Chapter 3

Disclaimer: read the prologue

Lily had her reluctance when the girls were trying to make arrangement of who slept where. The main debate was who going to sleep next to the hooded girl. They had their fears, especially Lily's who nearly got killed by a paint bucket. However, there was the girl who gets detentions and the guy behind the doors outside, who kidnaps girls and plans to feed them to his dogs. If they had to choose who to sleep next to, it would be the girl.

Lily lost the bet and had no choice but to sleep next the girl on the left bed. A part of her felt safe, considering the hooded girl to be her shield. The hooded girl paid no mind to Lily, only turned her back on her and slept peacefully. Lily didn't know how the girl does it. Sleeping like there was nothing wrong, when something was wrong. More than that, there was something wrong with her for not freaking out like the rest. Lily couldn't wrap her mind around the girl, and continued to stay up and think about it as a distraction from her lower back pain and splitting headache.

Eventually, Lily had no choice but to dream in tears. The sweet memories of her family, friends, the animals, Benny. Sweet Benny. He must be so scared, right now. He must be knocking every door and dumpster, putting up missing posters - just so he can find her. He was her knight and shining armor in a cowboy hat. Her father was a little reluctant when Benny asked his permission to date his daughter. After all, he was graduating high school and she fifteen years old, when they first met. She was his date for senior prom. Every girl's dream. She could never forget their one year anniversary when he gave her the horse pendent around her neck. A piece to remember him by when he goes away for college.

Her dreams of graduating high school, attending her own senior prom, becoming a vet, getting married, and having kids - they all will no longer matter if she and the girls don't escape.

Lily's face contorted by a sudden air blowing against her face. It was warm, unlike the room. She frowned on her captors for not providing a complete set of sheets or at least a blanket for warmth.

The warmth blew against her face again, making her eyes blink open. It was blur, but she knew something was off. Instead of seeing musky brown, it was yellow, white, and blue. Narrowing her eyes, she searched and picked her glasses that were resting by her leg. She put them on, and there he was.

Squatting right by her bed side, two feet away, staring at her with a cheeky, quirky grin. It was unnatural compared to the stern façade from Dennis and smugness of Miss Patricia.

"Hey," he greeted. "My name-"

Lily reacted, screaming and knocking her bedmate off. Her two friends on the other bed jumped from the noise.

"Lily! Lily, what is it?!" Claire demanded. From her snappy tone, she didn't get enough sleep either. The dark circles around her eyes proved it.

Lily didn't answer, keeping her eyes locked on her keeper, who looked just as frightened as she was. She missed his face when she threw a kick his way.

"Sorry! Sorry!" He crawled away from her side, hunching his back, leveling with the bed. He sat Indian style in between the beds. "I-I didn't mean to scare you."

The man's voice was different this time. It didn't have the accent like Dennis, or the elegance like Miss Patricia. It had a lisp, which means that they were greeting someone new. A different personality. The clothes were different too. He was dressed in a yellow/black jacket and blue sweat pants. Men's clothing.

The others took notice of the change, froze still as they stared. The hooded girl, however, leaped back on the bed, keeping her distance. It seemed that she wasn't the emotionless girl, the others thought her to be.

"Don't tell Miss Patricia or Mr. Dennis. I'm even not suppose to be here." His eyes pleaded with desperation. His eyes widened that held innocence and wonder like a child. A child going to Disney World for the first time. The same way when Lily had Bella for a Christmas gift.

"What are you?" Marcia demanded.

"Hey!" He glared at the skimpy teen, clearly offended. "Don't make fun of me! I am a person, too! I have feelings! And I have two eyes, and two arms, and two legs! See?" His face softened, lying back on his bottom, wiggling his palm hands and tennis shoes to prove a point. "Look! I have red socks!" He pulled his slacks to show the colored socks. "Cool, huh?"

