Check Your Reference List, I'm Sure I'm Not On It.

[praiseofblood]

At first, nothing happened, until the door swung slowly open.

The boys all gasped. "Well, go on, go in!" they hissed.

[clementine]

Well. This certainly wasn't part of the deal. Still, Jeffrey wanted to prove himself to be a man and so, he stepped over the threshold of the castle. He wasn't but a few steps in until he stopped, trying not to look at anything too hard in the dark hall. This was enough. Right?

[praiseofblood]

"What do you see?" Sven hissed.

"Yeah, what's it look like?" Thomas urged.

[clementine]

"Nothing." Jeffrey whispered back. "Just a long hall. It's really dark. I don't think even any lamps are lit." Which was true enough save for a tiny glimmer of light far into the castle. "What should I do?" He asked of his friends.

[praiseofblood]

"Go in, you'll be a legend! The first to see the Beast's castle!" Rudy, another boy from the village hissed.

[clementine]

Jeffrey wrinkled his nose. "Yeah, a dead legend." He muttered to himself. With one last look to his friends, he tentatively crept further into the castle.

[praiseofblood]

Jeffery had no clue that he was being watched. Watched by tiny eyes in crafted faces, all about the castle. A door to his right creaked open very slowly, showing a strip of light.

[clementine]

Shuddering, Jeffrey figured he was in big trouble whether he followed the light or not. Still, he was brave. He was a man! Pushing back his fear he edged through the second doorway towards the lights, taking in the opulence that was revealed by the soft yellow glow.

[praiseofblood]

The room seemed normal, at least to Jeffery. A plain, if old fashioned and opulent study with an expensive Persian rug adorning the floor and comfortable looking chairs around a fire.

[clementine]

The fire was a welcome sight. The night had been cold and his holey jacket didn't do much to stave off the early chill. When he saw no one was around, he sighed, gingerly sitting in one of the plush chairs. Immediately he sank into the cushions with a giggle.

Pleased and somewhat comfortable despite his surroundings, Jeffrey took a moment to rest and regather his wits.

[praiseofblood]

"Is he the one?" came a whisper.

"He's so puny," came another whisper.

"I don't know, he doesn't seem like the one." came yet another voice.

"His Highness won't like that very much." came the first voice again.

[clementine]

Jeffrey jerked out of what was swiftly becoming a doze to look around wildly. "Who's there?" He squeaked. "You guys better not be playing a joke on me. Rudy? Slvan?" He called nervously.

[praiseofblood]

"Oh dear, I think he's heard us!" came another voice.

"So what, he's not the one, what does it matter?"

[clementine]

"Look guys, this isn't funny." Jeffrey said, leaping from the chair and squinting into the shadows of the room. "I know you're there guys, come out!"

[praiseofblood]

"Oh dear," came the voice again. "I suppose we'd best show ourselves."

Suddenly, things began to move. A book from the table, a candlestick from the shelf, the ] ottoman on the floor. They began to move towards Jeffery.