Chapter 38: Separation Anxiety

Henry wasn't sure why, but he wasn't sure when the Apprentice said that the Author had to be put back into the book, and he tried to say that they should get Mr. Rowling's opinion first. Still, everybody had this "no-moment-to-lose" attitude, and he couldn't get a word edgewise. So they hurried over to get that page, and then there was the earthquake, and he fell down unconscious, and woke in his grandparents' loft—alone.

He went outside and saw the city was deserted. His mother (both of them) was gone. The Dark One was gone. The Sorcerer was gone. There was only one other person he know that would be able to help him.

"Mr. Rowling?" But his house was just as empty as everywhere else. He felt a little sad when he saw the kitchen all decorated with streamers and balloons, and a chocolate cake with two unlit candles. They were planning a party, and now they're gone.

But then, he heard a sound of life—a screaming cry. He ran to Bae's room and found the boy standing in his kid screaming. "Hey, Bae. Good to see somebody's here. Come on." He picked him up.

"Where Mama?" Bae said.

"I don't know. But don't worry, we'll find her. Let me just change you first." He put him down on the table. "Oh, happy birthday."

"Huh?"

"I saw downstairs. You're two! Big boy. I think I remember Mom getting you present. In fact, I remember her making it, which is a big deal. Once we find where everybody is, we'll have a big party."

"Party?"

"Yeah. So we better find them quick."

Bae obviously didn't understand, because once they left the house without "Mama," he started crying again. Henry tried all he could to quiet the boy, but it was to no avail. He finally stuffed his ears with toilet paper. He got Bae into a car seat into his mom's car and drove to the nearest town. "I'll be right back. I'll get you a cupcake." He went in, and in a few minutes he came out with a chocolate cupcake, which he broke into little pieces. He laughed a little at how messy Bae got trying to figure out how to eat it. "I think I found out who can tell us where our parents are." He held up a paperback book titled "Heroes and Villains" and showed Bae the picture on the back cover.

"Collie?"

"Uh, it's the Author. The waitress says he's hosting a book signing downtown."

So he drove downtown. Bae started crying for Mama and Papa again, but they eventually found an old theater filled with adults dressed in fairy tale costumes, and front and center was a man with very thick eyebrows. "Collie!" Bae shouted, pointing to him. Some people were confused about who let in a dog, but Isaac looked straight at them. Then, he hit his forehead and sighed in frustration.

Henry walked straight up to him. "What did you do to our families? Where are they?"

Isaac cleared his throat. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Henry shook his head. "You're lying. I remember the spell that got you out, so either you give us some answers, or I'll put you back, and you'll get a whole new ending."

So Isaac took them back to a warehouse. "OK, much to the chagrin of my publicist, you have my undivided attention."

"Where is everyone in Storybrooke?"

"You really wanna know?"

Henry held up Bae. "Well, I think he wants to know even more than I do. He's been crying all day for his Mama and Papa, and I think he's gonna keep crying until he sees them again."

"Well, you don't have to look very far. They're all right here in my best-selling book. They're fine. If you want to get technical," he pulled out of a side bag a book that looked very much like the "Once Upon a Time" book and continued, "they're in here."

"Book!" Bae said.

"That's right, Beowulf, the original copy of my book, the one that I always wanted to write. They all live in here now in kinda an alternate reality."

"You made them miserable!" Henry answered.

"I see you read some of it already. Good! Then you know everyone got the life they deserved, except Emma, of course. You won't find her in the book." He added in a wicked whisper, "There was no room for a savior in my world."

"No, you're lying. I didn't see Telemain or Morwen or Daystar or Shiara anywhere in the book either."

"Oh, right, that. Well, like I told my old friend, I'm only human. I can't record every detail, and their stories didn't exactly get covered, but they're still there, and one day little Beowulf is going to find them."

"Beowulf? Why him?"

"Because he's the True Citizen of Storybrooke, the real hero. That's why I made sure he wasn't in the story, because his part is coming later, once he's old enough for the quest. I meant to pick him up, but I got so swept up in fame, I forgot. My bad!"

"No, we're bringing them back now! Gimme the book!"

"You? Do you know why you're still out here? You're not from a magical world. You're not a knight in shining armor. Right now, you're just two pitiful orphans that need saving. So, why don't you put the kid down and stick to the rule you're good at?"

Henry grabbed the book from him. "I may not be from a magical world, but all books have magic, and I know how to bring it to life!" He put his right hand on the cover, shut his eyes and, hoping with every fiber in his being it would work, recited, "Over, under, in and out, Back and through and roundabout, Send us away where we wish to go!"

"WAIT, DON'T BE STUPID!" the Author yelled and put his hand on Henry's back at the last second.

Henry opened his eyes and saw himself in a small village, that at the moment seemed as empty as Storybrooke, in the middle of a foggy forest. The air was heavy with magic. "It worked!" He was amazed it worked. Not only had he never performed a spell before, last time Telemain told him someone had to be reading the book to make it work. But maybe it was working now because the book was mass-produced, so somebody somewhere was reading their story.

