Fairytale Secrets (Little Red)

• Theea Ene, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2018

Rowena opened her eyes to get a glimpse of the morning light. She stared into the big effulgent eyes of a golden sun shining against her window. “Ugh” she sighed as she flicked her red locks out of her face. It was another day in the chaotic orphanage and that meant more work for sorrowful Rowena and more trouble from Mrs. Ideyla. Her hopeful self fell on the tattered carpet and slid onto dirty floorboards. “Rowenaaaaaaaaaa, oh Rowena you dreadful girl! 20 seconds late! Again!” Ideyla muttered as she stormed through the ancient door. Her boots where now laying in front of the young girl’s pale skin and blue eyes. The old lady stormed out of the room muttering some unkind words and finally disappeared down the old corridor. It was clear that the time-worn lady hated her! ‘I WILL PUT A STOP TO THIS!’ she yelled in her mind.
Ideas floated through her head… ‘Run away’ she thought, “hmmm and my best thought yet.” Rowena desperately searched for what she was looking for: the red fabric Mrs. Ideyla used to make their uniforms. “Bingo!” she whispered, “But I’ll need something to protect myself with.” Rowena scattered down the hallway into the kitchen. Her eyes stared with doubt looking towards the butter-knife that stood before her. Her hand touched the knife gently as she picked it up. ‘No’ she thought before quickly swapping it with a fork. She worked all night knitting and knitting the perfect cloak. It was red. Just plain red. But the fabric felt so warm you would want to wear it all the way through a hot Aussie summer.
The next morning Rowena woke up at 4am. It wasn’t easy since she only got two hours of sleep but she did what had to be done to win this dramatic fight. No food. No water. She went out the door.
Her eyes glistened with joy as the sun rose up into the clear blue sky. The grass shook behind her, “Huh...what, what was that?” Rowena whispered before changing the tone of her voice. “Show yourself! I’m not afraid I’m protected!” That last word didn’t make any sense, but what did? Two people (or two things) stood in front of her. An old woman (I’d say about 49) and a fox. The woman said, “Rowena, sweetheart, come back! We miss you!” The fox said: “Your grandmother, Victoria, she needs you!” She had two options: Mrs. Ideyla, a devil or a stranger who somehow knew her grandmother. Rowena chose the stranger. She dashed deep into the forest on the way to her grandmother’s house.
The door cracked open as Ideyla stood still smiling and saying: “Rowena, you sweetheart, come back!” Anger rushed through her making her head hot. “WHERE IS MY GRANDMOTHER?” Ideyla looked shocked: “In there". Rowena walked towards the cupboard. “Grandma!!!” her heart swished with joy. “I can take care of you now,” the old lady said. “GREAT! Let’s go and tell them,” answered Rowena.