Ungrateful Girl

A Story by Aleya

Putu has her world turned upside down as everything began falling into place. It wasn't until she signed her soul over to an evil fairy that the troubles began. The fairy branded her as her property.

Putu was against protocol when she didn’t arrive to class on time. She creeped open the door to find everyone staring at her. She didn’t care. She was tired from the early morning shift that she had. She worked every day, hours around her college classes, so that she could provide for her family. Her mother had surgery on her eyes so she couldn’t see too well. She had to take time off from her job until she felt better, but all the while Putu had to make up the necessary funds.

She loved school and everything about it. Making friends, learning new things, and what the outcome of a college education would be. More money. The downfall to her working long hours during the semester showed on her term paper. An “F”. Due to increased work hours she haven’t had time to study. Before she could fail out of school, she decided to drop out for a while until she was back on her feet.

Her director was keeping her from anything social outside of her family, learning, and living life to its fullest. She was living to take care of a household of eight, including herself. Her mother’s eyesight wasn’t seeming to get any better either. “Putu!” Screamed her youngest brother as he hugged her legs. She had just came home and see everybody scrambling around the little home that they had, searching for food and things to occupy their time. Her youngest brother, Gerner, loved her the most as he would always hang around her and hated when she was gone. Putu was a mother to him and he looked up to her for everything. She kissed his forehead and walked him to his bedroom to get ready for bed.

One sunny day, Putu went out grocery shopping and she had three of her younger siblings come with her to help carry all of the groceries. They couldn’t afford a car so they had to walk a few blocks to get to where they were going. All of a sudden, there was a rush of music and conversation filling their ears. It seemed to be a festival in town. Her younger siblings wanted to join it so bad. “Only for a few minutes. Then we have to get home to ma,” Putu told them. They all agreed and rushed off. She chased after them, trying not to lose sight of them.

Putu ended up standing next two a couple of freak who were laid out on the ground kissing and touching each other. In the middle of a festival? She decided to change her position, but a tapping on her shoulder interrupted her. She turned around to a woman in a black suit. “Hello, I’m sorry to interrupt you, but I have an offer to make,” the woman said. “I’m sorry. I don’t have any money to give,” Putu replied. “I’m sorry. I don’t need anything but your time. You are beautiful. You have the face that belongs on the big screen.” “Thank you.” “How would you like to make my vision come true?” “How much will it be to do all of this?” “You won’t have to worry about spending penny that you will earn. I will take care of everything. All I need is you.” “I’ll have to talk with my mother first,” Putu said, trying to keep a still eye on her siblings who were running around. “That’s fine. Whenever you’re ready. Come to my building for further instructions. Here’s the address.” The woman handed Putu a card with her photo and address on it. “Putu!” Someone called out. “Yes?!” She turned around to one of her sibling hugging her waist. He didn’t want anything but a hug. She turned around to face the woman, but she was gone. “It’s time to go everyone,” she called out. They all banded together and headed for the store.

Putu went home to tell her mother about the woman and the opportunity that she presented. “Something isn’t right about that Putu,” her mom says. She sensed a presence of evil upon them that she couldn’t explain. “But ma. We can finally have a lot of money and I can go back to school. It’ll be fun for me too,” Putu replied. “I don’t know. I want to speak with her myself.”

The family walks to the office together which wasn’t too far. The six siblings followed close behind Putu, pushing their mother in her wheelchair. The whole family had to join because they didn’t have enough funds for someone to watch the younger children. Once the arrived at their destination they entered a dark room. The walls were a bold black and the floors were marble, and black as well. There was a pattern carved into the wall in rows, but it was the same shade of the wall so it was barely noticeable unless you looked hard enough. In the center of the room, they were greeted with what seemed to be a portal. There was nothing else in the room. “What’s wrong Putu?” Her mother asked. “Maybe we’re in the wrong room,” she said as she looked at the card again for the correct location. Everyone stood still as they watched the portal glow. Every color imaginable was presented before them before the woman stepped through, smiling at them all. “Well hello! I’m so glad that you came,” she spoke. “Just the woman I wanted to talk to. What’s with all of this false promising that you’re giving my daughter?” The mother said. The woman could tell that she could hardly see anything. Noted. “This opportunity that I would like to present to you would change your life for the better. I am offering my services as a free, personal agent to grant your every desire. I would like to bring fame and fortune to your family where you can bring the gift of life to families all across the world.” “And how will we do that?” the mother asked. “I want you to be the family of a new reality TV show where you travel to different places around the world, doing many different activities, sharing your experience with the world. Sounds fun right?” “Yes!” Every cheered happily, including Putu. All was excited except the mother. “What’s the catch? How much does all of this cost? What’s in it for me? What’s the point of traveling if I can’t see anything?” “You vision will be your consolation.” “Oh?” “Yes, and as far as money goes. The only payment I will be needing is your daughter to sign this contract.” “Putu don’t you touch that. Something is wrong here.” The woman could tell that the only thing getting between her and her vision was Putu’s mother. She decided to cast a spell on her that would waive her opinion against it all. The woman walked forward, putting a hand on the mother’s shoulder as she spoke. “I will take care of your family, just trust me. Everything you desire, no more work, just fun. Just sign the paper.” The mother’s view changed and she edged Putu to go ahead and sign the paper. The woman smiled. After Putu signed the paper the portal began to glow again. “Now, follow me,” the woman said, stepping into the portal. Everyone slowly followed, secretly afraid of what was on the other side.

