Sleeping Beauty: Book 2 Chapter 2

Verse 1
Sleeping Beauty's body grew cold

as she slept on her rotting bed.

The chill woke her up and she left,

looking for a warmer place to sleep.

Shadows congealed around her feet.

Subtle slithering snakes

wove their way towards the trees.

Did she even notice?

Beauty complained of exhaustion,

stepping on the snakes as she walked.

Verse 2
Beauty heard a plea for freedom.

The voice was filled with sorrow, like a prayer.

Verse 3
How odd for so any to struggle for peace...

You can have peace any time you want.

All you have to do... is dream.

Verse 4
If your soul is still restless

then just sleep longer.

If you want to live out all your wildest dreams,

just take a nap.

Verse 5
I choose to sleep.

I know it to be the purest form of happiness.

Verse 6
For me,

repose is proof that there is goodness

in this world.

Verse 7
For me,

slumber is a symbol of peace itself.

Verse 8
There's no use trying to keep me awake.

If you truly want to be left alone,

then let me sleep.

Verse 9
Hey! All you little snakes

slithering around my feet.

You'd best not get between me

and my rest.

Verse 10
As they squirmed and wriggled.

She continued to walk...searching.

"So many chilly beds...

Give me a warm blanket instead."

Sleeping Beauty tried to live up to her name.

Writhing serpents gathered at her feet.

"Kill 'em. Kill 'em all!"

"This world..."

"...Is hopelessness."

The snakes' screams echoed as Beauty

slipped amid dreams and reality.

With one last bitter wail,

the small snakes slithered no more.

They died in despair,

begging for death.

"Idiotic animals. If it's death you want,

why not simply sleep instead."

Peace or violence, hope or despair...

Beauty saw it all in her dreams.

"Sleep tight. Don't let the nightmares bite."

Bidding farewell to the heap of husks,

she journeyed forth to the next dreamscape.