The Truth Beneath The Rose

Mercy was being moved. Her heart leapt up to her throat. Could it be the beast? She thought.

No. Human hands her tugging at her arm, pulling her to her feet. She groaned in defiance, wanted to drop back to the ground. “Let go…” She whined childishly.

“Now, now, Mercy.” Whispered Colly, her voice sounding desperate. “Don’t wake him.”

Mercy turned slightly and saw the beast on the ground, a butler whom she did not know hovering over him. She guessed he had helped lift the beast off her in order for Colly to get her. But...Mercy did not want to leave.

“But, I…” She managed to protest slightly. Colly hushed her.

“No, Mercy, you’re half asleep, now please hurry.” The plump woman ushered her up the stairs and all the way to her room, setting her on the bed.

“But, Colly—“

“Mercy,” She said, her voice suddenly stern, “Don’t ever do that again. I want you to forget out it and never bring it up again. Do you understand?”

Mercy swallowed, but nodded.

“Now sleep, okay?”

Mercy nodded again.



“No…” Mercy muttered, rubbing the paper with the end of her pencil furiously. Why had she drawn the eyes so cute and adorable? She quickly corrected it, making the eyes fierce and feral. It was more cartoonish then she wanted it to be, but otherwise, it was good.

She leaned back in her chair, gazing down at her work.

A wolf of some sort was on the page, growling ferociously at whoever looked at it. It’s lip was pulled back in a snarl, large teeth right under. She drew it’s pelt the exact way she had seen it. She had drawn his ears laid back against his head. One ginormous paw was in the air, bent as if he were following a trail. She drew the faint outline of a forest behind it.

There was a knock on her door, and Mercy quickly slid the picture under a book on the desk. She went to the door and opened it to see Colly in the doorway. “Yes?” She asked.

“Good morning, my dear.” Colly greeted, a smile forced upon her face. “How long have you been up?”

“Oh…” Mercy glanced out the doorway, as if expecting someone to be there. “A while.”

“Are you up for breakfast, then?”

“Sure, just let me go change—”

“No need for that, deary.” She said, gripping her arm lightly before she went on any further. “She smooth out your hair and you could go down there in your pajamas.”

“Oh…” Mercy looked down at her attire. She wore a light blue silk button-up that almost covered the matching silk shorts. Oh, well. She thought. “Okay.”

Colly led her down to the dining room, and as the doors opened, a young man, a year or two older then her, stood. He looked like he had just been walking out, because he stopped very suddenly, looking surprised.

“Oh, hey.” He scratched his head slightly, shaking his brown-red hair.

“Hello.” Mercy replied, her gaze looking up at him. He smiled.

“Um, I was just leaving, but, uh…if you want me to stay, then I can properly introduce myself.” Her shy smile grew wider.

“I’d like that.”

He smiled more. He was also in pajamas, his hair very bedraggled. He was in fleece pants and a plain t-shirt. Definitely not what she had expected.

“Mercy, this is the Lord’s son: Edge.” Colly gestured to the boy. There was a savage beauty about him. Something almost monstrous but most definitely human. His eyes were golden, glimmering even in the dim lighting.

She curled her fingers nervously behind her back. “Where is the Lord?” She asked curiously.

Edge shrugged. “Out on business. Usually is. You won’t see much of him.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Mercy herself couldn’t go a day without her father, but she had gone two weeks so far. She knew she should not live in the past but every day, the pain edged into her.

“Ah, it’s okay. He’s a busy man.” He replied, waving it off.

Mercy nodded.

She had never been close to boys, until now.



Colly slipped away from the two, and went back up to the Mercy’s bedroom. She planned to clean before Mercy got back, just so she wouldn’t have to later tonight.

They seem to be getting along nicely, Colly thought happily as she entered Mercy’s bedroom. There wasn’t much to clean, but there was still something. She could dust? Sweep?

