Twisted Tales: Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Mahima Kedlaya

She was always a playful girl. A girl fascinated by art, nature, and the wonders of life. She was a reserved girl, unphased by the materialistic nature of man. Instead, she took comfort in animals. Their mannerisms, bodily functions, and anatomy. She spent her days playing with the stuffed animals made by her mother, and the nearby creatures who took shelter near her home. One evening she spotted a bird, a beautiful rare bird that captured her, mesmerizing her. She chased after it until the aches of her knees and feet slowed her down. Immediately realizing the time, she knew she had to return home. Her glistening, long golden curls bounced as she walked home. She gracefully trudged across the fields, her honey blonde locks burdened her pace, allowing her mind to wander. As her mind drifted from reality she gradually roamed further and further away from the path leading her home. Unexpectedly, the harsh gusts of wind brought her to reality. She found herself clueless to her surroundings, enclosed by forestry. She blindly darted, in hopes of finding somewhere safe. Reaching the final outskirts of the forest she came upon a small cottage. Its warmth and homeliness drew her to it. As she was approaching it, she noticed that it was empty, the windows were open but no one seemed to be inside, and by fate, the door was kept unlocked. As she entered the house, she noticed a small fire in the corner of the room. Its warmth filled her body, smoothing away the bumps brought on by cruel skies, bringing color to her pale cheeks. Around the fire were three wooden chairs of varying sizes. She suddenly felt an undeniable pain in her stomach, as if her insides were being carved out by the cruel mistress otherwise known as hunger. To her remark, she saw a table in the other room, and on that table were three bowls filled to the brim with porridge. Their sweet aroma was irresistible and she knew she had to fill her stomach. She gently took a spoonful of each bowl but remained dissatisfied. There was only one bowl left and she carefully placed a spoonful on the tip of her tongue, gauging the temperature. A rush of joy shot through her as this small bowl was just right! She took the bowl and went into the room with the fire. She now had a second choice; which chair to have her meal in? To her luck, she sat in the littlest chair which was a bit snug, but her desperation for rest overlooked it. Immediately after sitting down, she indulged in the soft, creamy, warm porridge, stuffing every last bit into her empty body. Briefly, after she finished her meal, she felt herself slipping down. To her awe, she fell through the chair breaking it into many shards and pieces. As she was slammed to the floor a burst of exhaustion hit her and she was unable to move. Within seconds she had fallen asleep to a full belly and the peaceful noise of the fire crackling beside her. Suddenly, she heard a loud crashing noise. As she glanced up, she saw three bears towering over her. Her mind raced as she was approaching the final seconds of her life. Fear, guilt, stupidity, and acceptance all crossed her as she spoke her final cries for help. The bears saw this, and with mercy allowed her to leave, forbidding her to ever come back to this side of the forest. Flushed with gratitude she ran out of the house but instead of heading back home, she slyly sat next to the cottage. As the skies darkened and the winds quieted the three bears drifted off into a deep slumber. After seeing this, she quietly returned to the house. The bears had not cleaned up the kitchen table or the broken chair. Instantly she felt her mind running, but soon her tensed face gradually relaxed and she felt her body moving towards the broken wooden stakes. Quietly picking some up, she tiptoed into the room the bears lied in. She slowly walked by the first bear and using all her strength she plunged the stakes into the bear without making a sound. The other bear's snores drowned out any accidental noise, so she continued to do the same to the second bear until all three bears laid fast asleep, never to wake up again. After a certain time had passed, she gently took the steaks out of each bear and made a large incision using the wood, into each of their bodies. With her bare hands, she dove into their bodies pulling all their inners out until they were hollow. Using those same wooden steaks, she cut off her long, cascading golden locks. She delicately picked up the hair and used it to stuff each bear. Once she finished the stuffing, she took one last strand of hair and used that to sow their cut bodies back together. With all her strength she cautiously propped each bear up onto their beds. From a distance the bears looked almost lifelike, their bodies strong and filled with hair, made to look as if nothing had happened. From that day onwards the girl with the golden locks resided in that small, homily, peaceful cottage. She spent her days drawing by the fire, cooking wonderful meals, and playing with her three new stuffed animals.