"What!" Kaelyn said in shock.
"ANSWER ME!"
"Ohmygod!" she cried. "I-I'm K-kaelyn Bollak. I heard a story about the house and came to check it out."
"SO, YOU'RE SNOOPING?"
"I guess…"
"SO, WHY ARE YOU SNOOPING?"
"Why don't you face me! You're hiding behind the wall." Kaelyn cried, trying to stall time.
"FACE YOU! ALRIGHT, I SHALL." And he came out from the corner.
Kaelyn looked a little above her normal height, since many men were taller than her. What she did not expect was what she saw.
Out from the corner, came a thing, a monster, a beast. It was tall, ten feet, or twelve, and had horns. It was gross, grotesque. Horribly frightening.
He stood tall and proud; yet hurt, unwanting to show himself.
His monstrous form scared Kaelyn half to death. Screaming, she turned and ran.
She collided with something small and short. She looked down.
"STEVE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" She yelled, noticing small everyday objects scattered on the floor that weren't there earlier.
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Steve saw his teacher walk into the big house. It was gi-normaous. After a while, when she didn't come out, he went in after her.
He pushed open the doors to the house and saw it was dark. He didn't like dark.
He walked in anyway.
The first thing he saw was a tin soldier hopping around the place. He walked to it, and it kept hopping. Then, he saw a book 'walking' on its corners. He cried aloud, and they all dropped in mid-air.
After a few moments, he calmed down and asked, "W-who are y-y-you?"
They must have realized he had a stutter, because they immediately 'wok up' and started playing again.
They started to include him, circling in the air around him, tugging lightly at his hair.
Finally, he asked where Miss Bollak was. They beckoned him to follow, and he did.
They took him somewhere, he had no idea, when he heard her scream. He ran to her voice, and successfully got there. He ran right smack into her.
She yelled really loudly, "what are you doing here?" and he was about to tell her when she simply grabbed his arm and started tugging. He couldn't see what the issue was, and started to tell her about the magic toys. But, she just ignored him.
She ran to the door, but it wouldn't open.
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A loud, terrifying roar bellowed from the mouth of the monster. Kaelyn stopped and turned, scared. Steve turned and saw a fluffy big thing. It wasn't scary, and looked kinda like a big rottweiler.
Steve walked forwards to go talk to it.
He asked, "Is this YOUR magic house?"
The animal nodded.
"Can I stay? I like it here."
"NO!" called Kaelyn, Flipping out.
Another roar emitted from the creature. She shut up.
He nodded to Steve, who followed him wordlessly. Kaelyn walked behind, ready to grab Steve and run, should the beast attack.
He brought them to a room filled with toys and a bed and things that could occupy an eight year old for hours.
"You may stay here as long as you like," the beast said. Kaelyn goggled wordlessly at him.
"WHAT! You know I can talk! Shut your mouth!" and she did.
"You may stay in this room," he said, showing Kaelyn a room next to Steve's. He opened the door and revealed a beautiful circular room, large enough to hold her house.
"T-thank you," she said, feeling awkward she that was thanking an animal.
And he left.
When she was sure he was gone, she ran to Steve's room.
"Steve! What on earth are you doing here!" she cried.
He looked up, hurt from the tone she was using. "I-I'm s-sorry, M-m-miss B-b-b-bollak." He was crying now. "I-I was s-scared uh-of that man that h-hurt y-you. And I-I c-c-came in y-your car."
"You snuck in my car! Don't do that! That's something you should never do! What if the car had been hijacked, and they took the car, and I not knowing your there, let them take it! Then what! You're in the hands of bad people! Never go in someone's car with out them knowing! Do you understand!" She was yelling at him, and scaring him, but she was the responsible for him. He was full out crying now, balling his eyes out. She felt pity. "Oh Steve, come here." He came. "I didn't mean to scare you. I'm just angry that you snuck in my car." She was holding him, and he was crying on her shoulder. "Now. We need to go. I don't like this place."
"B-but look! Th-the thin-ngs m-mo-ve! They fly!" and he turned back to them, crawling off her lap. He started talking to them, and it appeared they were listening to him. But that wasn't it, he was moving them. No he's not. Is he mad?
The second she thought this, they swarmed around her, flying.
"Ohmygod! I must be mad too!" she cried, ducking at them, trying to get away.
"S-stop!" Steve laughed.
Then, she quietly heard something that made her stop. It was the things saying they need help.
"Huh!" she was appalled.
"We need help! Help us!" their shrill voice cut through the air. Kaelyn looked at Steve, and the objects, and ran from the room.
Once in her room, she slammed the door, and flung herself on the bed, and cried. Her nerves were wild, uncontrolled, from Caine, to the beast, to magic. It was all too much.
