Charity Smith

Meeting the Roommates:

Charity Smith

SPINOFF SERIES: COOKBOOK

meaning: Benevolent, goodwill, love  ///  hard-worker

Charity is from a great big, traditional Mormon family. She is a Life Science major. She is one of 10 children and although she is the youngest of triplets, she acts as the oldest child. Siblings: [Faith, Hope, Charity], Ammon, Peter, [Noel, Noah], Grace, Chastity, Celeste. She enjoys the cooking channel and running. She loves the long versions of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. 

Blonde.

Clair Caro

Meeting the Roommates:

Clair Caro

SPINOFF SERIES: FANTASY

meaning: gentle, bright, shining like a light, very feminine  ///  beloved

Clair is a psychology major. She is sweet and soft-spoken. She loves reading and is so busy with her studies that she often neglects her social life. She loves Jane Austen and has all her books. 

Strawberry blonde.

Edith Blythe

Meeting the Roommates:

Edith Blythe

SPINOFF SERIES: GRAPHIC NOVEL?

meaning: happy, cheerful, carefree

Edith is an Art major. She is funny, but shy. Curvy and fine with it. She enjoys movies, learning, and eating a variety of delicious food. She is the middle of three sisters. She loves Jane Austen and has nearly all her movies. 

Light brunette/dirty blonde

Roommates

Several years ago, while I was going through my darkest trial - while my husband was leaving Christianity for atheism, and leaving me for loneliness - I withdrew into a creative space in my mind where I formulated a story of comfort. This space mirrored a time in my past where I was happy. Even if I did experience sadness, I could rely on the people in my life and in my home for comfort and love. This space became a place where I would visit often, and the more I retreated here, the more the storyline and characters developed. 

I am finally ready and willing to share with you this safe place that I created while in a time of spiritual and emotional danger. 

Premise:

College is an exciting time, full of so many new things. New home. New friends. Newfound independence. Figuring it out with the people you live with is a joy of life that is afforded for only a short and temporary period of time. Too often, we focus on getting through it, but really, we should revel in it. This is a story of a few roommates who will provide a way for you to do just that. Each roommate will have her own spin off  novel from her own perspective. This means different genres will not only be necessary, but will be fun to both write and to read.

Jonah - Part 4

The turbulent storm propelled the vessel through the waters. From one river to another, finally meeting the sea. It was a journey of several days, but it was intentional in direction by God. 

The storm was fairly small in diameter and stayed close to the vessel, so when it arrived at another ship it happened all of a sudden. The winds were so wild that the mariners were frightened, fearing the ship would break and drown them. They prayed to God for him to save them and help them know what to do. There was one man on the ship who slept through the rough and tempestuous storm, apathetic and seemingly unafraid.

Truly, however, he was only less afraid of drowning than he was of the request the Lord had recently made of him. He had attempted to flee from the presence of the Lord, but the Lord saw him in his weakness and knew how to strengthen his faith. In this moment God impressed upon Jonah what he needed to do.

Jonah told the mariners, "Throw me into the water; so the sea will be calm for you. I know that God has sent this tempest because of me."

The mariners were surprised by his request.

"Um, yeah, we're not going to do that." 

"That's crazy." 

"There's got to be another way."

They worked hard to control the ship to no avail.

"Nope." Jonah said emotionless. "You can see that nothing you try is helping. This is really your only hope to survive." 

Jonah must have been persuasive enough to convince them to throw him overboard because they lifted him and heaved him into the raging sea. He took a breath just before he plunged deep into the cold water. His body tensed at the shock of it. Just then the vessel circled about him, stuck spinning in a whirlpool. The flap opened and let him in. The waters stilled and the storm was gone.

Too dark to see, Jonah felt the walls of the vessel. That, together with the smell and situation, he determined he must have been swallowed by a great fish of some sort. He prayed to the Lord to acknowledge His awareness of him. To praise Him and explain his fears and reasoning. 

After three days the vessel was brought to the shore and thrust Jonah out of it. Then it was gone. The Lord no longer had need of it so the sea swallowed it up and disposed of it. 

Jonah was weak and hungry. He was grateful to be alive. Amazed that God could deliver him from the belly of the sea. And he was ready to serve God in whatever way he was asked. So when God appeared to Jonah for a second time to ask the thing He had asked Jonah prior, he was ready to obey.

"Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee."

________________________

There was a commotion in the compound where Nim lived. He heard some servants talking about a prophet who had come to call repentance or be overthrown. His heart started racing. He ran to find Mara who was already searching for him. +

She told him, "There's a rumor that the king has been converted!" 

Nim asked, "Do you know what this means!"

The two sang together, "God answered our prayers!" 

They walked through the city in search of the prophet. Everyone was different. Everything felt new. Instead of people consumed in themselves, they were helping each other. Instead of being spat upon in public they received smiles. They had never seen adults smile at them before. They were always treated as an inconvenience. Now they were welcomed.

"Children," A woman said, wearing only a sack cloth beckoned to them, "The king has made a proclamation for us to humble ourselves from the inside out. We are to fast and wear sackcloth." She handed each of them a coarse, rough material made of goat hair that was fashioned into a modest smock. In a state of utter amazement, they accepted the offering and hastily changed. 

Tears filled Nim's eyes as his heart filled with gratitude.

"Are you okay?" Mara asked.

He took a moment before he answered. "God heard me. He's really real."

Mara smiled and embraced him. As they pulled apart to continue their search there was a man standing before them. 

"Children, go and tell your families that the Lord, God is aware of you. You are important to Him. He wants to save you and your people."

Nim's mouth fell open and his eyes grew wide. 

"Pray to God. Repent. Give thanks. And share what I have told you with those around you."

Jonah's words held power that pounded into Nim. He wanted to tell this mysterious man, this prophet, that he had prayed for him to come unto them. He wanted to tell him about the angel and the vessel that he had spent months working on. He wanted to tell him everything, but all that he did say was, 

"Thank you."

