Disclaimer: I own nothing so don't sue!!!
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6. Dead
Tears of Blood ~ Magna Carta
How to Save a Life ~ The Fray
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"Sabrina, get down here this instant!" I hear Mom yell as I finish my Grimm Journal entry.
It's stupid, I know. But Mom and Dad insist Daphne and I keep one. Andy too when he's old enough.
So for now, I have to write about how we solved the short mystery of things disappearing in the Arachnids' household. It turned out that the gold watch, important letters, and valuable jewelry were taken by a rebel school-boy group, playing a joke on their new English teacher for assigning a 100-page essay to be completed over Thanksgiving holiday.
Of course, I would have done the same thing if Mr. Harry Arachnid was my English teacher, assigning us such a long essay to write, but I wouldn't go as far as putting up red hand-prints and pretending that the old Scarlet Hand members are after the Arachnids for taking back their son from the deceased Rumpelstiltskin.
After finishing the entry, I run down the steps, two at a time, in case of some emergency. As I land on the living room floor, I see Granny Relda, Goldi, Mom, Dad, Mr. Charming and his wife, Snow White—who kept her last name after marriage.
I wonder for a second why they called me down if they all seem fine in their seats, but as I take a closer look I notice that they're covered with a stinky, mucky liquid and their arms and legs are bound with thick chains to their seats.
Yes, we're at Granny's house. We all came back to Ferryport Landing for a month for Thanksgiving and to visit old friends. Granny had decided to give the keys to the mayor and I was surprised that Snow convinced him not to run it to the ground as soon as we left.
Back to the present. How in the world did they get themselves all tied?! Why are they even tied in the first place?! And—
"'Brina, they're back," says Dad
They couldn't possibly mean— No. Ridiculous idea.
"Daphne and Red finally came back from visiting Briar's grave with Uncle Jake at the cemetery?"
"Sabrina— " But I interrupt Mom before she can explain; I can't bear the sad look on her face.
"Oh, you mean Puck and his family decided to join us in Ferryport Landing for Thanksgiving?"
"The Scarlet Hand, Sabrina. They're back." No. It can't be true. This must be a joke! They swore to never bother us again! They left when the barrier was torn down! Didn't they?
I look back to Dad, but instead of a smile or even a twitch on his lips that would imply a joke, his face is graver than anything, tone low and fast, serious as ever.
"No," I spoke my thoughts aloud.
"Child, this is not a joke," Mr. Clay says, as if reading my mind.
"It can't be true; they're gone!"
"That's what we thought too, liebling," Granny says quietly.
"How? Why? When?" I ask, shouting questions all at a time.
"We don't know," says Snow, answering each question with one reply.
"How did they do this?" I push back the fear and trying to show bravery to take control in case they need my help.
"We don't know for sure," says Charming. "We were drinking some lemonade your mother made and suddenly, we fell asleep."
"When we woke up, we found ourselves tied down to our seats and both our bodies and the floor wet with gasoline," Dad finishes.
"Gasoline?! What are they gonna do, burn down the house with you alive?! ... Oh." For I can see in their face that the Scarlet Hand was planning to do just that. "But...how did they even get in here?"
"Liebling, the house isn't locked when we're inside, so they must have snuck in either through the front door or back door or even the windows. You know we haven't locked anything here since we left three years ago," Granny explained softly.
"They must have snuck into the kitchen while I was checking in on you and drugged the lemonade to make us sleep. Damn it, I knew shouldn't have left the back door wide open like that," Mom whispers, more to herself than anyone else.
"All we can do now is make sure everyone else is safe. We know the Scarlet Hand is gonna burn down the whole house, sometime today if not soon," Dad says.
"Sabrina, will you please bring Andy down?" asks Mom.
"And Kaya and Luna," Ms. White puts in.
"Don't you dare let anything to happen to them," warns Charming.
With a quick nod, I'm up the steps, running with haste and searching for the toddlers. "Andy, Kaya, Luna! You guys, come on, where are you?"
