Chapter 1: Lily Starfallen

This is the story of a girl cursed by the very tale that created her.

London, UK, a girl with snow-like skin and hair to match it, eyes as red as the fire in the fireplace next to her. She is covered in blankets watching TV. Her mind was empty, simply consuming what she was watching, absorbing and ejecting information from her brain. The name of the young girl was Lily Starfallen, the sole daughter of widowed James Starfalen.

Both lived in a small house in the city of London, her father worked all day and all night only coming back by the time she was sleeping, and when she'd woken up he would have left a note next to a rushed poorly made breakfast that read "have fun at school today" with a smiley face next to it. This act would be seen as sweet for any other daughter in the country, perhaps even in the world, however, for Lily it wasn't that simple, not only did she hate school, she hated her father more than anything else, more than anyone else. He was always working, missing birthdays, and parent-teacher meetings and when she was young he would even forget to bring her back to the house!

Usually, when she was younger, she would wait far past her bedtime to see him come back home, but even that faded with time.

She was 16 when it happened. She was heating herself with the fireplace and got bored of watching the TV, her eye-whites almost as red as her eye colour. She stood up from where she was sitting and walked to the kitchen allowing her legs to wake up a bit.

-Hello there!- said a... person, who was calmly eating some cereal that they had stolen from the cabinet behind them.

Lily was startled only being able to muster

-I'll call the cops!- of course, she wanted to say more, "What are you doing here?" "Who are you?" "Why are you eating my cereal" But she was far too surprised to say it out loud, her mouth slightly trembling and her eyes open wide like the ones on squeaky toys. However, as if it heard all her thoughts it stood up and extended its hand.

-I am god, and you can count your lucky stars, miss Starfallen! For I will help you in some way somehow!- The god claims nonchalantly.

-NO!-

She said further confused, she wanted to say more, but again, her brain was far too confused to ask the logical questions or to call the cops, this man? Was insane, he was claiming the impossible and yet he did not look insane, he did not sound insane, yet she really couldn't even figure out whether he was a "he" or a "she", "They" also did not sound right, the face this being had was confusing, to say the least, eyes of colour, her brain knew there was a colour in them yet she couldn't figure out which one, IT was the best descriptor of the random person in front of her claiming to be a god.

-YES!- It says as a way to laugh at her poorly spoken answer.

-What are you?!- she answered being able to speak more, her eyes still wide open but her lips had gotten accustomed to the visitor.

-I told you, I am a god, and I will help you in some way somehow!- It said again, focusing on the "helping" part.

-Prove it!- she says, talking was still complicated, so she decided to embrace it and speak in simple sentences. She was still screaming all her answers as the adrenaline of having some crazed lunatic inside her house was still affecting her brain.

Suddenly with a snap of its fingers, she was sitting in a chair and front of her was the God. Next to her was another cereal bowl that was not there before, and on the table that divided the two of them there was a very ugly golden sword.

- ! - was the raw emotion Lily could express, there wasn't nor there isn't a word or sentence to express her feeling of distress and surprise. A second ago she was standing up in front of the crazy guy, the table was empty, now she was sitting on a chair, on HER chair, and It was sat across her, there was a sword in between on top of the table, just to prove further that at the very least, she was as insane as the self-proclaimed god. Her eyes were far more wide and exasperated than ever before, her hands instinctively grabbed the sword as if to use it against the god, while her legs trembled with panic. "There are two options", she thought to herself, she was either dreaming and falling asleep while watching TV, or she was insane from not sleeping enough.

-ugh, I can't have you freaking out this much, it's getting boring- The god says, with the tone of a spoiled child not wanting to read a book without drawings in it. It snaps his fingers and suddenly a wave of calm and peace covered Lily, all her nervousness and fear had dissipated, her legs stopped trembling and her eyes were as wide as eyes normally should be, she was blinking again, her eyelids still burning a little from watching so much tv.

-what did you do to me?- she asked calmly, not because she was calm, but because she wanted to scream, she knew she had to be even MORE afraid and nervous, but she couldn't, it felt as if she was enjoying a nice talk with an old friend.