_______________________

Jonah Chapter 1 

17 Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Jonah Chapter 3

5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

Jonah - Part 3

Nim did not know how to build a vessel. But that didn't stop him from trying. He put his best effort into following the instructions given by the angel. He gathered wood and bone from around the area. He worked on it diligently every day. Sometimes his friend, Mara, would come with him. She thought it was exciting to gather material to do the commands of God. Their hard work reflected in quality and progress. 

Nim completed everything the angel had told him to do in about three months. When he was done he had a framework that looked a lot like a bird cage. Only this was a huge bird cage that was large enough to easily fit both him and Mara.

"You did it! You're done." Mara exclaimed but Nim just shook his head with confusion visible on his face.

"I did everything the angel told me to do, but he also told me to make it airtight. This is anything but that!" He shoved his arm through the gap between two ribs. 

The two friends sat down within the frame of the vessel as if in a jail.

"I don't know where to go from here."

"Maybe you could try talking to God again."

"Good idea." Nim hadn't considered that the angel hadn't given him the whole answer. He hadn't considered that God would instruct little attainable bit by little attainable bit. The two knelt as he asked God:

"Oh God, I have done all you have asked. I followed your instructions the best I could. But I don't know where to go from here. Please help me know how to make it airtight."

They waited for an angel to arrive but no one came. They ended up falling asleep. When they awoke the next morning, there was a very large fish that was laying beside the frame of the vessel. Dead. 

At first they were frightened. He thought someone had been there and left the fish to rot. He jumped up and walked around it to see if someone was hiding on the other side. But upon closer examination he found no evidence of anyone else having been there. The fish also seemed to have just leapt out of the sea and got stuck on land. He felt almost sad for it, then he saw that it was very close in size to the structure he had assembled. He looked at it for a long time, watching as a plan unfolded before his eyes. It showed him in his mind how he was meant to use it in order to secure the vessel and keep it airtight. 

"Nim, Nim!" Mara shook him by the shoulder. 

He slowly turned his head to look at her, as if coming out of a trance. He smiled, "I know what to do next!"

It was a disgusting challenge that he did not enjoy, but he knew it would work, so he persevered and got the work done. He meticulously sewed the the skin to the frame and pierced the bones though the skin around the ribs of the frame. He and Mara worked all that day on this slimy task and did not finish until the end of the week.

When they were done he prayed and he asked God to approve his vessel. This time the angel appeared and gave a little more direction. 

"Nim, because you have kept the commandments of God you may go 100 yards into those trees and find nourishment. Then you will get back to work. Cut a hole in the vessel between the third and fourth rib in the design I will show you."

Nim and Mara ventured 100 yards into the trees and found a fig tree with the moonlight illuminating it from above. It was full of ripe, juicy fruit ready to eat. Once they were filled they returned to finish the direction from God. Nim carefully cut two slits in the skin from third and fourth rib. One at the top and one at the bottom. He then sliced along the fourth rib from the top slit to the bottom slit to create a flap. He then reinforced the flap with bones from the fish to make it rigid. Finally he secured it to the fourth rib so it would stay closed and air tight. 

Then he knelt and prayed to God again. Again the angel appeared. This time he approved his hard work and told him to do something far harder than constructing such a vessel. He told him to throw it into the sea. Then he was gone. 

Nim's eye twitched. 

He wants me to throw it into the sea?! I've worked months on this. I painstakingly following the directions of God to create this and now He wants me to just throw it away? How can I throw away all of my hard work?

Nim was angry. Instead of throwing his creation into the sea to be destroyed he went home to sleep. But of course he could not sleep. He laid on his mat with a furrowed brow. Mentally criticizing God for being cruel enough to tell him to make something and then just destroy it. As he let his thoughts move through the stages of grief, he arrived at reason. 

God told me to make this weird vessel thing and now he just wants me to throw it into the sea. I don't even know why this was what he wanted me to do when I asked him to save me and my people. Maybe God knows more than me. Maybe this is what He wanted from the very beginning. I have no use for this vessel but maybe God does. 

Nim arose from his mat and trudged back to his spot by the seaside. He stood looking at the mysterious vessel that he had created with his own hands. And then he pushed it into the sea.

At that moment the sea erupted as if angry. Tossing and turning the vessel dragging it deep into the water - far away from him. He watched it for as long as he could and knew that he would never see it again.

Questions and wonder filled his mind as to what God was thinking and what He had planned. Why would He ask so much of Nim without really answering his prayer? What could His plan possibly be?

Anger and confusion were met with peace. He knew that this is what the Lord had asked of him.

"I can only do what I can do." Nim said and returned home to wait upon the Lord.

_______________________

Jonah Chapter 1 

6...What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.

12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

Jonah - Part 2

There was one young boy of only six by the name of Nim who could recognize the evil around him for what it really was. It repulsed him. He dreaded the day of homecoming. The heads terrified him, and the stench of death turned his stomach. Nim loved the other children in the compound and the motherly figures who took care of him. Their compound had dozens of women which meant there were dozens of children.

While there were some who seemed to love the cruel and grotesque practices of their culture, many were just as scared as he was. They dreaded joining the military. They were frightened of the lifeless faces on the body-less heads. These children wanted to play and laugh and learn like any other child. Instead they were spat upon or kicked aside if they were ever seen. Detesting the men who were returning from war. The men they were destined to become. 

_____________

One unfortunate evening, Nim was in the kitchen when the men returned. While he hid out of sight he saw the men beat the eunuchs and concubines before taking them away to have their way with them.

It scared him so much that he ran away. He didn't know where he was running until he reached the edge of the river. He felt safer there than at the compound, so he stayed there until morning. Too young to fully recognize the danger of the wild beasts of the land, but wise enough to know the beasts of his home were worse.

This became a place of refuge for him.

Nim quietly retreated to this spot over the next five years each time there was a homecoming of warriors. He escaped the stench of death and the victorious bon fire rituals. 

_____________

"Adah, you need to comply or your beating will be worse. The king is god and this is his direction." Mahlah advised her friend.