Only a few giggles answer back.
"Guys come on! This is no time for Hide and Seek! Andy, this is an emergency!" At the mere word, Andy comes out from under the bed and the Everafter twins follow him. Even though he's too young to fully comprehend that it's an emergency, he knows enough. Mom and Dad trained him that if anything ever comes up, he has to be brave. So now, whenever he hears the word, he's trained to know that it's serious and not just a joke.
"Come on, guys, we gotta go. Luna, come here," I say, gesturing for the youngest of the three. I pick her up, Snow's exact younger replica, for she's as weightless as a feather while her blond sister is a bit on the fat side. I pick up Ryan from his crib and begin the journey back, mentioning for Kaya and Andy to follow me.
Tottering down, I hear all the grown-ups urging me to hurry. I still can't believe this is happening. What's gonna happen to all the others if they're tied down and can't escape the gasoline all over them? How much will it hurt to be burned alive?—
No! I mustn't think about them dying! They must have some plan of escape! They must!
"Hurry, hurry, hurry," chant the two kids behind me.
"Sabrina, honey, you have to take them and go. Run as fast as you can away from here! We don't know when the house might go up in flames. You have to leave as soon as possible," she says, looking tearfully at me then down at Andy who's hugging her leg tightly.
"Let me see my boy, please. I just have to see Ryan one last time," Goldi pleads from her seat, squirming against the tight chains. I instantly cross the room, put Luna down, and lower Ryan—who is wide awake by now—down to eye-level with his beauty of a mother. "Sweetums, I love you s-so, so, so much," Goldi whispers to her confused baby. "P-Please know that. Please remember your m-mother. Please don't forget me. I'll always be w-watching over you, my angel. And Sabrina, please take c-care of him for m-me would you, please?" she asks, tears falling down her cheeks. I nod, of course I'll take care of him. He's the only blood-cousin I have.
Ryan, somehow knowing something bad's gonna happen just as babies always know their own mothers, begins crying and bawling in my arms. Goldi leans forward, placing a tender kiss on his forehead, and whispers one more time that she loves him. Ryan, in turn, quiets down enough to hear his mother's voice one last time.
From this exchange between a mother and her loving son, unwanted tears sprout up my eyes. And to think that I'll never see her again, my only aunt! To think that I'll never see my parents ever again! Or Mr. Clay and Granny and Snow! Heck, even Charming doesn't deserve such an ending as this!
I pull Ryan to me again and give Goldi a goodbye kiss, careful not to let any of the gasoline get on me. I then move onto Granny.
"Take care, liebling," she whispers. "I love you."
"I love you too, Granny. And I'm so sorry for how I acted the first year we were together and how I fought with you and didn't agree with you on anything. I'm sorry for all that things I've said and every—"
"Hush, liebling. The past is behind us; it doesn't matter. I've forgiven you a long time ago. But please try to eat more." And it brings both a smile and tears to my face that she can still comment about my health in her last few minutes on earth.
Not wanting to waste any more time, I skip right ahead to Mom and Dad. "Guys, I love you both so much. You've been the best parents anyone can possibly ask for. Thank you so much for being so good to me and Daphne when other families have treated us like crap. I don't— "
"We love you too, Sabrina," Dad says as Mom lovingly scolds Andy for getting near her for the tenth time. "But you have to hurry; they might throw a torch in here at any moment!"
"Mom, I love you," I say tearfully.
"I love you too, my little angel. So, so much. I wish I could protect you from all the evil out there, but you're growing up; your dad and I can't censor life forever for you, you know. So...take care," she says before leaning forward and kissing my forehead. Dad motions for me to come closer and does the same.
"We love you so much, Sabrina. I hope you know that. We never meant for any of this to happen. So please watch out for your sister and Andy." And just like Mom he whispers a 'take care' before giving me another kiss, adds that I am the best daughter anyone could ask for, and to never talk to strangers, including troublemakers with pink wings. Again, I felt like laughing and crying at the same time, so I do both.
