Maid Named Rapunzel Forward

Forward

~8 YEARS AGO~

"Jake!!!! Mom said that we're not supposed to go in the woods, come back!" Mackenzie yelled as she sat on the front porch. "I'm not a baby anymore Mackenzie! Just cause you 2 years younger doesn't mean you can't come with me though, come on!" Yelled Jake, gesturing for her to come. 

Mackenzie reluctantly shuffled over to the edge of the forest where he was.  

Jake looked over to his scared sister reassuringly, "15 minutes at the most ok? I just wanna see why mom is so scared of this forest."  

~30 minutes later~ 

"Jake... I'm scared..." Mackenzie whimpering as they continued to walk. Jake also looked uneasy, but still smiled reassuringly. 

They walked for a little longer until they came to a clearing, in the middle of the clearing was small cottage. The cottage was limestone and looked very old, rose bushes that had grown over and ivy climbing up the walls. It looked like no had been there for a hundred years.  

Jake and Mackenzie slowly walked towards it, when Jake reached to touch the handle a branch reached out and slapped his arm away. A women's face appeared in the rotting wood of the door, she looked around 40 or 50. She looked Jake and Mackenzie up and down, when she noticed they were frozen in fear her face softened. She gently said "dear children, don't be frightened. You are to young, come back when your older. Do not look back and go forth through the trees. Follow the rose bushes back to Lady Anne's house." 

Mackenzie took a step forward, "thank you ma'am". The woman smiled and called out "come again!" as they walked.

Once a year they would sneak into the woods and ask the woman on the door if they were old enough, she always said no. Only was it one year that Jake went against her wishes and looked back as they were walking away. He noticed the curtains were open, through them he saw a beautiful girl around his age, brushing out her long hair. For years after that he couldn't stop thinking about her. He drew millions of pictures of her, yet the pictures never caught her immense beauty. His parents soon became worried about him so he had to draw in private. Again and again they returned, until Jake was 16. That year Jake said that was for babies and went to a party, when Mackenzie tried to go by herself there were no rose bushes to follow. The trees closed, blocking her way 

Jake returned to Mackenzie crying and yelling at him saying "this could have been the year! I hate you! I hate you!" 

The trees never open again. Mackenzie and Jake grew apart, the cottage and the woman had been there bond. Now, thanks to Jake there was nothing. It seemed like there never would be... Until now...