What It Takes
"Where did you get that?"
Emma seems to be taken by surprise but answers anyway.
"She gave it to me."
Henry steps forward towards it and almost immediately steps back.
"Apple!"
"Yeah, what-."
"You can't eat that! It's poisoned!"
Emma sighs. "Henry, it's not-."
"Yes it is! The deal… it must have all been a trick to get you to eat that," he gestures to the turnover.
"But why would she do that when I just said I'd leave?"
"Because," he answers with determination and fierceness. "As long as you alive, you're a threat to the curse."
They stare at each other for moments before Emma decides to break the tense silence.
"I'll prove it to you."
Knowing her next move, Henry reaches for the turnover and snatches it from the plate seconds before she does.
"No!"
"Henry…"
"Look, I know you don't believe in yourself. You don't think the curse is real and you can't stop it. But you can. And I believe in you."
She waits and without hesitation, Henry takes a bit into the turnover.
"There. Now you want some ice cream with that? Then we can-."
Then he falls to the ground, turnover in his hand. The last thing he hears is his mother crying out his name.
"Henry…Henry? …HENRY!"
Then his world goes black as his grip slackens and the turnover falls out of his hand.