The Lair of the Beast

"Samantha, Why was I on the phone with your school counselor today." Sam kept her eyes down, hoping she wouldn't need to face his anger. "Look at me when I'm talking to you." His harsh voice forced her to look up, right into his icy blue eyes.

"Sorry father," It took her all her might to not move her eyes back down away from his cold stare.

"According to him you skip half of your courses, your grades are dropping and you hang around with that lowlife again." His voice didn't rise once during this whole conversation.

"She isn't a lowlife, she's my best friend," Sam muttered between her teeth, dropping her head back down, to her feet that were at this moment ten times more interesting than her father's spout.

"Do you call me a liar? And look at me when I'm talking to you." He demanded She could hear the little shiver in his voice indicating that he was getting angry. Wanting to get it over with as fast as possible she looked back up. "How do you plan to fix your mistakes?" Putting emphasis on the last word referring to her friend.

Emma and she had met in kindergarten, Sam's timid personality was perfect for Emma's brash one. Emma dragged her in all kinds of adventures, while she kept the girl's feet on the ground. Her father hadn't approved of their friendship once he learned what for an influence she was on his daughter. After kindergarten she was sent to a private school, this didn't stop them from seeing each other after school and during the weekends.

"I don't know." She knew he wasn't going to like her answer, but she couldn't think of anything else to say.

"If you don't know, I'll decide for you." She looked fearfully into his eyes not liking where this was going. "From now on your not allowed to leave the house, use the phone or any other way of communication, until your grades are acceptable. And you will put an end to your friendship with that girl."

Hearing those last words Sam did something she thought she would never do. "You can't do this." She almost screamed, putting on the angriest face she could muster. "She's my only friend, I have no one else."

Showing no sign of being affected by her outburst, he calmly stood up. "If you keep on squandering your talents like this, I'm forced to take actions."

"I'll get my grades back up, I'll even follow all my classes. But you can't forbid me from seeing my friends." Sam felt the courage growing in her gut. She was just so tired of following her father's orders.

"I'm your father, so yes I can and I will. Or are you going to stay like this your whole life." Then she saw a look she would never forget, the look of pure disappointment.

It felt her with so much anger. After all, she did for him, he was still disappointed "A disappointment? That's how you see me isn't it?" For the first time in her life, she shouted her thoughts out.

"That's not what I meant." He looked down, pulling out a couple of papers not even giving her the respect to look her into her eyes. Fueling her anger even more. She couldn't stop herself anymore the years of the apathy, the way he looked at her, she needed the clear her mind and it needed to happen right now.

"I'm so tired of your rules, your expectations, your control over my life. I'm tired of you. You have been suffocating, me my whole life. In my 16 years, I lived under your roof I never had a decision of my own. You know what I'm done, I'll live my life like I want from now on!" Storming out of the room she barely missed her mother entering the room to find out why her daughter was screaming.

Sam ran through the halls of her childhood home, tears in her eyes, not knowing where to go just as far away as possible from that man. With every step and tear the halls changed more and more the pillars replaced by trees sweeping in the wind, the red carpets changing to jungle foliage and the ceiling opened up revealing the dark starry night of Haiti.

She could still hear her mother call after her. "Sam, wait he didn't mean it." only for her high voice to replaced by the concerned deeper voice of Sly. And just like when she was younger she just ran ignoring where she was going, she just wanted to get away. Away from their disapproving look.

It felt like she was running for hours, her fur was drenched with mud and water, her lungs were burning with every breath and her legs felt like they would give in any minute. She needed to rest for a moment get her thoughts on a row, Sly's shouts had stopped he had probably given up to return to his friends.

Looking for a good spot, she stumbled on the most ominous gate she had ever laid her eyes on. The most prominent feature was the giant menacing head, in the middle of the gate. The head was accompanied by two snakes, on on each part of the gate. The gate itself was further lighted by multiple torches located around the area, with one conveniently placed inside of the head.

Her body said to stay as far away as possible from whatever was behind it. It didn't comfort her that there was no lock or handle on it, indicating that once it was closed it probably wasn't meant to be opened again. For once trusting her instincts she started walking in the opposite direction as far away as possible.

She had other priorities first, like what was she going to do right now. There was no way she could ever make her way back to civilization without the gang. Even if she didn't like it she needed their help. For now, she would walk around aimlessly. She could feel the rain slowing down to a pleasant drizzle. The water felt cold but oh so refreshing.

