It was one of those cold winter nights, light white flakes of snow falling lovingly onto the window, looking within at the mother and daughter in front of their fireplace.
The flakes clung to the windowpane listening to the story being told; a wonderful tale of the scissorhanded man who was the most kind and gentle of men.
Just as the snowflake begun to melt, it couldn't move, intent on hearing about the adventures he had with the mother, whose eyes seemed forever seemed forever teeming with tears.
Finally just as the tiny flake became nothing but a drop of water sliding down the pane it would be able to glisten hearing about the mother speak of how she celebrated the scissorhanded man's memory-Edward's memory by dancing in the snow every year, just for him.
The young girl inside, never stopped listening to her mother's stories, even as she grew old enough to stop listening to them with dedication.
This girl, Sage seemed to have more of a fondness for Edward then her mother, and with him in her heart made a seemingly childish promise never to think of any other men but him.
Even in high school she had refused to date.
For one day, she would go up to the mountain and meet him, for Kim had promised that while she could probably never visit her first love ever again, she might send a child one day.
At least until she met Jim, who was named after the man who dated her mother, bearing not only his name but a personality just a personality just as dangerous.
But nonetheless Sage let him sneak into her heart and become his girlfriend.
"Mom?" asked the girl as she sat in the kitchen one night with her mother.
"Yes, dear?"
"I've said yes to Jim," said the girl hesitantly, for reasons unknown to her mother.
"I hope you'll be happy with him," said the mother in response, remembering how Jim used to harass Sage when they were little.
The young woman's voice grew in confidence as she said, "I'm sure I will. I want to give him everything he needs. Light, love…what he sees in me, I suppose." She remembered how worried her mom had gotten over her not wanting to date, but maybe if she lied, she could convince her mom that everything was okay.
Kim's face grew drawn as she said, "Never let him have your soul. That darling is yours and yours alone."
The day's thoughts froze. She had almost forgotten about him.
"Part of it belongs to Edward. He's had it since I was born, I think," spoke the teenager, going off into her world of daydreams.
"That's nice. Perhaps you'll meet him one day… No, you will meet him, I'm sure of it," said the mother, her voice growing in excitement.
"Really! Maybe I…?" said the girl, her voice as excited as her mother's at first, but then dropping down to a hesitant, questioning tone.
"Sage?"
"I don't think I love Jim. I can't love him the way he loves me. Not the way he wants me to," confessed the girl.
"I know, my daughter."
"But about Edward… I feel like I am already in love with him, but how could that be possible?"
A sly look of a fox appeared on the older woman's voice, full of mystery. "With Edward, anything's possible, my dear… Anything's possible."
--
When Sage was near the end of her senior year, Jim started hitting her. Small slaps at first, but eventually the teenager started having to cover up huge bruises and even fractured ribs. The doctor had to be sworn to secrecy, so that he would never tell anybody what was happening between her and Jim. Even Sage's mother didn't know what was happening to her poor daughter.
Eventually, the girl decided to end Jim's horrible treatment of her. She could take it no longer, so she went to the police, who conducted an investigation. This led to a trial in court, where Jim was found guilty and sentenced to prison for three years.
And for three years she lived in assurance and satisfaction, only her parents and a few of her closest friends, as well as Jim's family and gang, ever even knowing about the case.
--
Sage, a young woman now, went to a nearby collage, where she indulged in her artistic pursuits such as violin and piano, as well as singing and dancing.
Her life seemed perfect at the time. Of course, not long after her ex-boyfriend was put in prison, Sage met someone very special. She knew that she would never forget the night she met the man who made the snow fall… Edward Scissorhands.
After days of talking with her mother, she had prepared herself to meet Edward.
Dressed in dark tones and toting a black backpack, she snuck up to the mansion at the top of the mountain on a warm summer night.
After what seemed like an eternity, the young woman finally reached the vine-covered gate that led to the mansion. The vines were so thick that she couldn't even see what was on the other side, but the gate swung open easily, as they'd been cut where the two gates met.
