Inside the Beast's Castle

Chapter 37--Home

Home is where the heart is.
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When I opened my eyes, I was standing in front of my house. I stared at the door, heart beating wildly in my chest.

Do I knock?

What will I find?

The nighttime silence seemed deafening to me as I clenched my fist. Nerves taking over, I hit the door three times.

Do they think me dead?

It had been what? Over a year? Over a year since I'd seen my family--my brother, my father. Over a year since I was told to kill "the beast."

Over a year since I didn't kill him, too.

No one answered my knock. I guess they're sleeping.

I grabbed the door handle and turned it. The door opened with a low creak.

The house was dark. Unoccupied. The dust was enough to give that away. With just the slight opening of the door, dirt and dust was blown from any crevice it could come from.

"Joshua?"

Why I was calling into nothingness, I had no idea.

Thew was a small thump behind me. "Come out of that house, Missy. Don't wanna hurt you."

I smiled at hearing the crackled voice that broke the silence. Before I even turned around, I knew who I'd see.

"Mr. Mellark!" I cried.

The baker's wrinkled face stared in disbelief at me. He held his cane in front of him, brandishing it like a weapon. "Zara? You're back, you're alive?"

I almost didn't respond to the name "Zara." I was used to being called "Lizaveta" by Brennen, the name came very close to going over my head.

I smiled wider and ran up to hug him.  "Where's Joshua and Baupa?" I asked after finally pushing away.

Mr. Mellark shook his head. "They haven't been here in months. They were here about another..." he thought for a moment, "three weeks after you disappeared."

I bit my lip. "Do you know where they went?"

"The castle. Your brother said something about a 'deal with the king.' What's all that about, anyway?"

I looked away. How on earth do I explain this? "The king wanted me to kill a 'monster' so he threatened my family and, hey, I didn't need to kill the thing anyway, instead he became my friend." Yeah, that'll go well.

"It's--it's a really long story," I mumbled.

Thankfully, Mr. Mellark didn't say anything else on the matter. I stepped out of my house with him following, then closed the door.

"Zara, where did you get..." he trailed off, pointing at my dress in amazement.

I looked down. I still wore the dark green one from the castle.

How out of place I must look here.

"It's a long story," I repeated, gently moving Mr. Mellark's hand away from the dress.