AURORA
Submitted for your approval is the town of Storybrooke, Maine – a hidden gem that has an air of magic to it. It is, by all appearances, a portrait of a simpler time; a time when family businesses were thriving and every house had a front lawn that was perfectly manicured. But behind this tree-lined façade lies a secret the rest of the world has yet to uncover. It's a secret that most people choose to ignore or refuse to accept as truth. For Storybrooke is a town where fairytales are to be believed and where things are never what they seem; where the lines between fantasy and reality are blurred completely…and where reality is about to set in.
It was a Saturday morning in July, a morning that started out just like any other morning. Since nothing newsworthy ever happened in Storybrooke, things were normal as usual. Breakfasts were made, chores performed, errands taken care of and projects completed. In short, people spent the day quietly polishing the routine of their lives until they gleamed with perfection.
But suddenly, the hands of time stood still as savage whispers slashed the air with wicked intensity; whispers that were carried into the streets and suddenly began to spread like wildfire. Soon, almost every television or radio in Storybrooke was tuned to one of the major news networks, each with their respective anchors or correspondents repeating the sparse facts they knew to both the town and the rest of the world.
"Citizens continue to pick up the pieces as the state of Colorado is left reeling from the deadliest shooting since the Columbine High School massacre in 1999..."
"Over seventy people were shot last night by a heavily armed gunman during a midnight screening of the new Batman film The Dark Knight Rises. The death toll now stands at twelve, with sixty others still being treated for injuries..."
"The gunman, recently identified as James Holmes, remains on suicide watch at Arapahoe County Detention Center. Police Chief Dan Oates said in a statement earlier today he is confident Holmes acted alone..."
"It may be thirteen years since Columbine, but what happened last night shows just how far we've come and how much further we have to go..."
Mary Margaret Blanchard looked out the window of her Myrtle Avenue apartment and said a silent prayer – a prayer she hoped was heard. This land was different than the one she knew. There was so much suffering here and there was more suffering every day. She turned to face David Nolan, her Prince Charming, and embraced him as she felt the fragment of hope that remained inside her heart. Hope that there was still some good left in the land without magic.
Mr. Gold idly cleaned up the back room of his shop, his eyes remaining fixed on Belle as she watched the pixilated images of gore on the small television. Since Emma broke the curse, Gold told himself time and time again that he had to finish what he started. He had to find Baelfire. But Belle had been acting upset since her father died last month and hearing about tragedy wasn't helping her forget. That was when Gold knew he had to stay with her. And he would stay with her for as long as it took for her to move on.
Henry Mills stood on the highest tower of his "castle," grateful that his foster mother had rebuilt it for him. The Zimmers were down below, walking along the beach with Paige and talking about the science project they were doing as a group. But Henry was thinking about something else. He was thinking about the ten-year-old in Aurora who lost his parents. Henry kept his fear concealed as he headed down to the beach. He wanted to be strong for his friends...and the ten-year-old in Aurora, whoever he was.
Emma Swan stared at the online article that was on her laptop, a look of pure horror etched on her face. She had released Leroy from his cell when the breaking news bulletin cut across the radio. Emma didn't know what possible reason James Holmes could have for doing this, but she knew that people would start to see him for how dangerous he was.
Regina Mills stood in the room that had once been Henry's bedroom, looking out on Storybrooke. For the last twenty-eight years, she had endured with the little moments, the tragedies and triumphs that gave her a new perspective on both allies and enemies.
But despite everything, she had found what she always wanted: a family. And for the first time in twenty-eight years, a smile appeared on her face. Not a smirk, not even a sneer but a real smile. A smile that told her father she was happy for the first time in her life.
Here are our players and here is where they stand: A schoolteacher hopes to find good in a new world. A businessman finds himself torn between the woman he loves and the son he left behind. A ten-year-old boy hides his emotions because he is afraid of being weak. A Sheriff sees the world in a different light. A Mayor realizes that believing in the possibility of a happy ending can be a powerful thing.
These people may not be relevant to each other and they may not appear pertinent to you or to me. But they all want the same thing. They want people to have hope.
Hope is more than the brief flicker of light one finds in an ocean of darkness or the faint sensation that makes one voice stronger than ten thousand. It is a feeling that can inspire us when all seems lost, that can bring us closer together in our darkest days. And if the inhabitants of a charming New England town can be inspired to understand the meaning of this one little word, maybe we can too.
The prayers of Storybrooke's citizens go to the families of the victims in the Aurora movie theater massacre.
Once Upon A Time is property of the Walt Disney Company and the American Broadcasting Corporation. All characters and plot lines are not my own.