I stopped short. What was I doing here? Here, in this mansion that should be full of socialite snobs, not a teenage girl in ratty jeans and motorcycle boots.
I headed towards an open door that led down into subterranean darkness. The beam of my flashlight swept back and forth in front of me. It finally traveled across the face of my father. He looked pale, tired, and infuriated. I gently shook him awake.
"Argh! Stay away from me, monster!" he shouted in my face.
Taken aback, I spoke as gently as I could, "Dad, it's me. It's Issa."
His face relaxed momentarily, "Issa, I-," his face was suddenly once more infuriated, "You monster! How dare you lock me up!"
My flashlight was knocked out of my hand as I turned to see the cause of Dad's rage. A new voice, smooth as syrup joined us out of the dark, "It was for your own good."
I was in shock, "If it was for his own good, how come you locked him in the basement?"
"It's none of your business, KID."
I rose furiously from my position on the floor. "I'm no 'kid'," I spat furiously, "I am sixteen years old and you are not going to get away with this."
"Really? Well, you don't look a day over twelve if you ask me!"
"You are a BEAST!" I shouted at him, putting my fists up in preparation for a fight.
He chuckled deeply, "Well now, you'd think I'd already know that!"
He stepped into the sliver of moonlight coming from the window. Thick, golden blond fur covered his entire, otherwise human body. Talon-like claws took the place of fingernails, he really WAS a beast.
He seemed to have come awkwardly and unpreparedly in a t-shirt and what appeared to be his boxers. I blushed ashamedly at the sight, "Please, let my dad go. My mom is really worried about him and he is the sole breadwinner of our family."
The beast hesitated for a moment, "What will you leave me in his place?"
"Me, I'll stay."
"Issa, no!" Dad shouted.
"You would stay?" the Beast asked, his eyes softening.
I looked sadly at Dad, "Dad, can't you see that there is no other way? I have to stay. Now then, when you get home, be sure to take good care of Mom, Kate, and Hailey." He nodded solemnly, trying to blink back the tears in his eyes.
"Sir, would you like me to have a servant get your car out of the garage for you?" the Beast inquired.
"No, I'll do it myself!" he said defiantly, then he added in a softer tone to me, "I love you Isabelle."
"I love you too. Goodbye."
"Goodbye, dear," then with a final kiss and a hug, he turned and fled upstairs towards freedom.
"Miss," I turned to look at the beast, who was holding out his arm for me to take, "what shall I call you?"
I laughed at that. Here was a beast, in boxers no less, attempting to behave like a gentleMAN.
"You may choose what you call me, but I will not stand being called 'beautiful', 'brain', or 'elf.'"
"How about Beauty?"
"No, that is practically the same as beautiful."
"But it is true."
I rolled my eyes, "Oh well, pick something else."
"Can I call you Rose?"
"No. Then it sounds like I'm that girl from 'Doctor Who'!"
"That is one great show!"
"I don't care, I found that girl annoying, especially when she was taken over by the skin lady."
"Fine, can I call you Belle?"
"Yes, you can call me that."
He held out his arm once more, but I declined, "Come with me, Belle. let's get you a proper bedroom." He led me through a maze of passages to room that must have at one point been the master suite.
"This is beautiful, Beast," I said, gesturing to an ornate blue and gold mask hanging within a display case.
He smiled for a change and responded happily, "Ah, yes. My mother wore that to a dance when she was a teenager."
"You have a mother?" This was a surprising turn of events to me, who felt it impossible that a beast could have a mother.
"Correction, I had a mother. She died when I was ten."
A well of sadness bubbled up in me, "I'm so sorry for your loss. Is your father alive?" I was met with a silence that I took for a 'no.'
"I'll be in my room, Belle. However don't come in, it's an unbelievable mess. Dinner will be ready shortly. If you need anything before then, call for one of the servants and they'll help you out."
I stared at the door that the Beast had left through and sat down on the large, king sized bed. Why did I go through with this reckless and hopeless endeavor? I sighed and went to the phone that sat on the desk. Beside it was a guide to TV channels and phone numbers, as you might see in a hotel. I punched in the kitchen number and waited.
"Yes, miss. What do you want?" I spun around to see a large woman in an apron come in with a tray full of tea things occupying her hands.
"May I have a cup of tea?"
"Of course! What kind would you like?"
"Peppermint, if you have it, please. It will calm my stomach."
"I know what you mean. Thank you miss, for staying with us. It gets lonely here, without very many young people. Excuse me, I forgot my manners. My name is Mrs. Cartwright, I'm the housekeeper. What's you name miss?"
I looked up from the cup in my hands, "I'm Isabelle, Isabelle Jeanes ma'am."
"Oh! Do you know Richard Jeanes?"
I giggled, "He's my dad."
"Ah! I knew him in high school. He was the most adorable little nerd!"
"Well, you already missed him. He left about thirty minutes ago."
Mrs. Cartwright looked sadly at me, "I know. It was a very brave thing you did there, taking his place." She took my cup, "Dinner will be ready in about ten more minutes. I'll send Talia to help you get ready." The door closed behind her and I was alone. All of a sudden, a young woman of about twenty-five came in, carting in with her a suitcase that probably held all sorts of makeup.
"Hi, I'm Talia," she said in a calm voice, "Mrs. C. said I'm supposed to help you get ready for dinner." I nodded. "Fabulous." She got to work on my face, adding little touches here and there that could only be done by a professional.
"What dress should we put you in? Perhaps this purple one?" she said, pulling a gauzy purple gown out of the large closet full of designer clothing. At my apparent look of displeasure, she instead pulled out a skirt and a light blouse. I pulled them on and instantly relaxed. Talia smiled, "Much better, huh?"
"Yes, I would feel overdone with a gown on."
"Do you want to see the final result?"
"Yes," I breathed. Staring back at me was a completely different person. My eyes were surrounded by mahogany, a creamy bone, and a sandy brown. My lashes were long, untangled, and a glossy black. Long, loose curls framed my face.
"You look like Aunt Cynthia," Talia bursted out. Who on earth was that?
"It's beautiful! Thank you so much Talia!"
Talia smiled and waved off the compliment, "I'll leave now, remember to tell me all about dinner!" And with that, she was gone, and I was alone once more.
A/N- The mask and Talia blurting out about Aunt Cynthia are a reference to a story I am currently writing that is connected to this.
