EPILOGUE
The room is square, the walls heavily padded; there are grills over the windows, which are small and set close to the ceiling. There are thin rays of grayish light shining through now, signaling the approach of early dawn, but Belle doesn't see it. She has curled up on the thin mattress in the corner with her eyes tightly closed. She is trying to remember how she came to be here. What came before she crossed this door and it was locked behind her?
There had been a dimly lit stone passageway at the bottom of a steep flight of stairs, a row of heavy, reinforced doors that had made her apprehensive even before her companion had opened the last one and motioned for her to step inside. What had come before?
The woman with the dark hair and the dark eyes, who had looked first incredulous and then delighted when she had seen her wandering by herself among the strange houses. She had taken Belle by the arm. Don't be afraid, I'll take you somewhere safe. What had come before?
She had been lying on her back on a strange wide street made of black stone, laughing in relief because all ten of her fingers were there. How did she get there? What had come before? Belle can't remember, and one miserable tear creeps down her cheek, towards her ear.
What is the last thing she said? When Belle pushes her memory to its very, very limit, she can still feel a strange, long name, like an aftertaste in the back of her mouth. But she no longer knows what it is.
Sequel potential? I already have an idea, but I'm curious to hear what you think.
UPDATE: The first chapter of the sequel, "The Music Box", has been posted!