"Oh, Mahlah, there is no god. Not on this earth or in any other realm. If there were a god we wouldn't be put through all of this." Adah refuted.

Nim overheard this debate and made him think about God in a wholly new way. A god in any other realm? He had never considered this. He pondered on this often and found himself hoping it were true and finally decided to try talking to it.

One evening when he had escaped to the waterside. He figured that if it were at all possible for there to be a god in any realm, then it might be possible for it to hear him.

He had no idea what prayer was, let alone how it was supposed to look or sound. He just opened his mouth and this is what came out:

Oh God of heaven and this world, if you are real please hear me. My heart aches because of the awful practices of my people. I am sick at the thought of going to war and bringing back the heads of the men that I would be required to slaughter. This cannot be right. Please save me and my people! 

This may not have been a perfectly uttered prayer, but God is a God of miracles. God knows and loves each one of us. God most certainly did hear this heartfelt prayer.

_____________

God knew this young man's heart and he knew his people were able to change because they, too, were children of God.

When Nim finished his prayer he stood up and looked at the water rushing past him. An overwhelming feeling of peace entered his heart and mind and goosebumps raised on his skin. As he turned away from the seaside an angel appeared to him. 

"Blessed are you, Nim. You have shown great faith. God knows you and loves you. He is proud of you."

Nim's mouth fell open. 

The angel continued, "You will construct a vessel."

"What's a vessel? And how do you make one?"

"You have the resources around you. It must be air-tight and modeled after the design which I will show you."

Nim was utterly exhausted after this interaction that he fell to the earth and slept for two days. When he awoke he thought it had been a dream. But then the reality of it set in and he felt the urgency to go and tell his peers at the compound. 

When he stumbled back into the compound he confided first  in his closest friend, Mara, a girl a few months younger than him. She was the only one who had noticed him missing. She had worried that he had been trampled or taken when he didn't return after the first day. She advised him not to tell anyone else or he would be killed. She had so many questions.

"Are you sure it was an angel? How do you know it wasn't evil?"

"Yes. I know it was and I cannot deny what happen. He stood in front of me in the air, surrounded by light. He spoke to me and taught me about God."

"But how will building a vessel help us?"

"Yeah... I thought that was a very strange, too." 

Nim was dumbfounded as to why this was the answer to his prayer. How on earth is a vessel supposed to help him? Much less save his people.  

_______________________

Jonah Chapter 2

7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.

Jonah - Part 1

There are many theories about the story of Jonah and the whale. Many debates as to what may have actually happened. Questions concerning the fish that swallowed him. Was it a whale? A fish? A different creature all together? How could Jonah have survived for three days? How could he have been swallowed without being crushed? Why would God choose to save such a wicked city? Could it just be a story the Lord uses to teach his people?

In my opinion it is true and it did really happened. Let me tell you my idea of how it could have gone down.

_______________________

Nineveh, as you may know, was an astonishingly wicked place, full of people doing evil with little to no redeeming qualities. 

Infidelity was not an option because marriage was nonexistent. Unfortunately, this subjugated prisoners of war, strangers who stumbled into their massive city, and even the poorest and weakest of their own people to become eunuchs and slaves and concubines to satisfy any and every carnal pleasure. As if that wasn't enough, exploration with animals and objects were also common. 

Of course children were produced. Baby boys were used to build their army. They were taught at a very young age to be bloodthirsty and carnally minded. They were fed on raw meat as children and whipped if not promptly obeying.

When the girls reached the age of 13 they were welcomed into a compound where they would earn their keep by cooking, cleaning, and performing for the men of the household. When boys reach the age of 13 they would join the military to become fighters, spending the first few years growing stronger and learning how to fight. Their end goal was to torcher and decapitate the enemy. They practiced on each other, sometimes fighting to the death, as well as with large wild cats. The boys who did not prove themselves strong enough were sent to join the girls at the compounds.

Nineveh was known to be merciless. In order to feel powerful they did all they could to further the pain from their hands. They beheaded the men that they killed during battle to keep their families from identifying them. The heads were brought back as trophies. They would burn them in a bonfire to honor and worship their king.

The king was sly and cunning. He made sure to teach his people that there was no other god than him. Telling them not to pray to an imaginary nymph, but to bathe in blood and call out his name. He wanted to be known as the most powerful being alive. In his efforts to prove this he wrestled lions and skinned prisoners alive. He ran a murderously efficient empire to terrify both his own people and anyone else who heard of them. The king was proud and vain, and encouraged his people to be likewise. The wealthy wore in fine and elaborate dress and jewelry.

_______________________

Jonah Chapter 1

2 ...Nineveh, that great city, ... for their wickedness is come up before me.

The (fictional) True Crime Story of Cinderella - Part 13

This charming couple decided on a one month long engagement. During this time they went shopping, to social events, and dinner with his parents. Suspicious, Cinderella said little, and acted as gentile as she could, considering she had never been in society. 

She tried to buy the most affordable options, but her prince of a fiancé insisted she get the finest and best they carried. She ducked her head to avoid prying eyes, but Emmerett smiled to the crowd and waved. And at dinner she sat uncomfortably at the table with the rest of the family. She was served her food and waited upon as if she was a princess. She couldn't remember a time when she sat at the table and ate dinner with a family.

As much as she was hesitant to trust them, she liked the way it felt. She wanted to like them. To keep them.

The wedding was as grand as their three-day party had been. Scrumptious food. Elaborate decorations. And the most exquisite dress she had ever seen. And it was hers to wear.

On her wedding night her new husband approached her with gentle kindness. He wasn't rough or aggressive like she had feared. He kissed her tenderly and this time it tasted like cream cheese frosting. His cologne smelled sweet to her and drew her in. She was nervous to be close to him, but didn't want to escape. Before she let him undress her she couldn't stop herself from asking, "How many girls have you brought here?" She was afraid he had brought Anastasia here that awful night of the party. 

Emmerett looked confused. "To our wedding suite?"

"No." Cinderella didn't know how to proceed. She huffed, "Why did you choose me? Why am I here? Is it because I wasn't as easy as those other girls you kissed at your party?"

