Alise

Ugly Duckling

ALISE a novel by Jessica DeWitt and Seji A. Dettswic

 

I.                   Ugly Duckling

I am a girl, a sickly child. My pale, practically white face, will make people look at me disgustedly. The dark circles around my eyes make me that much less appealing. Along with my skinny frame and bleach blond hair, I am nothing to look at, much less admire. In fact, people look down upon me and consider it a disgrace to hand about me. My poor family can hardly support me and we already know that there is no hope of me being married off. So instead of wasting their money putting me in the spotlight they have invested in my sister.

My sister, Caroline, is the prime of her day and has exceptional manners. She is the opposite of me. Beautiful, strong, and healthy; she catches every man’s eye. My parents are hopping that she will marry a wealthy man and bring money back into our family.

At first, I was allowed to go to banquets and parties with Caroline, but that soon changed. When people would learn that Caroline and I were related they would turn their heads at her because I was an ugly ‘spawn’ and she might give my ‘fatal disease’ to her children. That’s when my parents decided to lock me up. It’s not as if I am a prisoner, so much as I am not apart of the family. I am not permitted to go to any event that will have me being recognized with my family and, most importantly, my sister. Then, when possible husbands dine at our home I must dine either in my room or in the kitchen with the servants. I am a prisoner in my own home.

Speaking of servants, not even they accept me. Long ago, when my mother saw how pale I was turning out to be, she took me and dumped all her troubles on a maid. Soon after the maid resigned from her post, saying that I was haunted by a daemon. I can’t remember that far back, but I have heard enough of the servant’s chatter that I can piece the story together. They avoid me, as does everyone else, but I am quiet when I walk and sometimes I can sneak up upon someone. I realize that I am the most horrible ghost-like thing you could possibly set your eyes on, but sometimes I wonder if there’s something wrong with me, something else that makes them turn their heads when I walk past.

 

When my parents stopped bringing me places, I think that is when I started to hate myself. Then I started to notice all the whispers surrounding me in in the corners.

“There goes the ugly duckling.”

“No wonder there’s no prospect of marrying her off.”

And

“I’m surprised they didn’t disown her.”

were a few of the things that people would say. I would look in the mirror every morning and see the face everyone hated so much. I would see my mirrored reflection and I loathed it; hated it for being what it was. One day as I was on my way back to my room from supper in the kitchen I overheard one of the servants saying, “If that girl looked in a mirror, it would break into infinite pieces.”

            I ran all the way back to my room. Taking my hair brush I threw it across the room at my mirror. When it didn’t break I stepped in front of it and smiled at my reflection. Sure enough, the mirror shattered at my horrendous state. I was eleven back then, and that was the last time I looked at myself in a mirror.

<<<chapter dedicated to putyopawsup as a thank you for making the image on the side>>>