Once upon a time 

peach trees

grew outside my window 

green leaves blew in the breeze

the view from my balcony 

just trees for days, over hills and valleys

a sweet scent on the air 

the blue sky beamed down on me

a contrast to my bleak indoor cave

stone walls with fluorescent lights 

white walls, white bed, white floors

the only color my red curls trailing behind me 

I saw the flashing lights in front of me 

a signal

I grabbed the rope by my window 

swinging from the opening 

I felt the hands grasping the ends of my hair 

and then, the climb

my guardian was light, but the pressure hurt

ripping, eyes tearing up

my hands pulling us upwards 

old callouses opened up

my hair was only eight feet long 

but I had a twenty foot climb

finally at the top

the woman smiled at me 

hair black as crows, eyes bluer than the sky

after an inspection and small talk

a rope helped her escape 

leaving me alone again

some bread to sustain me

day after day

 

one day I saw the lights

dragged myself out of bed

there she stood, gaping

my hands go to my head

no more curls

they were gone

the beautiful red curls laid on my white pillowcase

the woman scowled and retreated back into the forest

I cried

she returned, hours later with claws

stabbing between stones she came after me

"What did you do?" 

her eyes flashed crimson as she slapped me 

she tossed the day's bread at me 

and left for the last time 

screeching, "useless, useless" 

 

It's been ten days 

I'm without food, drinking repurposed water

It's time

I collected the discarded hair

braiding, weaving, making a rope

today's the day

I looked around the room for the last time

and hopped out the window