Page 9 of Stolen By The Beast
Her lips bowed even further downward, and I traced the shape with a claw. “I like it better when the corners point upward.”
“What?”
Not really knowing how to explain it, I took another claw and tucked one into each side of her mouth, stretching her lips upward. It wasn’t quite what I wanted, but it was close enough.
“Like this. Do you know what it’s called?”
“Um, a smile?”
I hummed, relieved to know she remembered some things as well as to put a name to the expression. “A smile. I don’t think I can make one of those.”
She made the strange tinkling sound again, and I immediately demanded to know whatthatwas called.
“Um, a laugh. Maybe a giggle.”
“Gi-ggle.” I tested the word. “And how do you feel when you smile or giggle?”
“Happy. When someone smiles or laughs, they feel some form of joy.”
“And how does happiness feel?”
Another giggle escapes past her lips. “I don’t know! Don’t you ever just feel… content? Blissful in the moment?”
“I’m not sure.”
“If you let me stay… maybe I could teach you.”
The idea stirred something foreign inside of me, and a strange emotion choked my chest, rumbling up my throat and past my lips.
“You laughed!” the female whispered. “I thought you didn’t know what that was!”
“I… didn’t. I’ve never laughed before.”
We stared at one another, and I committed her smile to memory.
I never wanted to forget it or this moment.
Chapter Three
Juniper
Iwoketowarmsunshine heating my face. Without opening my eyes, I arched my back to stretch my aching muscles and groaned at the pain.
What the freaking heck had I done yesterday to be this sore? Yesterday was foggy in my still half-asleep brain, and I gave up trying to recall.
I was going to need a large mug of coffee to kick-start my day. My yawn turned to a cough, as I sucked in a mouthful of hair.
Finally blinking open my eyes, I was greeted with a large black fur blanket. Confused, I tried to recall when I’d bought it.
But I couldn’t remember.
No matter how hard I focused, I couldn’t remember my bedroom or even where I lived. A headache began to pound in my skull, but the only memory I could summon was fireflies.
My chest seized with panic as I spluttered and gagged. Tears streamed down my cheeks, and not just from the stray hairs I was choking on.
I was alone, without a memory of how I got here. The fur throw blanket moved, shifting to an upright position.
Correction.
