The entry room in the castle is bathed in a thick light,

filtered through the red, gauzy curtains. White couches

rejected the visitors, remaining untouched in the cold, sterile

room. She stared out the window, looking at the blistering sun,

the warmth of its reach settling into her and healing her cold bones.

Today was different than yesterday, yesterday the rain cried against

the window pane, thumping against the thick glass,

telephone wires struggled to withstand the crippling wind,

beeping and screeching in mechanical defeat.

But yesterday was then and today was now,

Each day was treated with a dose of indifference,

the key to winning each battle.

She collapsed back down onto the bed, the pristine sheets

bandaging around her thin body, wrapping her in a gown of cotton and

polyester, a false sense of security.

From her view on her bed she could see the little orange Knights that protected her from harm,

their clear plastic shell the armor holding the ever important innards,

colored in pastel candy shades.

Masked bitterness behind a candy coated exterior.

She didn't love it here, but she liked it just fine.

This room was only temporary, her mother had coaxed.

She knew she needed it,

she had to stay.

The old Queen in the cape-like white coat made her stay, so did the funny

Prince in the Looney Tunes scrubs.

She was Rapunzel here, and the little orange knights and the cape wearing Queen

and the Looney Tunes Prince

made her stay in the tower as comfortable as could be.

There were other princesses

in their own part of the castle,

each had a different Prince and different Knights.

There was Aurora, she had been asleep for ages,

and Cinderella, apparently her midnight ball with the prince had left her weak,

They must have danced all night, where else would the

purple marks on her arm be from?

Through the first little orange soldier’s clear body,

she could see her own reflection in the mirror behind,

gaunt eyes and sunken face.

Her own wiry blond hair fell out in clumps at a time,

the bandana on her pale head held her tiara.