Ugh, the week isn't even over and already I hadve a tonne of homework, grr, the teachers really don't waste time do they! lol.
xsuper_novax: I've already posted Angel Falls. Click on teh title to go to the thread.
Ok, a warning for this next chapter, its quite grusome, if you're like me and have a very wild imagination
I wouldn't recommend reading this at night. I seriously creeped myself out while I was writing this. Unfortuntely the only time I can write is at night if I'm not too tired, and its bad cos its before bed! 
Enjoy! and feedback please!
Part 9
Liz walked into her room feeling numb and chilled to the bone. She quickly changed into her long white night-gown and sat before her vanity table. Staring into her reflection, her hand automatically reached for her hairbrush. Her brush glided slowly and smoothly through each strand separating any knots and tangles.
Suddenly, the lights went out, bathing her and everything else in darkness except for the sliver of silver moon that glowed through the window, bathing certain areas in a ghostly ethereal silvery hue.
Liz continued to stare into the mirror and placed her brush back in its place.
An eerie voice floated into existence, a haunting voice that sang an entrancing siren's song.
Liz glanced to the top right of her mirror and saw a woman with long blonde hair approach her. Liz just sat there numbly in her chair. As the woman approached closer, Liz saw she had nothing on, all that covered her breasts was her hair. She continued to sing in a hum. Liz felt her eyelids begin to feel heavy.
"Such beautiful hair." The woman spoke. She ran her fingers through Liz's hair from root to tip. "Such determination from such a young soul." She looked into the mirror so they both saw each other. "It is too strong for you, you will never succeed. We all tried to break free, but we all failed. We paid with out lives; protect yours."
"I... I don't understand." Liz managed in a whisper.
"The beast. The curse. He bounded us to it against our will. He destroyed us in the end. Don't believe in their lies. Don't let him get you."
"The Beast?"
"Yes. Let me show you."
Liz continued to stare into the mirror, her eyes wide with horror as the naked woman behind her slowly morphed into the Beast she had somehow come to care about.
Liz could feel his breath on her cheek as he looked at her reflection in the mirror. His sharp teeth were bared, his eyes glowed a red menace.
"Yeeees, such beautiful hair." he mocked.
Liz wanted to run, but she couldn't move. This couldn't possibly be the same Beast she had known could it? the Beast who had nursed her wound, and who had cared for her.
His claws were at the top of her head, instead of gentle, they dug deeply into her scalp.
Liz screamed in agony.
His claws ripped apart her flesh.
Forcing her arm to work, Liz grabbed the brush and jabbed the handle into the beasts face. He let go with a howl of pain.
Liz turned and ran.
Unfortunately, one of the beasts hand was still on her scalp, and his claws had still been imbedded in her head. The force of Liz turning away pulled the rest of her scalp away.
Liz thought she should be dead from her wounds, yet she remained alive and in unspeakable pain.
She ran out the door.
Frantically looking around through the haze of blood that ran over her eyes, Liz ran blindly down some stairs. Accidentally missing a step, she tumbled down the rest of the way. She heard something crack but ignored it. She had to get help; had to get away from the psycho beast; get away from this place of madness.
Running down a set of hallways, Liz tried to remember the way, but everything seemed to have changed; shifted somehow.
She ran past a mirror and her peripheral vision caught a flash of red stringy mess. But Liz didn't stop to examine it closer. She didn't dare. She knew how her head looked, she could feel every nerve in it.
Liz looked ahead and saw the main door. The other side was filled with a bright white light.
"Hurry Liz!" It was Alex's voice.
Liz ran faster towards it.
"ALEX HELP ME!!" She screamed.
The Beast's hands closed around her throat choking her scream. She struggled to kick him, but he sat on her thighs, trapping her. Liz felt his claws digging into her neck.
'Alex, please help me!' She voiced her distress in her mind.
"You have the power Liz, you can do it, just look deep within yourself." His voice spoke in her mind.
Liz was feeling so much weaker now, she doubt she'd made much of a struggling effort to break free.
Looking deep within herself, she found that last source of strength. Her arms shot up and her thumbs dug deeply into the Beasts eyes.
The Beast howled in pain, and let go of Liz's throat as his hands when to inspect his now damaged eyes.
Quickly, Liz turned onto her belly and scrambled away. She stopped moving and lay there at the edge of the threshold of the door.
"Alex, I'm so weak. I'm not gonna survive this." She croaked in a whisper.
"Liz, you have to survive this, I won't let you give up. Look at me."
Liz didn't respond, she just lay there with her head on the floor.
"Look at me!" Alex demanded.
Slowly, and with effort, Liz raised her head to look up at Alex, who was floating in the white light.
