Author's Note: Here is my own version of Beauty and the Beast, a short story. With some line coming from the song "Beauty and the Beast" by Celine Dion.
Tale as old as time…
Indeed, what I'm going to tell you is a tale which has started ages ago. For now I live alone than ever, treated as a beast. I live a tragic fairy tale, eternally doomed.
Bittersweet and strange…
This is a tale involving me and a beautiful girl named, Belle. She is the love of my life, my only hope. That when she learned to love me despite my monstrous appearance, I'm going back to my original form—my human form.
I am a beast, Beast as they call me. The beast that eats little kids, the beast that feasts on human flesh, the beast that brings misfortune to the place where they live in—that's what I am according to people's prejudicing eyes.
At first, I was confused. I didn't know what I really am. But gradually, I've accepted the fact that I am what they call I am. People would fall into hysteria just at the mere sight of me, screaming and running for their lives to save their filthy necks from the beast that is about to eat them.
Maybe, I am actually a beast.
I look in front of the mirror and stare at the reflection of that hideous animal face.
I stand naked before taking a bath, and there in the waters is the reflection of my body covered with beastly fur.
This is a curse I couldn't do anything about. I am on my own, I opted it. The only key is for someone to love me back despite my being beast.
Ha-ha,
What an outrage.
This is so ridiculous. For nobody would love or even like or even take a glimpse of this beast.
Who would? Would you?
Of course not.
I know that this is impossible and now I live my life in isolation. Out of total resentment, the only thing that I could do is to stay away from the species which made me an outcast. My anger with these species is struggling to stay put. If paired with vengeance, I don't think anybody would ever survive and mark whatever that will happen, if I could no longer sustain my control, as part of history. At least, I won't let him. I won't fail my fang and my beastly appetite and interest for the taste of human flesh.
Supplementary to my beastly features and almost eternal misery, my life is short.
Upstairs, I have a golden vase covered with glass. Inside this vase is a rose, but not an ordinary rose, for my life is dependent in this flower. The remaining thread of my existence clings on that rose. As the petals drop off from the stalk, my life, together with it, is fading. Before the last petal drops, I must learn to love and be loved in return for me to go back to my original form.
This is insane but real. I will never get back into being human again.
I have to die alone.
And now, let's go back to my love story.
It started when a young lady came knocking on my door, seeking temporary refuge as the storm rages outside my castle. I ignored it. Without my consent, the guest entered my castle and lurked into every part of the house.
What an intruder.
I dare not face this unwelcome visitor because later on, I'm going for a grand dramatic entrance. He just better wait.
Again I was in front of my mirror staring at the monstrous face in front of me when the door suddenly opened. I stood with slight suspicious eyes.
What does this intruder wants? How dare it violate my privacy. Didn't it know that this is the castle of a beast? Anyhow, I readied myself to scare this stupid person away, make sure that he would never come back and even bring a story to the villagers of how terrifying it is up in the beast's castle.
Finally, the door opened. I took my position, keen to shoo this intruder.
The door opened and then came a beautiful young woman, I was paralyzed.
I didn't know what to do. She stunned me completely. No praises I knew were enough to describe her godliness or any curses I knew that my tongue would dare utter to express my astonishment.
I was still in the middle of shock when this young woman walked confidently towards me without any mark of fear or terror mirrored in her eyes. In fact there was no expression at all. Her eyes were of the color of amber. Yet warm its color may be it was devoid of any emotion, just amber orbs window to her cold soul.
Again, I was paralyzed. I followed her with my eyes, as she walked towards me. I don't know what happened but it was as if I was under some spell, her spell. What followed was when I felt an unknown sensation pricking my thickened skin, if there's any. It was long since I felt any sharp sensation normally not anymore felt by my sense of touch due to my beastly fur. Then I realized that she touched my face and gently stroked it. Her gentle cold hands reached above my head still lightly stroking and caressing my furry skin.
In that instance, I felt like a stray dog being caressed out of love by my new found master. I closed my eyes to relish this sweet moment.
If I was a stray dog, she definitely was my master and with no objections do I agree. She caught me under her influence just like a master's bidding to his pet. At that moment, I didn't know where I was or what I was. What matters is what I feel today—an extraordinary utopia of my own. I never wanted it to come to an end, so it didn't.
