Don't You Fret, My Dear

Wither

My arms were growing stiff. My legs had an aching, pulsing, pain leaching from my feet to my hips. This is what I woke up to on our first morning of training as preparation for the war.

"It'll never be enough..." a voice snivels in my ear, whilst something I can't quite make out holds me down so I can't move. I can barely keep my eyes open, and my vision is blurred. I see dark, shadowy figures, vaguely shaped like people. Glowing eyes, tentacles. Well, no, not tentacles exactly. But something long and rope-like, swirling around the room. 

"There's no prepar-ring....t-there's'sss n-no preparing-g-g-g-g..." the distorted voice spits out, taunting me about something vague, "f-for what we're ab-b-bout-t to d-do-o-o..."

"For what we're about to do?" I think to myself, "What are you planning!?"  I feel myself shouting. Although it's not out loud, it's in my head, as if I'm trying to communicate with them.

I hear evil laughter. 

"You'll see....you'll see..." The voice replies, as if reading my mind. The figures all float to the opposite side of the room. They all begin to merge together into one, and I start to see a new figure...the figure of a woman, levitating a foot above the ground. Her eyes glow blue, as well as her hair, which is giving off a faint glow despite it's dark color. This light shines on her face and I can begin to make out her features. There's something familiar about her, although I can't quite put my finger on it; but it causes my hair to stand up in fear.

Suddenly, she begins humming some sort of song under her breath. At first, it sounds like a lullaby, but as the lyrics register in my brain, I realize it's something more sinister...

"Wither and decay...

End this destiny..." the room begins growing cold, and any sort of heat leaves my body. 

"That voice..." I realize, "I know that voice..."  Then I notice her hair starts to change. From her roots downward, it begins changing from black to blue, glowing bright and revealing the mysterious woman. And it's Rapunzel. 

"Oh my God..." I groan out as I see her face, empty of any expression, as if she's been possessed. The bluish glow continues in a swirling pattern around her bedroom floor, over and under furniture, as if it has no end. Suddenly, I see the blue light wrap around my body and I learn just what has me tied down.

"And set the s-spirit f-free..." She continues the song. The chills in my body and the pain in my legs increase, spreading from my hips all the way up to my neck. I'm suddenly taken over with the inability to breathe, and begin choking. 

"...S-set the s-spir-rit-t f-free-e..." 

For the first time in what seems like hours, I find the motivation to make a noise. I begin screaming to the best of my ability despite the lack of air in my lungs. I start wailing and thrashing around, trying to break free of the ropes around my body, that Rapunzel put around me. 

"Katt?" I hear someone say. "Katt, wake up. You're having a nightmare."

Suddenly, I'm not tied up, I'm not choking, I'm not cold. I'm in Rapunzel's bed, all the way at the end by the foot board, rolled up in some sheets. 

Rapunzel crawls to me, pulls me out of the sheets, and holds me in front of her. I face her and immediately start shaking and crying.

This was not the Rapunzel in my dream last night who tried to kill me. No long cursed hair, no glowing blue eyes, no dead expression. But the green-eyed, short-haired girl in front of me still puts a knot in my stomach and my nerves on edge. 

"Are you okay?" she asks, holding my hands in hers. I don't look at her. I can't speak. "What happened back there?"

"You, you...tried to kill me..." I get out, "At first I couldn't see you, then your eyes and hair started glowing. You were singing this song...I couldn't breathe." 

I look at her, and she looks so full of worry. 

"I didn't get anything like that last night. I only woke up when I saw you almost falling off of the bed. Should we tell my parents about this?" She's stroking my hair now, pushing the sweaty pieces behind my ears. 

"We should...we should tell them..." I get out, barely audible. Rapunzel slides out of bed and stretches her hands out to me. I take them as she helps me out of the bed. She holds my hand as she walks me to my room so I can get dressed for the day...