Her Own Prisoner

She rested her head on her hands as she looked out upon the green valley below her. She would never walk through those trees or run down those grassy hills. She could only stare at them from the confines of her tower room. It may seem easy to determine where this story is going, but unlike other tales of the same beginning, here there is no dragon guarding the castle, no witch or curse upon this princess. No, she was not forced to live this life. She chose to walk up these steps to the highest room in the tallest tower. She chose to lock all the doors behind her. She voluntarily gave up all the possible pleasures of that green valley below her because she believed its pains to be too great. Too much hurt and sadness there. So up she climbed to the top of this tower where she taught herself not to feel. 

At first, she entertained a vain fancy that someone would miss her and come to her rescue but she no longer hoped for rescue. She did not need it or even want it. She was happy here in her tower without anyone to wound her heart. Some days, however, as she heard the birds singing or felt a soft breeze hit her cheek, she remembered something better - an vague idea that maybe the world she left behind wasn't all pain. At those times, she tried quickly to relive the events that had caused her to leave and she pushed any ideas of true happiness to the back of her mind. This was the best she could do now.

So she sat in this tower, absent of pain but also of pleasure, and imagined this life was as good as it could be and she wanted nothing more. She eventually came to believe this lie and gave up all thoughts of anything better.