Trapped by Fear

Chapter 30

(Jack's POV)

Cautiously I approached the figure. Had they noticed me yet? A gust of wind blew in from somewhere and ruffled the curtains over the window. As it did so, moonlight shone through and illuminated the figure who at that exact moment turned towards me.

It was.... Elsa?

Her skin seemed paler in the moonlight. And drew a stark comparison to the shadows under her eyes that I hadn't noticed before. The wind ruffled her hair slightly and moonlight danced in her eyes.

In complete silence she registered my presence. Body tensed defensively and uncertainty in her gaze.

In that brief moment time seemed to stand still. Then she recognized me and smiled softly and said with relief in her voice, "oh, Jack. It's just you."

The wind ceased, the curtain dropped, and the moonlight dimmed.

No fear, no fleeing, almost as if she were ... happy... to see me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked

"I-I-I was looking for the library but I got lost"

"Why"

"I wanted to read..."

Acting on a spur of the moment decision I offered to get her some books. She smiled gratefully.

"Come on I'll take you back to your room" I held out my hand. She didn't take it. I laughed awkwardly. 'why had I done that?' and why did I feel slightly disappointed when she didn't take it?'

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(Elsa's POV)

I love books. My oldest and only friends. They do not judge, do not hold unrealistic expectations, are always there waiting for you. Some books are fascinating and filled with a world of knowledge. Others are filled with different world entirely. There's nothing quite like the feeling of losing yourself in a book. Where you are no longer yourself and your own problems seem so far away. You can be somewhere else, be someone else. Forget all your troubles for a brief moment. How long had it been since I'd held a book? Most of my lonely childhood had been filled with books. I had amassed an entire library's worth of books on my bookshelves. Though, I hadn't had anything to read in a while. Not since Pitch *shudder* No! don't think of that. Lose yourself in the book.

.

.

.

'And so our brave hero ventured into the dark forest.'

Darkness. So much darkness. Suffocating. Blocking out any rays of light. Inside and out. Seeping into the soul. I couldn't see anything, but I could hear their screams, my own screams

'Though her leg was broken she fought bravely in the battle of Thymeer.'

I woke up in pain. So much pain. I couldn't move. My whole body felt broken. How? How do you fight when you can't even move? When your spirit is more broken than your body.

'The ancient prophecy; she was the chosen one. To unite the realms.'

Red light glinting in front of my eyes. My sister unconscious next to me. A prophecy foretelling my doom. And the danger of dragging all those around me down with me when I inevitably fell. Who tells a child that she is her own worst enemy? That it was entirely her fault her sister was hurt. That who she was, was evil and cursed. The worst part was that it all came true.

'True loves kiss and lived happily ever after.'

Another door slammed. Shut out from any hope of love or life or a happy ending to her unfortunate tale. They were right. How could anyone love an evil girl who only hurt others. That was the moment she realised that there would be no happy ending for her. No prince charming to free her from this curse. This would always be her fate. Sad and afraid and alone.

I closed the book. I didn't feel like reading today after all

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