The portal brought them to a whole other world outside of the office. It was beautiful. It seemed they were in a garden of flowers, with a pond sitting in front of them, protecting by the surrounding trees. The grass as green as they had ever seen. But, before their eyes the woman spread her wings. She floated in the air and she wore a black dress instead of the black suit. Everyone was confused, especially the mother who had gained her sight back. She stood up out of the wheelchair and admired the beauty before her. Tears rolled down her face as she could at once see again. “What’s this?” Putu asked, noticing a marking on her upper left arm. It was the same marking as the pattern on the wall of the office. Black and bold. “Putu did you get a tattoo!?” Her mother asked. “No, ma! I don’t know where this came from,” she said, trying to rub it off. “What is all of this? Did you put this thing on my daughter’s arm?” The mother asked the woman, worrying again. “This is the start of your adventure. Come with me now. Don’t question it because you will be left unanswered,” the woman said. Gener tugged onto Putu’s dress that she was wearing, sucking his thumb. He wanted to be held. Putu picked him up. The woman secretly watched the whole exchange. “Everyone close your eyes,” the woman spoke. With the wave of her hand a bubble appeared around each member as they vanished.

Everything was successful. The family was scheduled for many trips around the land of Achayna. They visited the Wanborne Village and attended their famous lantern show one night. Next was the GoldenLeaf Village where they walked around the stream of lava that ran throughout the city. Then it was the Statford Village where they discovered their secret underground dwarf society. The most memorable for Putu was The Queens Village which was the richest village in all of the land. That was where she met Kenny.

Kenny had a hook on Putu so good that she could never be released without injury. They hung out together a majority of the time that they were in the village. They created the most ultimate relationship known across television as everyone rooted for their love, but sadly, they had to separate. “Can I stay a bit longer?” Putu asked the woman. “No. We have other places to be. There is no pausing for love right now,” the woman replied. Putu would always try again, annoying the woman, but she declined Putu every time. They tried to make an offer for Kenny to join their family and come along on the trip. “No,” was the answer. Putu promised Kenny that one day she would come back. They kissed away their tears before she headed off for another trip.

After about two years of traveling different lands and exploring different places, Putu just wanted to stay in one place and settle down. They now had enough money where they could at least take a break for a while before starting back up. She even considered the fact that she could go back to school and finish. She was excited. What made her more excited was the thought of her going back to be with Kenny. They’d seen each other occasionally, only when the family would visit the village for an event that was held, but every time the separation became more unbearable. Putu never loved anyone as much before, so she wanted to treasure it as much as she could, but she couldn’t.

Putu sat flushed in one of their many homes of the land. “Hello? What are you doing sitting around we need you out here for filming,” the woman said. “No,” Putu replied. “No?” The woman’s locked her eyes straight onto Putu, daring her to disobey. “I don’t want to do this anymore. I want to stay in one place and go back to school. I want to be with Kenny!” Putu yelled. With the wave of her hand, it sent Putu flying off of the sofa of which she sat, across the room and hard against the wall. Putu was scared at the woman’s force. As the woman floated closer, Putu back up until her back was squared up against the wall. “How dare you defy and disobey me. After everything that I’ve done for you and your family? I gave you the world, fame, fortune, your every desire and this is how you repay me?” Putu sat with her face into her folded knees, crying. “You ungrateful girl.” With that being said, the woman ripped off the girls left arm and one of her legs. “You owe me,” the woman said before vanishing, leaving Putu bleeding on the floor. She screamed and screamed, but the pain was so unbearable that she blacked out.

He walked into the room to where she lay against the wall. Her eyes closed. His hand rose up and so did she. She floated mid-air with her back facing the floor. Grimm. He looked at the Princess as she appeared by his side. The Princess closed her eyes and waved both of her hands in a circular motion towards the girl. Her lips released a quiet chant as the girl’s wounds began to slowly heal.

Putu was in extreme pain before she awoke in a hospital bed. She was surrounded by five of her family members, crying. “I’m okay,” she said. Her mother wrapped her arms around Putu and let out a cry so strong that she’d never heard in her entire life. “Ma! I’m okay!” Putu exclaimed. “Putu! She took Gener! She took him Putu!” Her mother screamed. There was 4 other children in the hospital room crying. “Who took him!?” Putu asked. “The woman!”