Slowly, Sage opened the gates to reveal the garden from her mother's stories. It was like something out of a book, full of topiaries and beautiful flowers, just as her mother had told her. She gazed at the garden with the light of a full moon and shining stars.
She stared up at the mansion and saw something move. Thinking it had to be Edward, she quickly walked toward the mansion doors and laid her warm hands on the cast-iron door frame.
The excited young woman slowly pushed the door open, listening for the slightest noise. She walked in and marveled at the huge room with the odd machines, and then made for the stairs, gratified to finally be standing in the place her mother's stories.
That's when she heard the snipping. It was soft and hard to hear, so she continued up the staircase, humming quietly. She hummed a song with a lovely, soothing tone that would make a child fall to sleep, to take away her nervousness at the dangerous shadows peeking behind every corner, reminding her of her fear of the dark.
When Sage reached the attic, a feeling of loneliness surrounded her, and yet a small hint of happiness lingered through her that she recognized from long ago. In the center of the room, she carefully put down her backpack whilst still humming.
She then took off her black jacket to reveal her forest-green T-shirt bearing white, flowing designs, which she had sewed on herself. Her green eyes sparkled in the moonlight and her short, dark-brown hair moved slightly from the light wind bustling through the attic.
The young woman's eyes rested on the gaping hole in the attic ceiling, to see the glistening moon above. Turning around, she saw a stone fireplace with a man sitting in it.
The man had wild, black hair that stuck out all around his head and, from what Sage could see, a black suit made of leather. He was hunched over with his arms on his knees, pressed up to his chest. He didn't seem to notice that she was there. The young woman, now feeling like a girl again, stopped humming and kneeled down beside him slowly, laying her hand on his shoulder.
"Kim?" questioned a soft, childish voice, sounding like nothing more than a whisper.
"I'm sorry, my name is Sage… Kim is my mother," replied Sage, realizing that her words had harmed him as she saw a lone tear fall to the floor.
"Daughter?" questioned Edward again.
"I'm sorry," said the young woman again, knowing that the man in front of her probably felt betrayed, and she was the source. She wondered if he would hate her.
"Kim said she would send you," said Edward softly, his dark eyes revealing how hurt he looked for but a moment, then showing a small happy glimmer.
Sage bit her lip, not knowing what to say as Edward studied her. She looked very little like Kim, more like her father. Her eyes were brown for the moment, ever changing, and her face was that of her mother's.
In the moment of stillness, Sage looked carefully at Edward, memorizing every single detail, the scars all over his face, black untamable hair, his fair skin, and sad smile that was beginning to appear.
"Is she happy?" asked the man, looking towards the ground, sounding regretful.
"She loves, and is loved by others. You could say that she is content, but there is a sadness that she carries with her. I've only heard her cry in the night… She misses you more than life itself."
The small smile disappeared. "She suffers because of me," said the man, bowing his head, with more tears falling from his eyes. He looked back up again. "I—I am a monster. Only monsters hurt others, especially the ones they love."
The young woman let go of his shoulder and cupped his face with both hands, bringing herself closer.
"You are not a monster. You care. A monster doesn't care, doesn't love… Don't you dare think that about yourself! If anything, you should be mad at the people who made it so you and Kim couldn't be together!" Tears started slowly dripping down Sage's face and she choked, "You are not a monster," before gently letting go of him and dropping her arms to her sides. Neither spoke for awhile.
The moon drifted across the sky, little by little, and it seemed to be the only thing moving besides the tears that were flowing down their faces like silver raindrops.
Finally, Sage got up off the floor, tears finally gone, and grabbed her backpack, which remained laying aimlessly in the middle of the room. Edward was looking directly at her, at her watery smile, his eyes questioning her every movement.
"Don't go," cried Edward in a monotone voice. She walked back over to him, and the anxiousness disappeared from his face. He moved over in the fireplace, in order for Sage to have a seat. She recognized his notion and sat beside him with comforting eyes.
"I wasn't planning on leaving. In fact, I want to show you something," said the young woman, easing Edward's fear. "My mom wanted me to give you something to always remember her by." She reached into her backpack and pulled out a photo album with thick, white, creamy pages. She nuzzled the book between her and Edward, slowly opening it and saying, "I haven't ever seen it before, so we can look at it together."