"Other girls? I didn't kiss any other girls-"

Cinderella's mouth fell open. And she stormed across the room. "You didn't kiss any other girls? You didn't seduce anyone else like you did to me that first day?"

"Seduce you? I was enchanted by you. Cinny, you're amazing!"

"I forgot something at my home."

"This is your home."

"It's not my home without my friends. I need to go get them."

"I'd love to meet them."

"Likely not. No one ever likes to meet my friends."

"Why? If they're friends with you I'm sure we would get along."

"You really want to meet them?"

"If it's important to you, of course." He approached her slowly and tried to lead her back to the bed.

"Let's go now. This is their favorite time of day."

"Now?"

Cinderella left the room and went directly to Emmerett's car. Emmerett followed behind her.

When they arrived at her house she told him to have a seat and wait for her to return with her friends. She then grabbed a basket and walked out the back door. First she went to she shed to collect a box of poison. She wrapped that in a kitchen cloth and put it in the bottom of the basket and laid another cloth over that. Then she went to her mothers grave and foraged for a mouse. They loved to play at night so it was easy for her to find them.

When Cinderella stepped inside her house with the basket Emmerett's eye brows went up as he peered inside. His mouth formed an "O" and he let out a high pitched noise that surprised hi new wife. He reached in to hold one. 

"I didn't know you had pets. We can bring them home and let them live in the courtyard sanctuary. They would be the perfect addition to the flowers and trees."

"You like my friends?"

He smiled and let out a soft laugh. "I knew there was more to you, and I'm sure I will never stop being surprised by you. But yes. When I was a kid I used to bring them inside to show my mother. She was not amused." He took her hand that was not holding the basket and kissed it. Then he scooped her up and carried her upstairs to the bedroom. 

The following week was full of newly wedded bliss. They took a trip to New York City where she saw buildings that went all the way up to the sky. They listened to jazz music and saw the city from from the Queensboro Bridge. It was spectacular. 

When they returned home she decided that she must have had the best time of her life and nothing would ever compare. This felt like the ideal time to even the score. She baked her favorite cookie recipe with a very small amount of rat poison added. She would not be lied to, and she knew that he kissed the most evil girl who ever lived. Emmerett was happy to see Cinderella settling in to her new home. He gladly ate two cookies hot and fresh from the oven. 

Mr. Cadmotter entered the kitchen and Emmerett offered him a cookie. 

"I'd be delighted, thank you." Mr. Cadmotter took a gooey one from the middle of the pan. Cinderella's face paled as she watched him eat it. He was always kind to her and had never kept a secret from her (so she thought).

"These cookies are as delightful as you are, Ms. Cinny. I have enjoyed every encounter I have had with you. I do apologize for not stepping in sooner with that misunderstanding, but I'm glad it has all worked out."

"What misunderstanding?" Emmerett asked.

"Oh, on the second night of the ball. What a disastrous night." He turned to Cinderella, "I had been asked to keep an eye on you, because Emmerett knew you were the one he had been looking for after the first evening. I watched you both feel betrayed by the other."

Emmerett and Cinderella were intrigued. Mr. Cadmotter felt uncomfortable as he shifted his eyes from one confused face to the other. He took another cookie from the tray and as he backed out of the kitchen suggested, "You should discuss what happened that night."

The newlyweds stood in awkward silence for what felt like an eternity.

Finally, Emmerett admitted, "He's right. I was jealous. I watched you dance with every man in the room other than me. It hurt. I had already had a bad encounter so I distracted myself with too much to drink. I'm deeply sorry for my behavior."

Cinderella glared at him. "I only avoided you because I saw you kissing another girl on our balcony." she scolded. 

He gaped. "You saw that?"

"You lied to me! You said you didn't kiss anyone else."

"I didn't. She kissed me!" He protested. "That girl was crazy. When I couldn't find you in the ball room I went upstairs to the balcony. She followed me up there and cornered me. She was a flirt and was obviously only interested in me for my money. She grabbed my collar and kissed me. I tried to be polite but I had to hide in the restroom for 20 minutes to escape her."

Cinderella looked like she was about to throw up. She reevaluated her choices from the last two months. Then she looked at him and kissed him more passionately than she ever had. "I love you, Emmerett." Then she took the tray of cookies and dumped them in the trash.

"Hey, I was going to eat those."

"You don't need those." Then she took his hand and led him upstairs to their room.

The (fictional) True Crime Story of Cinderella - Part 12

Cinderella left the sisters huddled together in the cold, too weak to follow her, and went inside to clean up. First she straightened the house as she would have any other day. She lit the fires and swept the floor. Then she rearranged the rooms removing the frivolous trinkets that belonged to the false owners who had previously resided in each room. When she was finally done she had three sacks of useless trash ready to be disposed of. She dragged them out to bury them alongside the corpses that once valued them. 

When she returned Drisella was cold and blue. She would never again breathe a hateful word to anyone. Cinderella tugged her ankles and heaved her across to the pit. She exerted more energy trying to move the plump little piggy.

Anastasia was cold but still alive, barely. She was still covering her eye socket. The bleeding had slowed, and she seemed to be delirious.

"Okay. I'll be your friend and we can be sisters. I love you, Cinderella." 

Cinderella froze at her words. "You mean it?"

"Yes, of course I do." She spoke slowly and was deliberate with each of her words. "We're practically twins. And now with mother gone you'll be allowed to be a lady like me. We'll be best friends!" She put her blood-stained hand out. 

Cinderella drew close to her and knelt beside her taking her hand. Anastasia gripped her hand as tight as she could and with her other hand she thrust the same knife that had killed her mother into Cinderella's chest. Cinderella fell backward. 

The two girls laid on the cold ground with cold hearts. One dying from being poisoned, the other not dying. Cinderella looked down at the pairing knife protruding from the fleshy joint of her left shoulder and pulled it out. 

"You wicked liar!" She cried and Shoved it into Anastasia's other eye. 

Anastasia didn't cry. She didn't move. She was completely still. And at last, her games were over.

