Allodasos: 0.1
By B.S.Roberts. 9 March 2020.
II
. . . a time.” All the great fairy tales of my youth began with four simple words. They promised a story that would transport me, at least for a couple of minutes, into a different world. The “once upon a times” assured me an explanation to the mysteries of real life. They swore to me a happily-ever-after that would be presented in a basket with a bow, no matter how dire or strange the circumstances the protagonist found themselves in. Once upon a time, I thought the world truly was filled with good and evil. Once upon a time, I thought the world was magical.
The “once upon a times” turned into “dark and stormy nights.” Even they weren’t so bad. Sure, sometimes the villain triumphed, and the hero failed, but there was a reason. A purpose. I discovered that this new variation on the story was just as clichéd as the first. So, I looked elsewhere, delving relentlessly into movies, music, and poetry. Despite my efforts, time passed, my childhood faded and with it, the magic fairy tales brought. Without answers or purpose, I became an adult.
Like a leaf at the mercy of a river’s current, I let others decide my path for me. College, relationships, family. I did what everyone else thought was best while apathy and longing for purpose tore me apart inside. My life crumbled around me like old ruins until nothing remained. But do you know what happened when I finally hit rock bottom?
I stumbled into the world of magic that I had always hoped for, into a fairy tale I could call my own . . .
I
. . . When my story began, I couldn’t have guessed that it would be a “once upon a time,” but it did end up that way. It began with disillusionment and a need to hide; an urge to disappear from the world, if only for a short while. I was an average woman going through a normal divorce, but the failure of my marriage felt astronomical. Now, in my thirties, I fear I’d never lived – and I most definitely had never loved.
Maybe I returned to my childhood home to wallow a bit. Who doesn’t sulk a little when they’ve been dealt a tough blow? The fact that it was the latest in a series of bleak events that left me feeling trapped in a dark cave I had no hope to escape, my need to wallow felt a little more intense. That’s when it happened. That’s where my eyes were opened – in my teenage hideout while I tried to come to terms with my mundane life.
There is magic on Earth. There are monsters and gods, heroes and villains. You can choose between good and evil. Or, you can simply choose ignorant bliss and continue living your life as if that world doesn’t exist.
Me? When I discovered it, I realized that I had the power to be somebody. More importantly, I learned that I could trust and embrace others, and they would do the same with me. With my magical powers came a tenacity for life and the ability to open my heart and find the family I desired.
Before the magic and mystery, quests and perils, we must always start at the beginning. As the fairy tales say, “Once upon . . .