The Beast

5.

I woke up to someone shaking me, I sat up with a start and started apologizing.

"I am sorry, I am awake... please don't hit me!" I started afraid of what Miss Margaret would do with me.

"Hey.. it's me...Faith!" He said, and I opened my eyes and looked up at him, putting my hands down that were covering my face. After so long, someone is calling me by name for half of my life. I have been called Orphan, and I started to think that it is my name. But now listening to my name felt good.

I looked up at Lanky, who looked concerned and a little taken aback. Everything hit me, and I realized where I was. I am no longer in the village, Miss Margaret is dead. She won't come back anymore. She can't hurt me now.

"I came here to wake you up. The leader sent me to fetch you!" He said but still looked concerned. I nodded my head.

"Are you okay?" He asked, and a tear fell down my cheek. I immediately wiped it.

"I am fine!" I said, but deep down, both of us know I am not. Years of being abused have destroyed me, and I won't be the same now. I will always be afraid of little things of being beaten.

"Come on,!" He said with a small smile and stood up. I followed him outside, and the beast wasn't here. We walked towards the area where everyone stayed. There are so many tents around the area.

He showed me a bathroom and told me to freshen up. I walked inside and washed my face. It was a small wooden room, it was a large enough space. I looked down at my clothes and sighed. They were dirty with specks of blood and mud, but I don't have another piece of cloth to wear. I have to ask Lanky.

When I walked outside, he was standing at a little distance talking to someone. When he saw me, he motioned me towards him.

"This is grizzly!" He said, and I looked shocked at the name. Does everyone have names like these. He does look like a huge bear with those bulky muscles, but isn't it wrong to give him the name of an animal. He was bald, and his skin was tan. I came down to his chest as he was a few feet taller than me. I smiled at him.

"She is Faith!" He introduced us. Grizzly only nodded back in return with a small grunt.

"He is our best fighter after Beast, of course!" Lanky added with a wink, and that made Grizzly huff. Then lanky leaned towards me.

"He looked scary, but trust me, he is a softy!" He whispered, and I smiled.

"I heard that!" He growled with a scoff.

"I am not soft!" He said as if disappointed at being called softy.

"Believe me, you will see!" He said again to me. With a huff grizzly left.

"All the people here are good, we are like a big family but ... most of them don't like.. you... I mean, they don't like women, and you are one so...!" He paused and scratched his neck.

"But don't worry, they will get used to you," he reassured, and I kept silent. I won't be here for long so it won't be a problem.

"Lanky.." I stopped, I don't like calling him that. It's like I am insulting him.

"Can I have... something to wear!" I said, looking down at my feet too afraid to be yelled back by him for asking for something.