Cinderella stood up and realized that her tormentors were gone forever. That her home was now hers and no one else's. 

She finished her work, filling the pit with every unwanted thing that had ever been brought into her home. Before she covered it with dirt she removed the dirty smock she was wearing. The cold air bit at her bare skin, but she didn't mind it. She was free, and nothing else mattered. 

Sore, exhausted, and freezing she made her way back to her home. Just as she reached the door she heard a vehicle coming down the driveway. She watched for a moment to see who it could possibly be before realizing she was completely naked except for her boots. She rushed through the door and spied through the window. The car had stopped next door at the Taylors house.

She bathed and dressed quickly. She took a brief moment to look in the mirror and was proud of what she saw.

She didn't wear a dirty smock or a fancy evening gown. For the first time since she was 5 years old she wore everyday clothes. Clothes like those she dressed the mistresses in nearly everyday of her life.

There was a loud knock on the door. She opened it with wet hair dripping onto her fresh blouse.

"Good afternoon miss, we are here to speak with every lady who lives in this house." A kind man in a black suit announced. 

"This is my house. There is no one else living here."

He nodded once and produced the glass slipper from his pocket. "It has been requested that every young lady try on the impeccable shoe."

She gasped at the sight of it.

"If I may?" He knelt and lifted her freshly washed foot without waiting for her to answer. A strike of shame shot through her. She had been vigilant in hiding her feet from everyone since the day she cut off her toe. 

The man was not disgusted, however, but after slipping it on to her foot he turned to the car and beckoned the others to join him. Mr. Cadmotter got out and opened the door for Emmerett McCune. Both Gentlemen joined the first on the porch.

"Cinny, it is you!" He fell on her, embracing her tightly, nearly crying.

She felt two things. First, pain. Her wounded shoulder throbbed at the pressure. And second, fear. She was scared that she would have to marry him. An idea fizzled into her mind. She's had to work hard her whole life. He is very rich. If she married him she wouldn't have to labor ever again. 

The next morning Cinderella and Emmerett announced their engagement, but she schemed to kill him after they married if he mistreated her.

The (fictional) True Crime Story of Cinderella - Part 11

When they arrived home Cinderella was already making soup. It was full of vegetables and meat ready to mend their upset tummies. Carrots, onions, celery, garlic, and potato. It also had pigeon meat and and another serving or two of rat poison. 

Cinderella was glad to see the ladies too sick to stay at the ball any later. It meant her plan was working and she would soon have succeeded in freeing the world of these retched monsters. Madam's symptoms weren't as bad as the mistresses, which made Cinderella nervous. She hoped it would still work on old women.

Cinderella served them their soup while they rested on the couches. They didn't have the energy to climb the stairs to go to their rooms.. 

"Everything will be okay if you just eat this soup. I made it special for you." she directed melodically.

By the next morning Madam was also relegated to her bed as well. They were all weak and pale, almost green. Cinderella suggested they take a small walk around the garden to get fresh air. Madam glared at her. 

"You really are a buffoon, aren't you." she wheezed, "Unlovable, hideous, disguti-h-h-hing twit" She coughed out a small amount of blood.

Cinderella took the opportunity to speak over her, "Not everyone thinks I'm ugly. Emmerett McCune thinks I'm beautiful."

Madam rolled her eyes. "You have such an imagination." She patted her mouth with a tissue, "No one can see past your callused hands and your scarred back. I have made sure of that!" 

Cinderella looked at the woman who was once her step mother. "You did all this to make me repulsive? Are you jealous of me? Of my mother? Well-" she pulled the sapphire amulet out of her shirt, "my mother is proud of me. She granted my wish to let me go to the ball."

Madam was shocked to see such an exquisite piece of jewelry. "Who did you steal that from?"

"My mother left it for me."

"Your mother never had jewelry that expensive."

"No, I mean at her grave. I'll show you." 

Madam scowled at her. "You want me to leave my bed to see your mothers grave. You really are the stupidest child."

Cinderella left to check on the other girls. 

Anastasia was lying on the floor with her lower legs on the seat of the couch while Drisella was curled up in a ball at the one end of the other couch. She had vomited on her pillow at the other end. Cinderella stroked the hair out of Drisella's clammy face. 

"Don't touch me, freak."

"I don't know why you always call me that."

"Uh, what else am I supposed to call you? Slave-girl? You're a freak."

Cinderella straightened, "Your mother says you will feel much better if you get some fresh air. She wants you to sit in the garden with her. Would you like me to help you walk out there?"

"Ugh! Why does she ask so much of us?" Anastasia slowly pulled her knees to her chest and rolled to her side. Her stomach gurgled.

"Come now, you don't want to make her cross."

Cinderella helped them walk outside. They walked all the way to the shed before Drisella slumped to the ground and whined, "Where is she?!" 

"Well actually, I wanted to tell you about something amazing that happened to me. She pulled out the necklace again and told them, My mother sometimes grants my wishes. She brought my mouse back to life when I was a little girl, and she gave me a dress and this necklace so I could go to the ball!"

"I guess I could call you crazy. A crazy freak." Drisella almost laughed.

Cinderella ignored her and said a wish out loud. "I wish you ladies would be my friends. I wish that we could be sisters. I wish we could all love each other. And if you will, I wish for you to recover."

This time both girls did laugh.

"We could never love you. You're disgusting." Anastasia mocked.

"So you can't see past my scars and imperfections?"

"What is there to see? That's all you are."

At that, Cinderella got something from inside the shed. It was the glass slipper. Anastasia's face drained of whatever color was left, and she glared at Cinderella.

"Where did you get that?"

"Mr. O'Leary gave it to me on my last day of work with him."

Anastasia lunged for it, but Cinderella shoved her to the ground.

"That's mine! Emmerett said he would marry whomever had that shoe! Give it to me!"

Cinderella's face scrunched with with puzzlement. "He wants to marry me?" She was surprised, flattered, and then concerned.

"You are the ugly ones." She said to them. "You treat me like you hate me and expect me to do everything for you. Well, I've had enough." 

