Mary Margret was pacing outside the library trying to get through to David on the phone to tell him about new information and if she was honest because she needed to vent about the non-conversation she just had with Emma.
"What happened, I just said goodbye to you" David answered surprised his wife was checking in so soon. His heart already racing assuming something was wrong.
"Hey, why so slow to answer I called three times" Mary Margret said relieved to hear his voice.
"I'm just on call at the station, were very busy this morning" David responded.
"Well, I have an update on our mystery campers, starting to look like they are behind everything, we need to make tracking them a priority" Mary Margret informed him.
"Research is finally coming through with some answers" David said relieved to have a lead.
"Yeah, hopefully it will keep the kids busy" Mary Margret added looking at them through the window. Wondering how to keep them all safe when they weren't exactly cooperating.
"That's the plan, but it's hard enough to keep the adults out of the streets" David said feeling the uproar for the residents to grab their pitchforks and take to the streets.
"One problem at a time" Mary Margret replied with a huff.
"You ok, seem upset" David asked sensing her frustration.
"I, ambushed Emma" Mary Margret admitted feeling guilty as she heard the resulting sigh from David.
"I keep trying to get her to open up, but she just pushes back every time" Mary Margret admitted.
"You've got to wait for her to come to you" David replied frustrated.
"What if it's too late David, what if something happens to her" Mary Margret replied distraught.
"Well in the meantime, maybe we need to stop worrying about her rejecting us and start laying down the law" David said
"What, you want lock her up officer" Mary Margret replied with a bit of a smile.
"Well, it would be harder, but I could lock up everyone else instead, starting with the Merry men" David replied only half joking.
"Maybe we should start small, a curfew" Mary Margret replied, she could hear the phone ringing in the distance realising she was monopolising the deputy's time from his duties.
"Sounds like a good idea, if she actually listens to us" David replied.
"Ok, I better let you get back to work" Mary Margret said as they were yet to find a solution.
"Try not to hover to much" David reminded her.
"I'll go to my office" Mary Margret replied.
"Good and I'll go find Graham to pass on the intel" David said.
"Bye, and thanks" Mary Margret said hanging up the phone and walking away alone to her office trying to stop herself from running back to the library forcing an answer out of Emma.
Back inside the library Emma looked over of the burnt out remains of the book she had found in the fire, still with so many questions wishing desperately to be able to know why the words written on those pages where so dangerous the book had to be set on fire. They continued to read through countless Storybooks and although each story was interesting there was no reference to the monster as being a depraved spirit, like the title of the book suggested. Emma could feel herself getting more frustrated feeling that urge to flee again rising up in here at least this time wanting people with her. They would forget her again, once crossing the border. Was it selfish to expect everyone to stay in town just to keep them with her risking there lives for a chance at this life already riddled with pain?
"Alright I need a break" Anna said exhaling after reading through another story that ended tragically, she hopelessly grabbed a chocolate frosted donut taking a huge bite.
"Me too" Red said slamming the book shut and slumping over it resting her eyes.
"I'll make some more coffee I guess" Elsa said standing up and making her way over to the door.
"Hey, hey I think I found something" Mulan piped suddenly realising everyone was about to give up when she was onto something, prompting Elsa to come back over.
"What?" Red said excited opening her eyes, as the group made their way over to where Mulan was sitting on the floor hunched over a book.
"And the depraved spirit left, his soul slipping further away, this was no victory for him" Mulan read aloud excited.
"What does that mean?" Elsa asked confused.
"We assumed the book 'tales of the depraved spirit' referred to the creature, but I knew I'd heard the name before" Mulan continued to explain.
"In another one of these books" Red asked defeated wondering if they were going to have time to read them all again before they were sucked into oblivion like the others.
"What if the depraved spirit doesn't refer to the creature, but the person who hunted it" Mulan asked with intrigue.
"Well, if someone hunted it, that means it can be destroyed" Killian said knowing full well that hunting down such a creature could be a journey that spans lifetimes.
"It's just, I realised I've heard that name before, but it was just a children's story" Mulan said.
"The depraved spirit sounds like a great children's book" Anna said sarcastically.
"He is a lost soul roaming the kingdoms fighting evil, after centuries living like this, he became known as the depraved spirit each kill bringing him closer to losing himself" Mulan replied thoughtful trying to remember the story properly.
"I'm not familiar with this tale" Killian responded thinking hard.
"Don't you see, this person may have figured out how to stop this monster" Mulan finished with a smile as she continued to read more.
"It also obvious he was unsuccessful" Red added sceptical.
"Well, it would explain why his autobiography got thrown into the fire" Emma chimed in her mind racing.
"Got their number in that story by chance" Red asked hopelessly as this seemed to be another lead to nowhere.
"No, but look at this picture of the village left behind it's the only one, not completely destroyed" Anna said looking at the illustration next to the text Mulan was reading.
"Not completely destroyed, but still the creature escaped" Killian said sceptical.
"Something scared it off" Emma added with shrug.
The group leaned in over Mulan's shoulder and look more closely at the picture it was nothing like the one Belle had them showed earlier but still in bad shape, not exactly the hopeful image they needed. Emma looked over toward the words on the page and something caught her attention, it read under the picture, 'the creature thrives in the dark and whimpers in the light'.
"Ok it references the book, but the pages are gone, we can't get any answers from it" Elsa said feeling deflated.
"No but if we can get another copy of that book" Anna said putting her hand on Elsa's shoulder trying to comfort her.
"Or we can just get those pages back" Belle said excited as she came up with another idea.
"How, the pages are nothing but ashes" Killian frowned.
"There was a spell, someone I know once used for a similar problem" Belle said thoughtful
"If thinking of asking the dark one for a favour, don't count me in" Killian said already knowing where this was going.
"We can trust him; he will do this for me" Belle said grabbing what remained of the book and starting to head out.
"I'm surprised that we haven't heard much from the dark one in a while" Red said surprised.
"He's a coward, he'll be hiding" Killian announced sitting back down wishing that someone would take his advice for once.
"Maybe it's because magic works different here, like the evil queen he may be powerless" Elsa replied frustrated thinking of her own frustrations about continuously having to keep control.
"I think this is something else as well" Emma said still looking at the page and thinking over what happened with the encounter she had with the creature and why it left so suddenly. Someone like the dark one may be more susceptible to a creature such as this.
"Like what?" Killian asked
"I've got my suspicions" Emma continued thinking about the words she just reed, grabbing backpack ready to follow this lead before she chickened out.
"Want to share?" Mulan asked confused about the mystery.
"You'll think I've lost it" Emma responded not entirely sure of herself, but the thought had been on her mind for some time and she wanted it resolved. If the creature hunts down darkness then the person with darkest heart such as the dark on, would be in hiding.
"You're always surprising me, don't stop now" Killian said following her.
"Look I think its best if I tackle this alone" Emma said turning to face him.
"Emma what did we just promise to each other last night" Killian said frowning at her as the other now turned to look at them.
"This is different, it's just for the person I need to speak to, I have more chance of success if I go alone, no promises broken, this won't be dangerous" Emma reassured him although she was sure she would walk away physically unscathed, some difficult emotions may arise.
"Oh" Elsa said understanding that Emma had finally decided to get some answers from Regina, and she gave Killian a reassuring nod to let Emma go.
Seeing this approval from Elsa, Killian backed off still wondering when the secrets would stop, and Emma would open up to him fully.
"Ok Emma, if you think that's best" Killian nodded as she made her way out of the library the rest of them continued to screen ideas on how to read a book that had become ash.
"Don't be gone to long though" Elsa added knowing as soon as Mary Margret notices her absence the rest of them will be under questioning.