Inside were pictures of Kim, from the day she was born, with her family, friends, and even a picture of her and Edward together. The young woman was excited while looking at the photos, for the stories that her mother had told her she could now see for herself, and could tell to Edward.
Halfway through the album was a picture taken only weeks before. It showed her father, mother, her grandmother, and her sitting at a table, laughing at a joke. Her grandfather Bill had taken the picture. It brought a smile to Sage's face as she took in the moment. On the next page there was a drawing.
The young woman recognized it; her mother had drawn it for her years ago, in order to show Sage what her first love had looked like. Now she realized that every single detail was drawn to perfection, except for the amount of scars. She turned to Edward, who was staring at it; touching his blade gently against it.
"She has tons of drawings of you and your topiaries, too." Then Sage turned the page, revealing page upon page of Kim's art and memorabilia, including a piece of the dress that Kim wore on the fateful night she had to leave Edward.
Edward was the one to close the book after they had finished going through it. The man pushed the album onto Sage's lap, and yet Sage pushed it back gently over to Edward's for reassurance.
"She wants you to have it… Oh yeah, I have something else for you." The young woman reached into her backpack again and pulled out a necklace with a small, silver heart attached. She undid the clasp and reached around Edwards's neck, fastening it in the back. The long chain dangled down his chest. He picked it up gently with his scissors and examined it, smiling. "You like it?" asked Sage. Edward nodded. She got up carefully and walked over to the window on stiff legs. The lights in all of Suburbia's houses were out, and the stars above glistened brightly. Sage felt compelled to sing to the starry night.
"Tale as old as time, true as it can be…
Barely even friends, then somebody bends…
Unexpectedly…
Ever just the same, ever a surprise…
Ever as before, ever just as sure…
As the sun will rise…
Tale as old as time…
Tune as old as song…
Bittersweet and strange…
Finding you can change…
Learning you were wrong…
Certain as the sun…
Rising in the east…
Tale as old as time…
Sing as old as rhyme…
Beauty and the Beast…"
Sage sung softly, remembering the song and singing every pitch perfectly. Little did she know that Edward was standing right beside her, looking out the window at the stars above. As she finished, she turned. She saw Edward standing there and blushed. She hoped that she hadn't offended him.
"That was beautiful," said Edward, turning to Sage.
"Thanks," she muttered, still blushing profusely.
"Can I show you something, too?"
"Of course."
"Follow me."
Edward led Sage down to the first floor, down a hallway, and to a large set of doors. The handles were specially crafted so that Edward could open them with his scissors. Inside was a townhouse of sorts. It had two floors with a living and dining room, two bathrooms, two bedrooms, and an atrium that led outside.
Most of the rooms were dusted and clean. In the huge atrium there were vast amounts of flowers and small topiaries. In the middle there was a fountain, and a bench surrounded by flowers. Sage sat down, amazed and content.
"It's so beautiful!" she exclaimed.
"It's yours," said Edward softly.
"Really?"
As the man nodded, she smiled gleefully and threw her arms around him, feeling him stiffen at first, but then relax. She let go and laughed. "But you'll have to teach me how to garden."
Edward smiled back to her.
--
For the next few months, Sage would gather her things and go up to her friend's mansion every Sunday.
And every Sunday night, she would stop at her mother's house and tell her what happened earlier in the day with Edward. In fact, one day she even got her mother to go up one last time to see Edward. Respectfully, she left them alone.
After that, Sage started fixing up the rooms and adding things like a small refrigerator, fixing the plumbing (Thanks to her father, who was a carpenter, but a handyman for anything), painting, wiring the house, and storing a good number of her belongings there.
Whenever Sage went to the mansion, she was there or in the atrium, learning everything that she could about gardening. She was having a great life with a job, going to college, and a great friend.
But she had forgotten about a certain someone.
Someone from her past that she hadn't seen for three years.
Someone who wanted revenge.
--
NOTE – The song is from the Disney movie 'Beauty and the Beast'.