Then she stabbed Anastasia's right eye out with the heel of her glass slipper. Anastasia shrieked, lifting her hands to the wound but blood spilled through her fingers.

"Now you wont have to see how repulsive I am."

Drisella's eyes grew almost as big as her fear and she tried to scoot away. Cinderella jumped on top of her. She may be petite, but she was also strong, much stronger than these lazy girls, especially in their weakened state. Then Cinderella stabbed her left eye out. 

Too weak to run, or even walk, the sisters crawled to each other screaming and crying and leaning into each other.

"You are evil." Cinderella declared, Standing over them triumphantly, holding the bloody shoe. "And evil can't win."

"What is this god-awful racket out here?!" Madam scolded as she stumbled out to find her daughters.

"Mother!" "Mother!" The girls called, hoping to be rescued.

Cinderella smiled, knowing her plan had worked. She slipped into the shed to wait for her. As Madam got to the side of the shed and could see the sight of her daughters holding their faces covered in blood she hurried to them.

"What is God's name has happened here?!" 

Cinderella emerged from the shed, this time with the same rope she uses to tie the chickens feet when she butchers them. "Step Mother, you joined us out here near my mother's grave. How gracious of you."

Madam turned her head to look behind her at Cinderella, then her body pivoted and her arms spread out protectively in front of her children. Cinderella laughed this time. Amused by the powerlessness of these people who have had so much power over her through her entire life. 

"You foolish woman. You think you can save them. You are the one who taught them to be like this. I gave them a chance and they wouldn't take it. Now you all must perish."

Madam lunged at Cinderella but Cinderella caught her in the lariat loop of her rope pulling tight to restrain her arms. Then she secured the other end on the hook hanging from the shed. She then tied her feet and retrieved the ax. 

"The first time I ever had to kill someone it was at your request." She said as she paced along Madam lying on the ground. "It took me a long time to perfect it, but over the years I have learned a lot. I learned how to tie their legs and slit their necks."

Madam gulped.

"Mostly I learned that you are evil. And there's no more space for evil in this world."

Cinderella played with the axe as she spoke, easily holding the handle in her right hand and bouncing the flat end in her left hand. 

"Do you remember when you told me to cut off my toe?" Cinderella asked, and then let the head of the axe fall on one of Madams feet. Three screams erupted at the action. "Come now, Step-Mother, there is worse pain. The pain of losing a parent is sharp. Sharper than this axe, even. I have lost two parents, even three if I count you."

"I was never your mother."

"No, you weren't. Were you?" Cinderella got the pairing knife from the shed and knelt down next to Madam. She leaned over her face and asked, "Why have you always hated me?"

"Pff. What is there to love. Your father was a scoundrel, but he loved me. We got pregnant with Anastasia before he knocked up your mother. Then you stole him from me. Thank goodness your mother died, or-"

Cinderella slit her throat. She would not listen to her mother being disrespected. She stood and turned to the sisters. Drisella passed out. Anastasia was sobbing uncontrollably. "Oh stop it. You never once heard me cry and I've gone through a lot worse than you have." 

Cinderella unhooked the rope from the shed and started pulling it, dragging Madam's body to a pit that she had prepared for their grave. She shoved it in with her foot and walked back to the house.

_________________________________

What is phosphine?
• Phosphine is a gas formed when water or acid mixes with rat poison that contains
zinc phosphide.
• Zinc phosphide is a chemical compound of zinc and phosphorous.
• When rats swallow poison with zinc phosphide, it mixes with stomach acid and turns
to phosphine gas.
• Phosphine has no color.
• Phosphine can smell like garlic or fish, but it can be in the air even if you don’t smell it.
• Phosphine stays close to the ground when it is in the air. 
You can get headaches, nausea, and diarrhea.
• You can get dizzy or drowsy.
• You can get chest tightness or a cough.
•  You can have trouble breathing.
•  Your gums can be pale and can bleed
• shock,
• convulsions,
• coma,
• a weak heartbeat, or
• low blood pressure.

The (fictional) True Crime Story of Cinderella - Part 10

The third night of the ball was more crowded than ever. This was going to be the most spectacular night with fireworks and everything. Even people who weren't hoping to woo and marry a millionaire attended. The gowns and suits were exquisite. Furs and feathers. Silks and satins. Deep blues and greens and red and purples. Even black and gold and silver. It was specular.

All night Emmerett wondered where Cinny was and why she hadn't shown up. He worried whether it was because one of her glass slippers had fallen off during their romantic encounter. Surely she had other pairs of shoes she could wear.

He marinated on the memories of her lips on his. The curves of her body. He liked that she was so sweet and soft spoken, but could be aggressively passionate, too. He inhaled deeply at just the recollection of the smell of her hair. 

He decided that she must not have returned that night because she was afraid they wouldn't be able to contain their lust for each other. He could tell she was a good girl, mostly likely with a curfew. She probably wanted to wait until she was married before being with a man. 

"Hello Rhett." An intentionally sultry voice said. He was pulled out of his cloud of memory. 

"Amber, you're here."

"Anastasia. You naughty boy." She said teasingly and tugged on his tie. "You'll need to remember my name and not just how well I kiss if you want to make any special announcements later."

"Ah-hah, yes." He smoothed his tie. "I'll make a point of it. Please, do excuse me-" he hurried away.

Later that night he did make an announcement. At exactly 11:30 PM he stood at the top of the stairs in the ballroom.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am very pleased and honored you have chosen to favor me with your presence. You have helped me celebrate my birthday in a most marvelous way! As promised, I have chosen my bride, and I am ready to announce who my heart has chosen.

A hush fell over the crowd followed by high-pitched, giddy squeals of hope and excitement. Emmerett pulled the glass slipper from his pocket and held it up.

While it was a pleasure meeting each of you lovely young ladies, the owner of this glass slipper is my chosen bride. 

At the very moment he made this announcement Anastasia vomited and collapsed, knocking over the elderly woman next to her. Madam hurried to her. Daniel Stewart came to her aid as well, and carried her to the car where Drisella was already waiting. She, too was pale and sick. 

