Cassandra's Betrayal Rewritten

A Green Orb

"Princess, she's gone."

"N-no, I'm not." Cassandra whimpered.

"Raps, I'm still here." She let out weakly. Why didn't Rapunzel hear her? Why was Adira saying she was dead? She wasn't exactly in great shape, but dead?

'Rapunzel won't leave without checking for me.' She thought. She knew her friend Rapunzel wouldn't just leave her behind without making sure.

Cassandra was buried under rubble. She couldn't move. She couldn't feel her right arm. Had she just imagined it getting burned? She couldn't remember and she couldn't check because of how stuck she was.

'Rapunzel will find in me any minute now.' And so she waited, and waited. And waited some more.

After some time, she heard Rapunzel speaking again. Her words weren't easy to hear, and most of it was too muffled. 

"Let's just leave." Cassandra heard the one sentence she was never expecting to hear. Why was Raps listening to Adira?! She wasn't just going to leave her best friend behind, was she? 

And then she heard the noises of packing and walking, and then nothing.

Rapunzel was gone and had left Cassandra for dead.

'She didn't even come looking for me. She abandoned me, didn't even take a moment to think Adira was lying. She trusted Adira in a moment where it was better to question. Why?' Cass thought to herself. Her thoughts raced as she cried.

                                                                                             * * * 

It was over. Adira had won. Rapunzel believed she was dead. What was worth living for at that point? She decided to not even try to get out, but rather to stay and wait for her real death. It didn't matter anyways, everyone thought she was already dead. 

Out of nowhere, a small green orb appeared, reminiscent of the green glow of the vines that controlled Hector. It was dim and spattering little sparks, but was moving towards Cassandra.

"Cassandra..." An airy whisper broke out.

"Hello? Who's there?" She yelled.

"Cassandra..." the noise grew louder.

"Hello? Where are you coming from?"

"CASSANDRA!" The orb was mere centimetres from her now, maybe even close enough to touch.

"Wait. Are you coming from the glow?"

"Yes Cassandra. Are you needing any help?" The voice returned to a soft whisper, with a slightly sinister tone.

"Please. I don't have anyone else."

"Well, I can't physically help you, but mentally, I can."

"What do you mean, mentally?"

"If you'll let me, I can talk to you."

"What will talking do? Talking won't get me out of this rubble."

"It's inside you, Cassandra. The power to escape is within your soul. Just try."

"Yea, I've already tried to move. As you can tell, that didn't exactly work!"

"But it can. Just think of everything that has happened. Dig inside to find the hurt you feel. Use them to power yourself."

"But... how does thinking about that help?"

"Just try it. You'll see. Think of Rapunzel leaving you. Think of her never trusting or listening to you. Think of your hand and the fall down the ledge."

"I-I..."

"Who caused all your suffering?"

"I mean, Raps- but she didn't do this on purpose."

"Why else would she leave without searching for you? She doesn't care if you're gone or not. Just listen to what I have to say and use it to fuel your strength. Trust me."

"Last time I trusted someone, I ended up here. Leave me alone! I don't want your help anymore!"

"Suit yourself. But I personally would want to get out of the crushing rubble. Maybe them I could prove to certain people I'm more than they thought I was. Don't you think?"

"Shut up! I'll get out of here myself, without your twisted help! Now, LEAVE. ME. ALONE."

"Fine. Have fun getting out!" With that, the orb disappeared before Cassandra's eyes, as if it had never been there in the first place. She wanted to try more to get out, but instead she dozed off, tiring herself from the struggle.