Sometimes You Need To Let Down Your Hair

Chapter 19

       My eyes widened, and I hoped that the woman in front of me was so upset that she hadn't heard Lucas. She didn't react to his voice, so I figured that I was safe. I almost laughed with relief, and from realizing that I didn't even know her actual name. Then Lucas had to yell again. "Willow, is everything okay? I heard yelling. Throw down the rope. I'm coming up." 

       Luckily as I heard him start talking again, I yelled "Before you do anything crazy, can you at least tell me your name?"

        "Gothel," she yelled, "And don't pretend like I didn't hear your little friend." I gulped. This wasn't good. Gothel's eyes widened and she grabbed my wrist. She shoved me toward the window and pointed down at Lucas, "You told him all of this. Didn't you," she hissed. I shook my head no, and she pulled me away from the window. "Don't lie to me anymore. I know you must've told him! And even if you didn't he will probably be suspicious if we suddenly leave." She let go of my wrist and started muttering to herself about what she would do next. 

       "Willow," Lucas called again. I sighed. Why does he have to come at the most inconvenient times? Mother stopped muttering and looked out the window, her attention drawn to Lucas again.

       "Go ahead. Let him up," she said. I grabbed the rope and started making it secure when she said, "I'll be right back, don't do anything until I say so." I nodded timidly, and she practically ran out of the room. I secured the rope then ran to the window. Lucas waved, and I gestured for him to go away. He shook his head no, and I threw my hands up angrily. From up here I saw Lucas just laugh and continue to wait for me to throw down the rope. If I yelled, I knew mother would hear me, but I needed to warn Lucas!

       An idea popped into my head and I searched my shelves for the book of fairy tales. When I found it I flipped open Rapunzel's story and tore out the page where the mother found the prince in the tower. I quickly circled it with a marker I found lying around wrote 'Leave!!" in big letters by it. Then folded it up and shoved it in the book about Canada because it was heavier I thought it would fall faster. I opened the window and threw it out at him. 

       When it hit the ground he picked it up and pulled out the page. He read what I had circled and his eyes widened. Then he looked through the book some more and my passport fell out. I face-palmed. Why was he so curious? Couldn't he just leave? He stared up at me with a look of confusion, but he seemed to understand that he needed to leave. He started going back over to the fence when Gothel burst back into my room. She saw me standing by the open window gesturing for him to hurry up. I heard her stomp her feet and bellowed "Willow what are you doing?"

       Lucas heard her so he stopped and looked back. Mother marched over to the window, so I screamed at Lucas "Go! Get out of here!" Then mother pulled me back from the window and shoved me away. I slipped on the newspapers scattered on the floor and fell. I laid on the ground in a daze. Pain circled around my head, and my vision darkened. My brain was foggy, and I heard someone shout out in pain. I didn't realize it was me until mother slapped my face and told me to shut up before the neighbors heard. 

       As I laid there on the floor I noticed a few things. Gothel looked slightly horrified for a moment, but it soon faded. I also noticed that Lucas yelled my name. When I heard him I laughed to myself. Gothel had been worried about the neighbors hearing. How could they possibly not have noticed all of this? I briefly thought it was odd that I found it funny, but I blamed it on my head injury. As soon as I thought about my head it started throbbing again. I registered my hand coming up to feel it and coming away feeling wet, but it didn't feel real. It was as though someone else was moving my body, and I was just watching it all happen. 

       I saw mother throw the rope out of the window, and figured that I should get up. Lucas couldn't come up because he'd get hurt! I pushed myself up on my arms and attempted to get up, but my arms gave out and I fell back against the floor. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths in and out. I must have slipped out of consciousness for a little bit, or just lost track of time because the next thing I knew somebody was softly calling my name. 

       I opened my eyes and saw Lucas leaning over me. "Willow, what happened? Are you alright,"he said. I blinked, but didn't respond. My brain was trying to catch up with everything. Lucas looked at me with worry filled eyes that widened when he saw that my head was bleeding a little. His hand cupped my face and he quietly asked me the same question.

       I remembered how to speak and muttered, "you have to get out of here." 

       Lucas shook his head and said, "I'm not leaving you. You need help."

       I slightly shook my head and stopped him from saying anything else. "You have to go, she'll hurt you," I said in a slurred voice.

       Lucas looked around and asked, "who will?" I was confused. How did he not know I was referring to the lady I thought was my mother for my whole life? She was literally standing in the room, or was she? I slowly sat up and looked around the room. Gothel was no where in sight. Where did she go? 

       "Something's wrong," I muttered. Lucas looked confused, and I realized that he didn't know what was going on. I quickly tried to stand up but felt a sharp pain in my head. It made me stop and sit back down. My eyes searched the room hurriedly. I was so confused, and everything felt distorted. I tried to get up again, but I felt as though I was moving through water. I couldn't believe what had happened. All a sudden I felt soft lips touch mine, and everything became as clear as day.