Belle and the Beasts
Belle walked up the long gravel driveway, begrudging every step that brought her closer to the looming property at its end. She’d deliberately left the mansion house until last, and even as she reached the gate she’d crossed her fingers that it would be locked so she could turn around and go home. No such luck. It swung open easily, and her potential excuse for not knocking on the front door disappeared into thin air.
She tried to convince herself that it wouldn’t be that bad. Perhaps her sister, Anna, had been exaggerating when she said that the inhabitants were just as creepy and unpleasant as the house itself. Anna was known for her wild imagination, after all.
The thought steeled her resolve. Belle stood straighter, and increased her pace up the seemingly never-