"Goodbye," I call to everyone as Snow and Charming say their goodbyes to their daughters.
"Bye-bye, mommy," calls Andy, as if it's all a big trip to the zoo and we'll be back in a few hours. If only...
"Quick! Hurry!" My head whips towards the voice and I see Dad's panic-stricken face, looking behind me. I turn my head to see what he's looking at and I feel my face go pale.
A dark arm through the window and...a flame.
They've tossed in a torch.
"Fuck." I don't even recognize my own voice as I yell for the kids to run to the kitchen. Along the way, I yell a tearful goodbye to my family, knowing that I would never see them again.
How unfair this world is! Not only did Daphne and I have to endure nearly two years in Foster Care, jumping from family to family without a real home, but now, after only a couple more years with them, we have to say goodbye to our parents and depend on each other again in this cold cruel world.
I had barely begun to fully know Mr. Clay and now I could never ask him all those questions unanswered. How did he know Puck and I were meant to be back when he was battling Rumplestiltskin? Did he find out more about his family from his meditations with Red? How did he become an Everafter? Who else did he uncover from his mystery of a past?
And Granny...
As I usher the kids through the back door, holding Ryan close for dear life, I think of how generous and loving Granny is. I never deserved her kindness back when I wanted to quit the family business. Sure, she got a little strict at times, but which guardian doesn't? She took care of Daphne and I when we had no one else to turn to for comfort and protection. Even though I tried to take care of my sister as much as I could, it was nice not to have so much responsibility.
It brings another wave of tears to my eyes as I think about her and Grandpa Basil, how happy she'll be when she dies, to be able to see her true love again. Or died.
No, damn it! I mustn't think like that! I have to be brave for Andy and the twins. As for Ryan, I bring him even closer and bury my chin in his neck as I think of how much misery Uncle Jake will be in when he finds out another woman he loves dearly had her life stolen by the Scarlet Hand.
Or is it loved.
Damn it, no!
I refuse to think like that. At least Uncle Jake's okay. Yes, he must be. He must. And Daphne. Oh please God, let Daphne and Red be okay. Please let them be fine. They have to be. They just have to.
I continue chanting the plead inside my mind as I lead the kids through the forest. They cry on the way, shrieks and coughs, sobs and wails. Oh, goodness. I start coughing too, for the smoke's followed us into the trees behind the house. What in the world are we gonna do if the flames run through the grass and follow us? Oh, Lord.
Eyes still tearing, fog all around us, smoke coming from all around, I hear a voice coming from within the trees. Someone looking for someone. They better not come this way or they'll surely be killed in the fire. I take Luna's hand and mention for Andy to take Kaya's. It's a good thing he's a prankster, pranksters have strong hearts in order to endure all the tricks shot back, scoldings, and punishments. He threw prank after prank back in New York City, no matter what Mom threatened him with.
Speaking of tricksters, I wonder what Puck's gonna do when he realizes I'm dead.
Laugh? No; we've grown older and closer. He wouldn't dare. Not now that we declared our love to one another.
Cry? I doubt it; he wouldn't wanna seem weak to others around him. He was a villain, in fact. And I don't think it likely that he would let anyone near him after he finds out the truth.
Would he run away? Throw a temper-tantrum? Go into denial? Give everyone the silent treatment?
Truthfully, I'm not sure what he might do. Even though we knew we loved each other, we've only had at least a year together as a couple. We had always thought everything would play itself out. We never actually took the time to learn much about ourselves. Sure we talked a lot back in the peaceful days after the Everafter War. We would lay side by side, or in each other's arms, and talk about all sorts of things. But we never really went deeper within ourselves. We just went along with being a couple, for we knew we would end up married in the future.
What would he say, I wonder? What would he do?
Oh, if only he knew how much I loved him. If only he knew that I would give my life for him.
