Flash Fiction

He grabbed her arm. “Wait, you can’t leave yet.”

She turned to look at him, with a small tear in her eye. “But I must go. You don’t understand.”

“Just stay a little longer, please.” His pleading gaze almost stopped her. But to stay would end much worse for him than he could ever dream. Certainly, the party would be crashed.

“My welcome will end in only a matter of minutes if I choose to stay.” She gave him one last look and a wave of the hand, and she fled into the night.

Although it would have been much better if he had not decided to follow the maiden, but, as it was, he hurried after her, concealing himself in the woods. He trailed her, keeping a constant eye on her.

The maiden entered a narrow glade, slowing speeding through it. But suddenly, as if something had yanked her heartstrings, she fell to the ground, a gurgling noise spewing from her mouth. He almost rushed to her aid, but stopped in his tracts, as he saw a phenomenon before him. No longer did the fair maiden lay there, but a beast of unusual shape and size.

The creature gave a roaring howl, sniffed the air, and ran back into the woods.

The man stood there, puzzling the whereabouts of his beloved. Had the beast come up and swallowed her? The truth hit him, as much as he tried to deny it. She was the beast. She, the beautiful maiden, was also a beast. His future was now in ruins.

How could have this happened to him? He hung his head and wept. As the tears fell, he felt a furry paw rest on his shoulder. He turned slowly toward the beast.

“Now, dear, you see why I had to leave.” She murmured.