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Chapter 12: Forward

The small cottage seemed like a haunted abyss of shadows and memories. Gaston did not return to the cottage, that day or any other. He had had his moment of regret and wished now to forget. After two days of her father's absence Jacqueline a child all of 13 made a crucial decision in regards to her future and that of her brothers. If papa would not come home, then they would go to him.

She hadn't consciously planned to never return but her inner most self-seemed to understand that once they left that door the likelihood of it opening again were slim. So she ordered her small followers to put on all of the few clothes they owned and to procure the pillows and blankets from their beds. After this task was complete she ordered them out into the dark street while she extinguished the candle which was barely more than a wick in a stub of wax.

Walking quickly after snuffing out the quivering flame she rushed for the door before the horrors lurking in shadow should catch her. As she reached the door she turned back for just a moment. Her eyes adjusted quite easily to the darkness as she took one last look at what had been her home… she couldn't call it that anymore, without mama's presence this place could never be her home again. As she scanned the room one last time her eye caught sight of a blue book sitting on the mantle. Papa had given mama that book many years ago. Mama had never read it but she had always kept it there in a place of relative prominence as a reminder of something Jacqueline couldn't understand.

For a moment Jacqueline thought of taking the book with her. But she couldn't read, besides she felt the book should remain here exactly as it always had.

Closing the door she turned to her brothers who waited expectantly in the street. Taking the lead she headed towards the lights of the tavern.

Gaston's children took up residence in the tavern with their father. The cottage remained closed and unused. None of them ever went near it or spoke of times before. Belle was dead and it seemed that the memory of her had been buried as well. Never was she spoken of and like the cottage only rarely was the thought of her brought to mind, only to be quickly shoved away out of sheer pain.

Yes the cottage remained as a ghost, its interior untouched exactly the same way it had been the day Belle died…but life continued to move forward.