The Beast of Yeller Wood

Chapter Ten

                John races to me; there is a strange gleam in his eye. He is so focused in on me, I shiver down my spine. He leaps up the stairs to the door where my feet are still planted into the ground. His cheeks are a little flushed from the burst of energy. He pulls me into a tight hug; his breath is warm on my neck.

                “I am so sorry Belinda; I will get you out of this with all of my might.” He murmurs into my ear,

                And then he pulls himself away, and backs away. The rest of the group are still standing there dazed by the beast. People are starting to anxiously start to make their way down to the street staring at me with fierce intensity in their eye. And then a lone voice cries out with such accusation and hatred.

                “Take her, take her! She’s allied herself with the Beast; she’s one with the Devil!” She screeched,

                My eyes scanned the crowd that was quickly growing; I finally find the voice from the silent crowd. Soon the crowd’s eyes break from me to Arianne, her finger pointed at me accusingly. Her mouth filled with venom, and her eyes were filled with disgust. Our eyes lock, my chest tightens. Her nose flares, and she continues to throw out terrible accusations. I can’t listen to them, I snap my eyes shut.  I squeeze arms around me, blocking out noise. This solitude is my single solace; I could have stood there just like that for an eternity. A hand grabs my elbow roughly; I am jolted out of the dark blanket that enveloped me. Bringing me back to the gloom and despair waiting ahead for me, my eyes flutter open. All of the people who I thought were my friends and neighbors were rampaging at me, I turn to see it is Mr. Grossing holding my arm with his firm grip. He was a burly man, and when he looked down at me I wanted to shrink down and hide forever. His eyes were so empty and cold, this was the man who I would pick flowers for when I was little, and his wife always sent us her famous gooseberry pie every year. He didn’t look at me like I was still little Belinda, he looked at me as if I was a traitor, hell he looked to me as if I murdered somebody. He put his arm out to the group of angry people approaching me.

                “It does us no good hurting the bitch; you heard what the Beast said. He wants her at midnight, and that is what we shall do.” The crowd fell silent, “And it can do whatever it wants to her, she is a monster herself in the frame of Yeller’s beloved maiden. Well she isn’t, she is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Once we rid of her, disposing her to the Beast Yeller will once more be the peaceful and innocent place it was.” He shouted to the crowds,

                They roared in agreement, my eyes burned. My throat was dry. I am stunned by how quickly these people can turn their back on their own, out of desperation, from being blinded by hate. I look through the sea of people, I see Perry. His face is somber, his eyes are bloodshot. He mouths to me “Sorry.” It is the most comforting thing, knowing in his eyes that he still sees me a Belinda and not a monster. These people almost hated me more than they hated the Beast itself. But Perry didn’t, his love was the only thing keeping me from tumbling to my feet and wanting to die. It didn’t cease with false accusations and abhorrence from everyone else.

                His mother tugs on his arm, breaking our gaze. She shakes her head in disgust at me. Tears silently pour down me cheeks, these people who once loved me like their own now wanted me dead. The arm of Mr. Nissan firmly wrapped his around mine. Mr. Grossing and Mr. Nissan dragged me down the stairs; I could barely stumble along with my feet. They led me through to the city jailhouse, giving me the worst experience of my brief life. My childhood friends now sneered at me, and taunted me cruelly. Friends of my family now spit at me. And every single person there would cheerfully tear me to bits and pieces. Ghastly insults were thrown at me. And the corner of my dress ended up with covered in spoiled canned tomatoes. Don’t ask me how or who got them there, I would prefer that to remain anonymous for my sake.