Chapter 3.

Annabella laid peacefully at rest in her bed, until her stomach began to growl. She woke up abruptly. She headed to the kitchen to get something to eat. While Mother was still snoring on the bed in the living area, Annabella tiptoed to the kitchen. She panicked after seeing an horrific sight of bread crumbs on the floor, puddles of mushroom soup splattered on the the floor, and giant, muddy monsterous footsteps trailing from the backdoor. She opened the cabinets, and saw that the loaf of bread and bucket of soap had been stolen. She screamed in terror!

“What is wrong, Annabella?” Mother spoke as she ran to the kitchen. Annabella had both of hands covering her face, as she pouted in fear. “Oh my, Annabella. Everything will be okay,” Mother said as she embraced Annabella in her arms and caressed her head. 

“The monsters want to attack us,” Annabella said. “They want to claw us up.”

“No. No. No… No monsters live around here. You might have just left the back door open last night. It could have been a cay, a dog, or even a winter bear. You know we live close to the nature side.”

“...but?...It also stole our food,” Annabella cried in hunger.

“You can go to the market in the morning. I earned a few coins from the pair of pants I hemmed up hours ago. You will be just fine, my daughter.”

“Okay.” 

Annabella walked back to her bed, and laid back down. She covered her entire body with the blankets, and left an opening to keep a lookout. 

Mother locked the back door, and propped a huge and heavy chair behind the door, to ensure that no one would get in. She cleaned the mess, and coughed her way back to sleep.

Once, morning came. Annabella quickly got dressed and headed into town. She played a game of ball toss with her friends. One the game was over, she said goodbye to her friends and walked from vendor to vendor. Unfortunately, the first few shops at just sold out and were closing. She walked to more vendors, but they were closing and sold out as well. Annabella held on to hope, as she continued walking to the last vendor's shop. It was Mister Michael's table. He spoke as he packed up his table cloth and display sign, “good evening, Annabella. How did you and Tracy enjoy the bread and soup?” Annabella replied, it was delicious, but a monster stole it.” “I would give you and your mother more…” Mister Michael said. “...but I just sold my last box of crackers to that screaming man from yesterday. I'm sorry.” Annabella replied, “Oh. Okay. Well, enjoy the rest of your day.” “You too,” Mister Michael replied.

As Annabella sluggishly walked on the path towards home, her mind roamed. She wondered what it would be like to not have a worry in the world. She wondered what it would be like to eat delicious food and skip around town in pretty dresses. She wondered but it would be like to have more fun activities to try, beside the daily ball toss game. She was grateful for what she already had, but knew there has to be more than life. Then, she thought of her father. She thought to herself:

“Maybe father will take us back.

Maybe father will love mother.

Maybe father will love me.

Maybe he will listen to my plea.”

As Annabella imagined a fantasy of living a beautiful life with both, her mother father, she accidentally bumped into the screaming man from yesterday. “Oh, my apologies sire,” Annabella said. “No worries,” the man said as he shrugged his shoulder, ate the crackers from his pockets,and continued walking.” Filled with an ounce of hope, Annabella shouted in the man's direction, “HEY! Stop! Come back!” Confused, the man walked back. He said, “What?”

Annabella spoke, “Do you know how to get to the East Region Castle in Destiny Nation? King Henry Pomper the 17th lives there. I need to see him!”

Surprised by Annabella's interest in the neighboring kingdom, the man said, “Yes, I do. It's right past the Monger Forest.”

“Great! Thank you,” Annabella's feet quickly took off towards that direction. 

“WAIT!,” the man shouted. Annabella abruptly stopped in her tracks and turned back around, facing towards the man. His eyes turned red, and he stared deeply into her eyes. “Do not go through that forest. There is evil lurking there. Monsters want to attack us, and bring us to their homes as prey.”

“...But, I must visit my father! I have never seen him before.”

“I'm Jack… And who are you? Why is that important?”

“I'm Annabella Pomper. Maybe he will…”

“No royal is stupid enough to leave his own daughter poor. If he has never seen you before, then he will not want to see you now. I can assure you, there is no love in his heart. No pity will be given.”

“Maybe he has changed. Maybe he will…”

Jack interrupted. “Don't let wishing and hoping, keep you naive little girl. He showed you he didn't want you. Do you need him to scream his hate for you around the entire town.”

“No. I'm just tired of being hungry, dressing in rags, and being penniless.”

“Be grateful for what you have,” Jack said. 

Annabella quickly replied, “I am grateful. I am grateful for my mother. I am grateful that I have my friends to play with, and books to read… But life doesn't stop there. I know there is more to enjoy in life. I know that there is more.”

“Last warning,” Jack responded. As he began walking away, he shouted, “DO NOT GO IN THAT FOREST!”

Annabella froze speechless, unsure of what to do next.