She kept walking like this, dodging the occasional guards, until through the shrubbery she saw a light, following it she exited the forest. Only for her to stand in front of the gate again. "What the…" The head's eyes stared straight at her, mocking her.

Wasting no time, she turned back the way she came, there was no way she was going to let herself be bested by a gate. After a couple of minutes of wrestling through vines and trees she finally came out on an empty area, letting out a sigh of relief, she looked up. To her shock, those burning eyes stared back at her. "How is this even possible, there is no way."

She twisted on her heels and dashed back into the forest running as fast as her tired legs could take her as far away from that gate as she could. In her haste, she didn't notice the root sticking out of the ground. Before she knew it her face made contact with the ground. Pushing herself up, the first thing she noticed was the surprisingly bright light. She looked up already knowing what would be waiting. To her regret, she was met with the same face she had now seen for the fifth time.

"Just go take a look inside, it's probably important if they locked it down like that."

Not thinking twice, she started to scale a nearby tree easily hopping from branch to branch until she reached the other side. "That was easy."

The area behind the gate was one big swamp, the trees growing a couple of meters, high. Their leaves trying to get any piece of sunlight, making it eerie dark almost impossible to clearly see the area.

The most unsettling thing was the lack of sound, no birds, no insects, nothing. It felt like she was in a whole new world.

Now that she was here she could only continue, carefully she started to maneuver through the area, trying to find some sort of landmark. With every step she started to feel more uncomfortable, like someone, something was watching her.

After a couple of minutes, she didn't feel like she was making any progress. it felt like she was walking circles The thick flora wasn't helping, with that her best bet was to find higher ground. Finding the tallest tree she started to climb. Just a meter high her attention was pulled to a ripple in the nearby water like something was moving through it.

'It's just the wind, don't worry about'

'It's probably just the wind.' With that, she continued her climb. Using the vines and branches to reach the top. Looking around her eyes fell on a light, not so far from her current position. Unable to see from the ground through the shrubbery.

Just when she wanted to climb down, something heavy hit the tree, shaking her from her position. She could feel her heart stop, her hands trying to grab for something to hold, only for them to grasp air. Reality came crashing back when her whole body snapped back in the opposite direction. She could feel herself go up and down a couple of times until everything stopped moving. Getting her bearing, the world was turned upside down, looking up she saw her savior, a vine wrapped around her ankle.

The moment of relief didn't last for long, looking forward, she just saw the tail of something very big, very slippery disappear behind the trees. Not wanting to know what it was she reacted immediately by removing her savior. Gravity taking it's effect again her body hit the ground hard.

Looking up she saw the trees and bushes, getting pushed out of the way by something, right to her direction. And by the sounds coming from it, it wasn't coming to help her. Wasting no time she sprinted away from her pursuer in the direction she thought, hoped the light was.

Dodging branches and vines she ran as fast her legs could carry her, her lungs started to burn again, not having recovered from running away from Sly. "Why did I think it was a good idea to go over a locked gate, that was obviously keeping something in." She chastised herself.

'Just stop it's over, your never going to outrun it.'

Looking behind her, she wished she didn't. At the moment the biggest snake she had ever seen in her life was giving chase, with an appetite for one specific wolf. Getting another adrenaline injection she quicked her pace, ignoring her lungs, legs, and the voice in her head.

Looking forward she saw a glimpse of the light she was chasing after. She prayed that it didn't lead her to more death, already feeling the snake's breath on her neck. Finally leaving the shrubbery behind she arrived in an open area, in the middle of it was a lake containing an island, lighted by multiple torches scattered around it. Besides that, the island contained one massive looking tree and a glass dome on a table.

Her body not stopping, she jumped in the water, her nostrils filling with the dirty water. Looking up she could the shadow of its head looking around, not wanting to wait for it to find her, she started to swim to the island staying underwater as long as possible.

Reaching land again, she looked behind her the snake nowhere to be found, like it went up in the air. Not wanting to test her luck, she ran with the little energy she had left to the glass dome. Her mood sinked a little when she saw the content, a blue key was displayed on the table, like it was some sort of museum piece.

"What are you doing here?" She asked the inanimate object. Removing the dome and taking the key. When suddenly a shadow started to cast over her. Looking up she came eye to eye with her pursuer. It's body coming from the lake having hidden itself there.

Just avoiding its teeth she tried to get back in the lake, if she wanted to survive she needed to get off this island. Only for her escape route to be blocked by its long slippery body, that started to rise from the lake. Wrapping itself around the island it blocked every escape route.

