Cherry and Atticus Meet Cinderella

chapter 7

Cherry gripped her seat as Lady Tremaine circled her. The young girl felt sweat dripping down her face and her heart racing and she crossed her legs multiple times. She felt very anxious and shaky to be alone in the same room with the vile woman. Lady Tremaine was like a clever cat and Cherry was her mouse that had been caught in a trap, about to be vanquished for good. 

"So, what did you, Atticus and Cinderella do while I went to the ball with my daughters?" Lady Tremaine asked.

"N-Nothing much," Cherry gulped, her voice squeaking. "Just... You know... hang around and be miserable..."

"I see... And did you remember to give Lucifer his bath?"

"B-B-Bath? I-I-I don't remember you telling me to do that, Mrs. Tremaine."

"Oh, come now child, surely Atticus told you to once I dismissed him."

"Oh, right, I thought you meant yesterday or the day before!" Cherry chuckled nervously.

Lady Tremaine smirked and came closer. She then grabbed Cherry by her hood and lifted her off the ground. "You know the saying, don't you? The truth will set you free."

"Y-Y-Yes, b-b-but I am t-telling you the truth!" Cherry hiccupped, feeling scared to death.

"Are you, my dear?" Lady Tremaine moved the orphan girl closer to look her dead in the eye. "I think you're hiding something from me..."

Cherry gulped and shivered with fear. "I don't know what you mean!"

"Oh, and it's no coincidence that the girl the prince was dancing with looked a lot like Cinderella and  there were two children at the ball at yours and Atticus's heights?"

"T-T-That's a coincidence! Honest! H-H-How could we have gotten there anyway?"

"I'm not sure," Lady Tremaine dropped her suddenly, making her cry out in pain. She then looked with a sneaking suspicion in her eye. Lady Tremaine then heard humming and stepped on top of Cherry and dragged her by the hood. "Do you hear that?"

"H-H-Hear w-w-what?" Cherry stuttered in fright.

"That singing," Lady Tremaine heard Cinderella's voice. "It sounds a lot like the girl the prince had danced with, don't you think?"

"That can't be it! They were singing So This is Love!" Cherry growled, then cupped her mouth in realization.

"I KNEW IT!" Lady Tremaine grabbed her by the throat and lifted her to make their eyes meet. "You, Cinderella and Atticus DID sneak out! There's no way I'm letting the prince and duke take Cinderella away to live in the palace!"

"Ma'am!" Cherry gagged, nearly running out of oxygen.

"And she fits that glass slipper, it all makes sense! You three are in big trouble!" Lady Tremaine tightened her grip, making the eyes bug out of Cherry's head. She then dragged her out and held her in her arm to keep her from going anywhere. "Mostly Cinderella! I don't know how you possibly could've done it, but that girl will not let her dreams come true!"

"You monster!" Cherry squirmed.

"I've been called worse," Lady Tremaine went up the stairs to Cinderella's bedroom. 

"What's going on?" Atticus asked.

"The jig is up!" Cherry cried, then struggled getting out from Lady Tremaine's deathly grip.

Cinderella was innocently in her bedroom. She was humming the song from last night and combed her hair. She then looked in the mirror with horror to see her step-mother had been watching her and now knew the truth. Cinderella turned with fear and begged her step-mother not to do anything, but it was too late, Lady Tremaine locked the door and patted the key in her pocket. She then grabbed Cherry and Atticus and threw them in the basement, locking that door as well. Cinderella, Cherry and Atticus all cried for help, but no one would come and help them, they were all doomed. That is, unless Jaq and Gus can find the key and get them out before the glass slipper fits someone else.