The voice is coming closer. No; voices. Two. Maybe three.
They should be careful. They might die. Like Mom and Dad. Like Granny and Mr. Clay. Like Goldi. Like Briar. Like Charming. Like Snow. Like...
Me.
And Andy, Ryan, Luna and Kaya.
But everyone dies eventually, right? Why am I crying if we all get to live happily ever after someday? I've never been much or a religious person, but the world can't end in darkness, can it?!
Though even if it did, that would at least be more peaceful than an eternal hell full of everlasting flames.
Flames...
Tears fill up my eyes once again, and the way becomes blurry.
No! Why do I always have to cry? I mustn't! I have to lead us out of these woods. I must.
I must.
I must.
The voices.
Closer.
I can't see a thing.
I bring my arms closer but can't feel Ryan within them.
I try squeezing my hand around Luna's but it's as if I'm clutching at air.
I try to turn around, my eyes searching frantically for Andy and Kaya, but there's only fog and flames. Is this is it? Am I dead? Am in hell?
I can't feel a thing. Can't see a thing.
Can't hear a thing except for those annoying voices calling out.
It's more distinct now.
Carina?
Morina?
Sabrina?
Yes, that's it. Sabrina. I wonder who she is? She must not be from around here. I don't remember a Sabrina. Heck, I don't even remember my own name.
Oh, wait.
It's me.
They're calling me!
Daphne, Uncle Jake and Red.
They're wasting their time. Don't they know I'm beyond saving?
Finally, the voices faint away and I feel my body being brought down, things falling on top of me.
Where the hell am I?
Dead.
For sure.
Lying in a torturous crypt forever. A crypt full of burning flames licking at my long hair. Oh, how Puck used to loved playing with my hair. Dying it, throwing glop grenades on me so my hair becomes covered in a disgusting jello-like substance, twisting strands with his fingers as we lay together, running his fingers through it when we kissed...
Puck...
Oh God, I miss him.
I'll have to wait till he dies for us to finally be reunited. And it won't be long when he finds out what happened. Won't it?
Oh, the agony. The flames. The burning smell of wood and hair and skin. Skin? I always wondered what burning skin smelled like. I guess now I know.
And the voices. They're back again.
Oh, why does this hell have to torture me with their screams of terror, shouts of confusion, cries of despair? Don't you think I've had enough? Don't you know I know what it feels like to lose somebody dear to you?
The emptiness, the agony, the despair.
Please make them go away! Please make it all go far away.
Please.
Please.
Please...
It's late afternoon in early cold December, approximately two weeks after Thanksgiving, and freezing fog has settled all over the state of New York. It's been fairly dark since four and wherever streetlights cast their orange glow, droplets of moisture can be seen dancing in the icy air like ballerinas in snowflake tutus.
Seagulls perch on the head of Lady Liberty while pelicans skid on the frozen ponds of Central Park. In the big city, giant skyscrapers disappear into the fog, their positions betrayed only by the warning lights, blinking like ghostly spaceships from within the mists.
Meanwhile, in a dank, dark corner of Ferryport Landing, a homeless man is stuffing newspapers down his jacket, covering himself with layers of blankets. His black and white dog, a curageous German Shepherd, lays at his side, threatening anyone who dares to come close.
Truth be told, no one is supposed to be out this late, especially in such a temperature. Mayor Charming had decreed that, for their own safety, anyone who wishes to remain alive and well best be home by the ring of three o'clock in the afternoon. The egotistical Everafter was actually more concerned for his two daughters. Ever since he made it out of Granny's burning house—and no one's still certain how exactly the mayor tricked the Scarlet Hand into letting him escape—he's been grieving his beauty of a wife and not letting his sweet daughters out of his sight, insisting they be taught by a special home-school teacher.
