Saturday 9 November 2013

Fairy Tales with a Twist Series: Cinderella

Hi Blogger!

I've decided to do a small series of 500+ entries to do with fairy tales. 

Now, Disney has done very well in telling us the fairy tales of the past centuries, but they haven't really been modernised: it's always that non-descript Medieval era, (with the exception of "The Princess and The Frog" which looks like fifties America).

This is all spurred from a lecture I had on Thursday, and we posed the question of how different the stories would be if you changed elements such as: location, gender, sexuality, time frame, era, etc.


I'm starting with Cinderella, and will confess now: all of my fairy tale knowledge derives from Disney.

"Cindy: this is the third time this month you've been caught in town outside curfew. I won't stand for it any longer.” Rebecca took the girl's limp hand, and tried to ignore the biting stare from her eyes.

"You need to understand that we have rules here, and now you are a part of this community-"
"It's not a community; it's a dumping ground for strays." Cindy pulled back her hand and slumped back in the orange chair. "I want to go home."
"Cindy, you can't go home. Your step-mother lost the custody plea after your father... we will help you find a new home. Or you can go for a foster family? Would you like that?"
"Can I go to my room now?"
"Chores first I'm afraid. And its film night tonight, doesn't that sound fun?"
"Not really." she looked down at her feet. "What are my chores?"
"Clean the kitchen floor."
"Fine." The girl stood up to leave, but Rebecca called after her.
"Cindy? Can I trust this is the end of the anti-social behaviour?"
"No." Cindy walked out of the office and towards the kitchen.

- - - 


Cindy pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialled a number. RING RING RING - "Yo, Prince? It's Cindy. You've got to get me out of here, they're driving me insane. Twenty minutes? Fine. See you." She put the phone back in her pocket and carried on mopping the floor. 

- - -

Cindy shut her bedroom door behind her. The one good thing about the Far Far Away Children's Home was that she had her own room, right at the top of the house, in the attic. She searched for her bag and picked up some of her clothes. When she found the bag, she stuffed them inside and rummaged around her room for other things.
"Where's my goddamn lighter?" Cindy patted herself down but couldn't find the pink flip lighter she had gotten from Prince for her birthday. 

Prince was her best friend, lover and dealer. She literally couldn't do anything without his say so. Even when she was living with her step-mom and step-sisters, he was always there to rescue her and take her far away. 

That's what a lover/dealer is so good at: they can make your dreams come true just by adding a little magic dust. 

Cindy's phone rang in her jacket pocket, and she answered it through her headphones. "Sup?"
"I'm outside. Where are you?"
"I'm just grabbing some stuff. I'll be like two minutes." She hung up with the click of a button and carried on packing. 

A knock at the door startles her. "Can I come in, Cindy?"
"Fuck." She whispered. "Yeah one second." She kicked the bag under the bed and straightened up her covers. She walked over to the door and opened it. "Hi. What's up?"
"Are you coming down for film night?"
"I have a bit of a headache actually. I think it was the fumes from the bleach. I'm just going to lie down for a little while." Rebecca looked at the tall blonde girl in front of her and worried.
"Are you sure? It's the girls' choice tonight. Is there nothing you want to watch?"

"Honestly, I just want to lie down. But I'll come to the next one."

Hesitant, Rebecca said her goodbyes and left Cindy alone. Cindy shut the door, grabbed her bag and climbed out of the window, and ran into the arms of her Prince. 



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