Paper Princess

• Emma Paul, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2015

Everyone dreams of a palace made of gold and gems, but they don’t dare follow their dreams, but for one girl dreams are not in her head but on paper. When but a child, her father gave her a journal made of leather with golden thread, with this book he told her, “in this book your dreams are real that you can see, hear, touch and feel." Since that day she filled the book with her dreams, she lived in them and through them. As of late royalty is her dream so in her book her life is changed, a palace of paper, a dress of white, a charming grey knight. The palace was large not a smudge, in the land of white she ruled with kindness but was tough. In her kingdom there is no fear; her people laugh, rejoiced and cheered. Everything is fine until the removers of lands came... They started to erase all of her dreams, they started with little things like trees and shrubs, but they grew more powerful and started to erase people and buildings. Coming out of her dreams, she quickly snatched her book away before they could do more damage, “stop that right now!” she said loud but panicked. “Why? It’s just some stupid drawings” replied the eraser of dreams. The eraser of dreams grabbed the journal, opened it and ripped out the picture of the paper palace, destroying the paper princess’ hope and dreams. No her life. Distraught, the paper princess ran out of the house and into the streets, not seeing the oncoming car... Until it was too late... Upon the death of the paper princess the eraser of dreams realised maybe her sister’s dreams were not so stupid after all.