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The sight of him was stunning, and it made me forget for one brief second that I was locked up in this cell of a room, away from my Papa and a home that I longed for.
That I’d just been trying to escape the confines of this room.
That the flames of the sock were climbing upwards towards my fingers.
And then his eyes settled on mine and I realized with a twisting of my stomach that he looked exactly like Mr. Charming from earlier. That same beautiful smile. Same gorgeous face. All except the eyes.
I scowled, immediately angry, my lips pursing into a line. This must be the younger version of the man keeping me prisoner.
The prince to the king.
I immediately hated him.
“You must be the Prince Charming,” I sneered, then threw him a haughty look as I let go of the sock, just in time as the flames had begun to lick my fingers.
It took him a second to register what I'd done but it was a second too late. The flames caught quickly and the flash of panic in his eyes was everything.
Soon, the dresser was torching and, smiling, I skipped over to the window. Without hesitating, I jumped.
I fell quickly, my stomach lurching, and landed harshly in the bushes below my window. It didn't deter me though, as I'd jumped from much higher heights back home.
It took me seconds to scramble out of the bushes and to my feet.
The sight before me was a lie.
The empty green expanse of lawn, the unmanned driveway leading away from the house, the appearance of freedom.
I knew my Papa's security well enough to know the truth beneath the surface.
“Hey!”
I glanced upwards, and the arresting face of Prince Charming peered out over the window.
Poop. I had to get going.
I leaped like a gazelle, jumping forward, quickly picking up speed. Arms pumping, my legs moved as fast as possible as I ran.
I headed to the front of the house and towards the driveway leading out of here. As soon as I skirted around the corner, I halted to a stop.
There were three guards with guns, spaced out. They were protecting the front door.
They didn’t notice me so I turned, making a wide loop towards the side of the house.
My lungs began to burn, the harsh air scorching my airways.
Crapola, the air here was dry. I wasn’t used to it.
Ignoring it, I picked up my pace. The wind whipped at my face and the dots of color I’d seen earlier grew bigger.
The dots transformed into flowers. It was a garden!
"You have to be gentle with the seedlings and patient with the perennials.” The memory of my mama and me came to mind.
I suddenly felt alive. The sun was shining and the blue from the pool sparkled brighter. It was a beautiful day. The perfect kind to kick off your shoes and feel the grass squish between your toes.
I ran until I could barely breathe in the dry heat, even as my lungs and legs burned.
Until I could see the sparkle of the pool in my periphery.
