. Shane yelped as he came face to face with the beast "Wake up, you'll being care taking today," the animal growled.

Shane felt his back hit the mattress as the beast released him. He took a deep breath as it slumped over to a chair "What care taking?" He asked.

The beast looked back "You know how to garden, figure it out," he replied. The animal stalked out of the room without a moment later.

Shane sighed and began eating his breakfast. At least he had something to do now.

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Shane returned to Conor's room that night. The other boy seemed surprised "You came back?" Conor asked.

Shane nodded and smiled "Yep," he replied.

Conor raised an eyebrow "Why? You'll get cursed for it," he said.

Shane was now confused "Cursed? What do you mean?" He asked.

Conor cleared his throat "A witch placed a curse on manor. If you break the manor law you'll get cursed," he replied.

Shane looked at his arms "How do I tell if I'm cursed?" He asked.

Conor shrugged "I don't know, I've always obeyed the laws of the manor," he said.

Shane nodded "Oh, well I'll give you a heads up when I notice the curse happening," he replied.

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The two kept meeting up after that. Spending the nights talking and sharing stories about their old homes. In the morning the beast would bring food for Shane and Shane would go work out in the garden. As the days became weeks and weeks morphed into three months, the two boys had crafted a plan to escape the manor.

They crept along the far most wall shrouded in shadow. Shane felt giddy as he spotted the front gates. Conor stopped "I can't keep going," he said.

Shane turned around "What? Why?" He asked.

Conor looked to his feet "I can't leave, that'll break the manor law," he replied.

Shane shook his head "Conor you won't get a curse for leaving, I've broken the manor law but I'm fine," he reassured.

Conor stepped back, bare feet scuffing the dirt "You don't understand, I'm bound here I can't leave," he stated.

Shane grabbed Conor's wrist "Please, we'll leave and it'll break somehow," he begged.

Conor pulled his arm away "I can't! I've tried leaving before Shane but I always come back on my own. Nobody would want me outside of these walls," he said.

Shane frowned "Why? What could possibly happen that you'd come back willingly to the cursed house with that monster?" he snapped.

Conor looked up with a new fury in his eyes, Shane recognized it. The other blond began changing, his mouth pushing into a muzzle as horn curled around his head. He grew taller as his legs and arms morphed.

Shane stumbled back as the beast drew nearer with teeth bared "Because I am that monster. I can't leave because outside of these walls I'll look like a beast forever," his eyes softened as he shrank back to his human form again "but here I can be human, even if it's only at night," he said.

Shane stepped back in horror "You, you've kept me here and knew how badly I wanted to leave! You kept me here and forced me to be a gardener in your garden for a stupid flower!" He snapped. His fear turned into anger as Conor looked away, Shane tightened his jaw "I wanted to go home! I missed my uncle and sister but you kept me here and made me think I had a real friend! You lied to me!" He snapped.

Conor looked up to say something but Shane picked up a rock and threw it. The shaded area went deathly quiet as Conor and Shane stared at each other. Conor was on the ground on his back, Shane had stiffened in shock at what he did. The cursed boy reached up and touched the blood seeping from his cut.

They stared at it. Conor stood up slowly, wiping the blood onto his shirt. He looked down "You are free to leave as you wish, I won't keep you here anymore," he said.

Shane held his fists at his side "Why now?" He asked.

Conor kept his head bowed "Because I don't want you here anymore," he replied.