On Beatrix Hill: Finale (rough draft)

Josie followed along behind her, keeping close and even clinging to the white dress. Once in the hallway, Bess looked this way and that, even holding up one of her floppy ears to hear better. She stepped out, walking slowly at first.

“We’re a hall over, so it should allow us a little extra time,” Bess whispered. “Once we reach the ballroom, it’ll be easy to evade them in the maze.”

Josie glanced over her shoulder, back down the hallway from whence they came. She felt relieved to see nothing, but that’s when she heard something.

Bess grabbed her hand tight. “This is when we run!” Like the flash, the two darted down the hallway, followed by the clamoring and grunting of the knights behind them. Josie only saw blurs of the hallway around them, flashes of artwork, brief images of doors. At one point, Bess stopped. “Keep running!” She shouted to Josie. “I’ll catch up.” She then wrenched art from the wall, chucking it into the hallway to create a hindrance. She toppled over a statue with some effort then continued running behind Josie.

Josie could see large French doors ahead that lead into the ballroom and, behind her, she heard Bess shout. She kept running ahead at full speed until the doors opened. She tried to stop but, on the slick floors, she couldn’t. She fell, sliding through the open doors on her rear where she was stopped by a pair of boots. She looked up and her jaw dropped.

“The cat!” She whispered.

Standing above her was the black cat wearing an all white suit. He sneered down at her, lip curled and a sharp gold tooth showing.

“Josie!” Bess gasped.

The black cat looked up. “My bride,” he said. “What on earth are you doing here? You should be getting ready for the nuptials.”

“The black cat is the wizard?” Josie whispered under her breath.

Bess stiffened her jaw and walked forward. “Give me the girl, Padubast.”

The cat grinned and grabbed Josie by the scruff of her neck. “No.” He picked Josie up off the ground. “What even is this?” He shook Josie around. “I expected so much more from some daring escape. Not some tiny child.”

“Stop it!” Josie reached up, pinching and pulling at the fur on his hand. “Let me go!” She kicked out her leg while twisting and, with the swinging of his hand, she was able to strike at the very apex of his legs.

Padubast yowled, dropping Josie and doubling over. Bess hurriedly ran over, scooping Josie up off the ground and racing off behind Padubast to the doors leading out to the garden.

“Good shot!” Bess cheered.

Padubast snarled, grabbing at Bess’s dress. His claws sunk in and tugged her backwards, nearly toppling her over. “Get back here!” The guards who had been chasing them finally made it into the room. Padubast chuckled, knowing he finally had her. “Where are you going, Elizabeth? What does that child even offer you?” He grinned as one of the knights came forward. What’s for you out there anyways?”

The knight kicked his hand away. “Me, for one!”

“Pearly!” Josie cheered.

Pearly took off the helmet and chucked it down into Padubast’s face. “Remember me, old friend?”

“What? I thought I got rid of you!” Padubast snarled.

Pearly laughed and shook his head. “Oh, you certainly tried, and you very nearly succeeded. But you didn’t count on one thing!”

Padubast picked himself up, standing face to face with Pearly. He sneered at him, readying his claws to strike. “And what would that be?”

A confident smirk crosses Pearly’s lips and he tilts his head to the side. He takes his hat back out and pops it onto his head. “A fine lady will always rescue me.” He quickly evades of swing of Padubast’s claws and comes to stand before Bess and Josie. “You girls make a run for it, I will hold him off as long as I can.”

“Don’t try and show off, Pearly!” Bess fussed at him.

Pearly turned and gave her a wink. “It’s good to see you too, my love.” He then charged ahead, knocking himself into Padubast to keep him from reaching them. “Get going now!” He struggled as Padubast bit his ear.

Bess ran outside with Josie, setting her down as they rushed inside the maze. They jerked and hurdled around corners until they came to a halt and had to turn around. They whisked again through corridors both narrow and wide. But something to Josie felt familiar about this maze. She came to a stop and looked around to gain her bearings.

“Josie, what is it?” Bess breathed.

“This all feels very familiar,” she whispered. She turned, going back down a corridor and taking a small passage. Bess followed behind her, surprised that Josie seemed to know every nook and cranny of this maze. Josie ran ahead, laughing that it all was laid out the same! It was all the same as back home.

She saw the entrance straight ahead and stopped. She took a breath, staring ahead as the light shone through the open pathway. She turned to look back at Bess who smiled in awe.

“You found the way out! That’s amazing!” She came up behind Josie, patting the top of her head. “I’m very impressed.”

“Stay here,” Josie said softly. “I can make my way back through really fast and go get Pearly.” She started to run ahead but Bess stopped her.

“Are you sure?” She whispered urgently. “It’s dangerous now with all the knights in the maze too.”

Josie pulled from Bess’ grasp. “I promised him! We’re in this together! And I know this maze like the back of my hand, I’ll be able to avoid the guards. Stay here, okay? Try and hide if anyone comes.” She jogged off ahead.

“Be careful!” Bess shouted after her.

