The Beast of Yeller Wood

Chapter 8

 Yay finally posted! Sorry I had to squeeze this short one in, I have been out and about unable to post! Thanks for reading as always!!! -xoxo

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                I step back a little, his eyes are pits. “Are you okay John?”

                He shakes his head furiously; he hides his face in his hands. There is a long tear in his jacket, stuffing spouts out.

                “That girl Felicity,” He growls, “Felicia, her name was Felicia.” I interrupt, “Oh well, whatever her name was, she died for all the wrong reasons tonight. And I could have stopped it.”

                What does he mean when he says that he could have stopped it? How was he supposed to save her from a wild animal on the other side of the village? It was so unlikely and impossible, not even he could fight of an animal of that ferocity and magnitude.

                “What do you mean?” I step forward,

                “There are a lot of things about me that you don’t and shouldn’t know. And that is the way I would like to keep it.”

                “Don’t play the mysterious stranger with me!” I snap, “I have no interest in playing ridiculous games, I am not a fool. This is no time for that with a friendly girl who everyone was fond of now is dead. I just want the truth; I don’t care if it is diluted down. But I at least want a grain of the truth. That is the least you could do after my friend just was brutally killed.”

                There is a light of fury in my eye, and the fresh wave of spilling out my anger.

                “You have no need to know.” He grumbles getting off of the stool he sat on,

                “You are living in my papa’s house, by God you will tell me. I just want a general idea, I don’t need everything. I need to know now.” I hiss,

                “I am not going to tell you, it is none of your business.” He shoots back,

                He is not playing that card with me!

                “It is most definitely my business, people are dying. I don’t have any interest in telling any of the other villagers. But since you are under this roof, this is also my burden.”

                He steps closer to me, “No, this is not your burden. You don’t deserve that. I will not tell you, saying anything is too much for now.”

                “You can leave if you will not tell me; I care not for harboring anything or anyone that lets me live in the dark with something dangerous. And John, you are dangerous. That is something I can tell. I don’t want dangerous, so please find yourself accommodations below in the workshop when the weather permits. Until then you may find lodging on your own. Good bye.” I turn my back to him,

                He is next me; I can nearly feel his breath on my neck. Close, but not quite. I could reach back and touch him. Say I am sorry and that I don’t mean it. Let him touch me, like I so desperately desire. But I can’t, I need to be Papa’s strong girl. He will do me no good, so he can leave. He pulls away, I exhale with a mixture of self-disgust and relief. He throws the last of the items into his knapsack. And leaves, but he pauses before shutting the door.

                “Part of me is really glad you did this. You are right, I am dangerous. But that other part wants me to stay so badly. Good bye, I shall continue my work blacksmithing. But you shall not hear from me otherwise. Stay safe please, Belinda, please.” He shuts the door,

                Those last words he said to me ring in my head. Stay safe please, Belinda, please. I just can’t get those words out of my head. I hollowly finish the tasks of the night. I can barely eat; there is a bowl of cold soup that sits on the table that I can’t eat.

                I go to sleep, it is early but I could care less.

                Floating through the water on my back is the most relaxing sensation. I can hear the splashing of a small waterfall. Water bubbles and splashes over rocks. Delicate white flowers glide through the air and delicately float on to the surface of the water. They swirl as if they were enraptured in a waltz, if that was their only purpose. I feel a hand reach for mine, I nearly jump out of the water. I look to see John’s sweet face; I can’t remember anything bad ever happened. All I want is him. Our palms meet, blush rises to my cheeks. I can’t imagine someone looking more perfect than John standing next to this waterfall gazing into my eyes.

                Our lips met, and it felt so new and yet so familiar. He sweeps my wet hair back, and rubs his fingers across my cheekbones in wonderment. I pull in again, I just can’t stop.

                I wake. To early daylight peering in scattered by the shutters. Of course it was a dream, and I just threw him out last night. And Felicia is still dead. Nothing good can come out of being with John only heartbreak and waking up every time is like a little heartbreak. It wasn’t real, just a beautiful, hideous, perfect, and flawed figment of my imagination.