"Where are we?" Bae asked.

"Somewhere in the book."

"Mama and Papa?"

"They got to be here somewhere. I don't know where."

"And you're not gonna find out anytime soon!" The Author attacked Henry so he fell unconscious.

"Henry!" Bae yelled.

"Shh!" Isaac said. "Now, stay with me, and I will make sure you won't get hurt." He tied Henry to a wagon, and when the boy came to, he said, "So now, we're all trapped in the book. Good job. Let me tell you about this place—it's cold, there's no running water, and things are always trying to kill you."

"Let me go!" Henry said.

"Not a chance. This book we're in, it's worked out quite nicely for me. I don't need you running around changing things. This is my story, and no hero gets a happy ending," he looked at Beowulf and added, "yet."

"Why? Would that somehow destroy the book?" He looked at Isaac's uncertain face. "That's what you're afraid of, isn't it?"

"Doesn't matter. You brought us to the last chapter."

"How do you know?"

"I know because I wrote it. I also know how it ends—with the loud tolling of bells at sunset. When you hear that sound, it will mean we've reached the last page. The book will end, and everything will remain exactly how I wrote it. Then you'll just have to come back for the sequel like everybody else!" There was a loud roar, and Bae matched it with a loud cry. Isaac, meanwhile, stood. "There we are, right on time." A gigantic, ugly monster approached them.

"What is that?" Henry demanded.

"The inciting incident of this chapter—an ogre attack. You know what they say—you don't have to be faster than the ogre; you just have to be faster than the next guy! Come on, Beowulf!" He scooped up the toddler and hid. Bae continued crying, and Isaac just shushed him. A few minutes later, they came out of hiding. Isaac mumbled to himself, "Come on, Henry, please be dead!" But when they got there, they found the ogre dead and the ropes binding Henry loose. Isaac groaned, "I should've remembered, I wrote the book! The Ogre Slayer!" But then he got an idea and walked away.

Bae pulled his coat. "Collie, where Mama and Papa?"

Isaac stopped and got down on his level. "Listen, Beowulf, you need to stop crying for them. Once we get out of here, I'm gonna take you with me, and since I'm a famous author now, I'm gonna give you everything you ever want. Toys, candy, clothes, your own laptop, your own smart phone—you like books? I'll make you your own personal library bigger than Books a Zillion! I write books about you. And we'll see the world—New York, Hollywood, London, Paris, Tokyo, I'm gonna take you everywhere. Wouldn't you like that?"

"What about Mama and Papa?"

"You'll find them one day, but until then, won't you like to live like a prince?"

"I want Mama and Papa! Now!" He stamped his foot and started shouting "Now!" over and over.

"Alright, we'll see if we can find them. Maybe we'll see them if we have enough time." He walked in the forest calling out for Henry, and then we were both trapped in a net. Bae screamed, and they saw people approaching them. "Not these guys," Isaac mumbled.

"Leroy!" Bae pointed.

Grumpy laughed. "Welcome to the Queen's Woods, trespassers!" He used an axe to cut the net down. "Search them!"

"Leroy, where Lew?"

"Who's Leroy, or Lew?"

"This is Grumpy, remember?" Isaac said. "And I don't even know who Lou is."

They found the pin his fan had given him that said "Long live Regina!" and decided they were traitors and gave them audience with the queen. Almost immediately, they found themselves in the throne room of a dark castle, and a woman in a silver and black dress approached them. Bae recognized her right away, too.

"Snow White!" Immediately, one of the dwarves pushed the boys head into the floor.

"First of all, you need to teach your son respect. He shouldn't be allowed to just blurt out my name. He should bow and call me, 'Your Majesty.'"

"I apologize, Your Majesty," Isaac answered, bowing.

"Not my papa!" Bae blurted out again. Snow White snapped her fingers, and Bae was suddenly silent.

Isaac smiled. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"I just might spare his life if you explain yourself."

So Isaac did. He told how he wanted to keep everything in the realm exactly as it is. She then called Prince Charming in to execute him, but then he told her about her true love, and that intrigued her. So he encouraged her to kill Regina and Henry, which she graciously accepted. "Oh, and one other request, for the boy. Could we use your Magic Mirror to find someone?"

"Well, that depends on who?"

"His name is . . . Telemain."

"Oh, interesting. Well, I don't need the mirror to find him. I know exactly where he lives."

They followed her directions and saw a tall tower in the forest. Bae recognized it and pointed at it. "Papa!"

"Yeah, that's where the queen says he lives," Isaac answered. They actually did come up to it this time, and Isaac knocked on the door, which opened on its own accord. "Telemain?" he called.

There was a puff of magic smoke, and someone who looked a lot like Telemain appeared on the stairs. There was just one big difference—he had gold skin.

"What do you desire, Dearies?" he said.