Twisted Disney Stories

See the Light

TW: Suicide, torture/abuse, death

Rapunzel jerked awake in a cold sweat. She had been having the same dream every night for months, maybe even a year now; she had lost track. Pascal climbed on her shoulder, apparently awakened by her racket. She shivered, squeezing her eyes shut in an apprehensive attempt to get rid of the thoughts clouding her mind. Maybe if I go back to sleep, I'll forget about it in the morning, she thought to herself hopefully.

However, sleep did not bring her comfort. The dream returned yet again, more vivid than ever.

She was standing in the middle of the tower's main room, looking out the window at the lanterns she hoped with all her heart to see one day. Unable to control her actions, she dropped to the ground, retrieving many strands of her hair, tying them, braiding them into a sickeningly familiar shape. Pascal climbed over it, trying to stop her. She uncontrollably hit him hard, sending him flying. As the light of the lanterns faded with the sunrise, she slid the makeshift noose over her head and fastened it firmly onto her neck. The voice in her head started to say something, so quiet that she almost couldn't make it out through all the confusion. The voice croaked, there's nothing left for you in this life, Rapunzel. It didn't sound like her own conscience, and it made her blood run cold. It whispered again; this is the only thing you can do when your dreams are a hopeless fantasy. She closed her eyes as her hand yanked on a portion of her hair, pulling her upwards by the neck and choking the life out of her painfully. She knew it would be over soon.

"It's okay, child," Mother Gothel said, her voice gentle and comforting to Rapunzel. "You're alright." She was standing over her daughter's bed, a worried look plastered onto her face. She thought to herself something that she thought often. Why did I ever think that parenting my prize was going to be easy? Gothel now focused on Rapunzel's troubled cries, trying to calm them, as she always had before. She succeeded in sounding sincere as she stroked the top of Rapunzel's head, gently caressing her beautiful blonde locks.

Once Rapunzel had calmed down, she begged her mother to stay in the tower with her, for at least the length of the day.

"I just don't trust myself alone today," she said vaguely, hopeful that her mother wouldn't question.

"Oh, of course, Rapunzel," Gothel replied. "Still depending on me to keep you safe—how tender."

"Thanks, Mother."

Rapunzel spent most of that day in her room, lost in her own thoughts. Her mother would check in with her from time to time, but she was isolated otherwise. Even Pascal left her alone that day. He could tell that she was in a mood that was best let be.

Why do I torture myself like this? Rapunzel wondered what there was to do, wondered how to stop herself from eventually carrying out the deeds of this dream. No, she thought, don't tell yourself that this will become a reality. That was the thought that made her heart jump inside of her chest. A sickening realization stabbed her like a knife. Maybe this dream was what she really wanted to do with herself. What if—no. Don't think like that. She calmed herself, wiping the tears she now realized had slipped down her cheeks as she was pondering all this. What is it that I want that's causing me this trouble?

She went over the events of the dream step by step, wondering if there was some sort of inner meaning or symbolism in all of it. She retraced her steps many times, but seemed to be getting nowhere, only pulling herself deeper into all the confusion.

Suddenly, a vision of the tower window flashed in her mind. The lanterns. They must be the answer.

She burst out of her room in ecstatic revelation.