Chapter Five

“We need to kill the beast that has our precious Belle!” the balding baker yells, before scratching at his belly.

What the fuck do these people think we are in the eighteen hundred?

“Slay the beast.” my idiot best friend says chants with the crowd drinking another beer and laughing like its some big joke.

“STOP!” I roar, because it's the only way I can get these people to focus on me and not the ludacris notion of killing someone.

I quickly stand up on the bar and draw everyone's attention to me.

“You guys do realize that we aren't in the eighteenth century anymore correct? If you set out to kill someone, you will be arrested and charged.” The hush that falls over the crowd is deafening and makes me chuckle, that's what I thought, got to love that mob mentality.  Kill the person you’re seeking before seeking the person that's missing.

“Here is what we are going to do.  We are going to head to where Mr. Etienne said Belle was being held and ask for Belle.” This needs to be simple for plan A.

The crowd starts to talk about how he was a looney tune and he should have been in the psychiatric ward not at home where precious Belle lived.  I believe I even heard someone say they thought Belle was going crazy.

“You know for a town of people, who claim to always be supportive, you sure are quick to pass judgment.  Mr. Etienne passed away not even 3 hours ago without the knowledge that his daughter was safe.  You claim to be a supportive community yet bad mouth your own people.”

I want nothing more than to go on this rescue alone.  I have a feeling that taking all of these people will end bad for me, that my stomach is in knots.

As I jump down from the bar my best friend yells, “Where the fuck are you going?”

“I have one hour before I head out to rescue Belle.  I suggest some of you guys that want to come; you sober up and get some rest.”

I know I won't be getting any rest; the only thing that’s on my mind is Sebastian.  I have a gut feeling I am going to need a release, because something bad will happen, something that may take me away from him for a while.

As I leave the bar, a place where I used to be comfortable, a place that for the longest time was my way of staying away from female attention.  I wonder if when I am finally able to admit to the world that I Gaston, the one the town comes to for all their protection needs is a gay man.