Paste your document here I started to walk away. "Hey," Blondie's soft voice came from behind me. My
heart skipped a beat, and I found myself turning around. "For the record," she
continued,"I like Eugene Fitzherbert much better than Flynn Rider." I
blinked in suprise. "Well, you'd be the first... but thank-you," I
said.

I walked away, flexing my hand. Had I just dreamed that? I
looked around for some firewood, then spotted a few logs that would be
perfect.

As I bent down to get them, I heard some leaves russle
behind me. Thinking it was probably Blondie, I turned around with a smile. My
grin quickly faded, though, when right before my eyes a hooded lady with long
wavy black hair and a touch of gray apeared. She looked to be about forty or
fifty. I got to my feet. Smiling, the lady removed her hood.I get to my feet.
Funny how her smile looked vaguely evil. "Hello," she said coolly. I cocked my
head slightly, as I so often when I'm trying to figure something out. "Hi," I
said hesitantly, wondering where this sranger came from. " I am Gothel,
Rapunzel's mother," she said, reaching her hand out. I take it. "Eu-Flynn
Rider," I replied, quickly correcting my slip-up. My fake reputation was at
stake, I wasn't just talking to Rapunzel here. Who knew if this lady would tell
on me?

"Flynn Rider," she repeated slowly. "Just the man I heve been
looking for." My chest puffed out slightly. She had been looking for me.
Handsome, smoldering me. Of course, I shouldn't be suprised, all the
women looked for me. "I have something to tell you," Gothel said. "My daughter,
Rapunzel, needs to come back home with me. She doesn't know a thing about the
world, and I don't want her to get hurt. She's naive, gulible, underdressed,
and, well I could just go on and on! She needs to come back with me, the only
safe thing she knows." I shook my head, slowly at first, then more vigorously as
it all sank in. "I'm afraid she won't do that, ma'am. You see, she's got her
heart set on seeing those lanterns, and I've made a deal to take her to see
them, if she'd give me back my satchel after she got to see them," after I said
the words, I knew I wanted much more than my satchel, I wanted Rapunzel. I
wanted to kiss her. bad. "Yes, well, I thought you might give me a bit of a hard
time, so I brought this along," said the older woman., reaching inside her cape
and pulling out-my satchel! I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. Here it was, at
my fingertips, ready for me to snatch it and run. But something inside stopped
me. That look on Rapunzel's face as she listened to my sob story. She cared. She
really did. I didn't want it. I wanted her. She was my new dream. "I-um,
listen," I began nervously. "About that. Rapunze and I- we made a deal. And I
want to keep it." My voice sounded strange even to me, like I wasn't saying it.
This was not Flynn Rider talking. Flynn Rider would have never
chosen a girl over money. Gothel seemed suprised at first, then relaxed,
reaching into her cape again. "I know you won't let her go this easy," she
mumbled to herself. Huh. And Rapunzel tells me she hates it when she
mumbles!

Then, everything happened so fast. Gothel yanked a dagger
out of her cape and thrust it into my lower stomach. Pain immediately shot
through me. I groaned loudly, sinking to my knees and holding my side
protectively. "Ohhh," I groaned painfully. I was on my good side now, suddenly
aware that Gothel's skirt brushed against my cheek. My eyes popped open.
"I...will never...forgive...you...for this," I said angrily, my voice just above
a whisper. She looked back, her expression dark. "You don't have to," she said.
"You'll bleed to death soon." I took deep breaths, suddenly nauseated. I let out
a loud scream, partly from pain, partly so Rapunzel would hear me, and partly
from a broken heart. I whimpered, a tear falling from my eye. I hated crying,
but I couldn't exactly control my emotions right then.

Time passed. I
don't know how long, but it seemed like as eternity times ten. My breathing
became shallow. I didn't want to die. "Rapunzel," I yelled. Actually, it was
more like a hoarse whisper. I was desprate now. "Rapunzel!" I forced myself to
scream.

I faintly heard a russle. Rapunzel's brown head popped out of
the bushes. Wait, brown?! Even though it was dark, I could tell what
color it was. Plus, the length of it that used to be dragging behind her wasn't
there. Was I hallucinating? Well, I guess I was badly injured. "Eugene!"
the girl half said, half sighed. "What happened?" I asked groggily, trying to
sit up. I fell right back down, clutching my side and moaning. Rapunzel rushed
over to me and caught me before my head hit the ground. I smiled up at her
weakly. "I...cut my hair," she whispered, stroking my own hair. Well that was
obvious. Her hair was chopped short. "Why?" I asked, wondering why I sounded
like a little kid. That wasn't attractive. "Mother. She wanted to take me back.
And now I can't heal you! What am I going to do?" She stared to cry. "Hey its
all right," I said, trying to soothe her. I coughed. It suddenly felt like my
throat was being constricted. "N-no its n-not! Your too young to d-die!" she
wailed into my chest. "Rapunzel?" I lifted her up and wiped a tear from her
cheek. "I love you." Then she broke down and started to cry again. I fell back
and went into a coughing fit, which made her cry even more. "T-that's just it,"
she said, looking up. "I love y-you too."

...