Hello all fairytale fanfics! This is Fairytale Dreamer and I'm excited about this story I'm writing! Please R&R, just let me hear what you have to say. I'm very interested. Enjoy!!

Here is a story that you will find unique. It is unlike others because it is a fairytale, but not just any fairytale. This is far from being your typical Cinderella story.

That's because of me. My name is Leora Corlett and I live in the enchanted land of New York City. Actually, it's far from enchanted. I just turned seventeen last month, and I've lived here since I was a baby. My parents died in a car crash after I was born; so my Aunt took custody of me and brought me out of the countryside and into the city. We live in a decent apartment right on the edge on Central Park. Aunt Connie is a maid in one of the hotels downtown; she works all day but is always home once I get out of school. She's always worried about me, and very protective. I'm just finishing up my senior year and I'm quite relieved about it. You see, I've never really fit in, I'm just different. Yeah, I've had my share of friends and had a boyfriend once, but it just never worked out.

So, I got a part time job at the local book store just several blocks from my apartment. We don't get much business there, but I love to read, its been an obsession of mine ever since I was a kid. My Aunt always told stories about kings, queens, elves, trolls, goblins, dwarves, knights, princesses, and werewolves. I've always wanted to live that kind of life, to go on a spectacular adventure and never come back. But I didn't choose my life. Anyways, when I was seven, Aunt Connie gave me a locket necklace. It has an L engraved on it, though I could never get the thing open. Still, it's a beautiful golden necklace, and I always wear it.

Here's where I begin. Schools just let out for the summer, I've finally finished high school. Heading back from the tortures of the horrible private school, I step off the elevator on my floor when I bump into one of my neighbors. I've always been kind of spacey, it's because of the pills my Aunt makes me take. She says if I don't, I tend to get overexcited and extremely hyper. It's very bizarre. "I'm sorry! It's just one of those days!" I said to my neighbor. She smiled and replied, "It's okay Leora. I gotta go, I'm running late. This week at the restaurant has been killing me!" She said goodbye and got into the elevator with her bike. I've always liked Virginia. She lives three doors down from my Aunt and me, and even though she's six years older than me, we think on the same level. Though, there's something about her I can't put my finger on. It might be the fact that her father, I think his name is Tony, was reported for robbing a bank, but then he disappeared. I never asked her about it, I figured she didn't want to talk about the whole ordeal.

I unlocked my door and stepped inside, putting my school bag down. It was good to be home. Our apartment wasn't the biggest in New York, there were only four rooms, but it was wonderful. I walked into my rooms and started changing when my Aunt chimed at me from the kitchen, "Good afternoon Leora! How was your last day of school?" "Fine Aunt Connie, same as always." I hollered from my room. "That's good. You'd better hurry, you have to be at Metilda's store soon!" "Okay." I said.

I pulled my faded yellow t-shirt over my head and put on my dark green coat that flowed down to my ankles. I put half of my auburn hair up in a bun and let the rest flow down my back. I looked into the mirror at my black addida sneakers, wearing my charcoal jean pants with my golden locket shining on my chest. 'Not bad,' I thought.

Walking to the door, I saw Connie impatiently waiting. Standing only four foot eleven, she tapped her stubby foot with her hands on her wide waist. I walked over, gave her a puppy-dog face, and hugged her saying sweetly, "I'm sorry; I'll try to be on time okay!"

She smiled and her rosy cheeks flushed redder, then she handed me a brown bag. "I made you a roast beef sandwich, your favorite!" I took it then slung my violet backpack over my shoulders. Then she handed me my pill and said, "Take this before you eat!" I took it and smiled, "Your so wonderful Connie! I don't know what I'd do without you!" I kissed her on the cheek, and for a moment believed that her smiled went away, but it returned quickly and I thought nothing of it. I walked out of the door and went downstairs and into the forest. Central Park has less traffic and noise, so I head through there to get to work.

