There Must Be Magic
by Sam Coronado
Once upon a time, a naughty little princess named Andrea got lost from her Fairy Tale to the Real World. She stood at the place commoners call "Shopping Mall". After wandering for quite some time in the huge building, the princess saw a shop called "Enchanted Kingdom Toy Store", and decided to come in.
The place looks just like her real world! With manequins dressed in gowns and glass slippers and sparkling crowns above their heads, it was certainly a place she belonged.
She bravely approached a kind-looking saleslady.
"I want to go back to my Fairy Tale World!" said the little Princess. "My name is Princess Andrea. I can't survive out here! Tell me lady, do you have some magic potions? Those that can open hidden portals? I badly need one."
The saleslady laughed. "We don't have any of them, little Miss. But we do have toys. See? There are tortoises, cats, duck, pigs, frogs-"
"You have those?" cried the Princess excitedly. "Then give them to me at once! Tortoises are fast runners! They always win the race." The Princess frowned at the stuffed cat. "Hey, why are your Cats not in Boots? They could bring you good fortune! Oh, and those Ducks and give birth to a really, really beautiful Swan-the perfect pet! And I think I'll have three of those Little Pigs build me an enormous castle made of bricks! And that green frog will be my Prince Charming!"
"Actually," the Salesgirl whispered with an awkward smile. "They don't"
They don't?" the Princess repeated. "Well, then, give me a lamp and a magic Carpet instead! Perhaps I could wish from the genie or just fly my way out of here."
"Little girl, our carpets don't fly, and our lamps don't have genies."
The Princess looked confused. "How about Seven Tiny Dwarfs? Do you have them in here?"
"No," said the Salesgirl patiently. "You seem to have a wild imagination."
"I'm not imagining! I'm a princess! You don't believe me? Then go ahead and lay a pea under my mattress. You'll see! If you braid my hair and hang it outside a tower, you'll see a Prince climbing up to save me."
"But there is no magic in here. This isn't fairy land, kid..."
The Princess gasped. "You mean, Puppets don't turn to be real boys; And Beasts don't turn to real Princes?"
The lady shook heq head. "No, I'm sorry."
The Princess sighed aloud and sulked down the floor. "If there is no magic in here, I can NEVER have a Happily Ever After!"
In tears, the Princess asked, "Well, can I just borrow your Fairy Godmother?"
"I don't have any," replied the lady sadly. But soon her eyes lit up. An idea popped in the lady's mind. She stood up and made a brief phone call, and afterwards returned to the sobbing little Princess.
"Don't worry now, Princess. I just made a phone call. You can go back to your Fairy Tale World in a few minutes!"
"Really?" asked the Princess with hope.
The lady nodded. "Of course!"
"But how?"
The lady peered ove the little girl's shoulder. Someone frantically making quick steps entered the store. The lady smiled, "How? You don't need magic. Take a look behind you."
The Princess turned, and saw her mother! In grateful tears, she ran to her and hugged her tightly. "You're here!"
"Oh Andrea, you got lost again!" cried the woman. She turned to the Salesgirl behind her.
"Thank you, Miss, I hope my little Princess didn't bother you."
"It's nothing, Ma'am. It was a great fun to be with her," replied the lady.
The Salesgirl turned to Andrea, who looked very happy. The lady said "See? You don't need potion or fairies or Prince Charming or a genie or a flying carpet to save you from harm! Right?"
"You're right!" Andrea replied. "My mother is right here, she's all that! She must be the greatest of them all! Can you imagine? All of them couldn't save me. But she can!"
The lady laughed, "you are one lucky Little Princess."
And they Left Happily Ever After.