Then, he immediately sat back down to his previous position - Indian style. "Miss Patricia is right. You all are rude! She teaches me that it is rude to scream at somebody and kick them on the face when someone says hello." He snorted, rolling his eyes, "She didn't say that entirely, but I am old enough to know what four-eyed did is rude." He pointed at Lily.

Four-eyed. That insult was second grade level. Which means that this personality was definitely a child.

Neither girl apologized or acknowledge his cool socks. It lead to more awkward silence.

Instead of leaving like Miss Patricia did the first time, he kept talking.. He leaned forward like he was about to tell a secret, looking at each girl with a sly grin as he said.

"He's on the move."

Every girl furrowed their brows or narrowed their eyes, completely lost.

"W-What?" the hooded girl asked.

The man giggled but not compared to a boy who would laugh by a joke. It was malicious, scary.

"He's... on the... move..." He emphasized the last word, keeping that sly grin on his face.

"Who?" the hooded girl pressed.

"Oh man!" The man - boy laughed, slapping a palm against his face. "I forgot! Miss Patricia says that if you meet someone new, you say hello then state your name." He folded his arms on this lap in a polite manner, curling his mouth equally to show off his white teeth. Dennis, the neat freak, may be responsible for dental hygiene.

"Hi. My name is Hedwig. I have red socks!" He clicked his shoes together, indicating the red socks underneath the slacks. He held his out for a handshake, "It is nice to meet you."

"Who is on the move?" Lily demanded in a desperate, hushed whisper, not bothering to reciprocate the introductions. Nobody wants to give their name away. They wanted answers.

Hedwig snorted, "Rude much, four-eyed." Even though he was offended by the girls' behavior, it all faded into laughter. "It doesn't matter now. He is coming for you. Coming for you all!"

Marcia and Claire held their hands in a comfort manner. What this... person said was nothing nice at all. Lily clutched her stomach, grinding her teeth in utter pain. What was wrong with her? Better yet, what was wrong with the girl next to her? She merely blinked.

Hedwig took Lily's face as a sign of fear, smiling down her way that sent chills, "He has down awful things to people, and he will do awful things to you." He blinked, turning his way to Marcia and Claire. "You guys make noises in your sleep." He snickered, pointing at Claire. "You sound like lawnmower."

The girls were having trouble keeping up with the personality's randomness, attempting to keep the subject at hand. Asking questions didn't help, mainly because his other personas told him not to. But it didn't take a genius to put the pieces together.

"We're his food," Marcia whispered with utter panic.

Hedwig zipped his lips and mimic a throw away key.

"No shit, Marcia," Claire grumbled, gripping into her hair.

Hedwig widened his eyes, making an o shaped mouth, pointing at the girl again. "Ooh! You said a bad word! Wait til I tell Miss Patricia!"

He leaped up in a squat position, duck walking towards the door.

"Wait!"

He froze, turning his body halfway to face the speaker. All the girls turned to her in shock. What did she just say?

"How old are you exactly?" The hooded girl spoke to the personality. The first time she ever spoke in front of her captor. Her voice was heavy, but cool and collected. Complete opposite of the others.

"Nine," Hedwig shrugged with a proud grin across his face. "I have blue socks, too."

"So... you are not the guy who took us?" She asked with confirmation.

The girls looked at her as if she was stupid. Apparently, he was nine years old, not the pervert with OCD. How far behind was she?

Hedwig thought the same thing, snorting with amusement, "No!"

"So you are not the lady?"

"What are you? Blind?"

What was it with the stupid questions? Lily asked to herself.

"So you don't know how they think?" the hooded girl asked.

There it was. The true meaning to her questions. So her plan to pee on herself to escape a dance wasn't her one hit wonder, after all.

Hedwig furrowed his brows, still at lost, "N-No, they don't tell me much. I just ate a hotdog. Look, I stole the light from Mr. Dennis, but he would be back real soon. I can't steal the light for too long, or he will find out and get really angry... etcetera."

"But we heard something!" The hooded girl's voice changed.

