(Ok so earlier I had been writing another story and I received some really harsh comments on it that were not appropriate for this site, but then again…neither was my story, so here I have taken a risk in attempt to redeem myself as a writer. I hope someone appreciates it…I have done more editing)

The ground was cold, wet and unforgiving. His eyes opened. Everything was still around him. The silence even seemed to refuse him. He didn't know how long it had been, days, weeks. Who knew? It felt as though every bone in his body was broken. The darkness surrounding him was his only comfort, and even that would soon fade.

Why am I still alive? Gaston thought to himself. He hoped that some part of him, some bodily extension would move, but there was nothing. My own body rejected me. He couldn't even feel anymore and he wanted nothing more than to die there. He could not comprehend a consciousness without a body to match. He had lost all feeling, all emotion and the ground refused to take him. Death even turned a cold shoulder upon him.

At that precise moment, a golden wisp of air floated above his head, landing gently on the earth. It took form. Gaston could barely see what it was. He couldn't move his eyes to look upon the figure that appeared before him. As it materialized, Gaston felt unbearable jolts of pain burst through his body. Not knowing he was capable of it, Gaston let out a deep cry that barely echoed amongst the earth. A cold feminine voice scolded him.

"Did you really think you would get off this easy Gaston? Did you think fate would let you die here peacefully with the shame that you so rightfully deserve? Hah! You are a pathetic soul."

Gaston couldn't respond. The pain was eating at every inch of him now.

"Your soul doesn't deserve the grace of death." The hiss resonated violently. "I think you are aware of what must be done Gaston, you pitiful creature!" The words echoed in his head.

He was still unable to reply. Any control over his body had been taken from him with the last cry.

"Insolent fool! Speak back. It is rude not to answer me!" Two red eyes appeared facing Gaston, almost hovering above him.

He tried to force out a sound, only succeeding with a soft groan. He could barely think, let alone speak.

Another wisp of gold appeared and materialized. Gaston still could not make out a form.

"Aristra, do not taunt the boy! We have a task here to do." This voice was much more forgiving. "Child do you know why you've been kept alive?"

Of course Gaston had no clue. Besides he couldn't force any audible sound out of his mangled form.

Aristra spoke. "I see you can't even answer, you meaningless scum. Do you realize you cannot control anything in this world, especially not your own fate?"

The other voice came booming forth. "Child we have chosen you to return to the earth. You have a chance to redeem yourself. You cannot choose death now. You have only one option, and that is to go back to the humiliation and suffering which you rightfully deserve."

Gaston felt a wet hand come down on his face. Suddenly some feeling came back through his body, only to make him more aware of the pain he was feeling. The hand reached back, dripping. Gaston finally felt strong enough to speak, only to say words he would soon regret.

"You think I'm at fault?" His lungs were barely backing his voice. "That creature took my prize? What kind of girl chooses a beast over a man like me?" His anger returned to him. Why did he deserve this fate?

"Hah! a man like you? Look at yourself Gaston. You don't deserve the town whore! Your body is utterly useless. The only person to pity you is yourself, and what is there in that?"

Gaston could not come up with any sort of rebuttal, but his anger still got the best of him. "You are women! What power do you have over my fate?" As soon as he finished his sentence, another jolt of pain forced its way through every inch of his body, this time slowly.

"You think our sex is a weakness do you?" Aristra had more than enough anger to fight Gaston. "Choose your words wisely boy!" She clenched her fist in order to hold back her rage.

Gaston yelled as pain tunneled through his body. This only fueled his anger further. "I deserve revenge on that monster…and Belle. Do you know what shame she has brought me? Is she still up there with that creature? How could anyone choose him over a man like me? You witches best get away from me because when I regain my strength, I will find them and hurt them and you too if you don't watch your backs. That beast should have killed me when he had the chance!" Gaston howled through clenched teeth as his body regained feeling.

Aristra lifted an arm and shot a bolt of fire down next to him. "Do you really wish to mess with the fates? Reconsider your decision fool. Do not talk back to me in such a tone, and don't you dare threaten me. I can make your life more miserable than you've ever dreamed!"

