The Monster Within Me

The Glass Gates

Moaning, I rolled over and open my eyes. My vision is blurred by a pair of brownish eyes. Wait, brown? Practically no-one undersea has brown eyes.

"Alissa! Alissa, wake up!" A familiar voice whispers. Somewhere in the back of my tried mind this voice registers.

"Laura?" I groan and sit up, the room a mess of blackness with a single candle lit, and a form of a girl holding it. She sets the candle on my bedside table, then holds her hand out to me, still in bed.

"Yes. Now, if you come down, we can escape before we're trapped in this bloody building forever." Laura whispers. I am not sure that I can trust her, but what other way can I get out. I also don't remember telling her that I want to leave, if I even do. But my best chance at finding my sister is here and I'm going to take it.

"Wait, why do you want to leave?" I ask, confused momentarily. Laura sighs.

"I want to be free, free of this place that enslaves me." She responds simply. I nod and pull the covers back to get out of bed, trying to make as little sound as possible. Tip-toeing over the floorboards, I go to my closet and pick out the simplest, normalest clothes that I can find and pack them into a bag. A blue dress, two pairs of jeans, 3 shirts, shorts, sweatshirt. I change into a knee length night blue dress to hide myself.

"Laura, do you need anything?" I ask. She looks down, ashamed. "Here," I toss her some clothes. Jeans, shorts, shirts. She's helping me, the least I can do is help her.

"Thanks, Alissa. I have food. I stole some," Laura looks even more embarrassed for stealing. "Come on, we should get out of here." Picking up my bag, Laura lifts the candle, and we cross the room to the door. I take one last look at my old bedroom, my prison of sadness. I am finally letting go and trying to find the light within my sadness. Maybe I will find happiness and then can let go of pain. Or maybe just leaving is the way to let go, to be free. Then we slip out, closing the door. Running along the hallway with Laura, something seems at peace with me. My heart's content, for the first time since I came home on the day that-. We turn the corner, climb down the stairs, and cautiously open the castle door, which creaks uneasily. Nobody appears. A sliver of smoonlight enters the castle as we leave it.. My unease grows. Something's off. We didn't meet anyone trying to chase us. Laura and I run down steps, down to the gardens before the castle, weaving our way through bushes until we reach the gates. I reach to open the glass bars but hesitate. Traps. Summoning my courage, I place my hand on them. My previous status as a Princess should open them. And indeed, I'm correct.

"We did it! Come on, Laura! Almost free!" I say jubilantly.

"Just where do you think you are going, Princess?" A guard appears out of thin air. I share a look with Laura.

"What the heck?" I mutter. "RUN!" I scream and Laura runs one way, and I attempt to duck under the guard to follow her. He's too fast. I'm picked up off the ground.

"Princess, I'm under orders not to let you leave this castle." he says, looking at me sternly. "I must take you back to the castle." I begin thrashing in his arms, kicking, trying to get away.

"LET ME GO!" I scream louder. The guard continues to walk, holding me tightly over one soulder. I put my hands on his shoulders and push on them, bringing me farther away from him. "NOW!" Blue light shoots out of my hands, onto the guards shoulders, and knocks him to the ground. Startled, I stare down at my hands. Just what is going on tonight? I run away from the guard, gathering more and more speed. I weave through more bushes, looking for Laura. She's nowhere to be found. Did she leave without me? Panting, I turn a corner, and collide right into a person. Laura.

"Finally." I say. Laura turns around, sees me, and grabs my arm.

"If we run now, we can make it!" Laura says, already taking off. I gather up my nightgown, wishing that I had the foresight to change out of a dress. I chase after my friend, occasionally checking behind me, to check for followers.

Laura stops short, making me collide into her once more. I pick myself off the ground, and look up. The large glass gate looms before us. Tall and thick, it is the only thing keeping us from being let out. I place my hand on the gate, which opens, letting us through.

"Funny." I mutter, before starting to run again. "Com'on, Laura! The gates will close again!" Just as I past through the bars, I look back up at the castle standing against the night. A single light is on, in the queen and king's bedroom. I think I can make out a figure standing it the window, gazing down at me. It can't be the queen. If it was, then wouldn't she have tried to stop me? The figure leaves the window, and the light goes out. The grounds are dark, except for the candle that Laura still holds. The candle that lead us out of the castle. With a final summoning of courage, I turn away and continue on into the city of Atlantis.