Instead of calmness, it had a hint of desperation. Something that Lily nor her friends were used to hearing. The hooded girl was the monster at school, the freak, the paint bucket killer. At this moment, they remembered that she was just a girl, just like any other.

The girls stayed quiet, letting the hooded girl take the wheel of manipulation.

She slid out of her side of the bed, sitting criss-cross in between, "We didn't understand it at first... but now we do."

Hedwig raised his brows, a half smile curled upwards, evidence of interest. "What did you hear?"

"Come here," She motioned him to her. "Let me whisper it to you."

His straight, white smile was complete, completely hooked.

"Okay!" He duck walked his way to her, slow and steady. Lily and Marcia scooted back slightly, keeping a distance. Even though, he was just a boy, he was boy in a man's body. It was weird.

Lily slightly regretted moving. Her stomach clenched in utter pain, up to the point that she was in tears. She wanted to lay down, but tried to hear what the hooded girl told Hedwig. Her pain didn't change as much as Hedwig's sly face. It changed 180.

Hedwig leaned back slowly, staring at the girl in shock. His eyes bug-wide, mouth agape, shaky palms. What she tell him?

"You-You are a big fibber!" Hedwig accused her.

She shook her head, "I never lie, Hedwig."

"B-But Mr. Dennis..." His voice was shaky. "H-He said..." His eyes glistening with tears, his voice choked with true emotion. He was definitely afraid, how he made the girls afraid. A simple change of the tables, and a taste of his own medicine. Lily would give the hooded girl a gold star, if she could.

"He said that he followed her for days, and said t-that she was the one that the beast w-would want! He-he was supposed to bring one, but thought... th-that four was an added bonus." He showed off a weak smile, trying to find light in his situation. What the girl said wasn't true at all. He nodded, believing his own statement, "Y-Yeah, a-a-a bonus." He sniffled his nose.

The girls were taken back by the confession. It was declared that this was no random kidnapping. The man planned this. There was no telling who or how he followed. The girls made a mental note that if they ever get out of here - they will look their way every few seconds when they walk alone, at least walk with a buddy or two with muscle, have an anti-spy ware protection on their phones and tablets, change their phone number, change their routine - everything. Their world will never be the same after this. It stopped being the same the second Dennis picked out his target.

Lily could hear the pattern of the hooded girl's breathing. No doubt, she took affect to Hedwig's words, but attempted not to show it. She can't break down, not now. She needed to stay calm. She was the only one who knew how. Claire tried to be the alpha, but not compared to the hooded girl. She flinched at the sight of Hedwig's persona. It made Marcia and Lily see who they truly needed to follow.

"When you're not around," the hooded girl began. "Dennis and Miss Patricia talk about it. They talk about how he wants a boy this time. They're going to give him you."

Lily widened her eyes in shock. The hooded girl told him that? Why? Her heart was pumping at the reaction they would all get from Dennis and Patricia. Hedwig will ask questions, no doubt. He was just a scared little boy. Lily was beginning to change course of leaders, especially Marcia. Claire simply sat there, let the hooded girl reach her own doom. She wanted no part of this girl's so-called plan.

The boy shook his head, "N-No! Miss-Miss Patricia said that... she's-she's not mad at me anymore! Sh-She sings to me sometimes!"

"I think Miss Patricia is still a little mad at you."

A tear finally escape the boy's glistened eyes. The boy was truly scared, and the girls will be in hot water. What was the stupid girl thinking?

"M-Miss Patricia says that..." He cleared his throat, the emotion clogged his throat, having a hard time speaking. "T-That I am stupid. She... She thinks I made silly mistakes."

"Look at me," the girl commanded. He obliged. "We are like your babysitters." Her nose sniffled, feeling the poor boy's emotion, coming close to crying as well. Marcia let a few drops of her own escape.

"We'll play games, role play with action figures, swing the swing sets on the playground. We will even let you watch TV, while we make you a fun dinner."

Hedwig breathed out a smile at the thought. He wiped his eyes and his runny nose. She was luring him in her trap. There was still hope.

