Sleep

Rapunzle

I still have nightmares of my 'mother'. Tonight's nightmare I'm back in the hidden tower, brushing the last strands of my golden hair. Then she comes in. Long, thin, narrow eyes, pulled back hair the same auburn shade as my father.

"Get away from me," I scowl. "Let me go," I scream, " your little scam won't work, I know your not my mother, you killed her off, kidnapped me. Take me home or else," I hold up my fists like the beginning of a boxing match. She only laughs her cruel twisted laugh. With horror I watch as she snaps her fingers and chains erupt from the ground, tying me down. She walks near the window turns back and vanishes with a wave of her hand. But in this dream, something different happens. A man emerges from the window. He's tall with matted brown hair.

"Hello Rapunzle, I've heard your dreaded story. Just scale the tower, go deep into the east woods. You'll find a gray light by a house, go into the house and tell them I sent you. They will get you to safety," he said panting looking back.

"How can I tell them you sent me. What is your name?" I ask.

"It's Phillip. Trust me.  We will meet again, I await your arrival."

He scaled the window and vanished, leaving me alone. I jerked awake, looking around at the musty tower walls. I need to get out of here. The only problem. My hair is at least a quarter mile long, it will be too evident. I search around with my chained hands and find what I'm looking for, a vase shard. In a flash my hair is about a quarter mile shorter, now only reaching down to my chin, pixie cut style. Second problem: the chains tying me down. Attempt after attempt I finally frustratingly tug at them with anger, and they turn to embers. How did I- I'm free! I touch the big pile of hair I cut off, experimenting, and it too turns to embers. Wasting no more time to wondering about the embers, I begin to try to scale the wall, and end up jumping down landing on 2 feet.

I run freely trotting happily in circles, then remember to go deep into the east woods.

Deeper in the night, I easily make a fire by igniting sparks from my hand. This scares me but I use my powers to an advantage. Tired from searching I stumble upon a house with a blue light, where someone grabs me from behind.
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I pick off a blindfold to find myself facing two masked figures.

"So, the little princess is awake," the taller man taunts. "Man, once we turn her in we'll get so much cash," he taps his pocket greedily.

"Remember the longer we hold her, the bigger the cash reward. We've had her for 3 weeks, and the reward is already at 100 gold pieces. We could be rich."

"Let me go, or you'll regret it. You'll see, you'll be sorry to ever mess with me," I say more fiercely than I feel. I put on an overconfident cocky face and decide to try out my little trick. Their armor turns to ashes along with their weapons. "If you don't leave now, you'll be next."

I was a bit surprised at how quickly they fled.

Again, I set off for the house with the gray light.

When I finally wobble to the doorway, my legs feel like paper, and my eyelids are like lead. A woman and a man come to the doorway and exchange nervous glances.

"Who sent you?" The woman asks gently.

"Phillip," I say out of breath. And they catch me as I faint.