Cinderella: The Cinder from the Ash

Chapter One

Ella knelt in the unkempt field, facing the mass of orchids whose petals were closed in the early morning light. "It's all right. You can come out, I brought food, see?" She scattered the sunflower seeds and bits of grain. I hope the colony isn't gone. As though her thoughts conjured it, one of the orchids bent, its stem brushing the ground. Deep purple petals unfurled, revealing a crimson center and a twitching nose covered in golden pollen. The small light brown mouse leaped onto the ground, staring at her with tiny black eyes. It's still so young! How adorable. "Hello, sweetness," she whispered. "Are you hungry? Go ahead, it's safe."

The mouse squeaked its reply, and the other orchids began opening, disgorging mice of varying sizes, all covered head to toe in pollen. They gazed at her, waiting. Ella nodded, repeating herself. "It's safe, you can eat." She laughed as the virtual army of mice raced down the orchid stems and toward the seeds. I wonder if my mother ever sat here, watching the mice.

"Cinder! Cinder, my dress needs lacing up! Cinder, where are you?"

Ella closed her eyes briefly. "I'm coming!" Why can't Esmae lace up her own clothing? Or do anything else for herself? Ever.

A door slammed. Ella glanced over and her youngest stepsister appeared on the back porch of the three-story home, her one arm folded across her meager chest, and cotton laces hanging loose to her knees. "What are you doing out here?"

"Nothing, Esmae. I'll be there, give me a moment!"

The corpse-like girl stomped down into the grass. "You're feeding those stupid rodents again. I do not understand why you persist in such uselessness. Soon they will breed and overtake our house." Holding up her skirts, she hurried towards Ella, short legs pumping. "No more. I'll squash those mice into oblivion first!"

Ella shooed at the mice. "Gogogogogo. Hurry, before she catches you." Clambering to her feet, she stood in front of the orchids, blocking Esmae's view with outstretched arms. "There's no reason for you to kill them, Esmae. They don't reproduce past the number of the orchids planted here, you know that!"

"They're mice. Of course they reproduce! That is all they do, that is all they will ever do!"

"Not these mice! These are special..." Why bother explaining this? She's dumb as a post and about as caring. If I say they're magical mice bound to magical orchids, she'll just laugh and call me crazy. "Can't you just be kind for once in your miserable undead existence?!"

"Kind?" Esame scoffed, tossing her head. Her blonde hair was so matted with dirt that it thudded against her back. "To mice??"

"I won't let you destroy them for your own selfish pleasure," Ella stated.

"Let? You will not let me? Who do you believe yourself to be?" She shoved Ella. "Get out of my way!"

"My mother planted these orchids," Ella retorted. "I won't stand by while you kill the mice they depend on for pollination."

"Your mother," Esmae sneered, "always had a weakness for lesser things, too."

"Compassion isn't a weakness. It's a pity you see it as such."

The other girl's nostrils flared as she snorted. "You aren't worth my time." Reaching out, she grabbed Ella's arm and pulled her close, her sky-blue eyes staring deeply into Ella's. "But I promise you, interfere with my intentions again, and I will retaliate."

Ella yanked backward, hissing as Esmae's nails dug deep furrows into her forearm. "I'll stay out of your way if you stay out of mine."

"If you insist on protecting lesser creatures, that is not a likely occurrence." Turning on her heel, Esmae stomped away.