At the moment, I'm sitting at the ledge of my window, watching the strange sight of the German Shepherd pawing at the air as if it's flies and his paw, a cow's tail. Uncle Jake and Andy are downstairs in the kitchen, making sugar cookies—or at least, attempting. Nevertheless, they're at least having fun while I'm left to rot at this widow. Hell, I could die here for all they knew. Oh, if only...
Puck still hasn't come back—his mother had sent word insisting he stay for Christmas as well, and he certainly hasn't objected. And that's only made matters worse. Not only was he not there to comfort me after I woke up here in Uncle Jake's house with Daphne at my side, tears streaming down her face in relief that I had finally emerged from my two-day coma. But he's the only one who can get me out of my state of depression and he knows it, yet he still chooses to spend the Christmas holidays with his bitch-fairy of a mother. Excuse my language. Or don't. Who am I to care what you think? And who are you to criticize my judgment?
Still, I am nothing without him. Why am I still here, I truthfully do not know.
Maybe to stay with Daphne and take care of her and Andy, now that family's scarce.
Maybe to help Uncle Jake through long nights of tears, despair, and coffee, heart-broken that he will never find love that will remain.
Maybe to take care of Elvis and Red, letting them know that Granny didn't mean for them to be forgotten.
Maybe to wait for Puck. But who am I kidding? He heard what happened. At least, we told his mother to tell him.
Maybe...
A clatter downstairs brings me out of my thoughts of misery. A childish laughter follows. If only I can join them downstairs, having fun and drinking hot chocolate. Oh how I used to love Granny's hot chocolate. Sure, she'd make it with llama-bean marshmallows, but it was fun picking them out and throwing them in Elvis' mouth, watching him chew and beg for more with his big puppy-dog eyes.
Oh, Granny. I miss them all so much. Mom and her warm hugs, Goldi's late-night girl talks, Mr. Clay and his funny sense of style, even Dad's over-protectiveness. My heart aches every time I think of them. At first, mention of their death was met with shocks and tears, denial at the worst. Lately, Daphne and I have been sleeping together in the queen-sized bed of the spare guest room, the thick layers of blankets hugging us as we lay in each others arms, crying. But now, all we feel is pain, at least for me. Pain—raw, acute pain...and emptiness. Knowing I'll never see them again.
I look to my left, seeing Ryan lying in his crib, fast asleep. For all he knows, his mom's gone on a long, long trip to the moon and he'll never see her again. I stare in jealousy at his peaceful form, not knowing what lies ahead. He's just lying there, and trusting the night to be dark and warm, the day to be bright and early, his dad to wake him up with a blow against his neck and a warm bottle of milk to bring him down again, back to drown in sleep and meaningless dreams.
A sharp movement from out the window grabs my attention and forces me to look around at all the snow. A flash of purple in all the white. Then, quicker and sharper, a mixture of brown and gray. Wolves. They were the main reason everyone agreed with Charming's ramblings of unsafe winter. Everyone made sure to close all their doors and windows after it got dark, for we all knew that wolves were in town. It was announced on the news, they had escaped from a nearby zoo and joined with a pack from the woods. Now that winter's becoming darker, they've been spotted lurking out and about in the openness of the snow. Who knows what would happen if you left a window open or forgot to call your kids in from throwing around snow-balls?
Another flash of purple. Neon purple. The only person I know with a neon purple coat is...
What in the world is happening outside? She can't be out in all that snow, playing, while there's wolves lurking at any corner!
I race down the stairs, breathing heavily. "Uncle Jake!" I call.
"What's your rush, Brina? Did you spot Puck on the freeway with that new telescope of yours?" He's wiping Andy's face from the chocolate chips he must have found in the pantry. As my little brother sees me, he yells, "Sabby!" before trying to get out of Uncle Jake's iron hold.
"Where is she?" I demand, panic rising in my voice.
"Where's who, Bubble-bum?" he asks innocently, using the nickname Puck had practically glued to me before we came back to Ferryport Landing.
