Moonlight Meadows by Kristina Cossa

Moonlight Meadows

by Kristina Cossa

Most kids who were Selene’s age took their home and possessions for granted. They complained about what their parents had them eat, where they lived, or what their parents didn’t let them do. Selene wished she could at least experience just a taste of that normality because she was never allowed to complain about anything. Not the state of her house, the food placed on the table, and especially not how her family treated her. She let out a heavy sigh and blew her dark hair out of her face. The poor girl had run up to her room for an escape. School was once again a nightmare like always. But she never brought it up at home, because her life here was no better.

“I really hope that Dad does not make me cut my hair again,” she said to herself, not wanting to think about that. Her father had wanted a boy and was disappointed when she turned out to be a girl, so her father tried to always make Selene look like a boy. Someone knocked on her door, and the eleven-year-old jumped.

“Selene!” her half-brother Alex called out. “Mom and Dad said that they want to see you,” he continued and she gulped in fear. What did they want now?

“Okay, I’m coming,” she responded, getting off her bed and walking out the door. As she headed down the stairs she could smell whatever her stepmother had brought home. It smelled awful, but that outweighed her fear of going to face her guardians.

“Oh, hello, darling,” her stepmother said once she took notice of Selene.

“Hello, Stepmother,” Selene responded, a bit afraid to say anything else. Her stepmother told her to come over, and the girl obeyed without question. Kara was her name, and in Selene’s mind, she looked like a witch. Her long curly hair was like waves of auburn; her make-up looked like blood on her almost pale skin, and her eyes were like burning embers. Even the way she dressed made Selene think of the evil queen