He held out his hand to her. "Take my hand Liz. Let me be your strength."
With a shaky hand, Liz reached out. Her fingers brushed his. She felt a surge of energy flow through her. Alex grabbed onto her hand and pulled her through the doorway. Liz floated up to him.
"Alex..." She breathed out.
"Shh.... you're alright now." he soothed.
Liz felt her pain ebb away. She touched her head and feared the worst, but it was whole and perfect again. No bloody mess.
She looked down at her white gown and saw the red bloodstains begin to evaporate and disappear.
"Thank you, for saving me."
"Hey, what are friends for?" Alex smiled at her. "Liz, listen, you don't have very much time, but you have to solve the story, you have to break the curse. I know its like a scrambled up jigsaw, but try and piece it together."
"I don't know how." Liz said panicking.
"Let your heart be your guide." He placed his palm over her heart. "Believe in yourself Liz, trust in only what you believe is true."
"Can't you just tell me what it is I'm suppose to know?"
"It's not my place to tell. But I believe a certain brown book hold the clues to your answers."
"Casanova's Curse?"
Alex simply nodded.
The light began to get brighter, so bright that Liz had to squeeze her eyes shut.
"Take care Liz, and be very careful." She heard Alex's voice reach her in a whisper.
Liz's eyes flew open and she bolted upright on the bed. Sweat drenched her body and soaked through the sheets. She tried to calm her erratic breathing.
Finally, calming down, she sighed. "Thank you Alex."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Alex opened his eyes and stared at his darkened ceiling. A smile spread over his face and she breathed out in relief.
"She made it. I wasn't too late. It's up to you now Liz. You're brainy, you'll figure it out, I know you will." He spoke to no one in particular in the dark.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Liz continued to sit in the middle of the bed.
Looking up, she gazed out the window at the night sky. It would be sunrise soon, with was already beginning to slowly light. Usually she could see the moon from her window, but not now. That was because it wasn't due to appear until tomorrow. Midnight tonight would be tomorrow.
Alex's words haunted her, she had to solve the story before it was too late. Too bad she didn't have the book with her. Speaking of the book, she hadn't seen it since she felt asleep after reading it; though the words were still etched into her mind. She could remember everything she'd read.
A month in a year, the lunar calendar rules.
Before the new moon shall arise above the heavens, the curse shall be destroyed or darkness shall forever fall upon the unfortunate.
A girl so tender, shall seek the truth, but beware of hidden mirrors.
In a land of fairy tales where magick resides, illusions of good and evil shall come to surface.
The truth she seeks is the path she will take.
Be it life or death, only her heart can cast away the darkness to reveal the light.
Liz sat there and mulled over the riddle. Ok, so basically, she had to solve the story before the new moon rose, that was the bit about the month in a year and the moon. Liz thought back to the horrific nightmare she'd just had. It wasn't real she realized, whatever it was had to do with the mystery of the beast. Dear Beast, he would never hurt her, the nightmare was probably an illusion to dissuade her from returning to the mansion. If she hadn't truly believed the Beast would never hurt her, she probably might've actually believed in the smoke-screen.
Liz looked back out the window again.
Time was running out.
Pulling the silver whistle chain from around her neck, she blew on it. Only the faintest sound came out. Liz thought something might've been stuck in it, but it appeared to be fine. She blew on it again, the same faint sound came out. She supposed it was a good thing as she didn't want to wake up her parents.
'Please hurry here CoCo!' Liz prayed that the whistle had worked.
Getting out of bed, she quickly changed into the white dress the Beast had found for her.
Picking up the comb, she combed it through her hair, but the images from her dream made her shiver, and she quickly placed the brush back down. She stepped away from the mirror and her dresser. Liz rubbed her arms and felt goose-bumps. She started to pace around the room full of nervous energy.
Liz looked out the window again.
She could see the first raise of sunbeam hit the house next door.
It was morning.
'Come on Coco, where are you?'
Liz returned to her pacing, her thoughts bombarded her with guilt.
'God, the Beast must hate me! I broke his promise. I won't be surprised if he never wants to see me again after this. Me and my stupid selfishness. The Beast didn't have to let me go, but he did it anyway. The least I could do was stick by my side of the agreement.
An hour and a half had passed before Liz heard a neighing call. She rushed over to the window and looked out. Coco stamped his hooves and whinnied impatiently.
Liz wondered how he got here so fast, not that she wasn't grateful, but considering last time, it took them a whole day.
Hurriedly, she raced down the stairs and out the house. She mounted Coco in one graceful fluid motion.
"We have to hurry." She said into his ear.
The horse whinnied once more in agreement, and together, they raced back towards the mansion.
TBC!!! Ooh, getting exciting now isn't it?
lol.