It had been three days since my first day of school. I knew how to get to my classes on my own now and knew the main locations of the school.
Chandler, Clogs, and I all hung out together all the time. We had a majority of the same classes and we had the same lunch so we ate together.
Chandler and Clogs were both right about Kevin. He had tried to "win" me every day since I turned him down. I was also the biggest talk of the school. Everyone knew me as the girl who turned down Kevin.
"So, want to come to the library with us Belle?" asked Chandler after school.
"Yeah, I want to check out the school's inventory. I haven't been able to do that yet. I can't wait to dig in," I said and smiled.
"Come on then," said Chandler.
"Uh Chandler…is that such a good idea?" asked Clogs.
"Why wouldn't it be?" asked Chandler and he rolled his eyes.
"You know why," said Clogs between his teeth.
Chandler waved him off and we continued towards the library. We entered the library and I smiled to myself.
"I'm going to get started on browsing. You two go ahead and do what you need to do," I said and smiled.
They nodded and went towards a computer.
I walked up and down the rows and rows of bookshelves. I saw books that I have and have not read. I picked one up and started to flips through its pages. It was about a girl who fell in love with a prince who was in disguise. It seemed like a good action romance book. It was one of my favorite kinds. I was surprised I had never heard of it or read it.
I smiled as I turned to chapter one. Suddenly a looming shadow cast over the pages. I looked up and Kevin was there smiling at me.
"Hello Belle," he said.
"Oh…hi Kevin," I said and turned so that my back was to him.
"Whatcha got there?" he asked and walked around to face me.
"A book," I said and turned again.
"I can see that. What is it about?" he asked and this time he spun me around so that I faced him.
I sighed and closed the book. "Kevin, I could tell you what this book is about. But you would probably grow bored and tune me out then once I was done talking about it. You would think that I am so…touched by the fact that you care so much that I would just melt in your arms right?"
"Uh…yes?" asked Kevin.
I rolled my eyes and walked away.
"What is your deal Belle? You are such a mystery. What turns you on huh?" asked Kevin.
I spun around and raised an eyebrow. "Definitely not you."
Again I turned back around to find eyes on me. I sighed and walked over to Chandler and Clogs. They were on a website about myths and legends. They were focusing on witchcraft and magic.
"Is that for school?" I asked.
They both jumped.
"N-no, just for our interest," said Clogs.
"Right, okay well I'm going to check this book out then I'm gonna go. Kevin's here," I said and rolled my eyes.
"Okay, we'll see you tomorrow," said Chandler.
"See you," I said and walked up to the librarian's desk. I checked out the book and walked out of the library and towards the parking lot.
While driving up the mountain towards my house something caught my eye. I pulled over on the side of the road and got out of my car. I walked through the deep snow towards the red thing caught on the trees.
I reached out to it and hoped that it wasn't what I thought it was. But it was exactly what I thought it was. My father's scarf. He would have never taken it off. Something had happened to him. I could feel it in my gut.
I grabbed the scarf and ran to my car. I got in and sped the rest of the way to my house. I grabbed the scarf and ran into my house once I pulled into the driveway. I grabbed the home phone and dialed 911.
"911 what's your emergency?" asked the operator.
"It's my dad. I think something happened to him in the mountains," I said.
"Okay ma'am where are you?"
"Colorado, Telluride Colorado," I said.
"Did he go skiing?" asked the operator.
"No, he went hiking looking for that beast thing or whatever. I know something has happened to him," I said.
"Alright when did he go looking for it?" asked the operator.
"Monday," I said.
"I'm sorry ma'am, we can't send search parties until he has been missing for seven days. Call back next Monday if he still hasn't returned," said the operator.
"No wait! I know he's missing please," I said.
The other end was dead.
I gave a frustrated yell. Then I picked up my cell phone and dialed Clogs. No answer. Then I dialed Chandler. Again no answer but this time I left a message.
"Chandler, its Belle. Something has happened. My father is missing. I already called the police but they won't do anything until next Monday. I'm going to go out and look for him. I just wanted to let…someone know. Bye," I said then I hung up and put my phone down.
I ran up to my room and quickly undressed then I pulled out my long-sleeved black shirt and my thickest, warmest sweater. I put it on then grabbed a sweatshirt and put that on. I put on some leggings and I put jeans on over them. I grabbed some socks and put about three layers of socks on. I rushed downstairs and put on my snow pants and put on my gloves and then my mittens. I put on my winter coat and I wrapped my father's scarf around my neck and put my hat on my head.
I grabbed my backpack and put two blankets and some food and water in it.
I put on my snow boots and walked out of my house.
"This is really stupid of you Izabelle," I told myself. But this wasn't about me. It was about my father. I had to find him.
I walked to my car and got in. I started the engine and drove towards the mountain trail. I pulled into the parking lot which was full of cars. Probably people who are looking for the beast. I parked and got out. I slung my backpack over my shoulder and started my hike.
I had been hiking for about two hours. It was beautiful in the mountains. The snow covered everything but you could still see trees peeking out from the ground. Then I came to a fork in the road…at least I thought it was a fork. There were footprints leading one way and less footprints leading the other way.
I took the less footprint road. That was probably where the people looking for the beast went.