And time passed greatly.
She stayed with me since. Her name was Belle, such a lovely name, possessing lovely looks and lovely voice. She was always there for me, caressing me everytime I need one to make me feel secure. Within all the times she stayed with me, she never left me.
She cuddled me when it was cold; she patted me when I was sadder than the previous day; she sang to me when I was bored.
I shall mention again, and never get tired of stating again that she has a lovely voice.
She was a lady of few words, void of emotions but with lots of tunes. It was ironic how could someone as silent as her be wealthy of soft tunes able to melt my hardened heart.
Tale as old as time… Song as old as rhyme…
The only thing I couldn't help but wonder was her eyes, her empty eyes. She did all these things—cuddling, patting, and singing— without any emotion at all.
As I fall down the pit of special affection for Belle, I was clueless of what her emotions are. I didn't know if behind all her actions resides disgust. I didn't know if behind her eyes devoid of feeling was pretending. Nevertheless, I loved her. I wasn't sure if it was really love for I haven't loved anyone or anything. The only thing I love is my life, nothing else.
As this new feeling, love, flooded me, there was no turning back now. I provided her everything which would make her happy. Shimmering stones, gems and jewels, dresses maidens like her would surely love, and everything. I tried giving her all those things and I did give her all these. But no matter how hard I try, and though she accepted these things with just a mere answer of, "Thank you," I did not see any flicker of happiness, surprise, wonder or amazement in her eyes. This is so redundant, but again, her eyes were empty, stoic. I gave up comprehending her unfathomable eyes and proceeded on expressing my passion for her. It remained that way; nonetheless, I was contented.
Until one day when almost all the petals of my life's rose have withered. My strength is gradually leaving me. My existence would soon come to an end, and I could not do anything about it. But someone could save me, the person whom I loved, Belle.
If she loved me back just the way I loved her, I would be saved. I would be human again. We would marry and live in this castle happily ever after.
But only fairy tales end happily ever after. As for me, I live in an unfortunate fairy tale destined to live miserably before and after.
To know if I was going to survive, I have to ask Belle. But the fear of knowing that she does not, she did not, or she will not love me no matter what scared me and almost convinced me to just let everything fall in its place and let myself die alone without knowing what her emotions were, if there was any.
I didn't know what to do. Fear invaded my whole entity as my strength started to leave me. At the very same time proving that my own fairy tale was to end miserably before and after, Belle bid her farewell.
I was heartbroken.
She has to go back home for an unknown reason. She was going to leave me in my time of dying.How cruel.
At that point did my consciousness only awakened. Before she totally left, I grabbed her arm as my other hand clutched my chest tightly, struggling for life.
"Don't… don't leave me dying." I implored. "Have mercy to this beast."
My hand clutched more tightly to my chest while at the same time I tried maintaining my balance. The only thing that gave me support was my other hand holding her arm refraining her from leaving. I stared hard at her cryptic eyes trying to decipher any emotion, pity, sadness, or anything. But I failed. There was only indifference, nothing more. She said nothing in return, just shook her head slowly. That single action was enough to drive me away from the land of mortals to the realm of death. Slowly, her arm slid down from my grip and she went away. I just watched her went away.
Soon, I am to die.
Still struggling for my life, I went upstairs to check out the wilting plant. With tormenting sensations, I managed to take a glimpse of the almost withered remaining single petal. When it finally drops to the ground, I…
Then, I went to my bed and lay there, waiting for the time.
This was how my life is going to end. An unhappy fairy tale.
As I was going to close my eyes, the door opened. It was not opened hastily rather, it was opened mildly.
Wait.
I knew that gesture. I have memorized that pace, that rhythm of movement. It belonged to the girl with beautiful face, with heavenly voice, with stoic eyes.
I opened my heavy eyes to see Belle's face in front of mine. Her cold breath touched my furred skin. I smiled and urged my hand with its draining energy to give one fine and last stroke to her cheek, that before I die, I got one tiny essence of her for me to bring to the Underworld. And then I closed my eyes. It was enough that she went back to my side; I would not totally die alone.
Before death completely possessed me, I heard Belle's soft heavenly voice, "I love you."
In an instant, all weakness my body acquired vanished. It was replaced by a refreshing sensation providing me new life, new hope. I was turned into a real person again.
