Into the Wild(65)

Her mother walked out of the woods.

She looked as if she’d been lost in the forest for days. Her face was tired, purple circles under her eyes and gray shadows on her cheeks. Her hair was shorn at odd angles, as if someone had cut it with a hedge trimmer. Her clothes were torn and stained with dirt. Julie thought she’d never looked more beautiful.

Zel halted. Her eyes widened. “Julie?”

Julie ran to her and threw her arms around her neck. “Oh, Julie,” Zel said. She hugged her tight.

When Julie pulled back, both their cheeks were wet. Zel smiled through the tears. “You did it,” Zel said. “You did it!”

Julie shook her head. “The Wild’s still here. I didn’t do it right.”

“What did you wish?” her mother asked.

Julie told her.

“Oh, pumpkin,” Zel said. She smiled as bright as the noon sun. Why is she smiling? Julie wondered—and then she realized why: Julie had wished for her heart’s desire, and her mother had come. Mom was part of Julie’s dearest wish. “Pumpkin, you did just right,” Mom said. She hugged her again.

And there was a flash.

In an instant, Julie, Zel, and Gothel were sitting at the dinner table, leftover quiche on the plates in front of them. All three of them looked at each other. Outside, sirens started to wail. “Uh-oh,” Zel said.

Gothel stood, knocking a plate of quiche onto the floor. “Rapunzel . . .”

Zel sprang out of her chair and rushed to the window.

“Is it the police?” Julie asked. She heard voices outside. Lots of voices. And helicopters. Julie joined her mother at the window. It was the police. And the military. And the media. News vans, cop cars, and army jeeps were zooming down West Street. She saw soldiers jump out of vehicles and knock on the neighbors’ doors. It wouldn’t be long until they came here too. “What do we do?” Julie asked.

“I will turn them into frogs,” Gothel said. She withdrew a wand from the billows of her cape. “I will . . .” She swayed and then shook her head, as if trying to clear it.

Julie and Zel turned to her in alarm. Oh, no. Had she forgotten again? Was she the witch, not Grandma? Zel caught Gothel’s arm, steadying her. “You will not,” Zel said. “Mom, listen to me. We’re free. You’re free.”

“I . . .” The witch stared at Rapunzel, and then Gothel’s face crumbled. “I was the witch,” she said softly. “Again. It was still my role. Oh, Zel, it knew—at my core, I am still the witch. I cannot be free of it.”

Gently, Zel said, “Don’t be ridiculous.”

Julie backed away from the window as her grandmother—her strong, unflappable grandmother—began to cry. Julie had wanted to return to the real world. Her heart’s desire had been to return to her real life. She had known there would be a price. This was the price: their secret was out. And she had lost her father. Again.

“Take a deep breath, Mother. We need to pull ourselves together and determine who made it out of the Wild,” Zel said. “Did anyone other than the three of us make it?”

Julie hadn’t thought of that. Had she wished for the wrong thing after all? Had the Wild found a way to make it come out wrong? Had she lost her father for nothing? No, she wouldn’t believe it. Her heart’s desire had to include everyone: Grandma. Boots. Cindy, Goldie, the bears . . . Gillian! What happened after the ball? Had she gotten free of the animals? Had she gotten free of the Wild? Julie had to try to call her. She bolted upstairs.

She flung open her bedroom door and halted in the doorway. On her bed slept an orange cat in doll-sized pj’s. Beside him, in a baby’s nightgown, was a white, longhaired cat. “Boots?” Julie said.

He opened one eye. “Hey, sis,” Boots said.

Suddenly, she felt as if she were brimming inside. Her vision blurred—there were tears in her eyes. He was okay! He’d made it out! She’d done it right!

Boots said, “Meet my girlfriend.” He nudged the white cat.

The white cat blinked awake and said, “Oh, yes, nice to meet you. Sorry I was evil before. I’m feeling much better now.”

Julie yanked up the dust ruffle and saw it, the Wild, as a small tangle of green. It was back. The Wild was home too. Outside, a siren wailed, loud and close, and a green, leafy vine withdrew deeper under the bed.

She started to laugh and cry at the same time. This— all of it, all of them—was her dearest wish! Still laughing and crying, she scooped both cats into her arms and hugged them.

“Watch the fur!” they said in unison.

Releasing them, Julie picked up the phone and dialed. Her hands were shaking. Please, she thought, please let everything be back to normal. Gillian answered, “Yes-th?” Gillian! Oh, was she glad to hear that voice! And the trumpet—she couldn’t wait to hear that trumpet! “You okay?” Julie asked.