I walked for another three hours then it started to get dark. I was worried that I wouldn't find someone else's camp or something to be near to while I slept. I kept walking.
It was about ten at night when I set up my camp by myself. It wasn't completely dark due to the snow but it was still creepy. I looked up at the sky and smiled at the stars. I drank my water and ate some of my food.
I knew all the constellations. So I lay down on one blanket and pulled the other over me and looked up at the sky. I fell asleep to naming and locating all of the constellations.
I slept for three hours before the cold woke me up. I shivered and felt my face freezing. I pulled the scarf up to cover my face. Then I got up and packed up my backpack.
Then I heard howling.
I froze and then packed up quicker. The last thing I wanted to come across were wolves. I quickly went on my way.
The stars soon disappeared due to the morning light coming in. I breathed a sigh of relief.
Suddenly, when I climbed over a large snowdrift, I saw a very large house. More like a mansion actually.
I walked down towards it and walked up the front steps to the door. I took off my mitten and glove and knocked on the door.
There was no answer. I tried the handle and the door opened.
"Hello?" I called. "Is anyone home?" I looked around. The inside of the house was dark and gloomy.
I stepped inside and remembering my manners I took my boots off and left them on the carpet by the door.
I took my hat off and unwrapped my scarf from my face and looked around the house. It was huge. It must have been forgotten about though because of all of the cobwebs and dust.
"Hello? Dad are you here?" I called out.
Suddenly I heard a loud bang. I gasped and jumped but no one was there.
The bang sounded again and I followed the noise to a door in the kitchen. I turned the lock on the door and walked down the stairs slowly. I looked for a light but there was none. The bang came again. I cautiously walked down the stairs and towards the sound.
I made it to the ground floor but I couldn't see anything. It was freezing down here and I wrapped my coat tighter around myself. I saw a faint glow over by a washing machine. It was a candle. I walked over and picked it up.
The bang came again and it was right across from me. I jumped and spun around. I brought the candle over and almost tripped over a chair. That's when I realized that someone was in the chair.
"Dad!" I yelled and I put the candle down and quickly untied the gag from his mouth.
"Izabelle, get out of here," he said weakly.
"What happened? Who did this to you?" I demanded and tried to untie his hands from the chair. "Oh god, you're cold as ice." I took off my coat and put it around him. I also put my mittens on his hands. They were too big for them but they covered his fingers at least.
"Izabelle, please go, you don't know what's-," he started but he was cut off by a terrifying roar.
I jumped up and hit a light switch on accident. The light was dim and it only cast a glow over myself and my father.
"Who's there? Who are you?" I asked and crouched next to my father.
"I live here. The question is who are you?" snarled the voice.
"This is my dad. Please let him go. He's freezing and weak," I pleaded.
"Then he shouldn't have trespassed!"
"No he shouldn't have I understand but please let him go!" I pleaded again. I had tears in my eyes and I gripped my father's ice cold hands.
"Whoever trespasses must pay a price," snarled the voice.
"Then take me instead. Let him go and take me," I said quickly.
"What?"
I couldn't believe the words left my mouth either. But this was my dad. He was the only family I had. I couldn't leave him here by himself. I was much stronger than he was and I could stand the cold.
"Let him go. And I will stay," I said again more confidently.
"You want to take his place?"
"Yes, but only if you let him go," I said.
"Are you sure about this? If you agree to this then you can never leave this place ever again."
I looked down at my father.
"Izabelle, no please," he said.
"Come into the light," I said to the voice.
The voice put one foot into the light then loomed over me. He had scars and rashes covering his arms and half of his face looked like it was seriously burned. The other half was covered with long gashes and rashes. Some of his hair was missing too. He looked sick. I had seen worse looking people than him when I volunteered at a veteran's hospital in Paris.
But he still intimidated me with his ice cold blue eyes. I whimpered and looked down at my father and clutched his hands.
"Please don't Izabelle," he said.
I stood up and walked up to the man. "I accept."
"Done," he snarled and I shrank down to my knees and put my face in my hands. The man ripped the ropes off of my father and grabbed him by the shirt and started to take him upstairs.
"Wait! Let me say goodbye!" I cried and my father called out my name then disappeared.
I felt tears dripping onto the stone floor. I shook with fright and cold. I couldn't believe this was happening to me. I hugged my knees to my chest and cried into them.
I don't know how long it was before I heard the door open again.
The man walked down and looked at me.
"You didn't let me say goodbye to him," I said and more tears ran down my face. "I'm never going to see him again."
"I'll show you to your room," said the man.
"My room?" I asked.
"Do you want to freeze down here?"
I shook my head.
"Then come on," he said and I stood and followed him up the stairs.
I looked around the house. It looked much scarier and darker than when I first came into it.
I felt fresh tears run down my cheeks as I followed the man up the stairs and to a room on the far end of the hall.
"You are allowed to go anywhere except my room. Mrs. Kettle will get you anything you need." He opened the bedroom door and I walked into it. It was a beautiful room but in my heart it was still as awful as the cold basement. "You will have dinner with me tonight at seven. That's not an option!" he yelled and slammed my door.
I gasped and ran to the bed. I collapsed on it and sobbed.
