Rachel sat down next to Sarah. Jordan was sleeping over at a friends house, and their mother was out, so she was stuck with babysitting Sarah that night. "It's bedtime, Sarah. Time to go upstairs."
"But Rachel..."
"You know the rules. You go to bed when I say. No arguing."
"Fine. But, umm, can you tell me a story?"
Rachel smiled. Her little sister was so much smaller, so much more innocent than the world that Rachel knew. "Sure. What do you want it to be about?"
"Princesses. And butterflies. And angels."
"Okay. There was once a princess, and she was very kind and..."
"No."
"No what?"
"You forgot to say 'once upon a time.'"
"Oh yeah. Sorry. Once upon a time there was a princess. She was so beautiful and kind, that she could talk to the angels. One day, the princess did an especilly good deed. Now, she had never seen an angel, only heard them. But no one was allowed to see an angel in its true form, so the angel needed to find a disguise. She turned herself into a beautiful creature: a butterfly. So the angel went down to Earth, and told the princess that she would always be beautiful even in her old age. But if she stayed kind, than she would become and angel after she died. So the princess always treated everyone with goodness and fairness for the rest of her life. She died in a good old age, and her soul lived forever as an angel. The end."
"Thank you Rachel."
"No problem. Now go upstairs and go to bed."
"Okay. But Rachel."
"Yeah?"
"Did it really used to be that nice? I mean back 'once upon a time?'"
"Yes. Once upon a time, everyone was free. And once upon a time the good people always won." Tears started coming down Rachel's face. "Once upon a time, you could only hold someone with rope. And once upon a time, ignorance was bliss."
Sarah was confused. What was her sister talking about? Why was she crying? Was she hurt? "Rachel? Are you okay?"
"Yes. Yeah, I'm fine."
Sarah hesitated before saying "Okay." She hugged Rachel and bounded upstairs. That night, before falling asleep, Rachel remembered. She remembered when everyone was free. She remembered when the good people always won. She remembered when she thought that you could only hold someone with rope. She remembered when the saying "ignorance is bliss," was true.
And Rachel remembered once upon a time.
Once upon a time, I was reckless but not ruthless. Once upon a time, I wasn't known for being brave. Once upon a time, my love was a simple thing. But that was simply once upon a time.
Once upon a time, I didn't have to lie. Once upon a time, the animals were my only responsibility. Once upon a time, my morals were all intact. But that was just once upon a time.
Once upon a time, the world didn't rest on my shoulders. Once upon a time, my decisions couldn't kill my friends. Once upon a time, I was a child who could act like one. But that was only once upon a time.
Once upon a time, I could hold someone's hand. Once upon a time, I wasn't looked at with such pity. Once upon a time, my body was my own. But that was merely once upon a time.
Once upon a time, my mother was just dead. Once upon a time, I needed care only for my dad. Once upon a time, most of my life was sad but simple. But that was but once upon a time.
Once upon a time, I wasn't a full warrior. Once upon a time, I wasn't so far from home. Once upon a time, there were many of my species near me. But that was no more than once upon a time.
Once upon a time, we were only kids. Once upon a time, we knew no war. Once upon a time, our souls were clean. But that was solely once upon a time.