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He could barely hear Mary's words over the howling wind She pointed west, toward a wooded area John immediately kicked Thor into a canter

The moon was obscured by the heavy rain-clouds, so he had to rely on his lantern, which was flickering nervously in the wind He slowed Thor down to a trot as he searched the woods, painfully aware of how difficult it would be to spot her in the dark forest

"Belle!" he screa his voice could be heard above the storm

There was no response

Belle had lain unconscious for nearly an hour When she awoke it was dark, and she was shivering uncontrollably, her once-fashionable riding habit sodden She started to sit up but was overco her forehead as if she could squeeze away the blinding pain in her telanced about Mary was nowhere to be seen, and Belle was completely disoriented Which way to Mayfair?

"Hell and dale pang of guilt over her foul language Clutching onto a nearby tree trunk for support, she struggled to her feet, but vertigo quickly clairound Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks andwith the relentless rain Aware that she had no other option, Belle began to crawl And then, silently begging forgiveness for all of those tian to pray

"Oh, please God, please God, just let et hoain, becauseattention to the serlass s I won't curse, and I'll h I think You kno hard that will be for me"

Belle's ih the trees, guided now by instinct, for the sun had co stuckean to clatter loudly Her prayers intensified, and she stopped asking God to get her horew shriveled and prune-like from the wet otten caught on a thorny bush which had spilled out onto the path She struggled to free herself, but her strength was nearly gone

Wincing against the pounding pain in her head, she summoned what little power she had left and tore her dress from the thorns

She had just barely resu lit up the sky Terror consumed her, and she wildly wondered how close the bolt had struck A clap of thunder quickly followed, and Belle ju on her rear

She sat in the ain control of her shivering body With a shaky motion, she pushed away a few locks of hair which were plastered to her face and tried to tuck them behind her ears But the rain and the ere merciless, and her hair was soon back in her eyes She was so God-awful tired So cold, so weak Lightning tore through the dark sky again, but this ti up on the path behind her