Colly dusted furniture quickly, planning to be out before she came back. As she reached the desk area, she tidied things up, putting pens and pencils in the drawer and putting the book back on the shelf—

But then, a piece of parchment slipped out from under the book. Planning just to put it back on the desk, Colly couldn’t help but glance at it. It was a canine, wolf-looking. It looked absolutely ferocious and the thing had the outline of a forest behind it, and a moon shining brightly above.

That’s it, Colly thought. I can’t let her see him like this again!

Colly put the paper back on the desk and continued about her business.



“It was nice to meet you.” Mercy smiled, bowing slightly and pulling herself up quickly.

“As of you, too.” He bowed, also, and walked out, waving goodbye. Mercy waved, too.

She ate the meal until her stomach hurt. It was so good she could barely put down her fork. But when se was done, she thanked the chefs and walked back up to her room.

Mercy read a while, but grew bored very quickly. She lay on her bed, and thought of none other then the beast…

It was very convenient how much Edge reminded her of the monstrous creature living in the basement.

They had the same eyes, something in the back of her mind, and it was true. Their hair was the same color too, she added.

Mercy finally remembered the picture, and she got off her bed, grabbed it, and brought it back. She traced the lines with her fingers. The beast in the basement…

Looking out the window, she sighed deeply. Before the sun goes down, I’ll go wait in the basement, she thought. I’ll wait for the beast to arrive.



Mercy had almost drifted into a hazy sleep, but had awakened just in time. The sun had just started to set, and she rushed out of the room.

What if Colly realizes I’m gone? She thought.

Turning back into the room, she stuffed some pillows under the blankets, trying her best to make a human form there. She did best she could before she rushed out of the room.

She made it to the basement in no time, and, taking a look behind her to make sure no one was there. The halls were very much empty, so she took a step inside.

It was empty, so she looked around for hiding places. Fortunately, she found a small closet, with many cracks in the door so she could see through it.

Perfect, she thought triumphantly, before hiding inside it. Almost as soon as she closed it, a loud boom sounded, startling her. It was the slam of the basement door, and Edge stormed down the stairs.

“Shit.” He muttered, pacing about the room. Edge? She thought. What’s he doing here?

But farther inside, she asked herself, “Did he bring the beast?”

He then leaned his head against the wall, breathing hard. She began to worry. Was he sick…? But it looked like he had just ran a mile, he was breathing as if it would be his last.

Mercy gasped as he cried out in pain, clutching the skin over his heart as he fell to his knees. I should go help, she thought, but her legs would not push her out. She sat and gaped.

She backed away from the door, hitting the wall very hard. She gasped as pain ebbed from her spine.

And through the wood, she saw him looking at the door with pained eyes,

He knew she was there.

Weakly, Edge stood on his feet, his body slumped. He walked over to the door, and in one swift move, he gripped the knob, and ripped it out of it’s hinges.

Mercy took in a breath, about to scream, but then he grabbed her arm, yanking her out so hard she felt as if her bone had popped out of place.

“What are you doing here?!” His voice was almost savage. His eyes glowing stronger then she had seen before. Sweat dripped from his forehead.

Mercy had backed up against the wall as she whimpered, “I…I just wanted to see—”

He suddenly came at her, both his fists slamming into the wall above her head. The rocky wall behind her crumbled where his fists had struck. She almost screamed, but held her breath as her sobs came. What had happened to the man she had seen earlier today?

“G…go…” He managed to get out, clutching his face with his hand.

Mercy could not follow his command even if she tried. Her legs were frozen.

And then, his bones began to poke out under his skin, each changing to create a new form. But of what? She thought. His skin seemed to stretch as he fell to his knees, crying out.

“God, no…” Mercy said, her knees crumpling below her. Tears poured from her eyes. Where does this horror show end?

Mercy closed her eyes for a long second, willing his cries of pain and the sound of cracking bones to dissolve in her mind. Daddy, please make it stop, she prayed.

When she opened her eyes, a hungry howl rang in the air, and she looked up to see the beast.

She cried out, and let her legs try to take her to the door, but the creature grabbed her roughly, and pulled her back—slamming her into the wood ground.

Mercy screamed, looking up into the eyes of the monster.