"Don't call me that." I stare at him like a murderer about to off his long-time enemy's head. Her. Ugh, sexist movie producers. Why does the murder always have to be a guy?! Couldn't they imagine a woman who's ever wanted revenge and went off to drive a knife through an ex-lover's heart or shoot ten bullets in an enemy's chest.
"Daphne," I say, trying to hold down my anger.
"Daffy's outside, playing with white snow. She rolls them like dis, then throws them through the windows," Andy says, giggling, trying to imitate someone throwing a snow-ball by using the dough in the bowl on the table as snow.
"Aw, Andy, now I gots ta cwean aw dis up! Do you weally want your poo unca to suffa dis much?" I can't bear to listen to any more of his insufferable baby-talk and Andy's continous giggling so I grab my coat from the coat-hanger, and open the back door, heading out into the cold December snow.
"Don't forget to wear a hat," calls my uncle, automatically. With a groan, I pull my navy cap—one that Mom knit for me last winter—over my head and down to my ears before slamming the door shut behind me.
Instantly, bitter, frosty air smacks me in the face. I shiver, suddenly regretting leaving the warm shelter of the kitchen. Of course, I'm freezing cold and aching all over, mostly due to the quick change from the hot temperature indoors to the penetrating cold out here. So I wrap my arms around my chest, and continue my journey through the snow.
Even though all I see is blurs of white and slight gray all around, I trudge on, trying my best to ignore the icy air nipping on the exposed skin at my face and hands. Oh, I should have worn gloves or at least Uncle Jake's thick scarf. Too late to go back now.
After a while of going around and around the town, making sure to stay in close proximity to the house, I spy another flash of bright purple. Finally, I think, sighing with relief.
"Daphne!" I yell. But the figure doesn't turn. I squint my eyes and see her bending down and touching something in the snow. Treading closer, I call out to her again. But again, she doesn't turn. Finally, when I'm approximately a few feet away and sure as anything that Daphne's the one with the purple coat, I look down and see what had caught her eye for all this time.
No! It can't be. She's dead... Isn't she?!
A few feet ahead of me, in the deep, white snow, lies a necklace. A little gray chain with a small, silver spider-web hanging on the end as a pendant. The last and only time I ever saw that necklace was around Moth's neck. Moth, the deranged fairy who had fantasies of Puck and herself ruling over the humans and rebuilding Faerie.
But that's...that's impossible. Is she...dead? I hope so. Good riddance. She deserves it. But why would she be here? Last I heard, Queen Titania had her locked away in a jail cell with fairies at every entrance. So why would her necklace be here?
Nevertheless... "Daphne, we have to go home," I say softly, for fear of wolves hearing us.
"Why?" she asks, simple and just as soft, sounding as curious as a little child.
"Please, Daphne, we have to go back in," I insist.
"Why?" she asks again.
"It's just...ugh! Please, Daphne. Come back to the house with me. It's cold out here." I don't know why I can't answer her clearly. I want to; I just can't. It's scary and yet frustrating. Suddenly, I hear a faint howl far away.
"Daphne, hurry before they come," I say, taking her hand and running towards the direction of Uncle Jake's house. But her hand just slips away.
"Come on, Daphne, please," I beg, growing tenser with each second, for the howls grow louder.
"I can't, Sabrina," she answers simply.
"Why not?! We have to go! Now!" She's seriously starting to get on my nerves.
"Because, Sabrina. Because it isn't our real home. Because it's not real. None of it is. Nothing's real anymore. It just isn't. Can't you see that?" As she says those last four words, she stands up and turns to me so that I can fully see her face for the first time. Instantly I step back in shock. Instead of the innocent look she's always had on her face as a young girl, there's a look of blank happiness that I've seen on crazies when we took a wrong turn to the hospital for a check-up last year in New York City. And her eyes are wet from tears, but when she lets them flow down her cheeks, I see they're tears of blood.
What in the world is happening? Is this the real Daphne or a psyco escaped from a nearby asylum? Maybe Red's craziness rubbed off before Daphne extracted it with the kazoo all those years ago and it hasn't shown until now. Or...
