heres one i wrotw when i was littler!

carmella chihuahua · heres one i wrotw when i was littler!

A Modern Day Faery Tale

It was the sound of the sirens that woke her up again. Not the enticing refrain of harpies luring seafarers to their doom but the ululating howl of police cars on their nightly prowl around and around the estate. Sarah sighed despairingly clutching her pillow tightly over her head but it was too late. Next door's baby had woken up and now it's thin insistent wail echoed through the papery walls. Someone somewhere was screaming and the thump of the Drum n Bass music downstairs undermined the cacophony with deep rhythmic basslines.
She gave up. It was a quarter to four in the morning but the sky outside was filled with the artificial yellow haze of thousands of street-lights. It was never really night in London. She never felt enveloped by that thick velvety blackness which threatens to smother and suffocate. But although the estate was renowned for violence and crime, somehow she felt safer in it's 24 hour neon glare because she never felt as alone as she did when living in her Irish hometown when the only sounds at night to be heard were foxes barking in the distance and the dying screams of small mammals. Sarah climbed reluctantly out of bed, padded across the threadbare carpet to the kitchen and made a cup of coffee, adding a shot of whisky, one of the few luxuries she afforded herself and which tore a gaping hole in her pathetic benefit cheque. But in a grim grey towerblock such as this,teeming with hard bitter casualties of life and poverty, multiplying and scavenging like rats, what else was there to do?

Things weren't meant to have been like this. When Sarah left Ireland filled with buoyant hope and enthusiasm her heart pounded at the thought of the partying, glamour and decadence that surely awaited her.
How quickly dreams tumble into dust.
Now she was trapped in these two sordid squalid rooms on the fourteenth floor which reeked of the desperation and sour dreams of a thousand others before her. Nothing or no one to escape to. No money, no prospects, no hope. Sometimes she never wanted to wake up again. The thought of another dreary monotonous day dragging endlessly and heavily on filled her with terror and there seemed little else to do but add just a little more whisky into that mug...

So Sarah awoke to another colourless morning, head throbbing with alcohol and guilt at her weakness. Her stomach grumbled uneasily and there was no food to placate it. In her wallet was a crumpled ten pound note, her last. There were bills to be paid, rent too but the hunger was relentless and so she staggered up and brushed her long blonde hair till it shone like sun gold and put on a flowing iridescent dress that cost her more than what she spent on food in a month. Her vanity was not yet entirely diminished and in her opinion there was little point in carrying on this drudgerous existence unless she could still occasionally be frivolous and careless. It was the only vestige of her youth she hadn't yet relinquished and she had no intention to.
It was a long walk to the supermarket but Sarah relished the chance to escape from her concrete tower although the grey drizzling oppressiveness of the low sky and bleak decaying surroundings did little to inspire. The landscape was a testimony to twentieth century failure as nature joyously reclaimed what were once proud examples of humanities triumph over it. Weeds mockingly clambered up the decaying carcasses of cars and broken bits of machinery were gradually engulfed by corrosion and choking greenery.
A group of nearby children caught Sarah's eye as they shrieked excitedly whilst prodding something with a stick. She stopped curious. A pathetic scrap of fur was lying still and bloody on the ground, poked and gouged by children who had already lost their tenderness and compassion as they stared at it with impassive cold eyes. The sharp tang of nausea rose sharply in her throat. Running up she screamed at them to get away as they laughed in her face.
'It's only a cat!' a boy sneered, his harsh pinched face at odds against his high childish voice, making him seem somehow frightening, an amalgamation of innocent and depraved.
'But you're hurting it', she implored but they were impervious, blank to her distress and continued their apathetic prodding. After all, what else was there to do? Sarah fished out her precious ten pound note.
'You can have this if you leave that poor thing alone', she stated, watching their little faces light up in greed as the money was snatched by a grubby hand and they went shrieking off into the distance. Sarah bent over the motionless form. It stared up at her pleadingly, a little kitten, torn and bloody, that murmured in pain when he hesitantly scooped it up and cradled it in her arms. 'How could they do this to you', Sarah murmured and it was only when the kitten lifted its head to lick her cheek that she realised she was crying.
She walked quickly home, the kitten dripping scarlet blood down the virginal white of her dress. Once indoors, she tenderly bathed the matted little scrap wiping off the dirt and blood adhered to its black fur. The injuries weren't serious and it hungrily swallowed her last piece of fish.
'It looks like I've found a new pet', smiled Sarah. 'I can't really afford you but I'm going to keep you. We'll keep each other company in this godforsaken place and talk about how evil and heartless humanity has become.' The kitten blinked, stretched and opened its pink little mouth. 'Nay, not all of humanity is bad when there is such as yourself but how did you know I could talk?'
Sarah looked around wildly. Who was playing such a silly trick and why? It must be a trick, it MUST. Cats didn't talk! At least not outside the ancient forests of children's faery tales. This was a council estate in bloody Tottenham! There were no magical mysterious forces here!
'That's where you're wrong. Pray, do not look so horrified my sweet,I can read minds as well. I am a feline of many powers but I can only use them for good purposes which, alas is why I was unable to turn those heathen children into toads.'
Sarah's face slowly drained of colour. The last thing she saw before the floor came rushing up to meet her was the cat giving her an exaggerated wink...

