Short stories

**Short stories** refer to five texts written by The Toon Studio of Beverly Hills between March and May 2012.

## Alice

*March 14th, 2012*

I don't know where I am, but it's night and l'm in a forest. Alone. Scared. And my body aches. And it feels like something's watching me. Nope. Something is definitely watching me. I can see its eyes. They're cold. And I can just barely make out a body. It looks like… a rabbit. But he's not white -- he's dark -- and he's not in any rush. I may have been Alice of Wonderland once, but I am far from home, now. If every dream has a challenge, if every fantasy has an obstacle, I have a feeling that this time around, I'm up against something much bigger than a grumpy Queen and fat cat.

## Cinderella

*March 29th, 2012*

The big hand moved slowly to twelve as each bell chimed: One, my hands were in his. Two, I stopped dancing and pulled back. Three, I saw the confusion in his face as I turned my back on him. Four, women gasped in the crowd. Five, I approached the top of the stairs, turned back to see him-- Six, I ran from the palace. Seven, my coach rounded the corner. Eight, one glass shoe slipped off my foot. Nine, I fell. Ten, on the ground. Bruised and dirty. Eleven, I looked up. The stars were shifting around me. Twelve, darkness. It's cold, now. I'm lost and out of place. But then again, I've always been.

## Snow White

*April 17th, 2012*

There's darkness all around me. There's darkness in the souls of those sweet dwarfs, who I once could trust. There's darkness in the soul of the man who I once could love. It's easy now to give up. I can throw in the towel. I can surrender. I can forget my greatness. But did you know that water expands when it's cold? So, when it gets cold outside, when things slow down around me, when night time falls and things get tough - just like water grows into snow - I will get bigger. I will get stronger. And after all, I am Snow White!

## Tinker Bell

*April 21th, 2012*

I know -- I look like a zombie. But don't sweat it. Yes, I am far from home. And yes, I may have lost my fairy friends, my way of life, my magical talents and my adorable looks. But no, I am not afraid. And who says Zombies can't be cute. I am not consumed with doubt and uncertainty. Because I know this is a test. Like, do i really believe? I do. I really do believe. And I don't have to clap my hands to make me believe. Because with magic or without it, I was born a fairy. I will always be a fairy. So, if I can't fly, I'll run. If I can't sing, l'll scream. If i can't sprinkle pixie dust i will toss sand in the air and hope for the best. I will find a way to make things right. I will find my life force. I will find the pixie dust before my body turns to zombie dust. A candle shines brightest in the dark. A real fairy finds the light of love within to fight back. Think fairies are outdated? That we're irrelevant? That we're silly and weak? Think again.

There was no water. I could hear the sound of water in the distance. So, I walked toward it… and toward it… for hours. But like a cruel trick, the running stream seemed to run from me. Like a mirage of the ear, there was water to be heard but never to be tasted. I collapsed to the ground. All I had left were the clothes on my body, a few insects I had collected for food, and the tiniest morsel of energy. Lord of the fairies.

## Peter Pan

*May 2nd, 2012*

Second star to the right and straight on until morning, right? It isn't working!! I can't seem to figure out where i've landed. I can still fly, barely. My "happy thoughts" are dwindling and I'm starting to feel very heavy. I know I'm not anywhere near Never-Never Land. It's dark here. Pitch dark. I hear some water in the distance, but I can't seem to find my way to it…and I'm very thirsty… Where's Wendy?

## Notes

* The Toon Studio of Beverly Hills deleted their Facebook page in July 2019. Therefore, those stories aren't available on the web anymore.
	+ However, some snippets can be found on their Twitter.
* On Twitter, they call it **Zombieland** instead of **Once Upon A Zombie**
* The illustrations show the characters as children, or chibis.

## Gallery

### **Fan made episodes**

Once Upon A Zombie - Zombieland Diary - Episode 1 Cinderella