"But we all need to get out of here. You can show us the way out. We could be gone before anyone gets back," The hooded girl's voice returned to desperation. She was scared too, just like everyone else. The poor boy noticed this as well. "We have to hurry, Hedwig. We have to hurry and get out of here!"

Hedwig paused in deep consideration. They all believed that he would join the pack, be their savior.

"W-Wait. Wait," he looked away with a thought in mind.

"What? What?" the hooded girl asked. She tried to turn him, so they could face each other. Unfortunately, Hedwig leaped away from her touch like a frightened deer.

"I-I can't!"

"What?"

"I can't! It... It took forever to make this place safe without the nosey bodies of that work here finding out!" He pointed at her, raising up to his feet, towering over her shaking form. "You can't get out of here! The Beast will come for you - all of you! Starting with her!" He turned his way to Lily who jumped in fright.

"What?! Why?!" She demanded.

"Because you made a mess on the bed!"

Lily widened her eyes, scooting her bottom back against the wall to see the evidence. Much to her horror, Hedwig was right. There was a mess. Spots of blood on the bed.

"And you have another ketchup stain on your pants, too!" Hedwig added.

He was right again. Blood was in a place that no innocent boy should see in a girl. Everything was coming together of why she was in pain. Out of all the time Mother Nature could give her the monthly visit - she had to choose this week of all weeks.

Lily didn't think about her period coming, because her focus was on the plan of escape, her captors, the freak next to her in bed.

Hedwig will tell Mr. Dennis of what the hooded girl said. Dennis will come in here and see the mess, and become really angry, enough to feed her to this beast, first. He would not only take away her bed, but her pants. What's worse? Her underwear. The thought of standing buck nude in front of that creep, and being the Beast's first course brought her to tears.

"Oh my God! Oh my God!"

Her two friends came to her aid, trying to calm her down. Claire ripped the wool from the springy bed, while Marcia led Lily to the bathroom. Lily cried, while clutching her stomach. Claire entered as well with the whool, closing the door with a slam.

"I'm going to die! I'm going to die first!" Lily repeated, ignoring the hushes from her friends.

~000~000~000~

(Casey's POV)

The hooded girl and the boy were alone in the room, silently listening to the girls

Hedwig's eyes widened at the sudden commotion, dropping down on his bottom, holding his knees to his chest, "W-What's wrong with her? Wasn't the mess ketchup from Miss Patricia's hotdogs?"

How could the girl in the corner explained this to an innocent nine-year-old?

"She's fine, Hedwig," she assured him with a forced smile. "Come on. Stay. Let's talk some more-"

"But she is hurting. She is crying. She is hurt. Did... Did she cut herself... down there?"

"No, Hedwig! She's fine!"

"You are a liar," Hedwig accused her. "You are a fibber - etcetera!"

The hooded girl shook her head, tears glistening her eyes, "I am not lying, Hedwig."

"That was blood on the bed, wasn't it?"

The hooded girl took a moment to think of how to tell him, but her hesitation only made it worse, judging the boy's dumbfounded face.

"Hedwig... She did cut herself... on accident. She is crying because she's scared of what Mr. Dennis could do to her. He already took her boots, because they were messy. If he finds out, he will be angry and take more of her things away. Like the bed. Giving her nothing warm to sleep in."

Hedwig looked at the door, flinching at the cries from Lily's.

"He is going to kill me! Kill me!"

"Well, why don't you tell Miss Patricia?" Hedwig asked. "Surely, she can help. She tends my cuts all the time!" His head lowered at the thought of his previous shames, "My... My silly mistakes. My stupid, silly mistakes."

"Hedwig, we can go now while we have the chance, before they find out-"

"I know what can help!" Hedwig jumped up to his feet, "Miss Patricia has a first aid kit! I will find it and get that four-eyed a Band-Aid!" He nodded with a hopeful smile, "Yeah! I will find it, put the band aid on her. I can kiss it to make it all better! Then she won't be hurting anymore!

