Twisted Cinderella

The "Search" Part One

                Ella:

               

                That night I tossed and turned on my rug, another vision overcoming my sleep. This one was odd, different, and very, very weird.

                I was walking through a beautiful meadow that had flowers of every color in full bloom. The scent that radiated off them was amazing! Birds sang and flew all around me. Smiling, I threw up my arms and twirled in the glowing rays of the sun.

 

                Then, an older lady stepped out from the surrounding ring of trees. She was dressed in a lavender night frock and her feet were bare. Her hair was blonde, exactly like mine, but with a hint of gray here and there. Her eyes were a striking sea blue. I immediately recognized her as my mother. As she walked towards me, she smiled and came to a stop a few inches away from me.

 

                “You are still as beautiful as the day I left you,” she said, touching my curls softly.

 

                “Mother, why did I start to receive the curse of the visions that would warn me of someone’s death drawing near?” I immediately asked, then slapped my hand across my mouth.

               

                “Dearest Ella, it is a curse indeed, but it was bestowed upon you by accident. The night I was giving birth to you, it was the night of the worst rain storm in history. Most of the lower parts of the village flooded and the lightning set fires to houses and trees. We were one of many families accepting strangers to give them a place to rest for the night. One of the people that we took in was a sorcerer. Sadly, we did not know it at the time. He came in with a small burlap sack and the clothes on his back; nothing else. While he was thanking us for our hospitality; he stopped and noticed that I was pregnant. For five long minutes, he stared at my belly and then his eyes snapped up to my face.

 

                ‘This one is destined,’ he said in a strange voice.

 

                ‘What do you mean destined?’ I asked him, curious.

 

                ‘Destined to be the one to see into the great unknown,’ he stared at me.

 

                “Suddenly, without warning, his hands shot out, grabbing my stomach roughly and he began to chant. As your father tried to pry him off me, his hands began to glow and heat seeped into my stomach. I could feel whatever it was passing through my body and into yours. When he was finally wrenched away, your father threw him out into the rain and locked every door and window; just in case he would try to come back inside.”

 

                 “I was not injured during this, just shocked, but I was stunned badly enough by whatever passed through my body that I became more susceptible to illness and disease, while you had a part of your brain tampered with. It made your dreaming eye more awake and alert to future events; so you would be able to predict them and maybe even save the victims. It was a gift for the good-hearted people I guess. Do you understand at least how you got your gift now, Ella? Even though it may not be what you expected?”

 

 

                I just stood there with my mouth hanging open. My mother giggled at my reaction and just shook her head. She turned around and started to walk back into the trees. Just before she disappeared from view, she turned around.

 

                “One thing Ella, the last thing I heard the man say before he was thrown out into the storm was, ‘There is only one way you can get rid of this curse: marry your true love, and the curse shall disappear from you for the rest of your life.’ Remember that, for it will help you in the future.”

 

                With a graceful toss of her hair, she glided into the trees and disappeared instantly from sight. I blew out a breath from my trembling lips, and sat down in the grass; my head in my hands. Sobbing loudly, I barely heard the sound of my name being called.

 

                “ELLA! WHERE ARE YOU?!” It was the Widow.

 

 

Jolting up out of sleep, I realized that I had over-slept. Oh no! I would get lashed for sure! Hurrying up the stairs, I found the Widow standing in the kitchen with…crud, the bullwhip in her hand.

                “Since you have time to toddle around all morning and not do your chores; I think you need something to remind you about who is in charge here,” she sneered.

                Sighing I loosened up the back of my dress and walked over to the far wall. Bracing my hands against the cold stone, I gritted my teeth and waiting for the sharp, painful blows that would follow. Whip! Whip! Whip!  I gasped as the tail of the whip curled around my stomach and cut a gash across it. Counting the lashes, I realized that the Widow was now at twenty-six lashes. She didn’t stop until the thirtieth lash; which she made sure cut deep and long against my back. Panting, I lay on my stomach and waited for the Widow to leave until I ventured down to the river.

                Heaving myself up, I hobbled, unbalanced towards the kitchen door and threw it open. Sheets of rain were still pouring down as I made my way painfully across the yard. Going through the woods was no picnic either. Branches swatted at my exposed back, making it throb with pain. When I finally reached the edge of the tall bank; the throbbing in my back had gone numb with the sheer pain. Picking my way slowly down, my foot got caught on a rock and I stumbled… and rolled all the way down the bank.