Seeing no other way she kept dodging the beast's mouth, trying to swallow her like a midnight snack, her legs leading her to the only hiding place on the island. The massive tree. Getting closer to it, she noticed it was hollow.

Just a couple meters from it the beast moved its head in front of her, blocking her path. She knew she couldn't stop in time, the snake had the same idea just keeping its mouth open for her to run in. Going low her legs pushed her from the ground, jumping right over the snake's head, key clutched in her hand.

The beast tried to snap at her, only for it to realize she was just out of its grasp having constricted itself around the island.

Landing on the other side, she barreled right into the hole situated on the bottom of the tree. The beast rammed its head after her still trying to get to her. She moved as flat as possible against the back of the trunk just barely out of reach from its mouth.

Realising he couldn't get her this way the beast retreated. Letting out a sigh of relief her body relaxed a little. Hearing it slither away, she let herself slump down on the moss infested ground.

Her relief was again shortlived when she suddenly heard the whole tree creak and shudder like something was putting an immense pressure on it. Daring to take a peek outside she saw the beast's body slidder up the tree. It had wrapped it's whole body around the trunk, trying to crack it open like a nut and by the sound's of it, it was succeeding. Jumping back in time again, she barely avoided the massive jaw embedding itself in her previous position. Giving her nasty look for as far as it could he continued his task.

With every second the noise became louder and louder. She could feel her heart trying to burst out of her chest. The world started to spin trying to throw her off. Putting her hands onto her ears, she closed her eyes just to make the sound stop. "Leave me alone, Leave me alone, Leave me alone."

"Samantha, you can't stay in there. Your mother is looking for you." Sebastian's fist kept pounding against the wooden door of her room.

"Leave me alone." She screamed, he didn't understand. "I don't want to see her."

"Samantha, if you don't talk to me I can't help you." Sebastian stopped the knocking, realizing it wouldn't help him to get inside.

She ignored him hoping he would leave her alone. Burying her face deeper into her pillow, hoping it was all just one big nightmare.

"You know, I never knew my parents." She lifted one eyelid, rubbing the tears from her eyes, listening what her butler was going to say. "I grew up in an orphanage, I hated my parents whoever they were, for years thinking they abandoned me, didn't care for me… thrown away like an old toy."

"I held that resentment for years, the hate-consumed me, I pushed every possible parent away thinking they wanted to adopt me out of pity." He continued, the regret hearable in his voice. "That was until I came of age, ready to stand on my own two feet. Or so the orphanage said, not really easy for an 18-year-old to take care of himself. Before I left I received a letter from the matron. She had specific instructions to give it to me when I was old enough. It was a letter from my father and mother telling me, they... uhm... loved me, that they were proud of me and wherever I was they would always be watching me."

Sam couldn't longer stand by hearing the sadness in his voice, opening the door, she came into the hallway. Sebastian was sitting with his back to the door, seeing she finally opened the door, he rubbed the tears from his eyes, stood up dusting himself off in the process. "What happened to them?" She needed to know the end of the story.

"I still don't know. But the letter made me realize whatever happened to them they loved me. For whatever reason they left me behind it was because they wanted to protect me." He gave her a sad smile. "Your father may seem harsh, but I am sure he has the best intentions. They may not always come over correctly, but he would do anything to protect you."

"Why isn't he here to say this. Why is it you and not him." She couldn't believe that everything her father did was for her good. "Your parents may have loved you, but I'm not sure mine do."

Sebastian had no way to react to this, had her father pushed her so far away. There was only one thing he knew she needed right now. He crouched down on one leg with the intention to give her a hug.

"Sam, are you alright." They both looked up to see her uncle stand at the end of the hallway, the concern on his face visible.

"Just a fright nothing to worry about, Sir." Seb tried to reassure the man. He looked at her nodding his head to come in for the hug. She started to move in his direction ready to return it.

"Sam, why don't we go for some ice cream and you can tell me all about it." Edward's voice stopped the girl in her track. "We can even go to the amusement park just the two of us." He started to move in her direction, a reassuring smile on his face holding out his hand.

She looked at the two of them not really knowing where to go. "Just give me a hug and then you can go with your uncle."

Seeing no problem with it, she continued in Sebastian's direction. "Stop, he's dangerous get away from him." They both looked in her uncle's direction confused by his accusation.

"Why is Seb dangerous, he's been our butler for years." She confusedly asked not really knowing what was going on.

