The Forsaken Child

"Heretic"

She walked along the corridor, passing by the kitchen.

"Monster"

She walked towards her room.

"Inferior child"

Negative comments whispers into her ears - a part of her daily life. She shut the door as she entered her room and lay on her bed. Her room was as bleak as her life. Torn curtains, faded wallpapers, cracked windows and a shaky bed - everything was in bad condition except her clothes. Her clothes were pristine only for the eyes of the citizens to hide the abuse towards her. She looked at the hole in the ceiling of her room, reminiscing about her late grandmother - her only true family. Her warmth of her hug and smile still remained in her heart. She burrowed her head in her pillow, crying because she remembered how her grandmother died - starved to death and was announced death by old age.

"Seirralia"

She looked up, searching for the voice that called her.

"Seirralia, come"

The voice was warm and welcoming which reminded her of her grandmother. A glimmer came from the mirror and caught her eye. She walked towards the mirror. The mirror was clear - no reflection was on it.

"Touch the mirror"

She hesitated.

"Why should I?"

A lady in a white cloak with her face hidden by her hood appeared before her in the mirror. The lady held out her hand, "Come. I will show you a place where you will be free from here".

"But I can't leave here. If my parents found out, they will beat me," said Seirralia.

Ignoring her rant, the lady chanted some mysterious words and orbs of light began to gather to form a winged old lady beside of Seirralia.

"Grandma?"

The old lady hugged her and patted her head gently.

"I missed you, grandma," she said

"I missed you too, my dear. But I don't have much time. So, please listen to me carefully"

Seirralia nodded.

"Seirralia, you are special. Different than anyone in this kingdom. But there is someone out there who bears the same fate as you," said the old lady.

"What do you mean?" she said

"Go through the mirror and you will be answered," said the old lady.

"Diara"

The old lady nodded. Orbs of light began to leave the old lady's body.

"Seirralia, it's time for me to leave"

"No! Please don't leave me!"

Seirralia hugged her grandmother.

"I will never leave you because I will always be in your heart. Now, go, Seirralia"

The old lady fleeted, leaving behind Seirralia in tears. After a while, she rubbed her tears from her face and looked at the cloaked lady.

"I am ready"

Seirralia took her hand and entered the mirror. As soon as she entered the mirror, she blinded by a burst of lights until she was out of the mirror. The cloaked lady had vanished and she was transported to a meadow of flowers - a sight she had never seen for her whole life. The mirror was behind, showing her dark room. She looked around and pondered about what her grandmother was saying.

"Where am I?"

She walked towards the middle of the meadow where a big apple tree stood like the guardian of the meadow. Under the tree, she saw someone resting by the roots of the tree.

"Who's there?"

She snapped a twig when she stepped on it while approaching the mysterious person.