Tale as Old as Time | ✓

Cinderella - II

Ella stared at the retrieving carriage and her eyes filled with tears, she looked at the teared sleeve of her mother's dress and sobbed as her stepmother had taken her memory of her mother's from her. She collapsed on the floor as she wept and cried her heart out. A moment passed and she heard a knock on her door, the door was half open and she could see the silhouette of the person standing on the other side of the door through her blurred vision.

She immediately stood up as wiped her tears with the back of her hand and straightened her dress a little bit before she walked towards the door. She tried to calm herself and opened the door fully. On the other side of the door, stood an old lady with an old, torn, rough cape all over herself. Her head was bent down but, Ella could see her grey locks from where she stood. She held a stick to balance herself and she looked fragile.

The old woman looked up to Ella and smiled at her with no teeth, her smile was kind and warm. Ella smiled back with tearful eyes and asked her, "How can I help you?" The old woman nodded at her as she took a step forward and almost collapsed but, Ella took a hold of her arm and walked her slowly inside the house. She made her sit in the living room carefully and sat beside her, "Would you like me to do something for you?"

The old woman looked at her and said, "I'd like something to eat. Can you give me something to eat?" Ella's eyes widened as she realised that the old woman had been starving and no one had helped her. She quickly stood up from the sofa and nodded at her, "Yes, of course. I'll find something for you to eat."

Ella rushed to the kitchen and fetched some bread and fruits on a plate and walked back to the living room. She handed the old woman the plate and sat beside her as she ate the bread and the fruits as she hadn't had any food in days. She took a huge bite of the apple and turned to Ella, "Do you have any milk?" Ella nodded at her quickly and rushed to the kitchen to bring a glass of milk. She filled a big glass of milk and gave it to the old woman when she reached the living room. Ella stared at her with widened eyes as she saw the old woman gulp the glass of milk in one go and Ella asked her, "Do you want anything else?"

The old woman shook her head at Ella's question and placing the plate on the sofa, she stood up, causing Ella to stand beside her and help her if she lost her balance again. But, this time, the old woman refused Ella's help as she stood up straight on her own and Ella's face scrunched in confusion as she stared at the old woman. The old woman's demeanour was of a young girl and not some old woman. She turned to face Ella and spoke, "I'm your fairy godmother."

Ella looked at her as she had seen ghost and said, "They don't exist in real life. That stuff is only for children and fairy tales." Ella shook her head at her and took a step back. The old woman chuckled at her and took a step forward, "No, dear. We do exist. We are real." She smacked her head as she realised something and said, "Of course, it's this hideous costume. This is why you don't believe me." She turned sideways and closed her eyes as Ella stared at her as she was speaking rubbish, she opened her left eye and said, "Just give me a second, darling. Let me slip into something comfortable."

The old woman threw her stick in the air and the stick twirled in circles as it went up in the air. As the stick fell back, it created a blue hue of stars and fog and engulfed the old woman. Ella's eyes widened as she stared at the weird happenings in her house and she pinched herself to confirm that she wasn't dreaming. The fog disappeared in an instance and the old woman caught the stick in her hand. As she turned around, Ella couldn't believe her eyes as she stared at a young beautiful woman and not an old woman. She had a gorgeous silver ball gown on with studded diamonds and silver jewellery. The stick had turned into a wand of glass and it sparkled as the fairy godmother waved it around.

Ella's gaze was broken by the fairy godmother as she spoke, "So, do you believe me now?" Ella was dumb folded as she could do nothing but nod at her. The fairy godmother nodded at her as she held the magical wand in her hands, "Good, now we have to hurry. We don't have enough time."