Ever since Ida Colbert had moved from Sydney, Australia to Seattle, Washington, her life had taken a massive turn. In fact, it might have been the reason everything happened the way it did. I will gladly tell you her story, though you must know it won’t be like a fairytale.

It started when Ida walked up the intimidating staircase to her new school. She was filled with dread. Everyone was huddled in groups, quietly talking amongst themselves. She felt even more miserable then than she had at home. 

Besides all the stress from school, Ida was thinking about the collection. It was like an unknown light in the distance, something to take her mind of all of her problems.

The collection was where all the whole world ‘cleansed’ their societies. At least, that’s what they called it, no one really knew what happened since it was super confidential. Of course, they had talked about it before on the public broadcastings. Ida could remember clearly how the booming, hollow voice from the screen explained that the collection was a good thing. It was the reason that the world was a good place. It had come to be known as the day that relieved absolutely every citizen of the world.

 It sounds pretty good right? Well, I suggest you keep reading.

The collection was the next day, and unlike anybody who would react to a sinister-sounding day, the citizens around the world were excited and almost relieved that it was so soon. The world was filled with happy faces and chatter about what could possibly happen to make everyone’s lives better.

Finally, the day of the collection came. It started normally with kids going to school and adults to work, except everyone was in a good mood. People were nicer than usual, and everyone laughed and smiled just a little more. Ida was going to finally have a good day, or at least she thought…

It all happened so fast; it all went downhill too quickly. How could a day so grand turn to something so dreadful? Or maybe that was just reality. Maybe that grand day was really only a day of dread but no one knew.

It started to go downhill when the principal had come up to her in the hallway and quietly asked her to come to her office. Ida followed her with dread. 

There were figures in white sanitary suits waiting for them at the principal’s office. Ida was terribly confused why this was happening to her. She had done nothing wrong, she thought. The white figures thanked the principal in monotone voices and told Ida to follow them. She cooperated. 

They walked out of the school into a big makeshift building that hadn’t been there before. They led her into a white room with no windows or furniture. They left her there by herself. It was a sad, lonely room. 

Finally, someone wearing the same white suit as the people from earlier came in and started to explain things to Ida. They thanked her for being cooperative and for partaking in the collection. They said it was only about making the world a better place with no “outsiders.” Apparently she had been “living in a sad corner of life” and showing “no belonging.” They said she wasn’t fit for the world that they were living in and was to consequently be “withdrawn from the world.” Finally they told her that those people in sad places were fit for a failed world, not the great world that they were building.

It all came to her so quickly. The collection, this thing the government was portraying as a good thing, wasn’t good at all. SheWhat made it even worse was the question lingering inside of her: Is it worth it? Am I just being dramatic? Is it ok that my life is wasted to make the world a better place? Well, maybe the cost of one person being sad to make everyone else happy was worth it. Who knew? 

No one knew the collection was a bad thing; no one knew the government was lying to them. It was indeed a terribly sad thing. 

While that all happened, everyone else was going about their usual lives. No one noticed Ida was gone, not even her parents when she hadn’t come home that day. It was like she was erased from society. 

The End

Like I said, not a fairytale. In fact, quite the opposite. Poor Ida Colbert. One can only feel sorry for her.