The Beast and The Scared Beauty

Chapter 2

Bella

Time seems to have stopped. Everything around me looks so beautiful. It feels like today that everything that I ever wanted you’ll be fulfilled.

Finally, the wish that I had been waiting to fulfill for a long time is going to be fulfilled. My wish to be a bride, marrying the love of my life and living happily ever after, doesn’t seem so far away from me, I just need to take a few more steps and everything that I’ve once wished for will be mine.

But everything all of a sudden turns dark, my greed for being happy living a happy life turns out to be the reason for my misery. The man who once cherished me with so much love, is now choking towards hell, a hell where the devil is hidden behind an angel's mask. And with each passing day, life seems to be hard, and the dark of death breaks whatever little courage I have left in me.

I feel like a caged bird whose wings have been ripped off, who is never allowed to cry even when it hurts, nor allowed to show the pain that is hidden beneath.

I want to take a long rest, so long as to never wake up again. Maybe that will be the end of all my suffering, the pain of living through all this time, the escape that I always desired.

But something alerted me when a sweet , mere wishered voice called my name, “Belle,” and soft velvety lips touched my forehead.

There were so many voices all around talking, but I somehow focused on only one of them, a calming sensation flooded into my mind, hearing someone call me by the name that only my father used to call me. Memories of dad came flooding back to mind. He was the only one who truly cherished me, but hurt him because of him. He was right about him all this time, but I ignored all the warnings and dad left me. I was selfish so much that I became the reason for my father's death.

Everything that happened to me was because of me. I was the reason for my suffering no one else. I ruined myself by being greedy about love and choosing the wrong partner. If only I could go back, I would want to forget everything about that person. I want to relive my life, even if I have died, I want to die.

‘Dad, I’m sorry for not trusting you, I’m sorry for hurting your feelings, you only wished for my happiness but I became the reason for your death. I’m sorry for letting go….I’m sorry.’

*****

Jake

“Are you kidding me,” I shouted, punching the wall in front of me hard. “Why have I kept you all here, if I can't treat a single patient?”

“As I said, there is nothing wrong with her,” replied the doctor, with his voice shaky. “Maybe she doesn't want to wake up.”

“Why would she want that? It's been a week and you said that nothing is terminal about her condition.”

“Boss, I can’t do anything if someone loses the hope to live.”

“Don’t test my patience. And find the cure. I don't care how.”

“We would never, but she seems to be traumatized, with all her body covered in scars, she might have been hurt not only physically but mentally, maybe that is why she does not seem to wake up.” The doctor said, handing me Belle’s reports with his hand shaking. “As you can see all reports are normal,”

“What can I do to wake her up, then,” I asked, handing him the reports back to him.

“You can talk to her, cheer her up, try to ease the trauma, she might be in a coma but she can hear and feel everything,”

“What if she doesn’t wake up after that?”

“Only time can say, we don't know what happened or why he is like this, his past medical history, everything is history for us. But I’ll try my best and do everything in my power.”

“You better, now leave.” I said, turning my head, staring at the lifeless, fragile frame of Belle.

Time has changed her so much, the Belle who was always the reason for everyone, always cheerful, bubbly, and kind. The person who was kind to help me, a boy whom everyone abandoned, but made me her friend. She was there with me when no one was there, she fed me when I was hungry, hugged me when I was cold, cheered me up when I was crying. But I couldn't have for her, all these when I was unknown to pain her misery, the life she lived until now.

“I’m sorry for not being there for you, sorry for leaving you alone, sorry for everything that you've been facing alone for all this long, but I promised to make the life of the person who caused your pain feel ten times worse than yours, so much so that he begs me to end his life. A life so miserable that death will seem a pleasure. I promise to just wake up,” I placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, promising myself not to rest until I bring justice to her. “Belle, I promise to bring all your happiness back in your life, to never make you cry again. Just wake up for once.”

“Boss,” A voice called from outside the door, interrupting my time with Belle.

“Come in,” I said, adjusting my emotions, not wanting to display my vulnerability. “It's better be important,”

James nodded. “We found all the information about Miss Bella you've asked for. And the man who is responsible for her condition.”

“Good. You know what to do,” James nodded, leaving without another word.

“It's not long before the person who is responsible for your condition gets punished,” I said, with my eyes fixed on Belle.