"Hedwig!"

"I will be right back!"

"No! No! Please don't go!" The hooded girl rushed after him, but the boy was quicker. He already left the room, by the time she made it to the door. The click of door indicated he locked it.

She peeked through the narrow crack to find him going through the second door. She could only hope that Hedwig will come back without the other two personas finding out. She turned her attention to the commotion in the bathroom. Listening to the curses, hushes, and running water. Drama queens. Did they not remember that the worst will come, worse than bleeding on yourself?

She didn't bother to knock as she entered the bathroom. There were the plastics moving around in a big hurry. The Queen Bee was washing the stain from the farm girl's pants. Speaking of the farm girl, she was in the toilet, making sure not to make a bigger mess. Her glasses were removed, resting on the bathroom sink. The cheerleading slut dumped the evidence in the shower - the wool, closing the curtain with a snap.

"Is it coming off? Is it coming off?!" Lily wailed, nibbling her nails, leaving a trail of drool on her finger tips. Her lips were quivering, and her eyes were blood shot. How pathetic.

"Only little, but not much." The Queen Bee held up a pair of satin, light blue, Victoria Secret panties high. A big, red spot on the backside of the panties, embarrassing place for it to bleed. Most people would think that she bleed through her anus.

The wimpy, farm girl cried once more, burying her face into her hands.

"I can only get your pants to fade, but not much," Claire held up the farm girl's pants, showing that the blood faded. It wasn't bad compared to the panties.

"Maybe he won't notice," Marcia offered weakly.

"He is going to tell on him. That loon will tell on his other loon, and I'm going to be..." The pathetic girl trailed off, not bothering to finish the obvious.

"He won't," the hooded girl assured her.

The plastics whirled around to find the hooded girl standing there with the door wide opened.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" Lily demanded.

Marcia peeked outside the door to see any signs of their keeper.

"He's gone," The hooded girl assured them. "He left."

"Where?" Claire asked.

"He said to get a band aid for you," the hooded girl explained to Lily. "No telling when he'll be back."

Lily let out a laugh, slapping her hands against her bare thighs. "This is just great!"

"Lily, the pants don't look so bad," Marcia tried to assure her. "Remember that pervert said. He said that he won't bother us anymore. If we're lucky, the woman will find out and clean it for us."

Claire shook her head, "No way. I don't want to face her - him again! A man in a dress is creepy enough!" Claire tossed the pants back to Lily.

"But what if Dennis comes back?" Lily asked. "What if he breaks his promise? What if he knows, and he yells at me..." Lily trailed off, crying once more. Marcia whispered meaningless comfort, rubbing her upper back. Lily leaned into her friend's shoulder, soaking the cheerleader's sleeve.

Claire huffed, biting her lip at sight of her friend's state. She went inside the shower, closing the curtain behind her.

"That thing - that beast -" Lily inhaled sharply, wiping the tears once more. "They are going to give me to him first!"

"You don't know that," Marcia insisted.

Claire's head poked out from the curtain, "You are not the only one who made him upset." Her eyes casted darkly at the hooded girl standing by the door.

The hooded girl huffed, knowing what she's referring too. "I was just trying to scare him into helping us escape."

"Well, you scared him, alright!" Lily declared. "You scared him, and he will tell his other personalities about it! We will be in trouble, thanks to you!" Lily pointed at her accusingly. "The Beast might eat you first!"

The hooded girl stood there, not taking affect. The farm girl's pathetic words meant nothing to her. Words were nothing, but actions were something. All the hooded girl could focus on was the worst to come, worst than what she dealt with in her life.

"The Beast is coming anyway." The hooded girl bluntly stated. A teardrop sparked in the corner of her eye. "Nothing can change that whether you crapped your pants or not." The truth struck to the farm girl to the core. She was right. Lily and the other plastics trembled at the thought of being on a serving plate.

