Twist A Tale by jyotsna singh

On the other side of that door was a huge palace. The palace looked magnificent with the backdrop of the beautiful night sky. Alice was so into the palace that she didn't notice the beautiful girl she was about to run into. That girl was in such a hurry that she didn't even stop to put on her slipper that slipped out of her foot. Alice looked at the slipper and then back at the girl running away. Alice picked up the beautiful slipper,it was a unique slipper made out of glass. The young man following the girl startled Alice and she dropped the slipper. The beautiful glass slipper shattered into pieces. The young man didn't notice the slipper or Alice, he just kept running after that beautiful girl.....but she already left. Someone pulled Alice aside, she was shocked. It was a boy around Alice's age. He was wearing the same clothes as the rabbit from before. The boy grabbed Alice's shoulder and shook her. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA ABOUT WHAT YOU JUST DID" the boy shouted. Alice was still in shock, she replied, " no-o...". The boy stepped back and started taking deep breaths as if to calm himself down. "Do you know that the slipper you just broke was Cinderella's, and now that it's broken how do you think the prince will find her?" the boy said. Alice replied confused,
"what? Cinderella? Isn't that a fairy tale?". The boy replied,"yes it is. And you are in that story right now". (What did he just say? I am in a fairy tale? Did I hit my head when I fell down the hole? Am I hallucinating? This is a dream right? Maybe I will wake up soon) these were some of the thoughts flowing in Alice's head when the boy suddenly grabbed her hand and took her behind the stairs. There was another door behind the stairs. He opened the door.
Behind this door was the place where Alice landed after falling through the endless hole. The boy asked Alice," what were you even doing with that slipper?". Alice still lost in her thoughts replied, "huh? Oh...I dont know i just thought that the slipper was pretty."
The boy looked at Alice with suspicion.
"Who are you by the way? And how did you end up in that story anyways." he asked.
" I don't know I was just walking and then I fell and now you are telling me I am in a fairy tale. This is probably a dream." Alice replied. The boy stepped closer to Alice and grabbed her shoulders. He looked into her eyes and then pinched her shoulder. "Ouch!!! Why would you do that??." Alice cried in pain. "It's not a dream, and that's not important, think about a solution for the mess you created" the boy replied.
(Wait what???... If its not a dream than how did I end up here?? How am I gonna return??) Alice thought with a worried expression on her face. The boy looked at her and sighed,"look...whatever you are worried about it can wait after we solve this situation. You don't know how critical this situation is". Alice thought, maybe he is right, maybe I will go back after I solve this problem. After thinking hard Alice replied," I think Cinderella's story needs a twist." "what?" the boy replied with confusion. "Listen" Alice said.
After a while they re-entered Cinderella's story. It was afternoon and Cinderella was leaving for the jungle to collect some flowers. Perfect, Alice thought. Alice approached Cinderella. " excuse me?" she said. Cinderella turned around "yes?". "ummm....sorry" Alice said and snatched the basket out of Cinderella's hands and started running deeper into the woods. Cinderella still shocked started following Alice into the woods. Alice kept looking back to make sure that Cinderella was still following her. After a while Alice ran into the rabbit holding a ring in its mouth. Alice nodded and they both hid into the nearby bush. The rabbit turned back into the boy," do you think it will work?" he asked. "Shhhh...just wait and watch" Alice replied.
After sometimes a breathless Cinderella came looking for Alice. "Hey!! Where are you",she shouted. Suddenly she hears the crunching of twigs. She looked towards that direction and the prince was standing there. The prince was both surprised and happy at the same time, "you are the girl from yesterday's ball" the prince said. Cinderella was flustered she turned around trying to run away but this time the prince held her hand and stopped her. " Why are you always running away from me" the prince asked holding her hand. Cinderella stuttered " I do..on't th-think you should see me like this" she closed her eyes and looked away. The Prince smiled and said,
"Why? What's wrong". Cinderella looked at him and said "you don't find me ugly?". The princed stepped closer and replied " No" looking deep into her eyes. They both kept on looking into eachother's eyes for a really long moment. " Told you it will work" Alice said smilling. " Yeah whatever" the boy replied and got up, " let's go" he said.
They both walked through another door and returned back to the borrow. "Good work" the boy said and extended his hand towards Alice. She shook his hand and said, "I kno-"
She felt a sharp pain in her head and passed out because of the pain. When she opened her eyes everything was a blur. Soon her surrounding came into focus. She was lying down in her room. She suddenly got up and scared her sister sitting on the bedside. "what the...Are you finally awake?" her sister said. " What do you mean?" Alice replied. "well I didn't knew you were so weak. You passed out in the backyard because of the sun."told her sister.
What? So all that was really just a dream? But it felt so real. Alice kept on wondering and didn't notice the boy looking at her through the window. "She is one interesting human." he chuckled and then turned into a rabbit and disappeared into the bushes.