Chapter One: Initiate

 ~March 7th, 2937~

Just on the outskirts of Grimvalley near the pond by the rocks, two kids are playing. It was just another day in the wasteland we used to call America, but the dead plants and sandy surroundings didn't seem to bother the two kids at all. They're having the time of their lives playing their favorite game 'Huntsmen and Supernaturals'.
"I'm gonna get you, you evil witch."
"Just try and get me you huntsman before I put a spell on you."

Emily was much faster then Alex, so it was hard to catch her. She usually always wins 'Huntsmen and Supernaturals , but not today because Alex had a plan. When Emily wasn't looking, Alex hid behind a giant rock that was more then twice his size, and waited until Emily came to him.

When Emily was looking for where Alex went she walked right by the rock that he was hiding behind. Then Alex jumped out from his hiding place, pointed his finger gun at her and yelled, "BANG! Huntsman wins!"

Emily fell to the ground with her hands clutching her midsection, laughing as hard as she can. Alex fell to his knees next to Emily, laughing as well.

"Alright you got me," Emily said, as she sat up on the ground.

"Finally! You run fast," Alex said to Emily, as he sat down across from her. 

"Yeah, but you're smart. You knew what to do to catch me," She said, smiling.

"Yeah I guess I did. Haha," he said, letting out another laugh.

Emily laughed again.

Alex quickly stopped laughing when he caught sight of something hiding in the bush.
"What's that?", he asked, getting up from the ground and walking towards the greenery.
"What's what?", Emily asked, following Alex's gaze.

"Is that a chest?", Alex asked, moving the leaves out of the way, "What's it doing out here?"
"I wonder what's inside," Emily said, starring hard at the wooden box.
"I'm gonna look inside."

Alex reaches over and undoes the latch, which was easy since it wasn't locked. He begins to open the chest when Emily stopped him. "ALEX! You don't open that. It might belong to someone."

"But if does belong to someone, why would they leave outside behind a rock? And besides it looks real old, whoever owned this chest must be long gone by now."

Emily didn't say anything as Alex opened up the chest and looked inside. "There's nothing but books and stuff in here."

"Maybe it belonged to a book collector or something."

"Maybe, but I thought there would be something cool, like toys or something."

There was some rustling noises coming from a distance, which caused Alex to quickly look out from the box.
Gasp!
"What was that?", Alex whispered.
"Maybe it's the owner of the box. See you shouldn't have opened it. They might be mad," Emily whispered back.
"We better get out of here."
"Yeah."

Alex and Emily sprinted away from the rocks and back towards town, fear of what might have made the noise could possibly be following them, running through their minds. Holding Emily's hand so they won't get separated,  Alex took the lead out of the grassy fields.

Once they each the safe haven of Alex's home he pulled a book out of his front overall pocket.
"Where'd you get that?", Emily asked, surprised by the sudden book in Alex's hand.
"From the chest. I put it in my pocket before we left," Alex responded.
"But what if whoever owns it finds it missing and come after us?"
"Relax. I don't think anyone saw us by the chest anyways. Now come on, let's see what it says."

Emily and Alex got seated by the table and Alex pulled out the large book and opened it.

"What kind of book is it?", Emily asked.

"Um, It's a journal."

"A Journal? You can't read someone's journal, Alex!"

"Relax, Emily. It says 2012. So whoever wrote this is dead. I'm pretty sure they won't care if we read it now."

"Well okay. What does it say?"

"Um," Alex looked down at the writing written in the journal and began reading it out loud,"November 8th, 2012. Rachel would probably laugh if she knew I have a journal, call it a diary. Ah, but I do love her...."

~November 8th, 2012~

  ...She’s still asleep now. She cut her hair recently, I’m still not used to it being short, it suits her though. She always looks so beautiful.  I wish I didn't have to work today, I can get away with making my own schedule most of the time but I can’t put off these meetings. Plus I’m having lunch with Jason Lee. I wonder if I should tell him I plan to ask Rachel to move with me on our date tonight, she spends most of her time here anyways and...

He closed his journal putting it in the desk as he heard her moving about in the bedroom.

“Aiden?”  She stood in the bedroom doorway, the robe he had gotten her hanging loosely over her body. “I woke up and you were gone.”

   “Morning sweetheart. Just doing some work. “It wasn't a complete lie; he had been looking over so files while writing in the journal. 

"Come back to bed baby.” Rachel said sweetly, her voice, soft and delicate, saying more than her words, come and lay with me and hold me and be with me and let me just fall back asleep in your arms.

 She walked over to him as he stood up and he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm tempted, sweetheart, I am, but I have work to do. "

"It's still dark out." She protested.