Claire slowly exited the bathroom, holding a different pair of panties. Black, granny knickers. Something that the hooded girl didn't expect the Queen Bee to wear. The farm girl and cheerleader took noticed of Claire washing her undies, and immediately knew what she was going to do.

"No, Claire," Lily shook her head.

"Yes," Claire declared.

"I couldn't-"

"Yes, I am." Claire turned off the faucet, handing Lily the wet panties. "In case, he comes back, and the pants don't work... you need to wear it."

"But what about you? What if your skirt gets dirty?"

"I have my leggings to cover me. I'll be fine. Please, take it."

The hooded girl watched the transaction, couldn't help but her stomach turn at the sentimental. As snotty and fake as they were, she couldn't help but envy the friendship. Friends stick together till the end - literally speaking, considering the situation.

The hooded girl used to have friends, but they left, and she was alone. Once she was alone, she always had to fiend for herself at every battle. No more sentiments, care, or love. What's the point anymore? What's the point?

~000~000~000~

(Lily's POV)

Lily reluctantly took the underwear, and followed Marcia's advice, using the toilet paper as her new pad until Miss Patricia comes back. He - she may be creepy, but she had a mind of a woman.

Once Lily was properly dressed, she thanked her friend with a hug. "If I am going to die, at least I know that I would die with my best friends."

Marcia sniffled her nose, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, completely touched by this gesture. But the sentiment turned to worry as Lily stomach cramped once more.

"I wish I have pills to take," Lily grunted.

"I wish were having our slumber party at Claire's house," Marcia grumbled.

"We can still do that!" Claire reminded them. "We have to have faith. There is only three looney personalities, and four of us. We will get out, safe and sound. You have to trust me."

We didn't notice the girl in the corner leaving the bathroom, until they heard repetitive knocking outside.

The three musketeers peeked from the entrance of the bathroom to see the hooded girl knocking on the wall.

"Casey, what are you doing?" Marcia asked.

"It's going to annoy him," Claire declared.

"He said something," the hooded girl explained in a whisper. She whipped her head to face them, her witch black hair tossed to the other shoulder. Her eyes widened with an idea in mind. Lily prayed that it didn't involve another nine-year-old man.

"He said something about making this room safe.

Lily paused to think through the interaction between the hooded girl and Hedwig. She didn't remember the conversation, but enough to know that Hedwig wasn't going to betray his other personas. She noticed Marcia's eyes widened, a shine that matched the hooded girl's. It seemed that Hedwig did say that, and the way that the room was built - it didn't have time like a typical dungeon that was covered with moldy walls and dirt. Not that there would be dirt, Dennis must've kept that from happening. Their dungeon looked like it was recently built.

"This is all new dry wall," She whispered. "What's unsafe?"

Claire gasped in awe, she and the other two looked around the room.

The girls scattered, knocking every inch of the wall. Marcia took the bathroom. The hooded girl and Claire took the wall from the right. Lily took the wall on the left. Every knock met a knock, every breath they took met a gasp. Nothing different. Every minute they spent and time wasted before Hedwig or another persona comes back - they slowly began to lose hope to the hooded girl's theory.

Lily tried to focus on the sound behind the wall for that echo. All she could hear was her heart beat and breath. This was becoming hopeless. The hooded girl screwed up with Hedwig. Why should she trust the hooded girl about this? It was a good theory, but they were wasting time with every second. One of the personas will be back any second. He or she would question their currencies. But the pain in her stomach was pushing her. She needed to leave. She need to be painless. The hope for escape pushed her to knock once more with every fiber of her energy.

BANG!

Until she heard it. The echo that made her heart skip a beat.

She, Marcia, and the hooded girl gazed up for the sound's source. They found Claire standing on the bed with wool, her arms reached to the ceiling. The echo was coming from the ceiling. The freak girl was right. Something was there.

To confirm it, Claire hopped off the bed and picked up her high heel from the floor. She bounced back up, about to use the shoe to rip off the dry wall ceiling.