Then, to make it even worse, something moved. It made a scraping sound that shook the room.
"Cheer up. Life's not that bad, is it?"
"What?" Kaelyn spoke, raising her head. She saw a floor lamp next to her. She shrieked.
"Hey," it said. "I'm only here to help. Now, is there anything you'd like to know?"
"Yes, I'd like to know who runs this mansion, where is he, and how is everything here run? By electricity? Battery? HOW!" Kaelyn was frantic now.
"Well, the master runs the place, he's the beast, and everything is run by magic."
"I won't believe it, I can't! Magic isn't real!"
"Yes it is deary. I didn't think it was, but now I know better." The thing said.
"So, wait, I'm confused." She made a gesture saying 'explain more'.
"I'm sorry, but I can't explain. We're just who we are." It shook its head.
"Is there a place I can talk to the-the. Umm. The beast?" Kaelyn asked, needing to discuss certain things.
"Yes, how about over dinner? I'll go tell him to expect you."
"Oh, ok." And the lamp left.
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Kaelyn and Steve were at the table alone. There was food everywhere. It was food meant for a grown up and kid. There was pizza, french fries, chicken nuggets, ziti, lasagna, salad.
They were both having a great time with the food. When they were about done, the beast came to the table.
"I hope you had a satisfying dinner?" He asked.
"Yes, I did. Thank you. Now-" Steve cut her off.
"M-my name's S-steve. Whu-whats yours?" he asked, happily.
"Oh, umm, Lysander." He looked uncomfortable.
"Th-that's cool!" and Steve went on talking as best as he could about random stuff, and then the topic led to Miss Bollak.
"She's r-really n-n-nice! And, I-i think-k oth-ther b-b-oys that have g-grown up-p-p like her, b-bbecause earl-ier tod-day, I saw a b-boy who was old kiss her! It was icky!" Lysander looked at her sharply.
"Steve! Stop it!" and he looked at her surprised at her sharp tone. "You know I didn't want what he did to me! Now, talk about other things." And he went back to talking about her.
"A-and isn't sh-she p-pretty?"
Lysander just looked at him, not knowing how to answer.
"W-well? I-isn't she?" he begged.
She just hid her blush by looking down at the plate.
"Y-yeah. Umm, where's this going, uhh, kid?"
"M-my name is S-teve! Rem-mem-m-b-ber?"
"Oh, right."
All right, Steve, let's stop talking now. I have some questions for Lysander." Kaelyn replied.
The beast looked at her guardedly. "Like what?"
"Well, like, why is this place full of magic?"
"Because."
She wanted a better answer, and said, "Because what?"
"I can't answer that." And he looked deep in thought.
"Well, then I'd like to know, how did it become, enchanted?" Kaelyn asked.
"Can't say."
"What can you say!"
"Nothing!" Lysander was angry now. "In time, I might tell you, but not now."
"When?"
"NOT NOW!"
She looked at him as if to say 'what's your problem?'.
"DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM!" He was bellowing loudly, and deeply. She sat there, suddenly afraid. He got up and in his hunched back, thundered his way to her.
About to draw a breath in to yell at her, he looked in her eyes, an-
Her voice was beautiful, youthful. Although she no more than uttered the word, the emotion behind it was powerful enough to be heard in a noisy room. She stood straighter and from her short hideous form, grew a tall beautiful lady. She was full of magic; you could sense it off her. She was light skinned, and had brown hair, falling off her shoulders in ringlets. Her eyes were a bright blue and piercing. She had a dress on. It was green and sparkled in the dim light. It hugged her body to her knees where it fell loose and flew out if she spun. The rose was beautiful before, but now it was stunning and hard to look at, with all the beauty it consumed.
"I have seen you before. Those eyes! Those piercing blue eyes. It's you! You've come to do more damage than there already is. WHY! Can't you see I've been trying my hardest!" He bowed before her, crouching on his hind paws.
"Who are you talking about?" Kaelyn asked.
"Don't pretend your someone your not! I know who you are! You're-" and he stopped suddenly, and looked around. He was hearing a voice! It was her!
"LYSANDER IOANNIDIS ARGYRIS! DO NOT TELL HER WHO I AM. SHE IS NOT WHO YOU THINK. SHE IS NOT THE ENCHANTRESS YOU SEEM TO RECALL. DO NOT DISCLOSE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT ME. I AM A SECRET. DO NOT TELL. BE QUIET. MAYBE SHE WILL LEARN TO LOVE YOU, AND YOU SHALL BE SET FREE! MAYBE! MAYBE! Maybe! Maybe!" and her voice drifted away.
"Are you okay?" Kaelyn asked.
Lysander stood up fast and left abruptly.