Josie traversed through the maze like she had the town all her life. Each ally, each narrow cranny, every avenue was the same. She could recite every building she passed. It was her dream after all! Of course she could do this. She heard the knights shambling through the maze, shouting at one another and she easily slipped away from them. She knew she was coming towards the edge of the maze again, same as where the street turned onto the main square.

She came upon a stalemate inside the ballroom. Much to her shock and bemusement, Pearly and Padubast the wizard were locked in an embrace where neither one could move. They struggled and jerked, hoping to find a way to gain the upperhand, but neither was in a good place.

“Ah! Josie,” Pearly grunted and Padubast wiggled. “Where’s my Bess?”

“You mean my Elizabeth?” Padubast roared.

Josie stepped closer towards them. “You both look...ridiculous,” she murmured.

“That’s what fighting does!” Pearly laughed while still straining to maintain his hold. “Makes everybody look all kinds of silly. Don’t try it, Josie.”

Josie frowned. “Bess is waiting at the end of the maze. I came to take you through the maze too, but-” She looked at Padubast, almost certain he was the very same black cat who had tormented her for ages.

“Almost done here,” Pearly grunted.

“You fool!” Padubast snarled. “I am the one who will have the upper hand should you try and move. I will cut you down!”

“For what?” Josie snapped. “Bess doesn’t like you! She was only marrying you because she thought Pearly was gone! What’s the point or marrying someone who doesn’t like you?”

Padubast and Pearly both wriggled and jerked, toppling over so they were on their sides. “What do you know about these things, you’re just a little girl! What do you know about being lonesome? About fending for yourself?”

Josie stiffened her jaw. “Because I am lonely!” She tried to keep her tears in check. “Because That’s all I’ve done all my life. But I don’t go around hurting people because of it! You don’t have to kidnap someone because you’re lonely! That’s how awful people think!”

Padubast stalled and it was in that moment that Pearly was able to escape and hold him down onto the ground. “That’s cheating!” The cat screeched.

“Josie, hand me that ribbon around your neck, I’ll tie him up with it,” Pearly chuckled triumphantly.

Josie looked down at the cat. The two had been enemies for so long she hadn’t thought to see him any other way. But, like her, he was a stray, he was lonely, and he didn’t know how to go about asking for companionship. Instead he lashed out, because it was easier to act that way than to just ask for a pet on the head. She walked over, kneeling down beside Padubast and stroking the top of his head. The wizard struggled, hissing and spitting until a look of serenity came over his face and he began to purr in contentment.

Pearly stared, shocked by the transformation. He stepped away, and Padubast remained still as long as Josie pet him.

“That’s all it took?” Pearly gawked.

Padubast began to shrink, his clothes collapsed and he vanished under his shirt. Josie reached in, pulling out the big black cat and holding him in her arms. The cat had tears in his eyes as he rested his head upon Josie’s shoulder.

“Come on,” Josie stood up. “I’ll show you the way through the maze.”

“He was a cat?” Pearly whispered. He followed behind Josie, but as they stepped into the maze, there was a great crack behind them. Looking up they saw the tower of the castle begin to the crumble.

“Without Padubast’s magic this place is going to fall apart!” Pearly gasped. “We need to hurry!”

Josie ran, keeping the cat held close in her arms. The cat yowled and hissed as it watched what was once his castle begin to topple. The maze, too, was beginning to split. Through the cracks Josie could see the horribly dark and jagged waters below. She raced faster, taking Pearly through the maze. The knights were following behind them.

Ahead, Josie could see the exit with Bess waiting, but the ground between them cracked wide open until there was a horrible chasm between them.

Pearly grabbed Josie, holding her back. “Easy!”

“What do we do?” Bess cried.

Josie threw Padubast who screamed but landed safely on the other side. “It’s okay! He’s nice now!”

Bess wasn’t sure what to take in first so she instead approached the edge of the chasm. “Jump! I’ll catch you!”

“You can do this,” Pearly whispered to her.

Josie looked down at the rushing waters below. She then looked across the way at Bess who had her arms stretched out. She could make this, after all, it was her dream. She took a running start, but as her feet left the ground the schism opened up wider. Bess had to topple backwards, landing on top of Padubast. Pearly tried to rush out, but it was too late. Josie felt the wind rushing all around her as she fell through the air. It became colder and colder as she came closer to the water.

She gasped, waking with a start. She looked around in shock, finding herself back in her larder room. She reached for the bed, finding the broken figure of Pearly still there. “Oh,” she whispered tragically. “Oh no.” It really was all just a dream. Somehow she had hoped it would be real in some way.

Josie wept to herself, having had so much fun with Pearly and Bess to make their escape. They were a team, after all. They had made that promise. After she cried, she cleaned herself up and decided to face the music. Come morning, she went back to Robin’s shop to return the broken statue. She had searched all night for the missing pieces, but his ear and coattails were nowhere to be found. She would try to make an offer to Robin to work to pay him for the damage, but she feared she’d be horribly punished anyways.

