Daft Story
She heard the shutters
clattering in the wind and waking, wondered where she was. When she'd gone to
bed there had been no shutters on the window, just a normal semi-detached in
suburbia, sleeping after a night out with the girls . . . and a bad hangover!
She looked around her - she was in a castle, high up in a tower and the door was locked. How did she get here? And how could she get out? Suburbia never felt more inviting!
She looked around her - she was in a castle, high up in a tower and the door was locked. How did she get here? And how could she get out? Suburbia never felt more inviting!
She lay back on the bed,
her head aching - what had she drunk? She closed here eyes, hoping that she
could fall asleep and when she woke, her life would be back to normal.
Then she heard footsteps outside the door, and after knocking, a woman entered, pulled back the curtains and addressed her.
'There you are m'lady - it's time to get dressed, your father is waiting', she said.
Then she heard footsteps outside the door, and after knocking, a woman entered, pulled back the curtains and addressed her.
'There you are m'lady - it's time to get dressed, your father is waiting', she said.
Still stunned and massively hungover, she got out of bed and
dumbly allowed the maid to help her dress. As she did so, she noticed something
strange. Her hair had grown longer, falling down her back, was dark chestnut in
colour, and beautifully wavy - the kind of hair she'd always dreamed of; and
she was at least 20 lbs lighter. The clothes were awkward to get into and she
was grateful for the maid's help, wondering all the time what had happened? Was
this some strange weird dream. Had someone drugged
her drink? But at the same time she didn't know what to do. The maid seemed to
be familiar with this person she'd apparently become so what was she to say?
She decided to continue in this weird situation until she could get a clue as
to what had happened and how she could get back to her normal life.
The maid, having dressed her, turned her to face the mirror.
Staring back at her was a total stranger, young and beautiful. She put her hand
to her face and her reflection did the same.
She stood for a few moments looking at
her reflection. This is how she'd always wanted to look, not the short dumpy
reality that was her norm. But this was totally incredible. She must be on
something.
'Come on M'lady - we're going to be late and then your father will be angry and you know what will happen then', the maid was obviously very frightened so she felt that she couldn't delay any longer pondering the amazing change that had come over her.
Taking a deep breath, trying to gulp back the nervousness that she was feeling about her supposed father, she took one last look at her reflection and walked towards the door.
'Come on M'lady - we're going to be late and then your father will be angry and you know what will happen then', the maid was obviously very frightened so she felt that she couldn't delay any longer pondering the amazing change that had come over her.
Taking a deep breath, trying to gulp back the nervousness that she was feeling about her supposed father, she took one last look at her reflection and walked towards the door.
Downstairs, it was noisy. She'd obviously missed some form
of meal - she supposed it must have been breakfast - but the remains of it were
still on the table. Servants were running around clearing up after the diners,
being shouted and scolded at by a large man, sitting at the head of the table,
with a red face and dark but greying hair. He seemed to be in charge of
everything and most of those around seemed somewhat afraid of him and his
manner.
Her father?
She timidly make her way into the room, hoping
that she wouldn't be noticed. The noise was quite overwhelmingly and she looked
around trying to make some sense of the situation. The large man, her father,
was telling a joke and was obviously very pleased with himself. She wondered if
she could just walk out of the room, but he noticed her . . .
'There she is, my daughter,' he said jovially. 'Come to meet all of the guests. Come my dear, I'll introduce you to everyone - and there's someone really special I'd like you to meet!'
'There she is, my daughter,' he said jovially. 'Come to meet all of the guests. Come my dear, I'll introduce you to everyone - and there's someone really special I'd like you to meet!'
Her father dragged her by the arm to meet
a small group of people. One of the older men looked at her in rather a
lecherous fashion and she felt decidedly uncomfortable under his gaze.
'This is my best friend Gerald', her father said. 'He was very interested in meeting you - I'm sure that you'll have a lot to discuss.'
She tried to wriggle a little way away from Gerald. As she did so she noticed a woman watching her intently. She seemed somewhat familiar and she couldn't remember why.
Suddenly it came to her. This woman was at the party where she'd got drunk with her friends. Now what was it that she said when they were all drinking and laughing?
'This is my best friend Gerald', her father said. 'He was very interested in meeting you - I'm sure that you'll have a lot to discuss.'
She tried to wriggle a little way away from Gerald. As she did so she noticed a woman watching her intently. She seemed somewhat familiar and she couldn't remember why.
Suddenly it came to her. This woman was at the party where she'd got drunk with her friends. Now what was it that she said when they were all drinking and laughing?
Finally she managed to escape the lecherous man (and his hands)
and made her way over to the woman she'd recognised from somewhere.
'Well', the woman said, 'how do you like being young again?'
She stared. The woman sighed. 'You probably don't remember me fully - you were pretty drunk at the time - but you did want to be 20 years younger - so I fulfilled your wish for you and here you are!'
'Yes but I wanted to be 20 years younger in my own century'.
'Sorry can't do - there's a lot of call on people wanting to be young again and we have to slot them in when and where we can. It's either this or back to where and how you were in your own time. Your choice. But remember this is it - whatever you choose now sticks and can't be changed.'
'But hang on - don't I get 3 wishes'
'Sorry there's not enough magic to go around these days - we've economised and 2 is what you get now. Make your choice - now - I'm busy and have to get on.'
She looked around, at her father, the other people present - and the lecherous man and sighed.
'Take me back', she said.
There was a flash of light, some fairy dust and a moment of confusion.
And there she was, sitting in her own home again, sitting in front of her mirror, wrinkles, lines, double chins and all. She sighed again. Well at least she knew where and when she was and she was free from the lecherous advantages of that odious man.
'Well', the woman said, 'how do you like being young again?'
She stared. The woman sighed. 'You probably don't remember me fully - you were pretty drunk at the time - but you did want to be 20 years younger - so I fulfilled your wish for you and here you are!'
'Yes but I wanted to be 20 years younger in my own century'.
'Sorry can't do - there's a lot of call on people wanting to be young again and we have to slot them in when and where we can. It's either this or back to where and how you were in your own time. Your choice. But remember this is it - whatever you choose now sticks and can't be changed.'
'But hang on - don't I get 3 wishes'
'Sorry there's not enough magic to go around these days - we've economised and 2 is what you get now. Make your choice - now - I'm busy and have to get on.'
She looked around, at her father, the other people present - and the lecherous man and sighed.
'Take me back', she said.
There was a flash of light, some fairy dust and a moment of confusion.
And there she was, sitting in her own home again, sitting in front of her mirror, wrinkles, lines, double chins and all. She sighed again. Well at least she knew where and when she was and she was free from the lecherous advantages of that odious man.
So the moral of this daft tale is - be careful what you wish for, especially when drunk!
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