"Sir, I don't know what you mean, I just want to give her a hug, come here Samantha." Sebastian now moved closer to himself still spreading his arms spread out.

"Samantha you need to wake up, your not yourself." She looked in panic again at her uncle his gruff deep voice changed to a younger, more panicked voice. "Whatever your seeing is not real, just trust me and come here."

"Jussssst, give me a hug." She looked back in terror at Sebastian, his eyes changing to yellow. In his beak there were snake teeth growing, gone was the kind look of her caretaker, now it was full of hunger and hate.

"Just give him a hug."

That voice pierced her head again, it wasn't her voice it was someone else's. "Get out of my head ." She threatened. "Stop feeding me these ideas." clutching her head, it felt like her brain wanted to burst out of her skull

"Oh, but dear, I am doing nothing. I just nurture some thoughts you already have. All these visions, thoughts and ideas you have are all yours. You wanted to get away from your companions, your curiosity wanted to see behind the wall. And now your need for acceptance will be your death, don't fight it just accept his embrace."

Before she could react to anything else Sebastian's head lunged forward, his neck growing longer and longer. Locked in fear she couldn't move her body.

Just when imposter Seb wanted to plunge its teeth in her head, just when she thought she was dead. A stone hit him in square in the face. His body still standing, his head was laying on the floor unconscious.

Edward rushed over to her, grabbing her hand pulling her away from Sebastian who was starting to wake up. "Sam snap out of it, you need to trust me and get back to me."

In front of her eyes, her uncles black tail started to change to one with, grey rings in it, his costume changed into a familiar blue one. Giving one look back at Seb. Hoping he wasn't hurt, she saw his metamorphosis complete. Gone was the protective butler, in his place was the giant snake giving chase to them.

Sly dragged her forward, through the forest trying to get rid of their pursuer. "What's going on? Where am I?"

"Good to have you back." He beamed at having her back in the real world. "Had I arrived a moment later you would have been snake food." He explained not slowing down. "We need to get back to the …" Sly was interrupted by the beast's appearance right in front of them.

Making a ninety-degree turn they, barely dodge the snake's big jaw. "I can't keep running like this."

"We're almost there." He tried to reassure her, the doubt in his voice didn't really help.

"Do you know where we're going?"

"I am almost a hundred percent sure we are going in the right direction." Again changing their course when the snake appeared out of nowhere blocking their path. "ok now I am a little bit less sure."

Dashing through the trees, her eyes fell on a light in the corner of her eye. Stopping she started to drag Sly in its direction, hoping it wasn't the island again. "I saw something there maybe a way out." She explained their route change.

Arriving at the light she saw it was a gate in the middle of the wall, keeping the beast in. Sly tried to open it only to be stopped by the padlock. "It's no use it's locked."

"Try this." She pushed the key in Sly's hand.

"How did you get this?" He asked, immediately going to work with it.

"I'll explain it later, just open the gate before we are snake food." Speaking of the devil, the trees started to sway by something big. "And hurry up, I think it found us again."

Right to her word, the snake barreled out of between the trees, having one goal on its mind "Hurry up."

"I am going as fast as I can love." To her relief she heard the lock unlock, wasting no time Sly put his weight in the gate pushing it open, pulling Sam along in the progress. There was no time to close it, Sly pushed her to the ground protecting her with his body. Waiting for their death.

After a couple of seconds, they dared to open their eyes, looking up they saw that the snake had ignored them completely, preferring its freedom over its snacks.

In its escape, it barreled through the gate blocking the factory like it was made paper before disappearing into the water.

"Are you okay?" Sly looked down at her, giving her a concerned look.

"I'm fine, could you get off of me." He looked at his body still positioned very close to her's.

"Well, I kind of like this position." He gave her his charming smile.

Having none of it she pushed him off. "Buy me a drink first." Holding her hand out she helped him up.

"Let's go see the others." Sly started to lead her back to the camp.

"That was fun, we should do it again."

The sultry voice boomed in her head, "Your not going to trick me again." She threatened the disembodied voice.

Sly looked confused back her, sensing she wasn't following. She looked still confused and not fully to her senses. "Are you alright."

Pushing the voice back she gave a pained smile at the raccoon trying to reassure him. "I'm fine lets go back."

"The night is still young my child and there are still a couple of dolls I can play with."

Leave a review, so I know you are enjoying the story, what I can improve or just tell me what you think about it.