Beast by Tiffini Hunt Page A

fire.
    Before I knew it, dinner was on the table. It was my favorite food again: rabbit, potatoes, warm bread, and mutton with onions. I walked over to the table and sat down in my chair.
    “I looked for Deleena and Russel, but I could not find them. So unless they show up within the next few minutes, it is just going to be you and me for dinner, sweetie,” Leala told me as she made her way from the kitchen.
    “She is missing too?” I asked with a shaky voice.
    “I am sorry, sweetie,” she said in a hushed tone as she placed her hand onto mine.
    I nodded vacantly.
    Something was eating at my stomach, making it ache. My cheeks grew damp as tears quietly rolled down my face. Where is everyone? What is going on? I kept asking myself.
    After I finished eating, I excused myself to take my book back to the library. The sun was gone, and the moon had risen. After I put the book back, I walked over to the window, which was still open from earlier that day. It was a clear night, just as it had been a year ago. There were many stars out, shining ever so brightly.
    As I started to walk out of the library, the Rose House caught my eye. I grabbed a chair to stand on. The painting was beautiful, as usual, but it almost looked as if the leaves on the trees were moving in the background—as though wind were blowing. I moved my head as close as I could to the painting.
    After I finished studying the painting, I grabbed one of the candles sitting on the table. On my way out, I noticed that Audric was not there. So I decided to walk around to try to find him. After failing, I closed the windows and blew out all the candles except for the one I was holding.
    I made my way back down the stairs. Suddenly I was hit with exhaustion, and I started yawning nonstop. I spotted Leala and told her that I was going to go to bed. She informed me that she would be up in a little bit to tuck me in.
    The second I walked into my room, I was engulfed in fatigue. I walked slowly, almost as if I had just woken from a deep sleep. I put on my pajamas, and after I brushed my teeth, I heard my door begin to open. Buttons trotted in, ate some food, drank a little bit of water, and jumped onto my bed. As usual, he situated himself on my pillow and began cleaning himself.
    My tiredness increased as time passed. I lay down on my bed and waited for Leala, Deleena, and Russel to come in, or whoever was not “lost” in the castle somewhere. After waiting a few minutes, I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Leala came in with my glass of water.
    “Well, like the rest of today, I could not find Russel or Deleena, so it will just be me tucking you in tonight,” she said as she walked through the door.
    “Oh, okay.” I sighed in frustration.
    She handed me my glass of water and kissed my forehead.
    “Now, Buttons,” she began, “watch over him tonight, and keep him company, okay?”
    Buttons perked up, let out a meow in response, and then proceeded to lick my hand, which was on the pillow.
    Leala left my room, shutting the door behind her. Instantly, my room seemed extremely dark. There was a strange vibe throughout my room. The moon was out, and it was a clear night, but even so, it seemed eerie. I sank down into my bed and placed my head next to Buttons.
    Again I was transported to the dream of the awful creature with the big black eyes and short body, and my parents. It started as it usually did and continued the same way until the part of the dream where the creature showed itself.
    Up until then, I saw the vision as if I were a spectator watching the whole thing from a distance. Suddenly my point of view changed. Now it was as if the creature were in front of me, walking toward me. The creature began its chant, and I could not understand the words, except for the last part: “In a year’s time, things will change from what is known to something strange.”
    The creature walked toward me ever so slowly. It kept repeating the last part of the chant. As it