It was close to six o'clock and I was very comfortable behind the cashier desk with my nose in The Grim Fairytales. As I gorged down my sandwich, my boss, Metilda, came up to me. "I'm going to run an errand. Watch the store and make sure no one steals anything!" I nodded, not even looking up from my book, "Uh huh." She sighed and rolled her eyes as she left the store. "Metilda's" was the name of it, after the owner obviously. She and I were the only ones that worked there, we'd occasionally have customers, but not many kept coming back. It seems no one is interested in books anymore; everyone is stuck in their houses watching television. I pity them for not seeing the real pleasure of reading an incredibly written book.

SLAM! The door was pushed open, and in popped him. He came in full of energy, immediately searching the shelves for a book, talking to himself. He's been coming to our store many times, for almost a month I believe. And he always gets a book from the same section.

"AHA! I've found you!" He boomed throughout the empty shop. Not even jumping, I marked the page I had finished and put my book down to ring the man up. He came to the front desk and set the book in front of me. It was called, 150 Ways to Cook Chicken. I rang it up noticing the strange man scratching the side of his head, making his black hair wild. That was Virginia's fiancée, and he kept our store in business. It was funny though, as nice of a guy as he was, I never knew his name. Sometimes I could hear Virginia and him in their apartment, and I swear that she's called him 'wolf,' like it was his name. But it was too odd, so I never asked him what his name was.

As I put his book in a plastic bag, I told him, "You know, they don't have this in the recipe in there, but I can make a delicious chicken stew." He gasped excitedly and asked, "Really?!? That's sounds absolutely scrumptious! Me and Virginia should come over sometime and try it!" I laughed, he was always obsessed with food. And I couldn't blame him, never in a hundred years could I be a vegetarian. Then, before leaving, he picked up the book I'd been reading, "Ah, Grim Fairytales. What a great story!" I smiled and nodded. Putting the book down, he smiled back, then was on his way.

But opening the front door, he stopped and pondered a moment, then said under his breath, "Who would believe that that was actually true! Huh." Then the store was silent once more, and there I stood, wondering, eyes wide open. Was he for real?

As they sky turned dark over Central Park, the woods stood still. All of a sudden, a great noise could be heard in the deep corner of the forest, but no one was around to hear it. A portal opened, and suddenly a creature covered in a hooded black cloak appeared. Then, two more followed. In their native tongue, they spoke, then quickly darted out of the forest, the first one holding a strange looking compass in front of him.

Aunt Connie stood at the stove, making something in a large pot. She pulled out some strange green dust from a round cup and mixed it into her concoction. The brew steamed green smoke and then she closed her eyes and began to chant in another language. Then suddenly, she stopped. She sensed something was wrong, and quickly poured out the potion and ran into her room. She then came out again carrying something, then took it into Leora's bedroom. That's when someone banged on the door. Connie panicked and ran back to the kitchen, but before she could grab a weapon, three hooded creatures broke in.

The first one grabbed Connie by the throat and pinned her to a wall. Then, he told her, "If you so much as scream, or don't give us the truth, I'll slit your throat!" Frightened, Connie nodded. He then said something to the others and they searched the apartment; a minute later they returned.

"Where is she?" Stuttering, Connie answered, "I...I don't know!" The creature punched her across the face then growled, "Don't you lie! Where's the girl gone?" Beginning to weep, she told him, "She's at work. She won't be home for quite awhile!" Pulling her feet off the ground, he asked in but a whisper, "And where does she work?"

It was ten o'clock when Metilda and I locked up. The evening had gone by slow, having only one customer. But it was nice, and Metlida was a good person to work for. "So, do you know where you're going to college yet Lori?" I sighed, "I already told you, I'm not. I'm going to travel. Never in my life have I been out of New York, and I'm sick of it here! I want to go on an adventure, see new places, and meet new people, hopefully not as shallow as the ones I've known!" Metilda put her hand on my cheek lightly, "One day, you'll find your place in this life. Whether it be here or somewhere else. I promise." I smiled, and said goodnight then walked into the park. Looking up at the moon, I felt better than I'd ever had. Things were looking up.