The (fictional) True Crime Story of Cinderella - Part 9

Cinderella's plan was to change her life forever. 

First she would go to the ball. Eat, dance, and have the time of her life. Then she would return home to prepare for the next morning when the evil Madam and her two ugly-hearted daughters would be ravenous for breakfast where they would simultaneously devour whatever Cinderella served them and gossip about how charming their night was. She had planned to stock the eggs with peppers and onions and the oatmeal with brown sugar and cinnamon - oh, and a healthy helping of rat poison. For they were the true vermin and pests that needed to be taken care of.

Cinderella had planned to change her life forever. 

 At first light, when she usually arose, Cinderella had only just drifted off to sleep. So of course she was late getting up. Which means she was late getting breakfast ready. Which means she didn't have time to follow through with her plan. It also meant that she got enough lashings to cover her back with red hot welts, some of which broke the skin.

She had almost decided that she could escape these awful people in a different way, but their hateful and malicious behavior that morning convinced her to proceed with her plan. She knew she could not let them survive after everything they had done to her and how badly they treated everyone around them. Besides that, she knew she couldn't go back to the ball that night. She had only had time to prepare one outfit so she would have nothing to wear. She wished she could go to the ball again, but deep down she knew that with these people in her life she would always be trapped here.

The ladies of the house left early in hopes to corner the young heir before other young ladies could scoop him up like the night prior. As soon as they were out of the front door Cinderella was out the back, running, almost skipping to the shed where the poison was. When she got there she noticed something was different about her mothers grave. Too far to tell what was different she took a step closer and the sapphire amulet glinted. She made her way over to it slowly but the closer she got the quicker she walked.

To her incredible surprise she saw there was a gorgeous dress, finer than the ones she had picked up for the mistresses. And a fantastical necklace that took her breath away. She looked around and realized this must have been her mother granting her wish to return to the ball. She knelt on the ground and pressed her forehead into the large stone and breathed, "I love you, Momma." Then she scooped up the dress and the necklace found the glass slippers and headed inside the house to bathe and get ready for the ball.

She worked extra hard on her hair this time. She was excited to go back and see Emmerett again. She wanted to be even more beautiful than the night before. When she arrived many eyes were upon her. She walked slowly through the ball room, being stopped several times by handsome, and not-so-handsome young men. They asked her to dance and offered to get her a glass of punch. She smiled sweetly and obliged. Even after 45 minutes of being there, and looking for him, she had not seen Emmerett. She excused herself to the restroom and went to search other areas for him. She found him in the same spot she had left him the night before. But this time it was with Anastasia, of all people.

She spied on them through the glass doors and saw Anastasia's fingers play with her neckline. She watched as Anastasia bit her lip and dropped her gaze from his eyes to his lips. And then she watched as Anastasia's hand moved to his lapel and his lips moved to her lips.

Enraged and betrayed, Cinderella turned and darted from the scene. When she returned to the ballroom, she heard a woman's voice sternly call for James Milton. She recognized this name and looked to see who he was. She saw a very tall young man stuffing his face with two eclairs. His mother was scolding him and told him to act more gentlemanly in public. Once he was able to swallow he apologized and kissed her hand. Cinderella thought to herself, "Is that just something you do out of politeness?" 

Embarrassment overwhelmed her and everything went dark.

When she opened her eyes she saw dozens of faces looking down on her. Most people looked concerned. Others? Amused. One face was familiar to her: Madam. Somehow there was no recognition in her face. Then Cinderella felt something behind her head. It was James Milton's hand. He was beside her helping her sit up. She was impressed with how gentlemanly he was. 

"Miss, are you okay?" James asked and handed her a glass of water.

Cinderella stared into his eyes. "I am now, thank you." She took the water and sipped it.

He held her elbow as she stood, then escorted her to a bench to sit. He sat with her for 10 minutes to make sure she was okay. He made her laugh and then asked her to dance. His dancing was awkward. He was too tall and his hand barely hovered over her back. He didn't know how to lead. Not that Cinderella knew anything about it, except for the fact that it was different from the way she had danced the previous night. When the song was over he bowed to her and she saw Emmerett enter the room. 

Emmerett's eyes scanned the room and found her. A smile grew across his face and he began to walk toward her. She clenched her jaw and raised her chin. She thanked James for the dance and asked him if there were any cookies. He led her to the dessert table which was in the opposite direction from Emmerett. She spent most of the night avoiding him. She stayed until midnight figuring the others would be staying for another three or four hours like the night before, so she wasn't worried about being caught. As she exited the oversized front doors to the massive porch Emmerett appeared from the other side of one of the pillars.

"Leaving already? I haven't even had a chance to talk to you tonight. Haven't you missed me?" He had a hunch that she would try to leave again at midnight, so he was waiting for her.

He sounded pompous and arrogant this night. She narrowed her eyes at him, scrutinizing him. She didn't think him to be genuine. He approached her slowly and stroked her arm from her shoulder down to her wrist, "I missed you." He whispered with hot breath.

She finally met his eyes and asked, "Did you really?"

"Cinny, I haven't stopped thinking about you." She had told him her name was Cinny because she didn't want anyone to know who she really was, a dirty slave. "You are the most beautiful girl I've ever met. You're funny and sweet, too." He smelled the hair that caressed her neck which gave her goosebumps all over her body. Her head turned toward him, touching her cheek to his. His skin was warm and soft, but also scratchy. She couldn't tell if she liked it or not. 

He turned his face and kissed her. It wasn't the kiss she had dreamt about the night before. This one was forceful and tasted bitter like alcohol. She tried pushing him away but he still held her wrist and pulled it behind him. He held her close with both hands, lifting her slightly off the ground. She kicked, but lost a shoe in her struggle of which he seemed to be oblivious. He easily overpowered her small body, no matter how strong she had grown throughout all the years of hard work and heavy labor. He forced her against the pillar kissing and groping her. Her back screamed with pain from the pressure on her raw back. Her heart cried with panicked anxiety. Finally she was able to knee him in the groin, which directed his attention elsewhere.

