Christine opened her eyes. At least she felt like she opened her eyes but as she looked around, she noticed Virginia—her daughter—leaning over her body. Christine looked down at her hands,turned them over to make sure she could still see them, and then just to be certain—she was conditioned distrustful—she clasped her hands together.

"Well, this is an interesting turn of events," Christine said aloud. Her voice sounded so normal she half expected Virginia to lift her head and acknowledge her words. She walked over to where Virginia was standing over her—or her body at least. She smiled in spite of herself as Virginia spoke of when she would rub her fur coat up and down Virginia's skin.

Tears came unbidden to her eyes as Virginia said, "I always wanted to be your little girl." Christine watched in wonder as the dead rose Virginia had placed on her chest blossomed. For some strange reason, that made her very happy.

When Virginia left, Christine stood looking at her body. She knew nowthat this shell had been a prison more completely than the Snow White Memorial Prison was. You see, since her death she was no longer trapped in a body out of balance. She was no longer haunted about not being in control—of not measuring up to what was expected of her. She no longer feared losing her power over others.

As Christine stood looking at her body, she began to wonder what she was still doing there. Didn't evil queens such as her go to hell or Hades? You know, fire, damnation, that sort of thing? So why was she still standing here? Perhaps there was not anything of the kind. Perhaps she was able to wander from place to place by her own free will. Christine headed for the open door of the tomb and walked through into the tomb again. She tried a different door with the same result.

She was still used to getting her way and felt her temper begin to flare and then just as suddenly it faded and she was left with this indescribable need to laugh. She let out a snicker then, because it hurt to hold it in, she let the mirth flow. Oh, it had been so long since she had laughed so hard and completely. The last time she had been seven years old. Christine tensed as the memory flooded her psyche.

Like all little girls Christine wanted to be just like her mother. She would sit perched on a stool nearby whenever her mother was getting ready to go out for the evening with her father. That evening she studied what her mother did with such concentration that she hadn't noticed her father coming up behind her.

"Boo!" he yelled.

Christine jumped out of her seat and they both fell to the floor laughing and rolling around. Her mother eyed them distastefully and asked Christine's father to fetch her wrap.

When he had left the room her mother looked at her and said, "You really are a little guttersnipe aren't you?" An evil smile twisted her face. "I am appalled that I have to claim you as my child. Get out of my sight; your very presence disgusts and offends me."

Christine just stared, shocked at her mother's words.

When her father returned with the wrap, he noticed her state.

"Hey, Little Queen, don't look so glum. You'll get me the next time I'm sure of it."

Christine smiled wanly, gave him a hug, her mother a kiss on the cheek, and left the room. When she was almost out of hearing range, she heard her father ask her mother what she had said to upset Christine so much. However, she did not hear the reply.

Christine wiped the tears from her eyes and took a deep breath. If being trapped here was so she could take a trip down memory lane, perhaps she had been hasty in her conclusion that there must not be a hell.

Christine was horrified to find herself kneeling by a bathtub. Steam filled the room and water splashed noisily into the tub. The door opened and seven-year-old Virginia walked in.

Christine began to moan—an awful mournful sound.

Virginia smiled and laughed as Christine washed her. She did not struggle as Christine lowered her back into the water.

Great sobs wracked Christine's body and she choked on her breath.

Virginia looked confused and then panicked as Christine's fingers wrapped around her neck and the water closed in over her head.

Christine gagged on the pain.

Virginia' s eyes were closed now.

"What the HELL are you doing, Christine?" Tony screamed as he threw her out of the way and pulled Virginia out of the water.

Christine screamed and screamed. She screamed until her ears rang and her voice was hoarse. Then she cried, sobbing, "My little girl, my little girl, my little girl…" repeatedly.

After an eternity, Christine began to notice the room seemed to be getting brighter. She looked around. The rose Virginia had left was glowing. She did not have time to ponder why because someone was calling her name. She turned and fell to the floor at Snow White's feet.

“Christine, you certainly present a problem don’t you?”

Christine looked up surprised.

“Not only were you forgiven by the person you wronged the most. You have shown obvious regret for your actions.” Christine rubbed self-consciously at her throat.

“Because you cannot go to the underworld when you mourn your actions and you cannot go to heaven with the blood of others staining your hands, you will be given a task.” At Christine’s look of confusion Snow White continued, “You will be given limited power to change your form to that of an old peasant woman and and back and the power to transform another into the form true of his or her character. You will also have the power to speak truth and recognize deception.”

Christine finally found her voice. “What exactly am I to do with these powers?”

Snow White smiled. “Even after all that’s happened you still feel the need to be in control don’t you?”

Christine lowered her head. She had not meant to be disrespectful.

“Now, now head up. Wallowing in guilt won’t do any good. That’s what got you in this situation in the first place.” Christine’s eyes met Snow White’s. “What you are to do with these powers is simply use them to help others create a life of truth and light, trust, and joy. Your first assignment is a young prince in a far off kingdom that is not part of the known ten kingdoms. You are simply to take the rose, transform into the old peasant woman, and request shelter in exchange for the rose. Offer three times. If on the third time you are still refused shelter then return to your true form and transform him into his true beast form.”

Christine nodded at Snow White.

“One more thing. If he is transformed, you must give him the rose with the explanation that it will bloom until his twenty-first birthday, at which time it will begin to die. If he has not found true love and has not received true love in return by the time the last petal falls, he will remain a beast forever.”

Snow White disappeared and Christine found herself standing at the door of a magnificent castle. Her form was that of the old peasant woman. She knocked on the door and an arrogant young man opened it. When she offered him the rose in return for shelter, he laughed and slammed the door in her face. The second night she returned and again her offer was refused. On the third night, she again offered the rose in exchange for shelter. As the young prince began to shut the door, Christine returned to her true form.

“I can see there is no kindness in your heart. You are a beast.” Even as the words were spoken, his form changed to that of a hideous beast. Christine looked at the beast prince with pity and disgust.

"This rose will bloom until your twenty-first birthday, then it will die. If you have not found true love and it hasn't found you by the time the last petal falls, you will remain a beast forever."

"Wait! Who could ever love a beast?"

"That is not my problem," Christine said and disappeared.

Virginia suddenly sat up in bed. Wolf, being sensitive to her every movement, was wide-awake instantly.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I just had the strangest dream. My mother was standing over me crying. She took the rose I placed on her body and she gave it to a horrible beast." Virginia's breath was slow and ragged. Wolf put a hand on her knee to calm her. Reflexively she grabbed his hand and held it tightly. "What do you think that means?" she asked him.

"Well, Virginia, what do you think it means?" A slight smile played on his lips as he turned the question back to her.

"You know, I think she's all right. I don't know why, but I feel like a weight has been lifted from me."

Wolf smiled and gently wiped a tear coursing down her cheek. "That is a burden you deserve to be free of." Virginia's eyes met his and she smiled. "Now my creamy love, how about we go back to bed?" With that said he pulled her into his embrace and they fell asleep snuggled together like spoons in a drawer.