"Wait!" the hooded girl raised her hand to stop Claire. "Are you sure about this?" Was she seriously going to stop Claire from escaping? But a small part of Lily's mind told her, what if he comes back?

At first Claire was hesitant, until she looked at her two friends - her wolf pack. They needed to get out of here. She told them to trust her. She promised them that she'll get them out. They put their faith and trust in her. She was going to keep that promise. Even if she was taking a big risk of grasping their keeper's attention.

She whipped her shoe in the air, and forcibly hit the ceiling repetitively, creating a wave of bangs on the other side. Smalls holes from the sharp heel grew one large, reveal a small vent.

"Casey, you were right!" Claire smiled at the sight, hopeful tears leaked from her eyes. "There is something here. He was covering up a way out!" Marcia and Lily looked at each other with a hint of delight in their orbs. They have been waiting for this moment.

The moment of escape.

Claire used her heel to rip off the paper from the ceiling. "Tell me if you see him."

The girl in the corner continued to peer through the cracks of the door, while looking over her shoulder every two seconds for Claire's progress.

"We need to hurry," Lily urged the girls. "Marcia, give me your shoe."

Marcia hopped on one leg to remove her boot, until a silent click stopped them.

"He's here," the hooded girl confirmed in a whisper.

The other girls widened their eyes in horror.

"No. No," Marcia shook her head, rushing over to the door by the hooded girl.

"You can't let him in!" Claire hissed. "Don't let him in - this is our one chance!" She continued working on the ceiling, while Lily assisted her with the other shoe.

"We're not going to make it," the hooded girl grumbled.

Lily glared at the hooded girl with narrowed eyes, "Shut up." She panted and grunted with effort as she attempted to grip off the grid from the vent.

"Hey..." the innocent lisp from Hedwig, thankfully, began with unease. "W-What are you guys doing?" He unlocked the door, pushing the door open, only for Marcia and the hooded girl to push it close.

"Hey." Hedwig tried again. "O-Okay, quit it." Even though he had the mind of a nine-year-old, he wasn't dumb enough to know that something was wrong. "Let me - Let me in." He tried the door again, and once again, the two girls pushed the door back. The continuing bangs motivated the girls by the vent to pull and rip the ceiling faster.

"Give us a second!" Marcia exclaimed. "Lily's changing."

"What are you guys doing?" Hedwig asked.

"Didn't you hear what she said?!" Lily snapped from afar. "I'm changing pants."

"B-But I brought a band aid for you. I didn't know what you liked so I picked either Iron Man or Bugs Bunny."

A Bugs Bunny Band-Aid? How thoughtful. It almost made Lily open the door and give him a big hug.

"Just give us - ugh - a minute, please - please - ugh!" Lily continued to try and pull the grid once more.

"Why do you sound like you're in pain?"

Because she was in pain from the cramps. Lily replied in her mind.

Once Claire made the hole of the ceiling bigger with her shoe, Lily had the space to pull the vent from both sides. The lid was removed with ease. She dropped it, causing a loud bang.

Claire and Lily were oblivious to Hedwig's words and run against the door.

"Give me as much time as you can," Claire ordered the girls holding the door. "I'll leave and get help!"

"We'll be right behind you," Lily promised, kneeling before her leader, offering her hands for Claire's foot.

Claire stepped on Lily's hand, while gripping on the edges of the vent. With all her might, Claire pulled her way in, started to crawl to the exit.

Lily jumped up, doing the same as Claire, following right behind her. Her legs squirmed as she tried to pull herself up. She slipped a bit, quickly regaining her grip on the sides with her elbows. The muscles on her arms weakened, coming close to giving up. This was what she gets for not training at the gym - specifically rock climbing. Though the walls around the vents were smoothed, compared to the jungle, play rocks.

She couldn't give up. Freedom was right across the stuffy path.

With luck not being on her side like always, a hand grasped around her ankle. She squealed with fright as her body was yanked out from the vents, her sight of freedom disappeared. Her back and bottom bounced against the spring bed. The rubber band that tied her braid loosened, freeing the strands of hair. A puff of hair blew against her arms that were covering her face, covering the sight of her captor.

