Now my story begins as a young girl who is trapped under the grasp of

her wicked stepmother. Unlike other fairy tales, this story may be found to be
quite a bit different. I regret to inform you that there is no happy ending and
if that is what you wish for you will certainly not find it here. I had finally
obtained my Prince Charming and felt as if I had received my happy ending,
however, my story had just begun to go down words in a spiral of deceit as
my last few days of happiness occurred in a not so pleasant way.
As my eyes slowly opened, I felt the ashes by the fireplace stir as a furry
snout poked through. Not to worry, it was simply one of my friends. The small
rodent scampered across the dusty floor as one of my sisters stomped in
front of my head. Cinderella! Why havent you swept this floor yet! You know
the ball is tonight and obviously my sister and I cannot get our lovely dresses
dirty! Unlike some of us, we prefer to wear clean clothes. With that, she
withdrew her ugly heel from beneath my nose and stormed off. I knew my
stepmother would be angry if I did not comply, so I hurried to the cupboard
and picked up my broom. I knew I could never go to the princes ball, but I
longed for it anyway.
As I swept the dust off the dirty floorboards, the other sister came
jumping down the stairs. CINDERELLA! she exclaimed Have you finished
my dress?! I nodded curtly and pointed at the elegantly sown garment that
was draped across the table. It pained me to not even be thanked for all the
work I put into that dress the night before, but I knew my place. I heard once
more the stomping of well-fed feet on the ceiling, and winced as my
stepmother bustled down the stairs. Come, daughters! Were going to be
late! she called, as her long dress knocked over my water bucket. Ugh,
Cinderella! Youre barely good enough to sweep my floor. I do wish youd
learn how to be more like my daughters. With that, she urged her daughters
out the door and slammed it shut behind her.
Barely able to control myself, I sank down to my knees and was on the
verge of crying when a gentle, slightly raspy voice greeted me. My dear,
what is the matter? I looked up to see a beautiful old woman with what
appeared to be a slightly knobbed twig in one hand. Is there anything I can
help you with? she asked me, and I explained my situation to her. Oh no,
she replied, that wont do at all. Here, allow me to be the first person to
express kindness towards you. With a wave of her wand, I was suddenly
covered in beautiful jewels and a fine garment made of whitened gold. Now
remember child, this will only last you until midnight. I can help you no longer
once the clock strikes a new day. Go to the chariot I prepared for you outside,
and hurry to the ball!. At once, I climbed into the chariot and rode to the
castle where the ball was being held. Upon entering the door, a tall man
greeted me and introduced himself as the prince. To my delight, I realized
that he had chosen me over my step-sisters. We danced and talked for what
seemed like hours, until I heard a sound that I had completely forgotten could
bring me dread a chime. Not one, nor two, but twelve clangs that sent
shivers down my spine. I bid him goodnight, and leaving him with a shocked
expression, I ran down the steps even as my dress turned back into my
tattered rags. In my panic, I left a single glass slipper on the top step of the
castle and ran home before he could see what I was.

The next morning, I awoke to a loud rapping on my door. My ugly

stepmother quickened her pace, and opened it before I could. I heard the
princes voice, but my step-mother shut me up with her hand covering my
mouth. Her two daughters ran downstairs and gave exasperated and
flirtatious sighs as they attempted to put their foot in something I could not
see. Finally, they gave up and the prince pushed them all aside to greet me.
To his surprise, my foot fit perfectly into the pristine slipper, and he at once
whisked me away to his castle to be queen of the land.
I awoke to the reverberation of bells ringing gaily while my beloved
stayed still as a stone. I had never imagined in my wildest dreams that I
would end up queen of the land while being married to my one true love. I
escaped the grasp of my cruel stepmother and was finally free. My morning
began no different than any other. I pushed open the curtains to allow the sun
to stream into the room. Charming then grumbled something unintelligible. I
went to pull a string on the wall to alert the maid of my awakening.
We were brought a scrumptious meal of delicately cooked eggs and
lightly buttered bread along with chamomile tea. Smelling the fumes of the
food, Charming finally arose. We began to eat breakfast in bed after
exchanging gestures of affection. I dont think I will ever accommodate
myself to my new life I stated. Charming retorted with it is well expected of
a beautiful girl as yourself which left a smirk on my face. It just feels so
surreal. One day I am living in rags with my only companions being birds and
mice. However, they were great companions and aided me many times, and
for that I am grateful. Now that is quite an amusing thought my dear. Let us
start our day before we are late for the royal meeting concerning our
neighboring areas. I felt a bit hurt that he could so easily toss my words
aside as a joke. I dont understand what is so funny? I speak the truth. I
aided the mice and they helped me. They even helped me sew a dress once,
as a matter of fact. Oh! How could I forget the birds? They were splendid
cleaners! Charming then grabbed my face with both his hands and said
darling, I know you were in a horrific setting but you cant possibly think that
was real. We have already discussed this several times, and I am growing
tired of your imagination. Do you belive in your hearts of hearts that I would
lie to you? What I speak is the truth! Charming stared me down as he kissed
my forehead and ended the discussion by saying we will be late lets not
waste our time arguing.
The rest of the day dragged on as I sat through the boring discussions
that always occur at meetings like these. As I lay in bed that night, I
wondered if what charming was saying was true... Maybe everything was part
of my imagination. No. It cant be. I reached over to grab charming for
comfort. However, he was not there. I looked over at the clock to see what
time it was, and the clock struck twelve. Right at that moment men in white
cloaks came and began to drag me away as I struggled and refused. What
are you doing with me? Where is Charming? None of my questions were
answered, and the struggle continued as a carriage appeared into sight
through the window. No one bothered to help me. I did not understand why
this was happening. Had I not already experienced enough suffering in my

