Emily woke up to the sound of her door creaking open. In a daze she lifted her head. The crack of light from the door illuminated the room in a soft hazy color. Out of the corner of her eye she saw something scuttle towards her bed. Emily sighed and waited for it to reach her.
“Emmie! Emmie! It’s time!” Max’s little figure jumped up and down on her bed, urging her to wake up. Emily smiled. Max had a tendency to call her Emmie instead of her real name.
“I’m coming.” Emily chuckled. She got up and dressed in one of her two dresses. She quietly followed the little mouse down the hall, into the kitchen, through the living room, and finally, outside. The sun was just coming up and the first rays of light hit the house. Emily gasped.
“Oh Max! It’s beautiful!” Max nodded his head satisfactorily. The two sat there for a minute, taking in the beauty of the morning.
Eventually, Emily headed inside. Max scurried after her.
“What now Emmie?”
“Well, I guess it’s time to start my chores.”
“Not again.” Max complained. “You do them every single day!”
“They’re just something that have to be done.” Max moaned, but followed Emily into the house. The morning air made Emily shiver and she quickened her step.
First, she went down to the stables and started to clean up the droppings the horses had made overnight. Then, she started to milk the cows. After that, she began to feed the animals. When she was done, she went back inside to hear a bell ringing.
“Already?” She asked Max. He shrugged, confused too. She hurried up to her stepsisters room, ready to take their order. She knocked on the wood door, not too loud, just in case the other one was sleeping.
Now, Emily did not have a very enjoyable family. Her father died when she was only five. She missed him terribly. The only thing she remembered of her dad, was his toxic smile. It was the last thing he did before he passed away.
Emily and her Mom had grown very close since the passing of her father, and they had a lot of fun together. Then three years later, her mom decided to re-marry. Emily tried to support her in the decision, but could not stop thinking it was a way to replace her father.
After the marriage, Emily got to meet her her new step-sisters. They seemed nice enough, then. When she had gotten to know them, they were down right spoiled brats. Her new step-dad was no different.
Emily’s whole world had turned upside down when her mother had died just months after the marriage. She got caught in a car accident when she was coming home from work. Emily was devastated when she heard the news. Being the people they were, her new family took advantage of her. She did the cooking and cleaning for them all day, every day.
“Come in!” She heard the shrill voice of Annie call.
“Good morning.” Emily greeted. Annie brushed her aside.
“ I want pancakes with a side of sunny side up eggs. Make sure this time they are all the way cooked.” She said dryly, glaring at Emily. Emily knew to stay quiet about the subject.
“Anything else, Ma’am.?” Annie was only a couple months older her, but she acted like it was years.
“No. Leave me. I want my breakfast finished before nine o’clock.” Emily left the room and rushed to finish Annie's meal. When she was about to carry it up to the little brat, emily heard 2 more bells start to ring. She groaned and headed up to take the orders from her other step-sister and step-mother.
Finally, Emily had all three meals done and delivered. She sighed and slumped down on the nearest chair. She must have fallen asleep for a minute, because she woke up to Daisy shouting her name.
“EMILY!”
“Coming!” Emily called back. She ran up the stairs, succeeding in only slipping a couple times, and rushed into her step-sisters room.
“Oh, Emily! I’ve been calling you for hours!” Daisy complained.
“Sorry.” Emily mumbled.
“Don’t you remember? Tonight’s the ball! I’m going to meet my prince charming! I need to get ready!” Emily was about to retort back that she could get dressed herself, but held back.
“Well… Get my dress!” Daisy shrieked.
“Oh! Me too!” Annie called. Emily walked into their closet and choose dresses for both of them. It took Emily a while to get them both dressed, but she sighed inwardly when she realized she still had time to get ready herself.
She excused herself and rushed to her room. Her step-dad stopped her when she reached the stairs.
“Emily, where are you going?”
“Oh! To get ready for the ball.” Her step-dad looked at her dumbfounded.
“Did you think you were going?” Now Emily looked at her, bewildered.
“Well, yes. They said every maiden was invited.”
Oh no.” He said. “I’m taking my girls to the ball. We need you to stay here and watch over the house. We wouldn’t want any unwanted visitors, now do we? Also, I’ve been seeing some mice around the house. You need to get rid of the terrible creatures! We need you here Emily. You don’t even have a dress!”
“I do! I do!” She protested. “I’ll go get it!” Emily raced up to her room and stormed to her closet. When she saw it, it was in shreds, barely hanging on to the hanger. Tears pricked her eyes. She sat there, just staring at it, when she heard a growl. She looked down her small closet to see her family’s dog, Luke. In his jaws were purple pieces of fabric.
“Shoo! Go away!” Emily shouted at the big dog. The dog growled at her once more, then bounded out of the room.
“Emily! We’re leaving! Are you ready or what?” Emily heard Daisy called up to her.
Soberly, she called back, “I’m staying here.”
“Fine with me.” She heard her spoiled sister call back. Moments later, Emily heard the door slam shut.

Apparently Emily had fallen asleep again, because she woke up to a dark damp room. She brushed at her tear stained eyes and stared out her dark window. She sat there for a minute, reflecting on the days horrible events.
The tears started coming again. Now faster in long streaks. Emily sat there and sobbed looking at her mother’s once beautiful dress. Then, a blue light filled the room, and Emily looked over to the open door. There in the doorway, stood a figure. A stunning woman stepped into the light.
“Sweetie! Don’t just sit there! We’ve got to get you ready for the ball!”