Cinderella
English Coursework
Dusk descended silently upon the day
sweeping aside the last glimmering rays of hope’s light like an executioner’s
axe descends upon its victim. A frail, panic stricken figure, huddled in torn
rags, hurried across the wet courtyard as the soft patter of her footsteps
echoed eerily through the darkness. The dim flame, hardly visible from the
small wax candle she clutched desperately in her hands flickered out as an icy
blast for wind roared through the courtyard. In the distance, the terrible
screeching and wailing of wraith-like beings echoed from a distance and filled
the miserable atmosphere of the night. The small figure fumbled through the
darkness, hands hopelessly grasping at the moss covered walls, every second
becoming increasingly desperate as the high pitched shrieking neared. Finally,
her pale hands managed to grasp freezing cold steel. The girl hurriedly tugged
the door open and crawled into the room hastily slamming the door behind her.
Left in utter darkness, without even the dimmest ray light from the cold moon,
she shivered as much from fear as from cold.
. Relighting the candle, the young maiden clawed her way down the
decrepit staircase which led down into the empty darkness. The staircase was a
long one, longer than the girl had anticipated, leading deep under the ground.
The stairs were carved of an antique wood, with stains of crimson along the
sides of the steps and on the walls. She shifted the candle as she walked, sending its pale light into as many portions of the
cellar as it would reach, trying to catch a glimpse of something – anything.
But she could make out nothing. At last her foot touched the dirt floor.
Flashing the candle about, the young maiden tried to see as much as she could
before fear overwhelmed her senses. Never expecting to hear anything apart from
the occasional disturbance caused by rodents, she was startled to hear a deep
booming sound instead. A blast of cold air extinguished her candle leaving her
trapped in a darkness so deep and impenetrable that it
might have been the darkness of the abyss. The girl’s first panicked impulse
was to immediately relight her candle but something held her back. She would
not act on impulse. It would be best to remain in the darkness. Light would
reveal her to whatever had slammed open the trapdoor up there. Her sight gone,
she relied on her other senses, and almost immediately, now that she had calmed
down, she could hear breathing. Someone else’s breathing. She was not alone.
This breathing was thin and raspy, with a slight rattle. The breathing
continued, uneven, fractured, interspersed with sharp gasps. And then, a voice spoke, so close to her that
she could feel its freezing cold breath on her neck.
“I know you’re down here. You’re a sly one aren’t you? It’s not every one who
dares stand alone in the darkness.”
A candle flared, revealing a hideous, revolting pale face
with eyes that emanated pure evil. The expression of desolation and despair
that was marked upon the creature’s cruel mask of flesh chilled the air around
her, and the young maid felt a shiver course through her frail spine. “Ahh….Cinderella…” The creature softly hissed into her
ear. Circling Cinderella menacingly, its
long white robes flowing swiftly around its ankles, the wraith whispered in her
other ear, its voice imbued with malevolence and rage, “Why have you not
brought us the wine yet Cinderella? We have waited but now it is too late…”
Cinderella cowered in fear, shivering violently as the creature advanced.
“It…it’s…it’s here, sister.” Cinderella stammered in terror as she pulled out a
crimson bottle of wine, her hands trembling. The step sister threateningly
whirled around to stare directly into Cinderella’s terrified eyes and furiously
grasped the bottle from Cinderella shaking hands. Hurling the bottle away in
rage, the blood red wine trickling amid the shattered glass, she screamed “Why
would I need it now?! Can you not see that it is too late?! We have already
feasted! Clear this away now and make sure this does not happen again. I will
not be so merciful next time.” Shrieking madly as she stormed out, the sister
left Cinderella on the floor sobbing
Thursday 25th 0f March
Last night was like so totally freaky. I mean, I had such a
fright with my ugly sister sneaking up on me just because I was a little slow
getting the wine from the cellar. She like, came in real quiet and screamed at
me as if I was a microphone man. Oh yeah, and the make up. I mean, she was
completely overdoing the powder and the mascara. Looked more like a ghost than
anything I’ve ever seen. Any way every girl knows you just can’t rush when you
are doing you nails. More misery again today Things are even worse today as the
ugly step sisters have me nearly going crazy. Their dresses for the ball are
like so-o-o ugly, I mean I’ve never seen anything look as bad as that. A brown dress?! Made by Donovan Versace? They have no dress sense ! Talking of
more bad news this week the sisters ripped down my poster of Justin Timberpool, the legendary singer of the “Front Alley Boy
s”. They said I was spending too much time just swooning over him. Can you
believe it? They are s-o-o-o jealous of me! To get even because I am so totally
beautiful they said I can’t go to the ball.
I mean, like, how could they do that to me! They all know that the Prince and I are soul mates and they’re just afraid. Yes.
They’re afraid that if we meet the prince is just going to whisk me away and
we’re going to live happily ever after and they’re afraid that I will ruin the
horrible bitches of their chance of marrying him. Anyway, about the prince,
he’s like so totally hot! I mean, OMG, his ab’s are
like …. So-o-o-o huge!!!!! And his face ….So-o-o-o sweet! I’ve also heard he is
like totally kind and romantic. He has
a face that could steal any girl’s heart. I would just die for the chance to go
to that ball and just stare at him.
Spoke with my best friend Petunia who is so going to the
ball. She thinks she will be able to capture the Prince’s heart. She doesn’t
understand the only girl for him is like me. She has no chance anyway, after
all who wants a girl with front teeth that belong to a beaver and who has skin
as thick as a elephants? Anyway I’m probably just
feeling a bit jealous cos they have more chance than
me co they are actually going to that silly ball – it’s a totally dull idea.
