MARY GATHERU - BEAUTY AND THE BEAST RENDITION

Mary Gatheru is a junior in college at Salem State University.  She majors in psychology and minors in English.  Her work varies from poetry to short fiction. She has poetry published in Oddball magazine and Voice of Eve magazine.

Beauty and the Beast Rendition

​Growing up in Oxford was like living in the sticks, country side-like. Occasionally, Hannah would go to the city in Worcester to do grocery shopping for her father. Her father was in no shape to make that voyage because of work. In worcester there was this man named Peter. Peter was the ideal partner to every girl who knew of him, except Hannah. Peter liked the fact that Hannah didn’t go crazy for him the way other girls did. As Hannah was roaming the grocery isles he followed trying to start a conversation with Hannah.
Since Hannah wasn’t that interested, the conversation was cut short as Hannah traveled back to Oxford. When Hannah got home she made her father his favorite meal because he was coming home from a long day of work. Usually her father Frank is home by 6:00 pm the latest, but tonight it hit 8:30pm and he had not arrived yet. Hannah decided to go look for her father. As Hannah was traveling in search for Frank she saw his toyota corolla parked outside a mansion in Shrewsbury with two flat tires. Hannah decided to go inside because that is where she believed Frank was.
As she entered the creaky door, she saw Frank locked in a dungeon like room alone, locked away. Hannah was relieved to see her father was ok. Frank on the other hand wanted her to leave immediately. Hannah became confused at her father’s reaction to seeing her. As Hannah and frank bickered back and forth a large shadow appeared from behind. As Hannah turned around it was a tall 6’7 man, dog like teeth, completely covered in masses of hair, with not the best hygiene methods. Frank shouted “Hannah run!” Hannah decided to speak up against this beast like man.  Henry told Hannah her father was not going anywhere. Hannah responded with “ Let my father go and I will take his place in that cold dungeon room you have kept my father”. Henry standed contemplating what to do.
After thinking for some time, Henry decided to agree with the terms Hannah had proposed. As her father was released they shared a heartfelt hug because Frank didn't know if he would ever see his daughter again. Since Frank had two spare tires in the back he changed them out and headed back to the city to find help. Instead of keeping Hannah in the cold dungeon room her father was kept, he let her stay in a warm,comfy bedroom and allowed her to roam around because he boulted all the doors for his height to reach and only his. While Hannah was laying on the bed she started to cry. As tears rushed down her face, a little teacup on the dresser asked her if she was ok. At this moment Hannah thought she must have inhaled cocaine because talking teacups could not be real.
Hannah then rubbed her eyes in hope to fix her vision but when she opened her eyes the lilac lamp and plush pillows joined the conversation. Since Hannah had no one else to talk to she conversed with them. Overtime Hannah was told the story of why Henry looked and was the way he was, and why inhuman objects were talking which put Hannah at ease.
Over the course of two weeks Hannah and Henry became very fond of each other. One night after they had dinner Peter and his gang pulled up to Henry’s mansion in search for the beast like man and to in hope  Hannah would reciprocate the same feelings if he saved her. Peter and his gang barged into the house with multiple illegal weapons; all in search to kill Henry. After hours of fighting going on in the mansion Peter and Henry were feuding on the balcony and before Peter could stab Henry, Peter plummeted to his death.  When Hannah finally made her way up to the balcony she found Henry laying on the floor in bad condition; he was beaten brutally.
Hannah began to cry because she fell in love with Henry. Hannah then gave Henry a kiss of love. After she did that magical sparkles and lights  which were completely supernatural arose Henry back to health and back to the man he was before being put on the spell. Henry transformed into a 6’7 handsome man. All the inanimate objects that spoke became the people they were before. Hannah explained things to Frank, and Frank then approved of Hannah and Henry’s marriage. From then on Hannah and Henry lived happily ever after in Shrewsbury with all the staff he had living with them.