As she made her way to the shop, she saw that Padubast was sitting in the window. He jumped down off the bricks and came towards her, meowing loudly and showing his teeth. Josie avoided him, trying to get around him and to the door. Once inside, Padubast screamed at the door and tried to swipe at the ringing bells.

Josie then turned, seeing a handsomely dressed couple standing at the front desk while Robin talked to them. Robin looked down at Josie holding the broken statue. “There you are, little one!” His shoulders heaved with a heavy sigh of relief. “We’ve been looking all over for you.”

Josie ducked her head down as she fought back tears. “I know. I’m so sorry! It was an accident.” Her hands began to tremble. Not just from the fear of being punished, but because all she had hoped was a dream that was fading ever faster from her memory. “I thought I could fix him and bring him back but I couldn’t.” It hurt to admit she couldn’t save her friend. “I lost the pieces too, I’m so sorry I never wanted to-”

“You mean these?” The woman knelt before Josie and in her palm was Pearly’s ear and coattails. Josie gaped in awe before looking into the woman’s beautiful gray eyes. Tears flowed freely as the woman smiled warmly at her.

“They have the matching figure, so they came to fetch him,” Robin explained.

The man turned, grinning quite brightly. “I knew our little girl would find it,” he said. He came over and picked up Josie into his arms. “Where’ve you been hiding, huh?” He used his soft glove to wipe away the tears from Josie’s face.

Josie was in disbelief. This couldn’t be what she wanted it to be. Could she possibly still be dreaming? Her mind raced with everything except belief.

The woman approached, adding her gentle touch. She brushed Josie’s hair aside, tucking it behind her ear. “Be easy with her now, Pearly. I’m sure she’s tired.”

“I know how to handle my own child, Bess,” he fussed back at her.

Bess sighed and gave Robin an exasperated look with a knowing smile. “Now that we have everything we’re looking for, we can all go back home.”

“Always happy to help some of my most favorite customers,” Robin chuckled.

Bess and Pearly walked outside to the screaming of Padubast on the ground. “Wait!” Josie exclaimed before they could walk away. “Can we take him with us?”

Pearly glared at the cat, making a face at him. “That mean, old thing? Come now, surely you would much rather have a beautiful Persian or a brand new kitten.”

“I was told the exact same thing about you, my love.” Bess bent over and the cat happily jumped into her arms. “Is he yours, darling?”

“I think so?” Josie murmured.

Pearly and Bess set her into their car with Padubast. They sat in the front where Bess held the broken figure. That’s when Josie noticed that the human Pearly’s right ear was covered by bandages and his white hair all swept to that side. She glanced at Padubast who made a face at her.

“Is this real?” She spoke low to him. “You can tell me.”

The cat meowed then fell into the floor when Pearly braked suddenly.

“Easy now, you’ll hurt him,” Bess hissed warningly.

Josie tried to pay attention to where they were going, but eventually she fell asleep. Having searched all night for those missing pieces, she’d not slept a wink. She drifted away, slumbering comfortably there.

“We’re home,” Bess whispered.

Josie stirred, rubbing her eyes as she came to. She looked out the window, seeing the front of a large house. They passed through an iron gate where the top spelled out “Beatrix Hill’. She stepped out of the car, staring at the big house covered by vines and flowers. The house was made of red brick and the door was a bright purple color. There were trees all to one side of the house that were flowering to get ready to bear fruit. On the other side there was a garden of all different sorts of vegetables growing, as well as a large berry patch.

“It’s our castle,” Pearly said proudly.

Padubast led the way, climbing up the front stairs then darting inside once Pearly unlocked the doors. The cat happily trotted around the place, rubbing his face on things then scurrying away as they all walked inside.

Bess went into the next room where there was a large fireplace. Sitting on the mantle was another rabbit figure wearing a pastel green sundress. Then, sitting by her feet, was a small brown bunny in a pink dress just like the one Josie had worn. Josie gasped in awe as Bess set the broken Pearly figure with the other two.

“There were three figures?” Josie asked quietly.

“A family, and just like your father, the father to this set had been missing for some time.” Bess chuckled.

“Should have taken the hint when your mother gave those to us,” Pearly chuckled. “But, we’re a team, and like a team, we stick together. We find one another in the end.”

Josie looked back at Pearly who winked at her. Could it be true? Was it not a dream after all? She approached Pearly hesitantly, looking up at him with wide eyes. “Please let it be true,” she thought to herself. “Please let this be them.”

“I made a promise, didn’t I?” Pearly picked her up again and squeezed her tight in his arms. “I promise I’ll never let you go again, Josie. Never again.”

Josie clung around his neck, hugging him tight. “It’s okay,” she whispered.

“From now on, it is.” Pearly smiled at her. “You’re the most amazing kid in the world, and you’re the most amazing daughter to boot.”

Tears filled Josie’s eyes, she’d never been called a daughter. She held onto him again, burying her face into his shoulder. Bess joined them, kissing Josie’s cheek before resting her head upon Pearly’s shoulder. Padubast screeched, circling their feet as if he wanted to be part of the group hug. They were a family, a full set. With a cat.