I was now again, fully human… fully alive. I brought my hand to my face and was surprised to feel its smoothness. My porcelain skin is back. My teeth were again normal, not anymore suited to devour human flesh.
I lifted my eyes to look at Belle's beautiful face. There she is, still with lovely superficial features, still with stoic eyes.
I smiled at her. She just stared hard at me probably dumbfounded of my gorgeous features first time since my transformation, exposed. I was still gazing at her whole face until my eyes reached her lips. I wasn't anymore sure for we were then kissing.
Slowly our lips touched until we engaged into something more intimate. My warm body met hers, both moving in passionate tempo. Her lips tasted sweet, her body tasted heaven. This is no ordinary pleasure I once again felt, once again arousing my senses into action.
This is it, the fulfillment of my hopes and dreams. Indeed, I live in a fairy tale ending happily ever after. Together, we shall live in this castle forever. We are now united.
After the sweet romance, our bodies clothed only with the velvet blanket, with her head reclined on my chest, did I suddenly felt different. My head ached terribly, trapping me in a deep vertigo. I clutched my head toughly still cautious of not waking Belle up. But the pain did not subside. I could no longer maintain my composure until I felt Belle stir from where she lay.
Belle stood up, got the velvet blanket and tied it around her body. Meanwhile, I was left still naked from waist and up on the bed while clutching my throbbing head. Then, I fell down from the bed caused by my constant shifting of positions looking for a way to ease the pain I felt. I looked at her, communicating through my eyes for help but she only looked at me with her empty amber orbs.
She walked towards me and then knelt. My head was lifted by her gentle cold hands, my eyes meeting her amber ones. For the first time, I was able to see an emotion comprehensible through her eyes. I could sense the strong emotion of ecstasy present in it. But it was ecstasy mixed with triumph, of mocking victory. She won, where? I did not know. Until she opened her mouth to speak,
"I won the little bet between me and that witch who punished you." She smiled venomously, her beautiful face now shadowed with devilish features.
"W-what do you mean?" I asked, still tormented by my throbbing head.
"I said that I could make a beast fall for me. And it did."
"What--?!"
"The beast—it fell for me. Didn't you?" She laughed a tinkling laugh making whatever body hair left of me to stand. "I won our little bet, and the prize… do you know what's the prize?"
"W-what is it?"
"You," She said and kissed me again on the lips. This time, her lips tasted different. It tasted like sweet poison.
She continued kissing me hard but I did not respond. When her mouth finally separated from mine, I managed to ask, "But… you loved me. Or else, the curse won't break."
"Oh, the curse? It was part of the prize. Aren't you happy?" She stood up and then walked away, still draped with the blanket. She ambled towards the door and before totally going out of the room, added, "But I don't need you now. You may now die…" She laughed again evilly, her laughter echoing in the whole castle.
And so I'm left in my own citadel.
That ended my fairy tale. It ended without closure.
I thrive for life. I am imprisoned in my room up inside the beast's castle. In human form I am characterized but in animal form I am being treated. I stopped fighting, it's futile especially if it is against a person I still love and I can not defeat. It means fighting a losing battle where failure is evident right from the start. Love has its powerful conquest which restrain people to do anything, in my case, it really did.
Now, I drown in this lifeless pit. Regret ate my soul up for allowing my self to be entranced by this gullible beauty. Due to my own desperation of looking for someone who might redeem me from this curse, I am now trapped. But I've already accepted the fact. I live, because of my mistake, a pathetic life offered to me by my redeemer.
Every now and then my love, my redeemer, my Belle visits me and feeds me with her poisonous kisses. I do not complain for I was under her spell. Anyway, I am a beast. A beast locked up in its cage, a beast of emotional burden.
And still, I wait for the time of my death. I am no longer afraid of dying alone, for I was ever since alone. Nobody loved me. Nobody would love a beast.
When time comes that my love, my redeemer, my Belle's kisses succeeded in poisoning me, I shall respond to it whole-heartedly. I shall finally be free.
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Random note: Inspired by Neil Gaiman's "Snow, Glass, Apples". Mine is Beauty and the Beast. This composition lacks originality. Err. When would I be able to find time to write my own composition? Something which I shall call, with conviction, mine. This work is so lame.