HER TOWER
Eugene hoisted himself up through the window, feeling his heart shatter into a million pieces as his boots hit the hardwood floors, creating an echo that rang throughout the room.
It had been far too long since he had stepped foot here. Far too long. Thick layers of dust had covered nearly everything, from the steps on the staircase to the beams on the ceilings.
The last time he had stood here-the last time he had stepped foot in this old tower-was when she was here. Living, breathing, chained up and scared to death. Her big, green eyes had never been so full of fear.
Eugene ran his hands through his hair, recalling that horrid day. He couldn't help but feel like the world's greatest fool. It was his fault, after all. It was all his fault.
. . . .
It was daylight, most likely early morning. The forest blocked the bright sun, allowing only thread-like beams to shine through the treetops. Eugene Fitzherbert stumbled over rocks and twigs and roots through the vast forest, running as fast as he could to get to the girl's tower. There wasn't much time left.
His heart was racing a mile a minute and his breath quickened with every step he took. Eugene didn't stop for anything; the man focused on one thing and one thing only: saving her. Why? Because he loved her. He loved her more than love itself. Her beauty stood out far above the rest, and her personality-so cute and innocent and loving-was something you couldn't find anywhere else, especially if you were a wanted thief like Eugene.
Recognizing the vine-covered cave that lead to the girl's tower up ahead, Eugene sprinted faster and faster, wiping a bit of perspiration from his forehead.
She's close. She's so close, he thought to himself, pushing the vines away. His footsteps and quick breathing echoed through the small cave. Eugene felt his heart sink in his chest as questions swarmed in his head. Was she alright? Where was she now? And, of course, the question he had dared to ask himself: was she still breathing?
There it was-her tower. The think clouds in the sky gave it a completely different feeling than before. The atmosphere was more tense and less vibrant, as if it were lifeless.
Eugene ran as fast as his legs could take him towards her tower. He stopped below the entrance, staring up at the large window seventy feet above him.
"Rapunzel!" he called. His voice cracked with fear as he spoke the girl's sweet, tender name. "Rapunzel, let down your hair!"
There was nothing. Silence. The only sound Eugene could hear was the sound of his heart pounding in his chest. He couldn't wait. He couldn't stand around and do nothing. He needed to see his Rapunzel. Out of sheer impatience, Eugene started climbing the tall, stone tower. He'd do anything to see Rapunzel's face.
That's when he heard the window doors of the tower open. Eugene's eyes widened at the sound, and lifted his head to see the girls long, golden blonde hair fly out of the window. A big smile appeared on his face as he grabbed her golden locks and climbed. She was okay. She was here. She was breathing.
Those few second seemed like hours, but there it was. The window. Eugene flew through the wooden doors.
"Rapunzel! Rapunzel, I thought I'd never see you again!" His heart sank. Rapunzel's pleading eyes stared at him with fear in front of him. Her wrists were chained together behind her back, and her mouth was covered with a white cloth, muffling her words.
"Eugene! Eugene!" she called.
Almost automatically, Eugene sprinted over to her, squatting beside her, pulling the white cloth away from her face.
"Rapunzel! Rapunzel I-"
"Eugene you need to get out of here, it-"
They were both interrupted. A loud clank filled the room.
Eugene fell to the ground with a loud thump. His vision was now blurred and his head throbbed in pain. He'd recognize that clank anywhere-a frying pan. He could hear his dear Rapunzel scream with fright, but it was so faint, so distant. He felt someone grab him by the wrists, pull them behind his back, and wrap them tightly together with an itchy, snake-like item.
A rope.
Eugene opened his eyes wide to see the silhouette of a woman with black, curly hair stand before him. Her eyes were dark and full of hate and rage and the urge to kill.
That's when it hit him. The old lady-the one the Stabbington Brothers had told him about. The woman that had been keeping Rapunzel locked up in this tower for eighteen years. "Mother," as Rapunzel had called her.
Eugene squirmed, trying to get to his feet. "Rapunzel!" he called, only to find out that the rope that had been tying his wrists together was also tied to a post. "Rapunzel, no!" His head was swimming, and he couldn't see straight, but he knew-he knew that Rapunzel was in danger. "Rapunzel!"
The woman glared at him as she tied the white cloth tightly around Rapunzel's mouth again. She twirled around and started tugging on Rapunzel's chains.
"Oh don't worry," the woman said, her voice dark and cold as ice. "Our secret will die with him. And as for us,"-she tugged on Rapunzel's chains harder-"we are going where no one will ever find you again."
Rapunzel squirmed, to break free of her, but failed. "Eugene!" she called. "Eugene!"
Reality was coming back to him now. Eugene struggled to break free from the rope. "You old bitch! You can't do this to her!"
The old lady stared at Eugene with her cold eyes. "Oh, please," she spat, "why would you like her? Come on, now, really? Look at her!" She tugged at Rapunzel's chains once more. "She's nothing."
Eugene stared at Rapunzel. Tears were streaming down her face. "No, no, Rapunzel, don't listen to her! I love you! Nothing can change that! Ever!" His heart was beating fast. He couldn't do anything to help her. She was in danger, and he couldn't do anything about it. Eugene tugged and pulled, still trying to break free, but failed.
The old woman lifted one of the stone floor tiles, revealing a secret passageway. She pulled Rapunzel down through the passage. The young girl squirmed and kicked and screamed. This wasn't fair.
"You fucking bitch! You can't do this to her!" Eugene bellowed, squirming and falling to the ground in failure. "You can't!"
The woman walked over to Eugene, giving one last, hard, cold look, snarling at him in disgust
"Rapunzel!" he called to the girl! "Rapu-!" The old woman kicked him in the head, knocking him out cold.
. . . .
Eugene's eyes opened slowly, his head pounding. Where was he? What was going on?
Then, it hit him. The ropes, the chains, the old woman. Eugene squirmed and called out the girl's name on repeat. He knew she was too far to hear her. He knew that she was gone.
The sky was now a mixture of colors from the sunset, letting him know that hours and hours had passed since Rapunzel was taken. Eugene hated that sunset. He hated everything. He hated the old woman, he hated the rope that had kept him from saving Rapunzel, and he hated himself. The man rested his head against the hardwood flooring and sobbed. Tears streamed down his face and fell onto the floor. There was nothing he could do.
The rooms of the tower were now dark with the little light the sunset had to offer. Eugene lay prone on the ground, helpless and empty. He missed Rapunzel, and he'd do anything to get her back. With the little determination he had had left, he tugged and pulled, wiggling his fingers to see if he could break free.
After a few tries, the rope loosened. Eugene's hands flew out, and he fell with a thump, breathing heavily. He stared at his wrists that were now burned from the rope rubbing against his skin, but he didn't care. Running out of the tower now couldn't save her. Who knows where she could have gone.
Eugene stood, his body swayed as if he were a puppet being controlled by strings. Where would he go now? Rapunzel was his everything. She taught him how to love and how to trust and how to live life to the fullest, but with out her, how could he?
He didn't want to be here. This wasn't his place to be.
This was her tower, a place where she grew up and imagined what life in the outside world would be like. She got what she wanted-at first-but everything backfired.
And it was all his fault. It was all his fault.
. . . .
Eugene sat on the floor, remembering that fateful day alone. Ten years had passed by since then. Eugene always wondered where she was now, if she was okay, and if she was breathing.
He sighed, closing his eyes. He took a deep breath.
"Heal what has been hurt. Change the fate's design. Save what has been lost. Bring back what once was mine.
"What once was mine . . . "