I rolled onto my back, yawning. The sun overhead glaring into my eyes. I sat up, stretching out like a puppy. The skin of my bare feet ran across the slender blades of grass. It had been forever since I had such a freedom. The overhead sky was a brilliant blue the nurses only told me stories of. I pushed myself to my feet, half expecting to fall over. I stayed standing, and stared in awe. "Where am I? Where's momma?" Spotting a pond only a few feet to my right, I rushed over, plunging my hands to the cool depths. "Is this a dream?" I asked myself quietly. The feeling of the light current flowing through the pond made me shake it off. It all felt so real. I checked the remainder of my surroundings and spotted a small cottage painted a dull red sitting on a small hill of a grassy plain. The wooden siding of the little house was cracked and chipped with signs of wear. The door to the cozy home creaked as a tall woman stepped out onto its concrete steps. "Momma!" I shouted, running over to wrap my arms around her. "Momma where are we?"
"Oh silly goose. You've been asleep for awhile. Did your dream confuse you again?" She asked, a smile splitting her welcoming face.
"I was asleep?"
"Yup." She stood straight up, brushing off a dusty white apron. "Now remember, tomorrow we're going to visit your grandmother. She's still pretty sick, and Bertha gave me a recipe that should settle her stomach enough to take medicines."
"What kind of recipie, momma?"
"Cookies dear. But for now we have to go grab the ingredients." I let her go, and reached up for her hand. "Let me go grab my basket and we'll head off, alright?" I nodded quickly, joy lighting up like a candle, and she went back into the cottage. I turned around, sliding my feet over the dewed grass, the droplets tickling my toes. A small flash of grey passed through my line of sight, and I followed it with my eyes. There sat a large dog. Its eyes smiled, and tongue hung out, panting happily. I reached my hand out to stroke it, and it backed away a few steps.
"Please do not touch, young one. Human scent doesn't go over well with the Misus."
"You can speak Mr. Dog?"
"I am no dog!" The creature snorted, twisting his head back and forth in disbelief. "Have you never seen a wolf before?"
"Not a talking one."
"What's your name, little miss?"
"I am Lila. What do I call you, Mr. Wolf?"
"Mr. Wolf is fine." He dipped his maw to me. "Why are you here, Lila? Shouldn't you wake-"
"Lila! Get away from her, you flea-bitten mutt!" A voice crackled in the distance, advancing quickly. Mother flashed past me with a broom, swatting the wolf away. "My daughter is not food!" The wolf yelped, running off. I tried reaching out my hand to grab the wolf. What was he saying? Wake what? I stared after the wolf, curiously, as I was pulled along by my hand to the market.
YOU ARE READING
Fairytales Undone
Fantasy"I'm sorry. There's nothing more we can do." "You...there has to be something!" "Well-there is one way." Bound to her hospital bed, and suffering daily, her mother finally decides to let her go. Lila, however, is not ready to go.
