Beauty and Beastly | ✓

Chapter 7

I woke up, utterly confused. Where was this place? My vision was blurry so I waited till my eyes adjusted. I was delighted to discover that I was in a library. A huge library. It was utterly breathtaking. The amount of knowledge in that one room. My head hurt but I focused on the piles and rows of books. I began to make my way towards the shelves. Having picked up nearly a dozen, I was satisfied and began to sit down. I examined the cover of each book before delving into the pages. I felt the covers, trail my hand across the bounds.

I began reading many books and concluded a long reading list. Some were about forbidden ideas, they included unaccepted theories concluded by physicists; some were about chemical compounds and their properties; some were about our anatomies; some were about the history of humans and wolves, some about the moon goddess and some about strong heroines and female characters. I loved books that defied social conventions. Those were my favourite.

Being a woman, I was not allowed to read any of the books stated, apart from those about wolves and the moon goddess. My papa would give me lessons about all the sciences and what we so far. My parents, but more specifically my Aunt, influenced me to believe in equality and how girls should be able to go to school just like boys, and that women are not just suppose to do the housework. Of course mama taught me how to do the basic things anyone must be able to do but I was always taught to have an open-mind. I rather be a single independent women,  than be confined by the social norms. I hated being confined, thus I hate my current position.

After a while, the words always become blurry. I guess then I fell asleep.

I awoke drowning in my own fear and sweat. I was tied to a wooden chair. I yanked my arms and I could feel the rope burn against my skin. It must have been dipped with wolfsbane or silver. I tried to move my legs but they were also tied. I looked around me: three witches sat around a cauldron, as it boiled and bubbled. The green liquid in the cauldron seemed to be alive because it was shrieking. The witches looked beautiful, flawless even, you could not tell that they had vile personalities. But I reminded myself  that not all witches are like them. Not all. But wait, witches do not exist. Not anymore. They're dead. They were killed during the Dasties wars.

"Let me go." I yelled. My wolf tried to get out and I desperately tried to contain her. "Stop!" I shrieked at her, "You can't come out, I won't let you."

The three witches came towards me and started to chant:

Drag us to your depths,
Before something intercepts,

Take the dagger,
Trust us it will matter,

Buried deep behind,
Where humankind,

Gradually rot,
In that isolated spot,

That shall be your weapon,
Fuelled by your aggression,

Plunge it in-between it's chest,
Complete this quest,

Then you will be free,
To flee,

No blood will stain your hand,
For the gods will surely understand,

That it is no crime,
To hunt a beast in your short lifetime

"What does this mean? What do you mean? It doesn't make sense! Let me go!" I shouted.

One of them bent down and caressed my cheek. "You are the perfect killing machine Darling. You've been our weapon for so long. No one can ruin our plans, because you make them indestructible simply by being you." Then all three cackled.

"Don't worry, little girl. You won't remember us. We're extinct remember? That's it, good girl. Fulfil the quest. Kill the boy, get our revenge for us." One of them cackled.

"Why would I do that? Why would I help you? Who do you want me to kill?" I asked frantically. 

"You don't need us to tell you, you already know. You won't remember this, but you will remember the chant. We might even leave a few hints for you, maybe make you remember us, just to...encourage you more."

"You're all sick! I've done nothing!"  I exclaimed.

"Yet."

"Good night, little girl."