The Magic Shoes

They were magic shoes the woman at the store told you, cast with a spell to make your feet carry you on adventures. In reality they were the ugly shoes your mum had bought for you for school but at the time you believed the woman measuring your feet. The shoes were going to take you everywhere, to the end of the world and back. 

They had taken you to school and back, several times, but then their soles became worn and the leather more like a covering of dirt. The shoes had to go. You kicked and screamed, the shoes hadn't taken you on any adventures yet, and you needed the shoes to see the world. But as always Mum won, and the shoes went to the bin.

"We'll go tomorrow and buy you some new ones Rosie."

Tomorrow came and after school you trudged in your joggers to the shoe store. Maybe the woman would have another pair of magic shoes.

It was a disappointment as you entered and found only an old man in the store, his head poking from behind a pile of boxes.

"Just a minute, I'll grab someone to help you. Darlene!"

You took a seat on the chair. Around you shoes sat on boxes, mostly shoes that looked hard and uncomfortable but a few were held high with straps and jewels.

"Back for another pair dear?"

You turned to the voice and saw the same woman coming towards you. You beam.

"Do you have anymore magic shoes?" 

"Ah, I think there might just be some your size."

As the woman measures your feet, you mum browses amongst the boxes.

You hope eagerly that your feet are just the right size for another pair of magic shoes.

"Did you go on lots of adventures?"

The cold metal tingles against your bare foot.

"No, that's why I need another pair." You pause. "The next pair will take me on adventures won't they?"

The woman smiles. "Of course, the other ones were just a little rusty.

You weren't sure how shoes could rust, you had never seen a pair of rusty shoes, but this woman knew a lot more about shoes than you did.

"I do want to go on adventures, to the end of the world and back."

"Let me get you some shoes."

The woman disappeared into the back and you're left sitting there hoping that one day you will see the end of the world.

It's not long before the woman returned with two boxes. One she puts on the chair beside you and the other on the ground.

"This one," she pointed to the box on the chair, are your new pair of shoes, they'll take you on plenty of adventures. These ones," she took the lid from the other box and your peer in.

"These are my adventure shoes." 

Your first thought is that the shoes look rusty and you understand what the woman meant earlier. They blue with skin that was flaking and laces that were fraying.

"I wear these whenever I want to go on an adventure. Try them on."

You know the shoes will be far too big but you let the woman slip them onto your feet. She pulls the laces tight and with a little wobble you stand up.

 

"Darlene those shoes are ugly, take them off."

You look down at the shoes, brand new with crisp brown skin and bright orange laces.

"But they're cool Mum."

"No they're not, take them off, I bought these for you." Your mum opens a box to show you a pair of nice clean blue shoes.

"You know I only buy you the best Darlene, now take those off and put these on."

Reluctantly you take off the brown shoes. You've never liked the shoes your mum buys you, they were always too pretty and expensive to do anything. These blue shoes won't be anything different. On your feet they look odd, out of place. You know they probably go quite well the black dress you're wearing but they don't go with you.

"Come on Darlene."

You walk home with your Mum, it's not far, otherwise she wouldn't let you risk dirtying the shoes, but you want to kick and scuff them anyway. 

"Care with those shoes now."

By the time you get home they're still immaculate and you skulk up to your room. These shoes wouldn't be any fun at all, they couldn't take you on any adventures. The only way you could go on adventures was by taking yourself on them. You jump up onto the bed.

"I'll be a pirate now." And you swash and buckle and almost walk the plank. There's a dinosaur too on the ship and you have to fight it with your bare hands, which magically you find can make anything catch on fire. By the time the sun is setting over the horizon the crew is giving you a pat on the back and you're quite content with your adventure. You look down. The blue shoes are still immaculate, regardless of how much pirate slime they got covered in.

You smile, that's the way to go on an adventure.

 

"Aren't those shoes a little too big Rosie?"

You look down. The blue shoes on your feet were old and worn, not immaculate or covered in pirate slime. You take the shoes off and give them back the woman.

"Did you go to the end of the world?" You ask.

The woman smiles. "I go there every day."

You pick up the box of your new school shoes and smile widely.

"Did you find a nice pair?" Your Mum asks.