Aiden did not reply. "Please?" Rachel asked.  

"Sometimes I think, if you had your way, I would never get any work done." 

She let out a giggle, "I think you're right."

"It's a good thing then, my dear, that it's not up to you. Especially with you're family owning the compaction." 

"Aiden! Just what are you implying?"

"Nothing sweetheart, I know your motives for keeping me from work, while not pure, are entirely your own." She flushed bright red at that implication. 

"I love it when you blush like that" He said pulling her closer for a moment.

"But it's still not enough to get you to come back to bed, is it?" She asks, sadly, disappointed, already knowing the answer.

"If only I could, my sweet angel," He said gently caressing her cheek, "But I have a few meetings that I can't get out of, and I'm having lunch with your father."
After that Aiden took Rachel back to her apartment before heading to work.

The sun was starting to set as Aiden lounged on the back of his car outside of Rachel's apartment, waiting to take her out. They went to one of  their favorite restaurants and then to the theater, dinner and a movie, some may call it tired or cliche but to him it was simple and classic.

"I didn't know it would rain. Sorry." Aiden said apologetically 

"It's alright babes, it's not your fault." Rachel assured him.

"I'd offer you my jacket if I thought it would do any good, but it's soaking wet."

"Thanks anyway, sweetie."Rachel smiled at him "It's the thought that counts, right?"

"I guess," Aiden replied somewhat uncertain, "Let's head inside and get out of this weather before we miss the beginning of the movie. 
"What are we seeing anyways?" Rachel asked sweetly.
"It's a new take on Beauty and the Beast, they say it's the real tale finally told, or something like that."

~October 5th, 1254~

It all started on the day I heard the scream. It was bloodcurdling, and it sent a shiver down my back when I awoken from my slumber. I quickly threw on my boots and got my coat. I needed to help.

I left my castle, the one that my parents had left me after their untimely deaths. The Count and Countess Claw were respected people, and their death came as a shock to everyone.

Knowing what I know now, I would've never entered the woods. It was a journey that had changed my life. For the worse.

Being as clumsy as I was, I got myself lost. Great. That was just typical of me, Alexander Claw, to get myself lost in the middle of the forest. The insects and the hoot of an owl made me shiver, and it didn't help that it was cold either. What was I thinking? Going out into the night because I heard a scream?

 Then I saw it. A small shabby cabin in the path ahead of me. A single light shone from the window. I hurried to the cabin and knocked on the door. Maybe the person could help. But there was no answer, and I suddenly had the feeling of being watched. I turned the doorknob. 

I entered.

The cabin was cold as ice, and was lit by an single ominous glass ball in the back of the room. Fog, dust and shadows curled and coiled in the room, threatening to engulf me, to absorb me alive.
The door slammed shut.

I twirled around saw her. A woman, draped in black, shadows dripping from her flesh. She had startling green eyes and luscious blonde hair. Her skin was cracked and darkened, and her lips were dried out. She could have been beautiful. "Who are you?" I said, in a voice below a whisper.

"Hello Alexander. So nice to finally meet the son of the people that murdered my family." Her voice was cold and had an edge to it.

"I don't know what you're talking about..."
"Your father led the witch hunt that killed my parents. Luckily, I was saved so that I could avenge them." 

I chuckled. "Witches? You're a witch? Please, there are no things such as witches..."

"I'll show you my power!" She swirled her arms, and a gust of wind slammed into me. I was sent back wards.

Pillars sprang up from the thin air, and shackles grip my hands. They tightened and I was imprisoned, completely at the mercy of the woman before me. The woman who wanted revenge on my family. 

"I'm here to right the wrongs your family had made, Alexander. It's nothing personal really. You see, I was the one who killed your parents. I let them die slowly and painfully." This woman was mad.

"But before your father died, he told me that he had met my mother. They had been close. Too close. And I had been the fruit of that relationship. Your father wanted to get me and my mother killed for witchcraft, to protect his own bloody name."

"So you see Alexander, do you mind if I call you Alex? Very well, so you see Alex, I am your half-sister, and I am here to teach you a lesson. One you won't forget." The magic started rippling off her skin, clouds and wisps of red and purple light. 

"My mother and our father's love was fake, and unreal. It was based on looks and what the eye could see. So I'm cursing you, to search for someone who can love you for what you are on the inside. And I know what you are. You are kind and gentle. But with this curse, the eye will see something much more evil than that."

"Good luck, Brother." She sent a stream of energy through me and the glass ball behind me, intertwining my fate with it's fate, and she created a new me. She created the Beast.

Thank you for reading!!
Please leave a comment and tell us what you think!
Thank You Aideybabes Sims for your sim <3

~Dawn, Addy and Skylar~