Rapunzel's Salvation by Mia Petrova Read Free Book Online Page B

air. I do have the time to appreciate my first seconds of earth beneath my feet though, as zombies try to take a bite out of me. I have thousands of hours of sword practice, but I never had killed anyone with it. The initial swift of my sword takes a head out of a zombie’s body, splattering some droplets of blood onto my face. My heart races and I smile because I’d actually done it.
    As Benjamin and I run, we kill all the undead that get in our way. I don’t know where we are running to, but Benjamin seems to have a plan so I just follow him. We are reaching the forest when I hear the loudest noise I have ever heard. I look back and see my tower collapse to the ground, leaving only dust for the wind to carry.
    Tears fall from my eyes; I don’t even have time to dry them because a horde of zombies are behind my companion and I. In the forest, we run into more zombies seeking for flesh and I begin to kill one after the other. There’s so much blood and guts and gore that my head starts to go haywire. I’m almost drooping to the ground when Benjamin takes me with his arms.
    My sweet dress is ruined with blood and there are rips on the fabric everywhere. I want to hide in a hole and cry forever. It’s too much, way too much for me to handle. Benjamin is attacked from behind and when I hear him screaming I take control of my body again. I grab one of his knives that had fallen to the ground and I stab the zombie in the eye that took a bite off Ben’s neck.
    “Run, princess,” he says when his hands go to stop the bleeding of the bite.
    I stare at him, perplex that he knows who I am. “What? No, I’m not going to leave you.”
    “You must.”
    I stab the next zombie in the head.
    “I won’t leave you.” I yell completely out of breath.
    Benjamin punches the air, take my hand and soon we begin to run again. We run for hours, maybe more, I’m so tired that I’m might simply drop dead. He’s still holding my hand and his face looks horrible, white as a ghost. I know his going to turn into one of the undead, but I can’t help but stay with him; he saved my life. Benjamin is taking me to my parent’s castle, I realize, and I’m glad he knows the way because I don’t. Shame on me.
    “We need to stop, Ben, you don’t look so good.” I warn him.
    He nods, seconds later we are hiding from some loner zombies. Trying to not make any noise, Ben leads us to a dark cave. It’s humid and smells bad, but it’s the only place we found that seems a bit safe. As Ben drops into the cold ground, I kneel beside him, touch his burning skin and try to make him feel a little better. We gaze at each other for a while, and then his fingers are gently touching my lips.
    “I knew you would be the most beautiful girl I laid eyes on,” he whispers.
    I close my eyes, and I think of his words and how they make me feel. I smile because I’ve never heard something so nice before.
    “Why didn’t you tell me you knew who I was?”
    “I didn’t want to scare you away.” He begins to show difficulty to breathe, leaving him all sweaty.
    He was breaking my heart.
    My chin begins to shudder; I want to cry but I hold it in. “Why would you scare me away?”
    “You are a princess, I am a prince.” He coughs and I see blood. “We were meant to…”
    “Get married,” I finish for him. I could see how awful it was for him to speak.
    “Yes,” he confirms so softly that makes me gasp.
    “I’ve never kissed anyone. D-do you want to be my first?” I flush slightly.
    “Of c-course, m-my lady.”
    Slowly, oh so very slowly I touch his lips with mine. I get shivers all over my body; the softness of his kisses are beyond sweet and addictive. I want to kiss him forever, but I can’t, can I?
    A coughing fit interrupts our first kiss as he begins to breathe roughly, and meanwhile his eyes never leave mine. Blackness begins to take over his gorgeous and unique blue eyes.
    “R-rapunzel,” he manages to say before he takes his last