I walked back to where I heard the hikers. I hid behind a tree and looked out. I saw a face I hadn't seen in almost two years.
Kevin Notsag. He hadn't looked any different. He was hiking with some kid who we used to hang out with. Kevin and I used to be best friends…then I turned into a hideous creature.
"Dude, I'm telling you, that chick was hot," said Kevin.
"Are you over Belle already?" asked the kid.
I felt my hands clench when he mentioned Belle's name.
"Belle's lunatic father came out of the mountains saying that she was kidnapped by the beast. I hope that's the truth because I cannot get her out of my mind. I'll be the one to find her. Then maybe she'll have me. Seriously, joining the police force was the greatest decision I have ever made. I know everything about her case. I have dreams about her you know."
"Oh? And what happens in these dreams?" asked the kid with a smirk.
"I'm sure you can figure that out for yourself Louie," said Kevin and he smirked right back.
Louie laughed and I could feel my temper rising. I had realized how much of a dick Kevin was when he didn't even care that I was suddenly missing. But he thinking about Belle like that made me furious.
"Come on, we had better head back. Christmas dinner will be waiting for us," said Kevin.
I waited until they were out of sight then I looked down the trail for Chandler and Clogs. I hoped they hurried. Belle was still cold and I couldn't risk anyone seeing her. Chandler said that her father put up signs all over town and in the mountains with her face on them. She is bound to be recognized by someone.
I walked back over to where Belle was. She was there with her arms wrapped around herself, she was shivering again. I immediately regretted my decision in leaving her here.
"Oh good. You're back. I'm freezing," she said.
I scooped her up and brought her back to where we were sitting before.
"What was wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing, I just thought I heard something," I lied.
"Are you okay?" she asked me. "You seem tense."
"I'm fine," I said. I wasn't though. I was still pretty steamed about Kevin's comment. I wanted to tear him apart…but then I would actually be a monster.
We both heard the sound of snowmobiles. Chandler and Clogs pulled up beside us. Chandler tossed me a black sweatshirt. I put it on and put the hood up. Clogs helped Belle into a black jacket. He put the hood up on her head and then helped her into a black winter coat. Then he put a tinted helmet on her head.
"Where's Mrs. Kettle?" asked Belle and she buckled the helmet.
"She's at the house, tidying it up," said Chandler. He got off of his snowmobile and climbed onto the back of Clogs'.
I took over Chandler's snowmobile and Belle climbed on behind me. She wrapped her arms around me.
I put my tinted helmet on and spun the snowmobile around. We drove down towards town. We had to drive right through town in order to get to my old house.
I breathed deeply and stopped the snowmobile. Town was directly below us. It was quiet due to it being Christmas. But there were still a lot of people around.
"Are you okay?" asked Belle.
"I haven't been to town in a long time," I said.
"It's okay," she said and squeezed my arm.
I nodded. Then I drove down and we drove through town. A few people glanced at us but that was it. No one paid any real attention to us.
We passed the school which was closed and I could feel Belle turning her head this way and that. She seemed to crave for the town.
I slowed down and let her look at everything. I would let her spend some time in town…but people would recognize her from the posters.
I looked and saw a poster of her on a telephone post. She was smiling in the photo. Her eyes sparkled. Above her picture was the word "missing" in all capital letters. Underneath her photo was what I figured was her father's phone number.
I suddenly realized that I had stopped the snowmobile in front of her picture. I looked back at Belle. I couldn't see her face but she reached out and took the sign off of the post. Then she got off of the snowmobile and crumped up the sign. She threw it into the garbage and got back on the snowmobile.
She didn't say anything. I continued towards the house and stopped every time I saw a poster of her. She would do the same thing. Get up, take down the sign, crumple it up and throw it away. And each time she didn't say a word.
I finally arrived at the house and I cut the motor. The house looked the same. It was more modern looking than the mansion.
Belle got off of the snowmobile and took off her helmet. She walked towards the house and dropped her helmet in the snow. She walked inside of the house and that was the last I saw her that day.
The next morning Mrs. Kettle was out in town getting food. Belle and I were alone in the house. She hadn't come out of her room. I thought she would be asleep but I figured she wasn't going to come down. It was three in the afternoon. I started to get worried so I filled a glass of water and got some crackers for her.
I knocked on her door.
"Belle, it's me. I have some water and crackers for you. I know that seems pretty pathetic. Mrs. Kettle still isn't back from the grocery store," I said.
Belle opened the door. She was in the same outfit she wore yesterday. Her hair was still in a sloppy braid and she looked like she didn't sleep at all.
She turned and walked over to her bed. I walked inside of her room and set the water and crackers on the side table.
She lay down on the bed and faced the window. It was snowing outside and it was gray and gloomy looking.
"I took them down because it would be easier on my father," she said.
I sat down next to her and listened.
"He can't live his life like that. It's been a year. He needs to get over it," she said and hugged her knees to her chest. "I'm not angry. This was my decision. I think that if I wanted to escape, I could. But…I don't want to. I don't know why I don't want to."
"Belle," I started.
"Have you ever been to a school dance?" she asked me.
"Yeah," I replied. I had gone to Homecoming and the Winter Formal at my school. Then I was…you know, turned into a hideous monster.
"I've never been to a school dance. I've never been to Prom. I've always read in books about Prom and how it's this huge glamorous thing. I've never been interested in it though until now," said Belle.
I was suddenly struck with an idea.
"Is that weird?" she asked.
"No," I responded.
"Okay." She sounded exhausted. I stood up and closed the curtains. I also walked over to her and held out my hands. She took them and I helped her stand. I took her into the bathroom and wiped her face off with a hot washcloth. I took her hair out of the braid and I was sure to be careful with her blue ribbon.
I helped her out of her dress and leggings. It wasn't weird or tense for either of us. To her I was just one of her girlfriends helping her to bed. To me she was a helpless child too tired to undress herself.
I took out a large t-shirt and put it on over her head. Then I undid the covers to her bed and helped her in them.
"Goodnight Chris," she said then yawned.
"Goodnight Belle," I said.
I left her room and closed the door behind me. I almost ran into Mrs. Kettle.
"Oh, sorry Adam. We have food downstairs. I also bought some new clothes for Belle," she said and smiled.
"Don't go in there right now she's sleeping," I said.
"Still? It's almost four," said Mrs. Kettle.
"She's had a rough couple of days," I said.
"All right," she said.
"I have a favor," I said. "I need you to go into town and find a prom dress for Belle. Something you think she will like. And find me a tux…and a corsage and whatever that thing is that the guys get."
"What? Are you having a prom for her or something?"
I raised an eyebrow.
"Oh Adam. That is so romantic of you," exclaimed Mrs. Kettle and she touched my cheek.
I smiled. "I want it to happen tomorrow. Do you think you could do that? I also want roses tons and tons of roses."
"Of course," smiled Mrs. Kettle. She rushed downstairs and I heard her leave.
I walked into my room and looked at the rose. I managed to grab it before we headed to the roof during that avalanche.
I smiled and suddenly my smile turned into a look of horror. The rose started to wither. My three years were almost up. Belle still didn't love me. I had until New Years…my birthday. I hoped that the prom I was going to throw for her would be enough.
