Contest #88 winner 🏆

No More Happy Endings

Submitted into Contest #88 in response to: Write about an author famous for their fairy tale retellings.... view prompt

161 comments

Sad Fiction

Once upon a time…

…there was only war. She leapt up in triumph, blood dripped from her sword as she swung it down on the beast’s neck, hacking in a frenzy. She laughed. The taste of blood and sweet revenge urged her on in her manic slaying of the creature that had…

No, no that wasn’t right.

Once there was a girl who…

…who had a monster in her, clawing at the surface every waking moment she…

No! Not that either.

There was once a little girl who…

Who what?

Tearing the page away and crumpling it into a ball, he threw it over his shoulder to join its growing mass of brethren on the floor. It was dark in the office, the curtains shut to block out the intrusion of the light. He worked by a single lamp, its artificial brightness casting shadows about the room. Shadows were better than ghosts, he supposed.

He licked his dry lips, ignoring his thirst and the beginnings of a headache. When last had he drunk anything? No, that wasn’t important. This was.

On the book shelf behind him, the row of his best sellers stared down mockingly at him. They were not stories like the one he was trying so desperately to write. These were horror retellings of traditional fairy tales. Stories where the wolf ate the girl, the evil queen became the fairest in the land and giants ruled the world below. There were no good endings there.

‘Why can’t you write a happy story?’ a childish voice whined in his ears.

He turned, almost expecting her to be standing behind him, but there were only the shadows and his books. Those books that had taken so many hours. So much time. Why had he wasted so much time?

“I’m trying,” he whispered, pushing the thoughts of wrath and pain away.

A long time ago, in a kingdom far, far away, there lived a girl who…

He got up, reaching for the first book on the shelf, his first novel. The snarling face of an undead Cinderella stared up at him. What had he missed writing this? Her first birthday? Her first word? He couldn’t remember just now.

Opening it, he peered down at the dedication, the only indication he had remembered her at all. Who dedicates a horror book to a baby? He was such an idiot.

He tore the page out and then the next…and the next….and the next. One by one, they fell to the floor like snow until his movements became erratic, gripping handfuls at a time and ripping them out. He grabbed another book, a cannibalistic Gretel greeted him, her brother’s severed head grinning at the reader. This one too joined the flurry of paper on the ground.

“Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!” he chanted to himself, almost screaming the words out.

Book, after book, was torn apart, helping him vent his rage in that dark room. He finally collapsed on the floor, exhausted to his bones. The blank pages of his notebook waited for him. He put his head back and closed his eyes.

~.~

The world was bright. Sunlight dabbled down through the leaves of the trees in the forest as he road out on his white horse. It had been a long and treacherous journey. He had faced dragons and monsters. He had climbed mountains and ventured deep underground. His adventures had taken him far and wide; he had seen places he couldn’t have dreamed of, but it was worth it. All to get to this point.

He had finally found her.

The princess had been stolen away from them suddenly by a wicked fairy who cast a terrible curse on her. The cure to this curse was almost impossible to find and many times the brave king had come close to giving up hope.

The path led him deep into the forest, past whispering trees and sweet song birds that heralded his coming.

A gilded, glass coffin lay in the centre of a clearing. As he approached, he could see her sweet face through the opaque glass, gently dreaming. He got off his horse and approached, the cure, a magical flower in hand. He stepped forward, his boots sinking into soft moss as the perfumed scent of the forest hit him.

Lifting the lid, he laid the flower, its golden petals gleaming, onto her little chest and waited.

And waited.

“Darling,” he whispered, “it’s time to wake up.”

Her angelic face, framed in the golden halo of her hair, remained impassive. He bent down, pressing his lips to her cool forehead and feeling his eyes sting.

“Please princess,” he begged, “Please wake up.”

The gilded coffin faded to crisp white sheets, the forest to the stark walls of the hospital room. The sweet smell was the acrid scent of chemicals used to clean the floors and the gentle bird song became the slow beep of the heart monitor.

He sat crouched over her bedside, holding her cold hand in a death grip, eyes red from crying all night. His little girl lay still on the bed, her usually plump cheek sallow and the glow lost from her skin. Her beautiful, golden hair was all gone now and she wore a cap to keep her head warm. She was connected to more wires and tubes than he thought possible for such a tiny human being.

Her eyes remained closed, trapped in her dream world forever.

“Please,” he cried, “Please wake up!”

‘Why can’t you write a happy story, Daddy?’

~.~

 “Paul? Paul!” the voice was coming to him from far away, slowly dragging him out of the dream, “Honey, wake up!”

His eyes opened blearily. Someone had opened the curtains and window, letting the sunshine leak in. A mess of paper covered the floor and his wife was peering down at him, her gaze worried.