"Oh like it can get any worse than this!" Gaston's eyes tightened with fury.

The other woman came beside Aristra and spoke in a deep and solemn voice, with a tone much more frightening than before. "Gaston it can get much worse. It would be wise of you to stop now."

Gaston was silenced. His body fell still and cold. The two women put their hands out sending jolts of light into Gaston's body, forcing him high into the air. Aristra clenched her hand tightly and twisted it. New and restored pain wove through Gaston's face and skull, then traveled throughout the rest of his body. The two women then lowered their hands placing Gaston back on the solid earth.

"Now listen carefully because I will not return to explain this again. I have much business to attend to. My sister Aristra and I represent the committee of fate. We are not here by choice. You have a chance to redeem yourself. I am giving you this rose which will bloom until your 30th birthday. If you learn to love someone and earn her love in return by the time the last petal falls then the spell will be broken. However, if you fail, you will receive a fate much worse and much more painful than this one. Lastly, you will not have the power to harm anyone or anything, even yourself. You must learn to use your words. You should be extremely thankful for this. Oh, and one last thing. You must get both Belle and the Beast to forgive you." With that, the two sisters disappeared, and Gaston was left alone with the rose.

Gaston pushed himself slowly off the ground, gasping for breath every inch of the way. He lifted his eyes, hoping to see the two women standing in front of him, but the air around him was still, silent. Anger settled in and Gaston forced himself towards the woods hoping to strangle some innocent animal in his rage, but the forest was silent and refused to accept him. He scanned the ground for some inkling of life, ready to attack anyone who came near him. He tried to shrug off the words of the two women, but found their voices resonating inside his head. Lastly, you will not have the power to harm anyone or anything, even yourself. The words reverberated deeply and Gaston could not shake the image of the two women from his head. He tried in vain to fight the air around him, his punches flying forth, but it too yielded little.

Then out of the silence, Gaston heard a rustle. He perked up to the sound, searching for something to kill. Someone had to suffer. He looked down towards the nearby bush which was just barely shaking. He watched it closely, and noticed a dark silhouette moving amongst the brush.
"All right, I've got you. I know you're hiding from me." Gaston tried to force open the bush, but his hand barely touched the exterior as something blocked him, sending it back. He tried again with the same outcome. It couldn't be. Gaston tried over and over to force his had inside of the bush, but eventually gave up when he realized his efforts were futile. He trudged forward, hungry for revenge. His hands were numb now from the battle with the invisible bush shield. Who the hell cares if I harm a shrub? Gaston wanted so badly to hit something. He looked back behind to see a mouse scamper out of the bushes. He dove at it, only to find himself face to face with the cold hard earth. The mouse remained unharmed, sheltered in fact, by the combination of the invisible force and Gaston's hands hovering about it. The mouse ran off, and Gaston felt defeated. A wave of chills washed over him.

He wiggled his toes inside his boots and felt that they were wet. A puddle beneath them had soaked through the holes. He rose again and turned face to face with the puddle. It was completely still, and Gaston could see his reflection in the water. He could not believe what he saw. He barely recognized himself. My gorgeous face, he thought, what happened? The disfigurement was grotesque. His eyes were much further back, in deep gray sockets. His nose changed direction in about three places and his lower lip sagged down as wet pockets of saliva filled in the rims. His ears jutted straight out, completely perpendicular to the rest of his skull, and his earlier over-pronounced chin was now small and slightly crooked. His previously smooth jaw line was now contorted and broken at every angle. This was possibly the ugliest face Gaston had ever seen. He moved forward over the puddle and saw the disfigurement had affected his body in many more innumerable ways. He couldn't look any longer.

He angrily stomped into the puddle sending splashes of water over his already blood drenched clothing. The water rippled outward and calmed. Gaston stormed back to town, refusing to believe that this image was really him. This must be a trick of those witches. He gathered himself together, walked back to grab the rose, and carried himself towards the town, in the hope that they would help him seek revenge. There was no way he would ask that sick woman and that monster for forgiveness. They were going to suffer for what had happened to him.