She didn't want to see him, or grasp what just happened. Her current reality of the situation made her nauseous.

Her hands were suddenly pinned against the mattress, over her head. Her face was turned to the side with eyes tightly shut. Tears leaked to the inner corners.

A tongue clicked above her in utter dismay.

"This is not what I wish to see."

The voice. The manly accent Lily recognized. The sheltered nine-year-old wasn't straddling her hips anymore.

It was Dennis.

"I will deal with this insolence later."

She didn't realize fully to what he said, until a sudden hard force rocked against her untouched cheek, silencing her cries and conscious.

~000~000~000~

Lily looked around to find shelter.

Her eyes bloodshot; breathing shortened; clothes tattered' skin scratched; and hair free to catch sticks, leaves, and flies.

All this time, she was running away from the Beast. All Hairy and claws. The worst part was the sight of his glowing, red eyes.

She couldn't find her lover. She didn't know if he was eaten or brutally injured. Her heart jolted at the thought of his sealed fate. All she could do now was find sanctuary, which was difficult, considering that she was running through the woods. She couldn't climb, because the bark was smooth, not a split in sight.

"Help! Someone help!" Lily pleaded.

The growls she kept hearing, lurking in the shadows behind and around her, subsided. Instead, she heard a whisper. Faint but soft. A comfort calling her name. It commanded her follow. In exchange, there will be salvation.

She didn't hesitate to follow, but asked questions. Who is this voice? Where was the voice? Where were they going? The voice's mere response was commanding her the same words.

"Follow me."

The more Lily followed, the louder the voice became. It didn't have any recognition, but the voice alone sounded like an angel from heaven.

Lily pushed herself through another set of bushes, revealing a garden of flowers - dandelions. White and yellow weeds that always grow in her farm. Lily waited for the voice to call, but it became silent.

Instead, a sunflower bloomed in the middle of the garden. Only one of Lily's favorite flowers. People always thought that because her name was Lily that they assumed that those were favorite flowers. They couldn't be anymore wrong. They were her least favorite along with roses. Benny always made the mistake in trying to be romantic by bringing both.

She applauded the voice for being considerate. The flower standing alone was enough to tempt Lily to stop running and pluck the plant herself. The voice called, giving her the motivation.

"Take the flower, Lily. It's your salvation."

The words repeated as Lily slowly approached

The roaring echo behind her nearly made her stop. The fear trembled her body down to the pit of her cramped stomach.

She hurried to the sunflower, ignoring another voice. The raging voice that beat madly against her chest, commanding her not to take the flower.

Her thumb and forefinger grasped the thorn stem, yanking the flower from its root. She was oblivious to the thorns that pricked both fingers. The blood slowly oozed and dripped onto the dirty ground.

She waited for the salvation as promised.

Her body turned in horror at the sight of the beast again. Its roar shook the ground like an earth quake. Its large paws stomped both bushes that were high as her hip.

She held the flower against her chest, pleading for mercy. The Beast ran its feet against the dirt, ready to charge at flesh and bone.

Suddenly, the ground shook again, but it was stronger and louder than the monster's roar. The garden cracked below her feet. The earth opened itself, small enough to fit a little girl through.

Before the Beast could touch the girl's flesh, her body fell down the hole. She waved her arms and legs around, screaming.

Her body and vision faded into the dark of night, closing the bright sunlight and Beast above her.

She knew at that moment that she was trapped in the Underworld.

A/N: I was looking forward to writing the scene with Hedwig! He was one of my favorite characters in the film. You should know that this isn't a typical love story between a beauty and a beast. Dennis maybe be a beast, but he won't turn into Prince Charming with true love's kiss. This take in the story is much darker than that. I hope you will enjoy, and that the characters in the story are in character.

Thank you: selenastarsparrow1230 for reviewing the last chapter. Also special thanks to the readers who favorite and added this story. You guys rock!