A/N: This story is what I used as my original writing coursework for English last year. My teacher and examiners (I think) liked it, considering the final grade I got so I hope you like too!
Darkness
- A Re-telling of Cinderella
If there was ever a castle as dark, as gloomy or as overgrown as the one that sat on the top of the hill overlooking the inferior valley below, it must have been in a child's nightmare. Upon the castle lay black weathered castellations encaging the tall twisted towers that rose out of the roof. Along the sides of the towers, dark crisp ivy vines slowly crept upwards, obscuring the view out of the dulled windows.
Rowena was the sole inhabitant of the castle. She wore a predominately grey dress with the odd darkened black patches of soot that had previously been violently torn. Her hair was long and jet-black like the sky in the dead of the night. Her eyes reflected the sorrow, fear and terror within her. They would often catch the rare glimpses of light that appeared from the minute windows in the village. The fear, sorrow and terror that the light revealed had been bubbling inwardly for 12 years. The small, innocent, little girl she had once been was corrupted by hate when the tragic loss of her father fell upon her.
Subsequently, Rowena was left in possession of her vindictive, malicious, stepmother and stepsister both of whom ensured that Rowena was worked thoroughly. She was instructed to work obscene hours from dawn until dusk and beyond.
Through tiredness and exhaustion, Rowena followed orders and gaining, what she thought was, trust. Only this trust, lead her to be confined within the castle itself. Her state of fear and terror had engulfed her, whilst she sat in the far corner of building, and the surrounding darkness cornered her into insanity.
The sun shone through the darkened windows and streamed down onto the charcoal floor. The overcast grey clouds reduced the intensity of the threatening sunlight. The crisp lifeless autumn leaves lay scattered upon the grounds, surrounding the castle, floating meaninglessly around in the non-existent wind.
Inside the castle, the young girl with tangled jet-black hair descended down the cold twisted staircase. The floor froze the girls' feet as they repeatedly pressed themselves against the floor. The waning fire reduced in the intense frostiness on the bitter arctic day. Suddenly, a resounding knock on the door echoed through the silent halls. Rowena opened the door to reveal a man standing below the ominous sky. He bared a yellow letter in his left hand.
"Are you Rowena?" the man asked. Rowena nodded in reply. "Here. Please accept my condolences." The man gave her the letter and he turned round and left. The overcast sky remained hanging over the house and Rowena tore open the letter that lay in her hand baring her father's handwriting on the front of it.
My dearest darling Rowena,
The fact that this letter has been placed in your hands means that the worst has happened. In my most recent trip something, unexpected or otherwise, must have happened which consequently ended in my death. I know that this must be very overwhelming for you, but in time you will come to except it. My wish is for you to stay well and to be happy. I will always be with you!
I'll be with you always,
Dad
Rowena's eyes and cheeks rapidly grew redder and redder as the tears seeped from her misted eyes and scorched the sides of her face. Her surroundings faded and instantly turned black as she closed out the rest of the world.
In the weeks that followed, Rowena was placed under strict eye of her stepmother. The pile of responsibility and chores increased significantly since Rowena was taken under the care of her stepmother and stepsisters. Rowena endured endless demands from her stepmother and both of her stepsisters as the upcoming royal party drew closer. All 3 of Rowena's relatives, found this opportunity to fulfil their ideas. For years they had always referred to Rowena as a "burden" that they couldn't get rid of, but now, they found a way.
The ancient grandfather clock stuck venomously nine times, indicating the departure of the stepsisters and their mother. Rowena retreated up to her bedroom, unaware of her stepmother closely following her footsteps. When she entered her shadowy room, she closed the door behind her. Suddenly she heard the metal bolt in the door move. The door was looked. She was trapped. Trapped like an abandoned hamster left in its cage. The darkness around her thickened as the lights downstairs were extinguished, leaving the castle in darkness.
Many minuets passed and the shadowy darkness engulfed her more and more with each haunting tick of her wristwatch. Silence ruled over the castle except for the odd echoing sounds occasionally. Slowly, the minutes turned into hours and the hours turned into days. The days continued to pass by unaware by Rowena as the windows continued to darken until all light was prevented from the rooms. Outside, the weather remained cloudy and overcast.
After what seemed like weeks of waiting, for her stepmother and stepsisters return, Rowena concluded that they probably weren't coming back, but still kept her hopes high. Several times Rowena thought she heard creaks of the floorboards outside her bedroom door, and yet, when her desperate calls for help bounced off the walls down the corridors, no reply came. No one was there.
The years passed slowly as Rowena sat solely in her room and the castle. Dust gathered heavily on the surfaces of the room. As the moments passed, the dress that Rowena wore, which was predominantly white when she was first trapped within the confinements of the room, had slowly turned duller as the dust settled. As the days wore on, the dress became darker and darker until finally, it turn pure black.
After 10 years to her room, Rowena grew frustrated and tired in confusion. Everything was dark and covered in a six-inch layer of dust. Rowena lay amongst the thick snow-like substance on her bed, breathing deeply. Turning over one last time, Rowena closed her eyes and sunk downwards into the bed allowing the darkness to engulf her. Her pulse ceased.