lifetime? Tears began to stream down my face as I whispered Charming... I

love you.
As these strangers and I rounded the last corner of the palace, through all
of my struggling and resistance I just barely got a glimpse of Charming he
just watched as they threw me into the back of the carriage. He did not care.
The back of the carriage was dark, there was no visible light anywhere I
was alone, stuck like an animal. It felt like an eternity of bumps, stops and
turns. When finally I drifted slowly to sleep. I later awoke to the sounds of the
carriage skidding to a halt. The vile men, the men that stole me from my
happily ever after were now opening the door and once again pulling me out.
I refused to walk they began dragging me towards this building. This
building resembled a building that I had seen only in my worst night terrors.
My knees now grinding against the gravel, became bloodied. As we neared
the building I noticed a small dingy sign that read, Fairytales Asylum. By the
time the men got me inside, I was writhing in pain. I began to beg for them to
put me down they did not budge.
From the moment I entered those doors everything began happening very
quickly. I went from the doors, to the medical wing where I was stripped and
given a hospital gown to redress in, and the wounds on my knees were
patched. Then the men lead me down an endless maze of hallways, to a room
that I presumed would be my new living quarters. They threw me in the room
and in a flat tone said, Stay here and stay quiet. Your doctor will be here to
speak to you in a moment. I nodded my head and did as they said. However,
exhaustion must have hit me because I noticed my hands were wet and only
when I touched my cheek did I realize silent tears were running down my
face. The room was fairly small, it contained a bed with a thin mattress, a
sink, a toilet, and a chair. After what felt like an eternity of waiting I heard the
door click, I looked up to see a frail, obviously exhausted man who introduced
himself to me as my doctor. When he began speaking again he briefed me
about my new schedule, my daily appointments with him and how this place
runs. He must have been very busy, because after he said what he needed,
the doctor then proceeded to exit my room, leaving me alone once again...
much like the carriage, the room was pitch black. In the darkness I could hear
faint shuffling. I lie there listening for hours, before my body gave me the
relief of sleep.
The next morning I was woken up by banging on her door, followed by the
command to get up. I remembered the doctor saying that I would be given
three meals a day; breakfast, lunch, and dinner. After breakfast I was
supposed to report to the doctors office, after a few hours in there I would go
to lunch. Following lunch was recreational time, where I could be with the
other patients, then dinner, then back to my room. At breakfast I received
nothing more than a stale biscuit, a hardboiled egg, and milk. Even at my
step mothers house I was fed better than this. After finishing the egg and
drinking the milk I decided to go to the appointment with the doctor, whose
name I later learned was Lucifer. He began asking me questions like, If I
knew why I was here, Why I believed that the mice helped me sew and the
birds helped me clean, and If my fairy godmother was someone that I had
made up. I could not see why he was asking me these questions Yes, I

knew the prince thought that I was mad as a March hair, but my fairy
godmother was real. She had helped me get to the ball, how else would I
have gotten there? And the animals? I have always had a connection with
them I was not making any of this up, I told him, but it was to no avail. He
did not believe me anymore than he did twenty minutes ago. I actually think
that he thought worse of me. It was my first appointment and he was already
prescribing me medication. Great, I thought. During recreational time I did
not talk to anyone and before dinner I went and stood in line to get my
medication. Dinner was worse than breakfast but I had to eat it so that my
medicine would settle in my stomach. When I got back to my room, I got in
bed and thought, Okay, first day down I dont know how many more to go,
but I have got this under control. Before I knew it I was asleep.
The next few weeks went fairly smooth, besides more medication each
time I saw that blasted doctor, or the significant weight loss from barely
eating. Other than the few minor things I had learned to make the best of the
situation. I have even made a few little rat friends in my chambers I fed
them my stale biscuits and bread and in return they keep me company.
The weeks turned to months and the months turned to a year I had
never thought that I would be in here this long. I had hoped that I would get
dismissed after a week or two so that I could return to Charming, or even to
my step mothers because anywhere is better than here. After telling the
doctor of my knew friends that day maintenance patched the holes in my
room so that the rats could no longer get in. Nights have gotten so lonely,
and Im on so many medications that I cant even walk straight anymore. One
night I tried to resist having to take my medicine and resisted going back to
my room and they put me in one of those jackets that make you hug
yourself it was the first hug I have had in a year.
I have to get out. The next day, I took all of my medications and saved
them so that I had a giant pile at the end of the day. Tomorrow was the day
that I planned to end it. End this stay in hell with solitary rooms, with Lucifer,
and my fairy godmother that had failed me. I was on the verge of sleep when
the security guards burst into my door and drug me from my room. As my
eyes adjusted to the light I saw Lucifer standing in front of me. He said that
he noticed I had not taken my medicine today and wanted to know where
they were. He commissioned a search of my room when they found the pills
under my mattress, I had no explanation as to why they were there.
I did not return to my room that night I was drug down a filthy
hallway to a room with a metal chair. They strapped my wrists and ankles to
the chair and then grabbed a metal rod and a hammer. The last thing I
remember is them lowering the rod and hammer to my eye, that was also the
last time that I moved. I wanted to leave that place, that hole of sorrow and
I did.
Not all fairy tales contain a happy ending. Sometimes our dreams are
our only fairy tales. There are books and movies that may be fairy tales, but
in the end they do not exist. Our imagination can take us anywhere in the
world. However, it is important to keep a fine line between reality and
imagination. This is the real world. Not everyone has a happy tale to tell.