When she came to, she was lying in bed with a cup of steaming coffee beside her and blankets firmly pulled up to her chin.
'This is quite simply not happening', she told herself. 'You're just going mad, there's nothing to worry about'.
'Relax sweetie, you're perfectly sane', purred the cat curled up on the bottom of her bed. 'No, don't pass out again, it's getting tedious and it was one hell of a job to get you into bed. You're heavier than you look, you know'.
Sarah moaned despairingly.
'What the hell's your problem?' complained the cat narrowing his emerald green eyes. 'If I was living in this hellhole I'd be grateful for any sort of diversion'
'But you're not real', stated Sarah firmly. 'You're a result of that tab of acid I had when I was 16 and too much cheap vodka. You're an hallucination.'
'Oh, that's just chaaarming', yawned the cat shaking his head sadly. 'Back in the old days, I used to be worshipped. Nubile wenches would hang garlands of flowers around my neck and sing praises to me. Now I'm just a drug induced flashback. What is the world coming to?
He certainly was convincing for an hallucination. Sarah gingerly stretched out her arm and stroked his soft opulent fur.
'What's your name?', she muttered embarressedly for she was still not entirely convinced of both the cat's curious attributes and her own sanity.
'My name is Kaia. I lived in Queen Cleopatra's court many centuries ago and was given the blessing of eternal life after I killed an asp that everyone was making rather a song and dance about.Surely no other feline has been granted such a privilege just for killing a measly snake,' continued Kaia smugly,'so I consider myself rather fortunate. I've been wandering the earth ever since until I hadthe misfortune to end up here, where if it hadn't been for yourself my eternal life might have ended.'
Sarah sensed a flaw in this sentiment but was not overkeen to discuss the concept of infinity with a small mammal.
'I'm probably hallucinating, asleep or mad but I beginning to believe you're real,'she admitted still deeply in shock but beginning to come back to reality, such as it was.
'Although I find it somewhat insulting that you dare to doubt my authenticity, I still like you a great deal and am in enormous debt to you,' stated Kaia regally.
'Allow me to live with you and I shall reward you with one wish. I'm not as young as I used to be even for a cat with eternal life. I have toured the universe a thousand times over but I am lonely and I sense you are too. Choose your wish wisely and it will benefit both of us as this diabolical hellhole is no place for such an animal as I and I cannot believe you live here out of choice.' Sarah rubbed her eyes. She was coming to terms with things surprisingly quickly but it was still a lot to take in at once.
'You're right Kaia. I hate this squalid dreary place too and dream of fleeing it every night. However I also wish for a human companion to hold at night and love me. Do not look so insulted, I want you to stay with me and indeed find it a great honour. But I also long for a tall dark stranger to come and whisk me away to a beautiful house filled with music, windows and plants.'
'With trees for me to sharpen my fine claws upon?'
'Oh, of course'.
'Then your wish shall be granted'.
Sarah looked around expecting puffs of smoke and theatrical claps of thunder.
'Do not be so impatient. It will happen soon and be beyond your wildest expectations. In the meantime I have matters to attend to and shall be away for a short while. Do not doubt my word and I will be back in time to see your wish granted.'
And then he was gone.

***************************************

Sarah awoke in bed to the sound of police sirens and the incessant patter of rain. Disorientated and confused she looked at her watch. A quarter to four in the morning. What on earth had happened? Had she lapsed into a coma or had those fantastical events swimming around in her head actually occurred? She wished they had but looking at the familiar despondent surroundings it was impossible to believe and already the ghostly shapes of her dream were drifting and ebbing away as silently as they had arrived.
'You're cracking up, Sarah', she told herself.
'Too much whisky, you knock yourself unconscious and start thinking there's talking cats in sodding Tottenham.'
Maybe she was going mad. It certainly seemed a more attractive proposition than staying sane and having life continue in such a miserable fashion. Still it was a bit of an anticlimax to realise everything was destined to say the same and there was no magical escape route. Numbness overtook her. She curled up under her thin blanket and cried herself to a thankfully dreamless sleep.