Friday 26th of March
Totally super, super,super,super,
super day today!
Today is the day of the ball and something totally weird
happened today which no one would believe. This old woman showed up from behind
the cellar door and she looked dead weird man! Thought I was out of mind at
first- then thought she was out of her mind too. Then with the flash of an old
stick some mice and a moldy old pumpkin there I was dressed like a princess
staring at a crystal coach pulled by four super gorgeous horses. It seemed a
bit strange as moments before the coach appeared I was staring at four rather
moth eaten mice and a moldy old pumpkin. The dress is well just so-o-o gorgeous
that no one will believe that I am wearing it. Totally fashionable too with
silky pearls in white satin it has the most delicious heart shaped neckline and
the length is so perfect, I mean it fits so well it is like it was made of
magic. The only thing that worries me about it all is the shoes. They seem
rather old fashioned and I haven’t seen anyone in anything like them every.
They fit well that is the only good thing. Got to go now to the ball and can’t
wait to find out what is going to happen. The old woman who gave me the stuff
keeps on mumbling that I have to leave the ball by twelve which is so silly but
I suppose I had better do it after all she has been kind enough to give me all
this. . .
At approximately 12.05 AM Officer Sherlock and myself were summoned to the
A thorough search of the ballroom and surrounding area
revealed a glass slipper and a large pumpkin was recovered in the coach park.
There were also reports of mice in the area of the coaches. This is a surprise
as the palace has regular rodent patrols and no vermin has been reported in the
area for more than forty years. The major lead is clearly the slipper and I
have requested that the king issue a royal decree instructing all women to
remain in their homes tomorrow. A house to house search will be made for the
villain who will be revealed when she places her foot into the slipper.
The palace has received a large number of calls from women
claiming to be the thief and these are being investigated though I believe that
these calls may be the work of women interested in marrying the prince. I have
also formed a small task force to take the pumpkin to local markets to see if we
can generate any further leads. I have also assigned another group to apprehend
the rodents and question local pet store owners to see if further leads may be
developed.
I have a strong feeling that we will be able to solve this
case shortly as it seems hard to believe that the evil doer could have gone
far. The police artist Mr. Da Vinci has already
arrived and assures me that he will be able to complete a portrait of the
individual within the month. In order to keep the operation as secret as
possible the picture will only be known by the code name “Mona Lisa”. Privately
I am a little worried about the picture as Mr. Da
Vinci has also informed me that the Prince’s description seems something out of
a fairy story!
Finally we have been offered assistance by the Sleeping
Beauty Squad from the neighboring country of Thornland
and a strange group of little men who worked on the Snow White case are also
ready to help. At present I have declined these offers as I do not think it
would be worthwhile bringing in other groups until all the leads we have are
exhausted.
Chief Constable H. Olmes
The next day a through search of the kingdom was made. The
police accompanied by the Prince as they moved from house to house. Finally
they came upon a large run down mansion which had been the subject of neglect
for years. . Cinderella’s heart pounded with emotion. There are very few
moments in a person’s life that can change ta person
but last night was one of them. She could think of nothing but the prince .She
was unable to eat or drink anything and she simply played over what had happen
the previous night, He had been so dashing and so powerful. He strode over to
her and they had whirled around the dance floor all evening. The moments she
had spent with him would be hers forever. He was so tall with such handsome
brown eyes. He was a powerful man but had the such
grace on the dance floor. His military dress was so formal but he seemed so at
ease with himself and her. They had laughed and laughed all evening. It was only
a few seconds before twelve when she realized the time and had had to keep her
promise to the mysterious old woman. She remembered rushing away without even
being able to tell him who she was. She would not have dared to even if she had
had the time she thought to herself . Who would want a
poor girl such as she? She had nothing to bring to him
except her love and princes married for position and power. Shut away in the kitchen she sobbed silently
in the knowledge that the prince was the only man she could ever love but could
never have. Her heart ached and tears welled up in her bright blue eyes as she
knew it could never be.
It was a complete shock when the doors of the kitchen were
thrown open and there he stood. Proud and tall he was the very model of a man.
His beautiful dark eyes flashed toward Cinderella. Immediately she cast her
eyes down at the floor raising them only shyly in the direction of the Prince
after she thought he would have looked away. Barely able to control her
emotions, she thought she might fall.
She was saved only by the swift actions of her hero. The prince held her
gently and eased her onto the old chair which stood illuminated in the dim
candlelight. She felt his hot breath on her neck and shuddered again. Waves of
passion pulsed through her body and she felt excitement and fear
simultaneously. She began to treble with fear and passion. Had she been wrong
to indulge in witchcraft? Would the Prince ever forgive her for her deception?
She had not intended to deceive him but she fretted that he would not
understand. Again her lips quivered and she fought to contain her shredded
emotions.
In a moment
the glass slipper was produced and the man of her dreams slipped the glass
slipper on her foot. The prince gasped and Cinderella cowered in fear. It was
then that their eyes met and all suddenly became clear. They were in love and
they fell into an affectionate embrace. The kissed passionately barely able to
control their pent up emotions. It was a love that was true and pure.
Cinderella’s dream had come true a prince had come and taken her away. Truly
she had lived a fairy tale. At that moment the sun shone and the birds sang and
none could doubt that there happiness would last forever.