Chapter 2.

Chapter 2.

Estella’s POV.

"Estella Moone." I say to the receptionist as my heart pounds in my ears.

"You can take a seat over there and wait to be called." She responds and I nod slowly making my way to the dark leather chairs in the middle of the room, it seems like I’m sitting there for hours before the door finally opens, and I see a familiar black bob bouncing through the door and hear Margret’s chirpy little voice ring through my head.

She’s been interning for the summer in the mayors office, she’s smart tall and pretty everyone loves her and her parents own most of the village. I’ve always assumed she’ll grow up to be just like her mother working in the mayors office handling all the paperwork and finances for the town hall, she always seemed very stuck up and bratty to me but I just kept to myself. I take a deep breath and nod, Margret smiles to me as I walk in to the office, shutting the door behind me I sit down.

"Happy birthday Estella!" His familiar squeaky voice begins.

"As you know the beast moon is a very special tradition in this town. Our founders started the treaty years ago and today we continue it for the safety of the village, this will be your first year attending as you are now 20. Prudence has a bag for you with everything you will need for tonight, you are to be at the town line at 9:30 wearing whats in the bag, an escort will bring you down.” He says it almost effortlessly as if it didn’t even matter that I would more then likely die tonight.

I stare at him blankly in shock as he begins to look confused.

“Do you have any questions?" He asks softly as my mind spins in circles.

"Sir if I get chosen by a beast what will happen to my cat misfit?" I ask softly.

“Well I’m not sure, I guess I could have her taken in to the village rescue until someone else adopts her.” He says with his finger on his chin and I feel my heart break.

“Can you promise me to find her a home, make sure she doesn’t spend her life alone or get put to sleep.” I say looking down to my hands as tears threaten to spill.

“Yes Estella I can do that, your sacrifice will be greatly appreciated.” He says with a smile and I have to try and force one back with little luck.

"Will I ever be able to come back and see her?" I stutter through my next question.

"Well." He pauses. "I suppose that would be up to the beast if he allows it." He answers as my hearts in my stomach and I feel panicked.

I just nod before slowly standing up and going to the front desk to retrieve my bag, Prudence hands me this bright red bag with sparkly black tissue coming out of it.

"Thank you." I say softly in a mono tone voice as I feel my emotions begin to drain away, I grab the bag from her and start my walk back home.

"ESTELLA!" Margret screams slamming in to me as I trip falling forward catching myself with my hands.

"Margret, what are you doing?" I ask with distain as I feel her evil eyes pierce in to me.

“I just wanted to wish you the best of luck tonight.” She states in a snarky tone pissing me off more.

“For once you were actually chosen for something, to bad it’s to be eaten by a beast.” She laughs as she kicks my bag away from me and continues walking, she used to pick on me and tease me a lot when we were children but the last few years haven’t been to bad. I guess all the attention has made her jealousy.

Margret was my first and only friend I had, her mom volunteered a lot at the group home so growing up I seen her a lot. She would play with me while her mom was busy working, we would spend hours drawing and giggling playing make belief and pretend with her teddy’s. It was one of my best memories as a child, then somewhere along the lines Margret decided she was going to hate me so I started keeping to myself and avoiding her as much as possible.

She started being mean to me or mocking me, tripping me at school in front of the other kids or throwing food at me. She was my only friend and she was able to treat me like that, I remember being so sad one day after school. Margret had put gum in my hair and the supervisor had to cut it short, I cried for days and was so mad at her. Since that day I’ve avoided her as much as I can. No one needs a friend like that. I pick up my things and decide to take the long way home, taking in each beautiful moment before it’s to late.

I get home in the afternoon to find misfit sleeping on the couch soundly with her little paws in the air.

I drop myself down on the couch as she purrs quietly and I pull out the constants of the bag, a small black dress that looks too small and a long black cloak, I lay down next to her while she pushes her body in to me and I begin to doze off feeling her fur tickle my arms.

I wake up as it’s getting dark out and jump up. Gosh I only have an hour to get ready, my stomach grumbles and I run to the fridge to get something to eat, I fill misfits bowl while wolfing down some left over pasta and taking off up stairs. I pull the small black dress on, which I was right it doesn’t even cover my butt and it’s way to small. I line the bottom of my eyes with black eye liner and touch up my mascara. Next I pull my hair out brushing it, I braid two long french braids down my back when I hear a knock. I quickly cover myself with the black cloak and answer the door.

I grab misfit giving her a big hug as I fight back the tears and my eyes burn. Theres a knock at the door as I’m coming down the stairs, I open it and a tall man stands in front of me.

"We’re here to escort Miss Moone." The strong voice states as I struggle to swallow and my anxiety raises.

"I’m her." I choke out as misfit jumps from my arms. I give her one last head scratch before stepping out in to the crisp night air. We begin walking to the edge of town with the two men to either side of me, glad I have the long cloak to cover myself with. We walk maybe 10 minutes before we reach the town line, it felt like an eternity and the whole time I can hear my heart beat in my ears.

We come to a clearing surrounded by torches with stone trails, there’s older women in white floor length dresses, holding a black silk blind fold. I take a deep breath as I’m guided up to get my blind fold, I close my eyes and the old women ties the back of it securely making sure I can’t see, as she finishes she slides my cloak off and guides me to my place as panic sets in. It’s time.

This town has never done anything good for me, I always just floated through invisibly and now they were sending me off to die. The girl who was barely noticed, I bet by next years offering no one will even remember me. It’s sad to realize I’ll be leaving nothing behind, no friends or family just my perfect little ditch kitten I saved. She will be the only one to miss me.

The cold wind hits my skin and I shiver remembering how revealed I am without the cloak on. I focus on my breathing trying to calm myself down, I feel the warmth of the fire against my back while the cold air blows against me. I’ve always loved the smell of fire in the woods, all of a sudden I notice it’s silent. No voices, no footsteps nothing just the soft crackle of the fire and the wind through the trees. I feel my heart beat faster as I listen closely when I hear the branches around me snap. There here.

A loud howl breaks the silence making me flinch and I hear the birds all vacate the trees, my body vibrates in fear as I choke back another lump I my throat. My breath hitches, and another loud howl breaks through the forest as my body shivers once again. Everything is so creepy just standing waiting, I can hear their heavy foot steps hitting the ground around me, I pray I won’t be taken when all I can feel next is hot wet breath on my face. "I’ve been looking for you, Mate."