-Nothing much, I just made you calm down, so I can see how I can help you- It says calmly, still eating the stolen cereal bowl from before.

-why are you eating raw cereal?- was the first question her mind could come up with, she was surprisingly good at embracing whatever situation she was thrown into.

- I like the taste- It said while chewing with the mouth open, it was as if he wanted her to feel disgusted and mildly uncomfortable.

-why are you trying to help me?- she asked, now that her mind was capable of further thinking.

-Well- It says putting the now empty bowl down. -because I want to, I can, and I will it- Says nonchalantly, now sitting and looking straight into her red eyes.

-...- Its answer was met with silence from her side.

-either way, tell me about yourself! That way I will know how to help out!- It says joyfully.

-shouldn't you be giving me like a wish and I tell you what I want?- she asks, if the novels and TV shows she consumes daily had taught her anything was that often the main character would receive a wish, and then she can choose what to fix with her messy life.

-what- It tries to ask before It is interrupted by her.

-I WISH FOR A NEW FATHER- She says as quickly as a student who knows the answer to a question that will give him extra marks.

-the fuck?- now it was the god that was confused, never in Its many many indescribable amounts of existence had It met someone that had ever so boldly assumed something and had a wish ready before It could even correct her. It chuckled. Then It laughed, loudly, like an anime character It opened Its mouth wide and began laughing hysterically.

-JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA- It bangs the table with one hand, and the golden sword in the middle jumps from the impact.

-What's so funny?- She asks, confused as to the reaction of the god. It stops laughing, recovering a bit from the scene he had just presented.

-nothing, nothing- It positions Itself again and continues -either way, that's not how it works- he says calmly -you humans don't know what you want, what will make you happy, plus, it is too easy to twist the wish into something horrible- It says ever so matter of factly with a sombre tone to it.

-I see- she says mildly ashamed, submerging herself a bit under the table, only not fully because that would be even more shameful for her.

-But at least now I know how to help you! You have problems with your dad!- It says with the same tone as a clown would scream Happy Birthday to a child.

-well,_um, yeah_ I guess- Lily felt called out by the god, maybe she was a bit too eager to wish for another father.

-so tell me about him! Why do you hate him?- he says while making Himself comfortable on the chair.

Lily further sank into hers, and as she felt incredibly exposed by the god, she crossed her arms and looked down.

-I mean... I don't HATE, hate him, it's just... umm- she tries to speak further but can't really as she starts falling off the chair.

The god notices and snaps his fingers once again, now they are not in her kitchen, not even in the house. She found herself laid down in one of those psychology sofas, those one would see in movies, the god was sitting in a more comfortable chair, crossing his legs and looking at her with his eyes. Or at least it looked like eyes, her thoughts about Its face were interrupted once again as It spoke.

-now, be honest, tell me about your father- it says calmly.

-He is never home, he says he is always working, at times I can't even remember his face because it has been so long since we've talked, it's been like this ever since I had a memory...- she finally opens up, she had never told another soul about any of this, not that ever had anyone that would bother listening to her, or at least she thought so.

-I think it because ever since I was born my mother was dead...umm,_ let me phrase it better... my mother died giving birth to me, and I think him working is a way to avoid looking at me, looking at the one responsible for her death- she was unable to stop now, she was opening up about every thought in her mind, her tears joining the words leaving her mouth -and...and I think maybe it would be better for me to have another family and have a normal dad- she finally says.

-how egoic of you- it says while it has a smile on Its face -have you ever thought that maybe, your father was simply working to ensure YOU have a normal life? -It claims with an almost accusatory tone.

-what do you mean?- she says, mildly defensive and kind of taken aback by the god's lack of sensitivity.

-yeah, I can show you, his life, I mean, all the points he thought about you, if you want, that will be my help to you- it says, now to Lily this god sounded like a saviour of sorts, one to help her understand the world.

Almost without thinking she says -show me, please-