Chapter 12
Exploring the Wilderness
Emma stood up groggily and stretched her muscles, staring out into the evergreen beyond the window.
She was still on cloud nine about everything that had happened so far, and was even more curious to figure out this alternate universe that Graham strangely was able to create.
There was something else different about Graham's world versus Neal's... she generally felt more happy.
It was a strange emotion, as if she was overjoyed on the outside, but yet still had that gut feeling on the inside.
She figured she should be more patient this time, and take one thing at a time.
She saw some clothes were laid out on Graham's bed, and though it would be nice of her to wash them for him while he was out hunting.
But as she stared at the bucket over in the corner of the room, she scoffed realizing her dilemma.
"Shit. I forgot this is old timey world or whatever."
She mumbled to herself softly as she walked out to the well outside and drew some water from it.
After she figured out how to hand wash the clothes, she quickly rung them out and hung them out to dry.
"Still hanging in there, dearie?"
She jumped and clung to her chest as she saw a familiar figure stand before her... just much more deformed and ten times as snarky.
"You just have to make an entrance don't you?" Emma scoffed as she turned around to the clothes in front of her.
"Not always... I do that for mockery. But when I just want to get the job done quickly, I simply wave my hand..."
She screeched as a bird came tumbling to the ground dead at her feet.
"And my victim is a goner."
Emma rolled her eyes as she continued to try to stay on task. "What do you want, imp?"
Rumple waved his hands in his usual over exaggerated manner. "I prefer the word vertically challenged."
Emma quickly put her hands on her hips. "Just tell me what you need."
Rumple giggled and shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing, dearie. I'm simply just 'checking in.'"
"Well I'm fine... so you don't really need to be here."
Rumple cocked his head. "Well judging the circumstances of what happened last time I'd beg to differ."
Emma stopped moving her hands and felt that same dreaded feeling she had before. "Did you really have to bring that up again?"
Rumple shrugged. "Well, you asked me why I was here, and I simply gave you an answer. Think carefully, child... you've known how I work for far too long."
Emma let out a sigh as she decided to drop the matter. "Alright, but Graham's going to be here any moment from now, so if you don't mind I would appreciate our privacy."
"As you wish, dearie!"
And with a puff of purple smoke, he was had disappeared into oblivion.
"Who was that, Emma?"
Graham quickly came around the corner and greeted her with a cheery smile. "I heard some voices."
Emma smiled gently as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Ah, nothing. The hunger's just probably getting into your head."
He then raised a piece of meat in the air, still dripping with fresh blood and reeking of the smell of pungent death.
"Ew get that shit away from here!"
Graham playfully started waving it closer to her face, making Emma screech and giggle in response.
"Graham stop it!"
"Alright, alright... I'll get the fire ready."
They were both cracking up at this point and Emma shook her head as she sat down on a woven chair in front of the fireplace.
"So what's it like up there?"
He turned around as he started tenderizing the meat. "What are you referring to?"
Emma stared at the floating embers popping out of the fireplace and scorching her shoes made of animal skins.
"You know... Heaven."
Graham suddenly slammed the meat onto the table. "Don't EVER mention death in this house again, do you understand me?"
Emma's eyes widened, taken aback at the sudden outburst. "I-I'm sorry... you're right I didn't know what I was thinking."
Graham realized he hurt her and quickly grabbed her hand. "No, I'm sorry. I just... I don't like to think about it okay? I didn't mean to yell at you... It was just a little sudden you know?"
Emma nodded. "I understand."
He patted her hand. "Just keep sitting there and look pretty."
Emma nodded with a brief smile which immediately faded as he started walk back over to the stove...
Graham was usually so gentle, and she knew he would never have said anything like that without a reason...
But at the same time, Emma felt ashamed that she even brought up the subject, as it wasn't anything that needed to be talked about at the moment...
Was she the one instigating these horrible outcomes in the process of this journey?
