Date- 19 FEBRUARY 2018

CHAPTER 4

Elizabeth looked at the candelabra she had left just outside the cell when she had switched places with her father. Again, it looked oddly alive, as if it was breathing.

"So, how long have you been stuck in here?" she asked it with a half-smile, feeling foolish for talking to an inanimate object.

Suddenly, it opened its eyes, or what seemed to be its eyes, and waved its arms about as it said, "Oh no Miss. I have not been stuck here. I work here." Then its eyes widened in horror, and it became stiff again.

Elizabeth gasped when she first heard it speak, and took a half-step back. She slowly went towards it and said, "You can talk?!"

In response, the candelabra gave what seemed to be a sigh, well it sounded like one, and opened its eyes. "Yes."

Before she could say anything, Elizabeth heard something coming up the stairs, and quickly retreated behind in the cell, thinking that the Beast had come. But then she heard a voice, unlike the deep gruff voice of the Beast. It was a man's voice. She walked forward again, hoping that the man would help her escape, or at least tell her where the Beast was, so that she could talk to him.

"Lumière? Was that you?" said the voice. It sounded weird, like it was hopping.

"This just keeps getting weirder." thought Elizabeth.

Then she saw the same mantel clock she had seen by the talking candelabra earlier, jumping up the stairs. Her eyes widened again.

"Lumière what are you doing here. The Master has called us to talk about something that has just happened." said the clock. The candelabra, who Elizabeth presumed must be Lumière, tried to motion for it to be silent. But the clock tried taking to him again, before its voice faded on seeing Elizabeth. Lumière just shook his head sadly and slapped his arm on his head.

"Oh um Miss. You did not see me." said the clock, squealing the last bit, before becoming stiff.

Elizabeth shook her head and laughed a bit. "I must be losing it. A candelabra that talks. A mantle clock that talks. The candelabra is called Lumière. How did I ever think of such a story? Must be something about this cell." she said. Then she heard two more voices. A woman and a small boy. It sounded like they were calling for Lumière and a person named Cogsworth. So the mantle clock must be Cogsworth.

"And now I will be seeing a teapot and a teacup." she said sarcastically. The next moment, she saw a teapot and a teacup. It seemed like her eyes would be widening frequently from now on, as it had happened once again. Her mouth dropped open.

"I told you Mama that they will be here. Now Master will tell us about the mysterious person." said the little teacup with a part of the rim chipped off, excitedly.

"Now Chip, you must not jump around over there." said the teapot.

"Yes Mama." said Chip the teacup.

This time, both Lumière and Cogsworth were trying to make them stay quiet. Then both the teapot and the teacup noticed Elizabeth.

"Oh hello dear. Close your mouth before flies go in." said the teapot kindly, before its eyes widened and it too became stiff. This time, Cogsworth shook its head. Meanwhile, Lumière was banging its head against the wall.

Elizabeth promptly shut her mouth, but continued to stare at the newcomers. The little teacup, Chip, spoke to her.

"Oh hello Miss. Are you the mysterious person?" it asked excitedly. Lumière fell back on the floor in despair.

"Now I am definitely losing it. Objects that talk. How do you do it?" she asked stupidly.

"Well I have been talking since I was a little boy. My name is Chip! What is yours?" replied Chip. The teapot was shaking its head now. Cogsworth seemed like he was strangling himself. Lumière was positively weeping.

"But you are a teacup." She said, feeling more stupid by the second.

"Yes I am a teacup!" Chip exclaimed happily, before becoming quiet and suddenly realising that it was a teacup. "I am a teacup." said Chip. "I AM A TEACUP!" it squealed before becoming stiff. The teapot, Cogsworth and Lumière were now all on the floor, weeping inconsolably.

Now Elizabeth herself was on the floor, weeping, but with tears of laughter. "What is happening to me?" she said, suddenly sitting straight up.

The teapot, Chip, Cogsworth and Lumière slowly started moving away.

"Wait!" cried Elizabeth. "Please." she added softly. "At least tell me how you all can talk. Is this all real? Or is it just happening inside my head?"

This time, it was the teapot that sighed. It said, "No my dear, it is not happening inside your head. This is all real. My name is Mrs. Agathe Potts. The teapot is my son James, or Chip as you heard him being called. The mantle clock is Cogsworth. And the candelabra is Lumière. We are, or rather were, humans."

Elizabeth did not know what to say. "And how did his happen to you?" she asked gently, hoping that she would not hurt them with this question.

"That my dear, I cannot tell you. At least not now. We have to go now. Take care of yourself. Goodbye." The others said their goodbyes before slowly heading towards their Master.

Elizabeth watched them go away and said goodbye. She then sat back down in the cell on the cot. If they were humans, then maybe the Beast was a human too? What had happened? There were many question, but she did not have answers. She would have to find a way to talk to them or the Beast. She wanted to know. She wanted to help the objects who had been humans. And somewhere in her mind, she wanted to help the Beast too, though she would never admit to it. Perhaps because he had freed her father and let her take his place. She thought over these before falling asleep.

Author's Notes- Hello everyone! First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Since this is my first chapter since 2017, I had to write that. :-):-):-):-)

I would like to apologise for the long wait. I know that it has been a long time. But like I had written at the end of the first chapter, I am a student in Grade 10, and my finals are fast approaching, and so it was difficult for me to write and upload. I have the whole story plotted, but not written down completely, which is partially why I take so long.

I really appreciate your reviews. They mean a lot, and I have noted down your suggestions and will definitely try to work on them.

I am so happy that you like the "thank you" at the end of Chapter 3! I just wanted to show the relationship between father and daughter and how she would do anything for him.

To all the guest reviewers out there, I am so sorry if I may have missed your review. I accidentally had the moderate reviews filter on, and the guest reviews disappear in five days. I am sorry if I missed out on them. Also to the ones I did get a chance to see, thank you for the reviews. I cannot personally respond to you as you have not signed up on this site, but I can thank you her, so THANK YOU! :-):-):-):-)

To all the people who have stayed with me for so long, thank you. :):):):)

Now I hope you enjoyed this chapter. THERE IS A REFERENCE TO ANOTHER BOOK, A FAVOURITE OF MINE, IN THIS. SEE IF YOU CAN SPOT IT :-):-):-):-)

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Lots of love,

NACC