5
After wiping off the table, Dennis put two plates down on the table. One in front of me and another across from me where he sat. He poured us apple juice after. He wiped the chair before sitting in it. Silently we ate. His eyes stared at me mostly before going to his sandwich. If any oil dripped off his eggs or bacon onto the table he immediately wiped it off. I just sat quietly observing him.
"So what happened after Kevin moved away?" he asked. So he knew about that? I shrugged feeling a piece of bacon crunch in my mouth.
"Nothing happened. He didn't even tell me his family planned to move. I never heard from him again." I replied and he didn't respond. He just kept eating, keeping eye contact with me, I guess to show he was listening. He didn't say much, and frankly neither did I. In my mind, I was freaking out about the Beast coming. I thought about running now, but Dennis could catch me, he was not the personality to test.
Once we were finished eating, Dennis stood up from the table and took our dishes.
"Come. It's time." he said coolly and I winced as he just came over to me and took my hand. My first reaction was to struggle, but I did my best to remain clam. I ignored the anxiety attack coming and just watched him move with great purpose down the hall.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"Back to your room. Patricia will get your dress. Then all the doors will be left over. The Beast will come and judge you." he explained as we went back through familiar doors and hallways. Once we were back in my room, Dennis released me and just stood in front of me for a second before turning from me.
"Wait don't leave me." I begged as he stood in the door way of the room. He paused in the door way of the room and turned to me slowly with a light wince.
"I hope to see you again. Good bye." he said and closed the door, locking it quickly. I moved up to the door and placed my fists on it banging lightly.
"Dennis! Dennis please come back!" I yelled to him. Tears fell down my eyes as I backed away slowly looking around again at this place. What was going to happen now? How could I stop this? How could I stay alive? After what I could only imagine was a few minutes, the door unlocked. I was sitting on the bed staring at the door when Patricia came back in her red turtle neck and black skirt. Her heals made her stand taller than before. In her hands was some white dress.
She carried it in bridal style, smiling with soft excitement.
"Here it is, darling. Ansel worked on it for a long time. And now here it is." she said softly. It was like she was carrying a new born baby in her arms. She held it so carefully. Slowly I got off the bed and slowly moved to stand in front of her. I was engulfed in fear, my body shaking nervously. She held the dress out to me, and I slowly raised my hands to take it. I held it up in front of me. It flowed down to the ground and was similar to one of the dresses in Ansel's sketch book. There was not golden belt, but I knew it was from the picture titled The Beast and his Goddess.
"Try it on dear, I shall wait outside." Patricia said happily. "You are going to look so beautiful." She turned and left out the room closing the door behind herself. I looked at the door for a moment before finally looking at the dress. I let out an unsteady breath before finally sitting on the bed so I could remove my clothes. I had no bra or panties so all I could do was hope nothing was see through. It was another Roman dress. I was surprised it fit so well. It was sleeveless with a veil connected to the back of it. I had seen TV shows and documentaries of Roman culture and this was a dress fit for a Roman woman of high class. There was a pin over my stomach that made the dress rise a bit to connect upward. There were bits of gold trim around the chest area. But it was too long and covered my feet.
I would have to pick them up to run. There was a soft knock on the door and I finally turned back to meet Patricia as she stepped in. She gasped, placing her hand over her chest.
"My dear girl, you look magnificent." she said in awe approaching me slowly. I did not feel magnificent. I felt like I was being dressed to be slaughtered. This white dress will be painted with my blood. Her hand gently caressed the veil.
"I am frightened, Patricia." I replied softly, my voice cracking from the fear. She shook her head, her eyes caring and gentle.
"You have nothing to worry dear child. You are going to be magnificent." she said and I swallowed hard. How was I supposed to be anything? Slowly she began to step back, her fingers gently covering her lips as she observed me. "A true goddess. I have no doubt, he will love you." My bottom lip quivered as she began to step further back. Slowly, she turned from me.
"Dennis will have the light soon. He must go and meet the Beast. Feel free to meet the other girls… the Beast may like a chase." she said and I watched as she just walked away. Her heels clanged on the ground leisurely. I slowly stopped in the door way watching as she just kept walking knowing I was unattended. She stopped in front of a door and turned to me as she placed her hand on it. She gave a gentle smile, as if she were my mother giving me encouragement.
"I will see you again." she said before leaving through the door. I blinked a few seconds wondering what all this meant. No I knew what it meant, it meant Kevin was going somewhere to prepare to become a killer. He was going to come back and there would be nothing I could do to get through to him. my chest heaved heavily as I knew I only had god knows how long to get out of here. I lifted my dress and hurried down the hall. I came upon the door where I remember the screams came over. I quickly banged on it.
"Hello?" I asked.
"Yes! We're here!" a girl called out in panic. I started to jiggle the door, but it was locked. "Please help us!"
"It's locked!" I shouted and began to look around.
"Please get us out!" another girl shouted and I looked around in absolute panic. I looked all around before noticing something on the top of the door seal. I quickly reached to grab it to see it was a key with a small white piece of paper attached to it.
"Ms. Patricia, said I could help out by leaving this key. This is Hedwig by the way in case you didn't know." I read before throwing it to the ground and moving to use the key. It slid in easily and I turned it both ways. It unlocked and I opened the door. Four girls were standing there. They couldn't be any older than sixteen. They looked at me, stunned by my dress and I just backed up so they could get out.
"We're in a zoo. Go find a stairway, it should lead you up." I said. A brunette girl took my hand with both her hands.
"No, please don't leave us!" she cried. I was just as afraid as you are, but then again, I'm the oldest. I looked at all the girls to see they were afraid, young and eyes full of fear. I couldn't abandon them now. I nodded and took her hand, and they all began to link hands and I held up my dress with my free hand before moving down the hall.
Wherever Kevin had gone, it wouldn't be too far from the zoo. He wouldn't risk us successfully escaping. It was only a matter of time before he came back and with his knowledge of the zoo, there wouldn't be a place we could hide.