Beastly's Arc

Chapter 5 of 7

The committee returns on a Tuesday afternoon, when the street is full. Beastly sees them through the window — the same two officials, walking toward the studio with purpose. One of them carries the leather case. The other holds a folded piece of paper. They stop at the door and knock. Beastly opens it. The official with the case steps forward and hands him the award without a word. The metal feels heavier than it did before. The second official unfolds the paper and clears his throat. He reads aloud, facing the street. The investigation found no grounds for complaint. The award was earned. The committee extends its apology and offers compensation for damages to reputation. He hands Beastly a cheque for one thousand dollars, ornate with scrollwork and impossible to mistake for anything but official. A small crowd has gathered on the cobblestones outside. They stand near the wooden benches that line the pathway, watching in silence. Beastly takes the cheque and looks at it. The amount is printed three times across the surface in bold ink. He folds it once and tucks it into his jacket pocket. Then he lifts the award and turns it over in his hands, examining the engraving. The officials wait, but he does not thank them. He does not speak at all. After a moment, they step back and walk toward their vehicle. The crowd remains. Beastly carries the award inside and places it back on the shelf in the window. He does not wipe away the dust first. The clean rectangle is still visible beneath the base. He stands there for a moment, then turns and walks to the center of the floor. Through the glass, he can see them still watching — the people who walked past his door for weeks. He begins the warm-up sequence. First position. Second. Third. No one leaves. When he moves into the opening phrase of his routine, someone in the crowd says something to the person beside them. Beastly does not look up to see who it was. He has already decided he will be here tomorrow, and the day after that, whether they come inside or not.