The shoe factory runs out of glass slippers so Cinderella goes barefoot. She was more used to being barefoot anyway. Who in their right mind ever thought that a glass shoe would be comfortable? She shook her head, personally glad she didn’t have to wear the things. She would have been terrified all night long of stepping wrong and having one shatter and slice her foot to ribbons.

But to go entirely barefoot? She would look like the un-cared for step-child she was. Sitting in her tiny attic room, she was unsure what to do, until she spotted several lengths of ribbon the mice had brought her. Picking one up, she wound it around her ankle and the top of her foot before tying it in an intricate knot. She held her foot out and looked at a moment. It really was pretty and unique, no one would guess it was because she had no shoes.

She quickly tied the other foot to match and hurried off to the ball.

Meleesa Stephens

*****

This was impossible how could she possibly go barefoot to the Prince’s Ball. Surely, her Fairy God Mother could deal with this problem.

“Sorry, girl, but all I do when I wave my wand is transfer a pair of slippers from the factory stock. If they are out, they’re out.”

“But, FGM, OMG aren’t your powers magical. If you can transform mice into horse and footmen why not a pair of my old shoes into glass-slippers?”

“Nope, can’t be done my contract strictly forbids it.”

“Contract! What contract?”

“The one the glass shoe makers of Fantasy Land have with all FGM’s, witches, shamans, genies and others with magical powers, expressly prohibiting the making of glass slippers. There’s a union you know?”

“A Union! Fantasy Land has a union?”

“AAMOF it does. It’s not the only contract. The witches have one with all others of magical power forbidding them from flying with brooms and one with the cauldron makers that limit there use to witches.”

“So I’m to go barefoot to the ball. OMG , I’ll be so embarrassed.”

“Come, girl, think! How can you make those bare feet shine even brighter than wearing glass slippers? Here, put on this glitter nail polish.”

Christine Howard