Cinderella: A Fractured Fairytale

Eleven

Ana's POV

Chapter 11

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At ten minutes to midnight, I began to get worried. Where was he? Why hadn't he returned yet? Had I hurt him even more than I'd realized?

The minutes crawled by and I stared out the window at the city clock, willing him to come back soon. Five minutes passed, and he still wasn't back.

Six minutes.

Six and a half.

Eight.

Where are you?

Nine.

Time dragged on like a wounded soldier.

Nine and a quarter.

I was beginning to get worried.

Nine and a half. Where was he?

Nine and three-quarters. Fifteen seconds to midnight.

I got up and walked towards the windowsill, feeling lost, alone and abandoned. "Where did you go?" I whispered softly, touching the stone windowsill. It was cold and rough underneath my fingertips.

Of course, no one answered.

I was alone.

The clock began to strike midnight, and I suddenly became aware of a flurry of commotion in the ballroom behind me. Ella was hurrying towards the exit, causing quite some disturbance as the prince rushed after her, calling for her to come back. Why was she leaving? What was going on?

Where was Eric?

I followed after them, trying to figure out what was happening. Ella was already out of sight down the steps and away, but the prince was picking something up on the steps. Was it a slipper?

Suddenly, the clock struck its final note, and I glanced down to realize I was wearing my old rags I'd had on before Eric had changed them into a gown. My dress was gone, and I was wearing his black cloak over my rags.

I glanced around, seeing an old pumpkin laying in the middle of the courtyard with six white mice scurrying off as quickly as they could.

"Eric," I whispered. "What's happening?"