“You need some water,” she said softly, coaxingly, “And some food. Come on, love.”

She tried to pull him up, but he gripped her by the arm, gaze searching. She looked so much like their little princess, with the same golden hair and sweet face. There were bags under her eyes, betraying how tired and sad she was, a mirror of his own face. His heart clenched painfully.

“I said I’d write it,” he mumbled out, it seemed important she know, “I was trying to write a happy story. I promise.”

She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around him and bringing them close together. He shuddered in her arms, letting himself get pulled in by her warmth. Hot tears found their way down his face as he clutched close to her.

“I know,” she soothed, “She’ll really like that.”

Once upon a time, in a kingdom far, far away, there lived a little girl…

…who was loved, very, very much. 

April 03, 2021 16:47

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161 comments

Ellie Yu
15:19 Apr 16, 2021

This one hurts. It's beautiful and poignant and painful, especially the way the second section ties into his real life. A really deserved win, congrats!

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Zilla Babbitt
20:35 Apr 16, 2021

The love for a child is one of the most pure and beautiful. You capture his desperation and love for "the princess" in a heartbreaking way. Deserved win!

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Kate Le Roux
18:07 Apr 16, 2021

It's hard to write tragic things like this without sounding cheesy and forced - this is the beauty of prompts, I think! The fairytales ground it somehow. Also interesting how you wove together fairytales, his dreams and his reality. Well done 👏

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Kendi Karimi
01:12 May 05, 2021

I love the weaving bit too. Really well told story.

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Shannon Ethel
13:17 Apr 21, 2021

Wow! Thank you to everyone who has commented and liked this story! I’m still going through them all and have been overwhelmed and humbled by your words. Thank you! ❤️

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Twisty Girl
05:26 May 14, 2021

This was a well deserved win! The pain felt so real, as did the love! And as a horror writer, it is touched something deep inside as I have often tried writing in lighter genres only to be met with “there are no more happy endings,” you did a beautiful job! I couldn’t stop until I finished it. You have to be so proud of this! I look forward to seeing more of you work xxx

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Shaylynn Skinner
20:46 Jan 31, 2022

LOL this is an awkward question but..........did you actually win prize money? LOL XD

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Valerie June
15:49 Apr 16, 2021

This one went straight to my heart Shannon. The transition from galloping on a white steed to the princess in the hospital melted the two worlds so beautifully. A deserved win.

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E.L. Hyland
12:45 Apr 21, 2021

This was a absolutely magnificent story. I enjoyed it from beginning to end. This is painfully relatable no matter who you are. We have all loved a child or have been loved as a child and this captures that sentiment well. Congratulations!

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Rose Quartz
22:24 Apr 19, 2021

Congrats

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Sharon Marcus
19:38 Apr 19, 2021

Very well told. Congratulations!

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Joeann Lias
19:08 Apr 19, 2021

I liked because you never gave away the ending kept me wondering what was next I loved it !

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Olivia Agatha
17:36 Apr 19, 2021

so good!

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Nyx :)
17:27 Apr 19, 2021

I love the story! very much deserved the win!

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17:19 Apr 19, 2021

That was both beautiful and sad. You really have a talent for writing! Amazing job!

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Veda Vivek💎
01:29 Apr 17, 2021

This is a very well-deserved win! I love how sad and engaging it was. Congrats!! 😀👍

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Lilianna Gower
15:48 Apr 16, 2021

Oooh I've got chills! This is so lovely, you did a wonderful job! :))

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Aurora Spencer
15:36 Apr 16, 2021

This story is really powerful and poignant! I like how you spun it around Paul. I loved the last line because it stands out and is just so beautiful. Splendid job! Well deserved win, Shannon! Congrats!

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Michael Boquet
14:57 Apr 16, 2021

I love the sense of desperation you impart to the reader. It plays nicely with your main character's vain hope. I personally found the fractured fairy tales the main character wrote to be the most interesting part. A heartbreaking story but beautiful in its own way. Congrats on the win!

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Aisha Khan
06:47 Apr 21, 2021

This was so stunningly beautiful! When I first read the prompt, it honestly confused me but you took it to a whole new level. Its emotional and the visual imagery were really good! Congratulations!!!!

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Accoral -
00:40 Apr 21, 2021

Man, you made a tear appear in my eye. This is so bittersweet.

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Kiyomi Uchiha
19:19 Apr 20, 2021

I love this story. It's very pretty you desired to win.

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Laura Davis
12:43 Apr 20, 2021

Oh my gosh... this one tore my heart i wanted more to be honest please write more like this this was something that i could not get my eyes off of

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