Day 13

Inspired by @anothernicole and @sicarius

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    Day 13
    As usual, the headache woke her up.  Her mind refused to let her body open her eyes.  Only pain went that way, especially as she unpleasantly realized there was more light outside of her than expected.

    She cracked open an eye.  Her windows were open, and the air was fresh.  She slowly opened the other.  There was less mess than she was used to in the room, which made her wonder if she was in the wrong apartment as she slowly sat up from the couch.

    A nondescript person appeared in her vision, and forcibly, yet suggestively set a tray on the coffee table in front of her.  There was burnt toast, porridge, and a steaming pot that smelled of ginger.  She glared, “Did I give you a key?” the question was both rhetorical and curious.  The previous night had been Friday, and she’d blacked out, as usual.

    The rustle of beige and gray continued cleaning.  She scowled and reached beneath the couch for her favorite eye opener, but it was gone.  “Why you thieving, self righteous…”

    A cup of tea was set in front of her.

    The mousy haired stranger checked her watch, then sat next to her, and carefully, gently brushed the tangles from her hair.

    She sighed and sipped the tea.  “You breaking and entering like this reminds me of when we first learned to pick locks and put mouse bait in people’s beds.”  She tried to giggle, but could only wince instead.  “Who did we get expelled for that?  It wasn’t Kim, we did him in with those rumors about the laundry room.”

    She stopped talking as her caretaker brought her towels, warm and cold, to wash up with.  “I always said you were born to be my minion.”  She saw, with satisfaction, a muscle twitch in that neutral mask, and let out a short, bitter laugh.  
    She heard those unsaid words, “If I’m to stay your minion, than you should have stayed a queen,” and chose to ignore them.

    Suddenly, the towels were taken away and a screen propped up.  After a final check of the watch, a video chat window appeared.

    At first all they saw were the drab prison clothes, numbered not named, and dull blonde hair.  Then they saw her eyes, sparkling, her nose that twitched when her mouth quirked.  She held up both hands to wave at them, unable to make a sound in her joy.

    The queen drinking tea finally ignored her throbbing head and smiled.

    And the carefully commonplace person laughed in the most uncommon way.

    Love, February

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      My favorite fictional friendships are those of female criminals. All the love. The end.

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        What is this from?

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          Oops, I forgot to explain it’s a scene of characters I made up (that’s why I mentioned Sic and Nicole, since they had posted character concepts earlier this week)

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            I kind of thought so! And then I was like, this is so good. Like, a professional writer must of written this. It’s so good. I hope you publish the book one day!

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            Haha thanks Ally ~ I’m not sure it’s that professional, but they are characters I’ve been getting to know for a long time. I’ve imagined this scene so many times, I’m sure I’ve written it out before. The broken queen being cared for by her former servant, for the sake of what was and the other servant who gave up her freedom for them. Them sharing food together, because they can never give up this friendship that has been their one constant.

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      So, one thing about old fairytales I love is how they are simply told and stark they are. I feel as though anyone can read them and imagine in their heads the characters and their backstories.

      Over ten years ago now I got this idea in my head for my own, modern, version of Snow White. This scene is sort of an epilogue for that story, which has the evil queen disgraced and destroyed, but still cared for by her faithful friends, the huntsman and the magic mirror, who have been her partners in crime since they met during school days.

      I know, I know. It’s super cheesy. But also my favorite depiction of female friendship that I’ve made up, though I know my words can’t do it justice.

      Thanks for reading ~

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        i love it. i read it before i read this comment, so i didn’t have this knowledge, but i got the same vibe. nice nice nice. and i am a sucker for fairy-tale “retellings,” so i love it even more for that! <3

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        *gasps in wonderment* I’m so excited, this sounds magical.

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      I’m so ready for your book, Coco.

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        Thank you for being such so positive! I think I’m intimidated by the prospect I’ve writing the book is because I’m afraid I won’t do the story justice after knocking it around my head so many years.

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          Oi, I think we never are/never will be entirely satisfied with what we do, such is life, but life is also about making peace with it, no? Either way, I’m so entirely positive you’ll do it justice and more, especially since it’s been living in your head for so long! The characters and stories must be dying to go out into the world!

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      Oh i am IN!!! “And the carefully commonplace person laughed in the most uncommon way.” perfectly eerie. this is great. i hope you keep going with this! <3 <3 <3

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        That carefully commonplace person is my favorite character. The only ones who still recall their name and individuality is the sloshed queen and the imprisoned magic mirror.

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      Yes a novel please. Or a book of short stories?

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