Life is a Fairy Tale

Chapter 1

I was putting the finishing touches on my painting when- "Alex! Alexandria!" I sighed. "Yes mother?" "Why are you out here? You know-" Mother stopped with a gasp. "What are you painting!?" They're called fairies Mother." "Alex! You know that's forbidden!" "It's only forbidden if I get caught." "Alex!" "Did you want something, mother?" She sighed. "Yes. I need you inside to help prepare dinner." "Yes mother. I'll be right in." Mother nodded and frowned at my painting one more time before hurrying away. 

I rolled my eyes. People were so afraid of something that supposedly didn't exist anymore. I knew it wasn't looked fondly on to paint such a subject, but I couldn't help it. For as long as I could remember, I dreamed about fairies. Nothing vivid, just a faint shape in my mind. I didn't know why, but this was the only outlet to my dreams I had, as I wasn't allowed to speak of them. Maybe one day that would change but until then, all I could do to keep myself sane was to secretly paint them.

That night at dinner was a somber affair. It always was this time of year though. "Is everything locked up?" My father asked my mother who nodded. "Good. Make sure you don't go out for anything Alexandria" Father commanded. I nodded and stared down at my plate. 

Every year on this night, a girl would go missing. She would come back unharmed though, saved for not remembering a thing. Maybe it was for the best. Who knows what happened to her while she was gone. All the girls who had gone missing though had brown hair and even those who had dyed their hair still went missing if they had natural brown hair underneath. I didn't fit the description with my natural blond hair, but my father was of the motto: "better safe than sorry." 

"I just wish I knew what happened to those poor girls," Mother said suddenly. Father looked at her surprised. We rarely talked about it, just like the rest of the town. "At least they came back," I said. Mother shot me a look and I shrugged. Yes it was besides the point, but still. They did come back.

 "Just be glad you're safe,'' Father said, looking at my hair. "But what if they change what they want?" Mother said, panicking. "What if they prefer blondes instead?" I rolled my eyes. "Mother. This has been going on for years. I think I'm safe. "But-" "It'll be alright Dear" Father said. "Let's just eat our meal." Mother nodded but didn't eat much and neither did the rest of us. I had my theories on how the girls could vanish so easily, but I knew no one would believe me so I just kept quiet...like always.