Another dreary morning... Drizzle poured solidly down the window distorting and softening the view of concrete tower blocks stamping into the distance, marching robots, threatening and devouring, their black shuttered eyes glared disparagingly down at the tiny hunched up figures beneath them. No wonder the suicide rate was so high here. What was there to aspire and aim towards when even nature seemed against you? When even houseplants withered away and died? Sarah gazed unblinkingly up at the glowering sky.
And wished.
And wished.
And from a distance she heard the sound of hooves. Hooves when there wasn't a patch of grass for miles? But the sound was getting closer, rhythmic clattering on the concrete drawing nearer and nearer until suddenly, rounding the corner appeared a beautiful white horse, muscles rippling under smooth sinewy skin, mane and tail streaming elegantly behind it. Upon it's back was an equally spectacular man clad in white. His glossy dark hair was tied in a ponytail and his face was smooth, noble and completely flawless. He drew the horse to a halt outside Sarah's towerblock and looked up at her astonished face framed in the window.
Their eyes interlocked for a second and then she was running.
Running down fourteen flights of stairs as though she was flying.
Maybe she was.
She stopped in front of him,suddenly aware of a silken feline body entwined sensuously entwined her ankles and looking up at her with knowing green eyes.
With one fluid motion the man dismounted and sunk to one knee before her as he took one of her battered shaking hands and pressed it to his ruby red lips.
'My love, do not be afraid for I am Prince Bavaria sent from a land far away to gain your hand in marriage. Together we will rule my vast kingdom and you will never be in want again.
Kaia smirked.
'Quite the little charmer isn't he?'
Sarah surreptitiously pinched herself so hard she drew blood. It hurt. They were still there. Prince Bavaria smiled patronisingly. 'I take it that you don't get many handsome princes in this awful place but you had better get a move on. The wedding feast will spoil and it's a fair journey even taking into account magical forces.'
Sarah clutched her head in her hands. She had dreamed of escape but this? It was so sudden, so unreal. She picked up Kaia and clutched him tightly.
'Hey, what's the big deal? First you just stand here gawking at this nice prince I went to a great deal of trouble to find and now you try to suffocate me? Some people are never satisfied.'
His speech was interrupted by a distant drone that grew louder and louder in intensity until the ground trembled and the horse stamped it's delicate hooves in fear.
What the hell was happening NOW?
A sleek silver Ducati motorbike tore down the road and screeched to an abrupt halt. The horse reared and sent its princely cargo tumbling to the floor.
'How dare you frighten my steed like that! Don't you know who I am?' he roared indignantly as the rider smoothly dismounted. She took off her motorbike helmet and smiled sweetly at the protesting prince.
'Hi, I'm Carrie.'
Sarah stared, dumbstruck once again.
Carrie's long slim legs clad in tight black leather seemed to go on forever. Her hair was a riotous mass of colour and beads and the green diamonds in her nose and lip twinkled dazzlingly. Sarah had never before seen anyone as beautiful in all her life and her heart threatened to leap right out of her chest.
She was in love.
'Why the hell are you staring at me like that?' Carrie demanded of the scowling prince. 'You're the one sitting on a horse in the middle of a bloody council estate!' She grinned at the furious man in front of her who went puce and started to cough. Then she looked at Sarah, stepped forward and took her tenderly in her arms. They kissed passionately and intensely not even noticing when the prince trotted sulkily off, his dignity further shattered by clusters of small children following him asing where the circus and throwing stones. Never had he been so insulted.
Sarah and Carrie drew reluctantly apart and smiled shyly at each other.
'I can't offer you a magical kingdom', smiled Carrie but I've got a nice flat in Muswell Hill with lots of windows, plants and records. Not to mention a catflap.'
So without looking back once Sarah clambered on the back of the shining bike with Kaia stuffed securely down inside her jacket and they sped off towards a new life.
And yes, they lived happily ever after.

coastloop

i love happily ever after stories

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUKcGv5S7Y8

wraeth

Fabbylous

sparky lightbourne

faery tales are

as, and this one especially