Snow White

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

I storm into Sage's bedroom the second I get back home and I'm not shocked to see her cheating on Father yet again. The only thing that shocks me this time is that she's with a woman.

   "Gosh, Snow! Didn't Daddy teach you how to knock?" she growls as she sees me interrupting her from getting fingered.

   "Tell that girl to get the hell out of here. You and I need to talk, I'm sick of living in fear," I shout.

   I'm coming in here with demand since this is Sage's final chance.

   My stepmother rolls her eyes and looks at the girl in her bed. "Stay right here, I need to talk to the brat real quick, then I'll be back," she says and stands up, half-naked.

   "Can you at least have the decency to put on clothes?" I ask and roll my eyes.

   She can't be serious right now.

   "You say you want to talk right now, so we're gonna talk right now," Sage snickers.

   I cross my arms and roll my eyes. "Fine."

   "You know what, Snow, I actually don't feel like talking to you. I'm just gonna kill you right here, right now, and finally get it over with," Sage cackles and walks over to me.

   "No, Sage, please no," I beg and start walking backward.

   My heart starts to pound heavily and I feel myself shake. My feet trail backward as quickly as possible and I try to keep my composure.

   "Oh, Snow, don't be silly darling. There's nowhere to go," the wicked woman says with a wide smile.

   I look behind me and I can feel myself getting closer and closer to the door and I run to it and grab the handle. I shake it and I think it's locked.

   How could it be locked? I just came in here.

   "There's nowhere to hide," Sage says in a singsong voice as she creeps up to me, still undressed.

   I keep fumbling with the doorknob and finally manage to open it. I swing the door wide and start running down the hallway.

   Footsteps follow me, and I turn around to see my stepmother running after me completely naked.

   "Father! Will! Penelope!" I shout down the hall. "Someone? Anyone? Help me!"

   "Nobody wants to help you, Snow, you're insane," a voice says but I don't know where it's coming from, I know it's not Sage.

   "Poor little Princess Snow White, all alone with no one here to save you," another voice says.

   Where are these voices coming from? Who's saying these things?

   "There's nowhere to run!" a third voice says but this time I recognize it as Sage's.

   "No!" I start to scream, still running. "No, no, no, no, no!"

♡♡♡♡

"No!" I scream and open my eyes.

   I look around and I'm in my bed, safe and sound, but somehow I feel shaken up.

   I don't remember how I got back in my bed, the last thing I knew, Sage was chasing me across the castle's hallway, completely naked after having an affair.

   "What's going on? Is everything okay?" Penelope asks as she rushes into my room.

   My maid's ginger hair is tangled and now that I'm looking at her, she's in her nightgown.

   I look out my bedroom window and the moon is the only thing I see, shining brightly in the sky upon the clear and starry night.

   "Um, I'm alright, Pen, I just um, I think I had a nightmare," I say and shake my head.

   "Oh, okay," Penelope says. "Well, I hope you have sweet dreams for the rest of the night," she says and walks toward the door.

   Before she leaves, I stop her. "Penelope, wait!"

   The girl turns around and comes closer to me. "What's up?"

   "Penelope," I start. "I'm gonna run away."

   "What? No, Snow. Why would you run away?" she asks and sits next to me on my bed.

   "I know you think I sound crazy, but Sage is actively trying to kill me. She wants me dead and I can't live here in this palace with my life still in danger," I say, not meeting Penelope's beautiful blue eyes.

   "Snow, no. You can't run away. Where will you go?" she asks.

   "I don't know, but I need to get away. I can't live here anymore."

   "Please don't leave me, please," Penelope begs.

   I shake my head and finally manage to look her in the eyes. "Penelope, I love you so much, but right now I have to choose me. If I stay, I won't be able to choose myself because there will be no me. Sage is going to kill me," I sigh. "So, right now, I need to choose myself and I need to run away."

   Penelope's eyes start to water. "No, Snow, I'm only me when I'm with you. You can't leave me, you can't."

   Her tears are contagious and now I'm crying too. "I'm sorry, but I need to protect myself," I whisper and grab her hand.

   I squeeze it tight to let her know I care. I'm going to miss my best friend, but it's going to be for the best. Running away is my only option right now.

   Life is full of mysteries, and throughout them all, I'll be strong, I'll be wrong, but life goes on. If I'm going to take risks, I need to do it now because Sage is out to get me, so it's now or never.

   "Goodbye, Penelope. Don't forget me," I whisper and get up from my bed.

   "No, I don't wanna say goodbye," she cries.

   "Maybe one day, if everything works in my favor, I'll see you again. But for now, goodbye," I say and walk out the door.