She ran for her horse and heard him call after her, "Cinny, wait! You don't have to go. You can stay here tonight. Don't leave me!" For some reason this did not encourage her to stay. 

Cinderella planned to go straight home and never trust anyone again. She was scared, and she blamed Anastasia. That horrid girl ruined everything Cinderella had ever loved. The adrenaline pumping through her veins energized her. When she got home she destroyed the dress and buried it by her mothers grave. On the way back to the house she stopped by the shed and grabbed two boxes of rat poison. One didn't seem like enough anymore.

The (fictional) True Crime Story of Cinderella - Part 8

When Cinderella arrived at the ball all the guests wondered who is this beautiful young girl. She was determined to act the part of a lady and flirt with whomever would pay her any attention. She knew that if Madam spotted her she would never get another chance to leave the house again, so she had to make this night count! She was surprised by how many eyes were on her. Her initial reaction was to cower, but she pushed through and acted like this was normal for her. 

She observed others at the ball. Everyone appeared to be on their best behavior. She spotted Drisella eating off the serving table and then demanding an elderly woman give up her chair for her. Too far to hear, she knew what she said, Move twit, there's not space enough for old people here. She hid from Madam in the crowd and stumbled into Emmerett, the man of honor, himself.

He was absolutely enchanted by her! He couldn't take his eyes off her. They danced and talked, and giggled all night. They ended up sitting out on a bench on a balcony that overlooked the garden. She traced the lines on his hands and he wondered how such a beautiful and elegant young lady could have such calloused and strong and tiny hands. 

"I've always wanted to dance the night away. You made my dreams come true." She blushed.

"Well, I've always dreamed of meeting a girl like you. So honest and genuine. So beautiful and gentle, but also deep..." he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it, "...and hard working..." He turned her hand over and kissed the palm of it, then gazed into her eyes, "and exquisite." Their faces drew closer to each other and they rested they foreheads on one another, just breathing each other in.

She was having such a wonderful evening with him that she completely lost track of time. Suddenly the clock struck midnight, and the sound of it struck her out of the romantic moment she was in and pushed her into reality. She needed to get home before the other ladies or it would be disastrous.

 

"Sorry," she said, as she stood, "I have to go!" and she hurried away.

"Wait, come back!" he cried and ran after her, but before he could get through the crowd he was bombarded with other eligible ladies thirsty for attention. Desperate to not lose this interesting girl who he knew had more to her than met the eye, he ordered his servant, Elwood Cadmotter, to follow her.

Cinderella raced home as fast as her horse would carry her, leaving a trail of chicken feathers behind her. 

When she got home she hid all of the glorious things that helped to transform her into the belle of he ball by her mothers grave. Despite being freezing, she changed from her warm cloak to her dirty old smock and hurried inside. She needed to get the fires going to warm up, but more importantly, before the ladies of the house got home. First she plunged her hands deep into the ashes and rubbed the soot on her face and through her hair. Then she lit the fires and went to bed.

Too exhausted to remember the rest of her plan she had schemed for the night, but too excited to sleep, Cinderella lay in her bed reliving the best night of her life. She had almost kissed the sweetest man who'd ever lived. He did kiss her, on her hand at least. Holding her hand to her own lips she thought to herself that she was quite in love with him already. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Cadmotter didn't find Cinderella, but he did follow the feathers as far as he could. They ended at a very large tree and there he saw pile of clothing in a wad. He figured the girl was trying to evade him, so he set a plan of his own. 

His wife, Faye, owned a dress shop in town, and he thought there may be a chance that if they left a special dress for her in this spot she would wear it the following night. This would make it easier for them to recognize her at the ball. He hurried home and discussed it with his wife  and she had just the dress in mind. They returned to the tree that same night and left a beautiful gown draped across a large stone that sat under the tree and topped it with a gold necklace with a sapphire amulet.

Then they left hoping it would work.

The (fictional) True Crime Story of Cinderella - Part 7

The excitement was tangible with anticipation through the entire town. Madam had purchased an extensive list of items for Anastasia and Drisella to wear to the ball and expected Cinderella to go around town collecting it all. Every detail was thought of from new shoes, dresses, broaches, necklaces, and gloves, to perfume and makeup. She also picked up another bag of rat poison Madam had ordered. Cinderella was always ordered to sprinkle this around the house and property, but never did! While she no longer had much time to socialize with the mice and rats, she still loved them and valued them over anyone else in the world.

Everywhere Cinderella went was buzzing with giddy girls and elated ladies looking forward to the gorgeous gala they would soon get to go to. As her to-do list grew smaller, her jealously grew larger. She didn't even want all the fluff and gaudy accessories, but to know she was not even welcome burned a hole in her heart that would never be mended. 

Cinderella had stolen away time from the glass shop each day to prepare herself for the ball. She'd had enough of taking orders from the wicked woman who refused to love her. She had decided to go to the ball and not tell anyone! 

Instead she went to her mothers grave and knitted a cloak. She had loved knitting with her mother as a child and kept up the practice throughout the years. She also incorporated feathers that she had saved from all the chickens she had to prepare for dinner. She kept bags full of feathers in the shed next to the full bags of rat poison. There was one blouse left of her mothers, so she used that and embellished an old skirt with feathers as well.  

The  first night of the ball arrived quickly. Once she had gotten the mistresses all dolled up Madam looked down at Cinderella and laughed, "Why, you're filthy Cinderella. It's a good thing you're not going to the ball. Everyone would laugh at you and turn you away."

"Yes, I'm glad that wont happen. I have far too much work to do here anyway. You ladies enjoy your night." Cinderella replied almost smugly. Then the ladies left and she got to work. First she bathed herself - inside for once. Then she used the make up and perfume that she had just picked up for the mistresses. Finally she ran out to her mothers grave where everything was waiting for her. She dressed and donned the glass slippers that Mr. O'Leary had given her. 

They had one horse and no carriage, so she was able to take him to the ball.