by Jenna Burns
Image credit: Ida Henrich
I. Beginning
She stumbles across the word during a family get-together. Grown-ups on one side of the room, drinks flowing and children confined to the other, sat at a smaller table in a pale imitation.
“Don’t you know that’s gay?” her cousin says. His mouth is twisted in distaste, as if he has just eaten a lemon whole. She doesn’t understand. He looks as if she’s done something wrong but she hasn’t shouted or said any bad words, as far as she knows.
She looks down at the Barbies in her hands. She feels like maybe explaining the story to him will help. After all, he isn’t aware that the kiss will break the sleeping curse under the castle, that the two princesses have to unite their kingdoms…
His stare keeps her quiet. She stops the game.
II. Shame
Years later, she throws the Barbies away. She knows what the word means now.
III. Light
“I wish you were the Prince,” Ora says. “You know the lines better than anyone else.”
She can smell the heady paint in the air, watching as Ora spreads delicate brush strokes across the newly designed scenery: thorns for Sleeping Beauty’s castle, red roses intertwined amongst them. Her hair is messy, blonde flyaway wisps falling around her face.
She can’t think of a reply. Ora’s words are thrilling, more so than any book she’s read, any film she’s seen… She thinks back to being a child, playing with dolls and thinking of any love story she could. Finally, she doesn’t frown at the memory. She smiles.
There’s a streak of green paint across Ora’s cheek that she can’t find the heart to point out. It’s just so lovely. She’s so lovely.
They kiss amongst the thorns, not caring if the paint smudges.
Their time is coming.
Jenna Burns
Jenna Burns is a Scottish lesbian writer & professional daydreamer in her 20s. She has been published by Gutter Magazine; Zoetic Press & The Retired Beekeepers of Sussex. She loves writing in a variety of formats, from short stories and flash fiction to screenwriting.
Ida Henrich
Ida Henrich is a German Cartoonist, Illustrator and Designer based in Scotland. She has worked with award winning publishers, online coaches and magazines. Ida is a graduate of Communication Design at the Glasgow School of Art where she specialised in Illustration. In her own work she explores themes such as sex-education, growing up, and women’s experiences. Her comics and illustrations are written for both men and women and aim to start an open dialogue between partners, friends, parents, and children about their experiences. Ida believes that Art is a powerful way to make ideas and feelings tangible.
As Art Editor at Fearless Femme, Ida is responsible for all things visual, including the correspondence with our visual artists, the design and realisation of the online magazine and the illustration of our amazing cover women. She also creates artwork for some of our articles, poems and stories.
Ida loves her coffee in the morning, that feeling after finishing an illustration and going for a run in the (Scottish) sun; and pilates on the rainy days. Ida enjoys SciFi books and autobiographies, and autobiographical comics. She is always delighted to meet new people on trains but is also smitten being home alone colouring in an illustration that she has made way too intricate while listening to Woman’s Hour. You can contact her at ida@fearlessly.co.uk.
