The Townspeople

Encircled by the crowd
All cloaked in white
I had to fled
For if not,
I would be dead.


Many holding their inflamed torches
All scared and angered of my appearance
A signal was sent by shouting voices
"The Black Scarlett must die,
For she had brought sin
With fellow demons she should lie
And not harm again."

As I readied to lunge,
I was ready to make the plunge
I was grabbed by their hands
Roped to a stake
And awaited my fate.

Shouting that I am innocent
Begging for a retrial
They all stared in disgust
As if I were the one in denial.

As the stake was ablaze
My last breath wasted as a plead
For the lord to send a savior
Immediately to my need.

As he did, for as soon as I began to catch fire
I was saved, in the hands of a man
Who flew, me at hand going higher and higher
Riled voices, began to grow faint
As we landed in a foreign palce
Thanking this creature who was sent by the saints.

For I was safe yet another night
Away from the hunting and the fright
of the Townspeople.


As I reached for the hands of my protector
He leaped to the sky without a returning glance
Leaving me in an awkward position
A bizzarre stance.
My hands outstretched, my head bowed down
My lips curved into a smile
Which immediately turned into a frown
As I saw my proclaimed knight in shining armor
A masque cascading over his face
Eluding me, was this a man of any valor?

I was left alone and frightened
A light breeze blowing through my hair
I searched for comfort in the darkness
but was left empty and bare.

Daylight came and I awoke
To whispers of a veiled man, who silently spoke
To himself as he traipsed over and over
and stopped for he noticed my presence.

Who was this mysterious wanderer
Who has crept in my mind
For my thoughts are asunder
Since he had left me behind,
I asked him who might you be?
Barely turning he droned,
"A hideous progeny."
And he quickly vanished, from where he stood.


I later attempted to follow his path
Seeing no clue of his direction

Where was I?
Where was this place of absolute desertion?

I looked about, and saw where I was
I was among the stones,
Of the dead and their broken bones
A place to most, that filled with despair
But to me had become a home, something that was there.
Though it came time for me to leave
For I had overstayed my welcome
I peered once more and grieved
But I had come to fathom.
I could not stay too long anywhere
For I had previously made that mistake
And had wound up bound and wrapped to a stake.

I ventured westward, and came across a quaint little village
Whose outskirts were hideous, and pillaged.
Sundown began approaching
As I battled with myself, doting
Whether or not to stay.
I layed down behind a demolished stone wall
Glimpsing at the darkening sky once more
I layed to rest right then and there
But not for long, for no sooner was I awakened
By all blasts and blares.

Night came, and the town was food and drink galore
As I listened, hearing the sounds of joy
It was truly something to adore.
Citizens roaming the streets without a care
Court Jesters in ridiculous costumes
Causing quite a scare.
Brightly lit lights all over the town
All was joyous.
Ladies wore colorful gowns
While men were in matching attire
Hand in hand they were
Lords, Ladies, and squires.

Foolishly I was taken in
Grabbing a merchants mask
I had joined the parade.
Grabbing a costume, I had blended in
and had become part of the masquerade.

Roaming round decked in apparel
My skin barely visibIe, I captivated multitudes
As I sung along in carol.
Night filled with the utmost bliss
Yet something was not right
Something was amiss.
As I turned my head and peered in a corner
There stood a secluded man
With an expression of sadness, I deemed him a mourner.

His face in another direction
Facing the big clock tower
I quickly sauntered near
and began the introduction.
With barely a word, he turned his gaze
I asked him to dance and the rest faded into a haze

I was twirled, and romanced
By the masked stranger
My heart swooned
My heard warning me of danger
Breathing in the fresh night air.

I asked for one more dance
Hesitantly he agreed
He twirled me around
Rapidly taking the lead.

He held me closer
And as he bent lower
His lips met mine
I felt I was up in the skies
As our lips entwined.

As the clock struck midnight
Everyone elses mask flew
Mine remained, and his barely askew.
No one noticed at first
That we were still veiled
Our identities hidden
For we were afraid
For we forbidden.

We stood there in the middle of the ball
We were estranged
For everyone was now turned around
Something was wrong, something was strange.
And it was us
the two who stood so close together
Watching as we were being glared at
As my mind once again warned me of danger.

For when the clock struck midnight
We were to be unmasked
For it was tradition
But since we did not
Eyebrows rose, and eyes stared in suspicion.

I knew my secret
I had a reason to be hidden
Because for centuries I was a monstrosity
I was forbidden.
So as I stepped back
Ready to run
I looked behind me
And my companion had already begun
Begun to escape
Nothing behind him, but me
And his long crimson cape.

I glanced back at the curious crowd
All slowly approaching me
And I scurried away
For if I had decided to stay
I would have to endure
Once again what I did before.

I followed his prints
Whenever they appeared
Though I was furious
I found someone
Someone so mysterious
That adrenalined rushed through me
For I was curious
I wanted to uncover the mystery.

There, I had reached my destination
I was finally here
I had tired out time's procrastanation.
In front of me was an alcove
Out of the hearth
His footsteps had stopped
And I smiled in mirth.

I crawled into the small excess
And I stared in awe
But not at my success
But in shock of what I found
All around me was beauty
Nothing that was usually underground.
I stood for a moment
Embracing it all
And slowly stepped forward
To a painting that was on the wall.
It was hypnotizing
The color, structure
It all very mesmerizing.
I continued to stare at the figure
With a dark cape
And his visage obscured.

It was of a man, no a beast
Half its visage torn
I stepped closer, until I heard," Cease."
I tried to turn to see the beholder of the voice
It was terrifying, I had to admit
But I was paushed against the cave
I had no choice.
" I mean no harm," I begged.
Suddenly I was relieved
My body was still in great pain
But I was freed.

I gazed under the light of a torch
And quickly gasped
For what I saw was inhumane.
Man nor beast
Realizing my reaction
And disappointed at my dissatisfaction
He bagan to leave
But this time
Frightened as I was, I grabbed hold of his sleeve.
Begging him to stay
Defeated he stood
Not turning back
Though he was a monster
Kindness was something he did not lack.

" Why must you hide?"
I stepped closer
Slowly I crept by his side.
His face still turned
He slowly said,
" I am the Hideous Progeny,
I am not human, but an offspring of the dead."
I did not gasped, but listened.
This was my savior
He had saved my life.

" I did not mean to harm you before.
But I've been chased and harmed.
They all see me as a monster in a lore.
But I am not,
I was merely badly created.
I am a malifice." He stated.
" I am the hideous progeny," he repeated.
His voice different, defeated.

I removed my mask
And tore at my disguise
I felt I had to reveal the truth
I was done with the lies.
I kissed him, mangled lips and all
Not wanting to break apart
Once again not listening to myself
But my heart.

" I love you," I said.
He smiled faintly.
A finger running down my cheek
Ever so lightly.
" No, merely infatuated with the thought.
Beauty and Beast, reunited."
I stared, puzzled.
He had kissed me back, he couldn't fight it.

I attempted at one more kiss
But met rejection
Then I thought of the reason
Repulsion.
It was my skin
Something no one found attracted
Even the most desperate of men.

As if to read my mind
He kissed me once more
Like he did at the ball
It was not my skin, and he was letting me know.

" You will be with me, even if it may be your demise?"
I didn't have to think to know how I felt
I was free, free of the lies
I had found someone, and had relinquished my disguise.
Someone that will be with me
I didn't care who it was
Even if he were the Hideous Progeny.