What happened?! I just can't stop asking the question inside my head.
What in the world happened?
The howls. They're getting closer. Oh, God, what am I supposed to do now?
"Daphne, come on, please," I plead, growing more helpless with each passing second.
"If you want," she says, hesitantly.
"Yes," I sigh in relief. "Yes, I want you to come. And fast. We have to hurry, Daphne."
"Okay," she says, skipping after me, hands in her pocket. I thank my stars once more before running through the night, looking back every now and then to make sure my sister hasn't abandoned me. But she hasn't. So I trudge on. It's as dark and blurry as ever and I can barely make out where we are. Left, right, left, right, they're all the same. Intent on not giving up, yet with anxiety clawing at my heart every second, my eyes search frantically for any sign of our bearings.
Another howl. They're even closer now than they were before. Then suddenly, there's a flash of brown-gray and within a moment, a ravenous wolf is standing barely a few feet away, canines gleaming in the dark. Oh, God.
"Daphne, stay where you are," I warn her, watching the wolf's hungry eyes race from me to Daphne as if watching a tennis match.
"But why? Why did you stop?" She's asking me this as if it's a simple, ordinary thing like what the weather's gonna be like tomorrow.
"Daphne, there is a wolf right in front of us. Can't you see it?"
"No," she answers softly.
Bewildered, I turn around. And the wolf jumps.
"Daphne, run!" I shout.
"But I can't see anything," she insists.
"Why?"
"Because, Sabrina, there's nothing there and you know it! You're just making it up to scare me." By now, the wolf's circling her closely and she doesn't even cast one glance towards it.
"Daphne, I mean it, I'm not making anything up. Run! Now!" I cry out as I see another wolf prowling in the shadows. Suddenly, it lunges, going for my neck, but somehow I manage to stop it, my hands driving a wedge in it's mouth. "DAPHNE!"
"I can't see them, Sabrina, I can't," she cries desperately.
I can't answer her, I'm too busy struggling with the wolf's teeth—and let me tell ya, they hurt like crazy, sharp as they are. The next thing I know, the wolf falls limp around my hands, and when I let it go, it runs away, back into the darkness. Strange. But good riddance.
"Daphne," I call. The growls behind me have quieted down. Did she fight them of, too?
"Daphne," I call again. "Daphne where are you? It's okay; they've gone. They won't bother us anymore." Quietness answers me.
"Daphne!" There's no one in sight.
"DAPHNE!" Nothing.
After a while of looking for her in the blurs of white, I finally find her.
Her body.
Oh, God.
She's lying on the frozen ground, bloody and cut everywhere. Oh, God.
How could I let this happen?! How?! I promised! I promised to take care of her! I promised!
Oh God.
She's dead.
Dead.
All of them...dead.
No real family anymore.
Dead…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Darkness surrounding me, a cold wall at my back, nothing in sight, I can only wonder where the heck I am.
Sitting in darkness, my eyes search frantically for light.
But my search is unsuccessful.
Not one thing in sight.
Not one shimmer.
Not one glow.
Not one.
I pull my legs up,
All the way up to my chest and hug my knees close,
A pounding in my head threatening to break my skull and pull free.
It grows worse and worse with each breath I take. Hot tears stream down my cheeks, unbidden.
I stand up in the darkness, and move my legs this way and that.
It hurts horribly and spreads pain up my thighs and back,
All the way to my head. And it pounds once more.
Again and again.
I walk down the dark streets,
Or are they halls? Still, I shiver with each step I take.
And with each step, a sudden thud goes through my heart.
Down the dark and lonely path I go, weeping with loathsome, stacked-up force.
Bottled up hate erupts and tears cascade out my heart.
Darkness beckons and I unconditionally oblige.
Who am I to refuse?
Too much sadness,
Too much feeling.
I can no longer survive
Only on the hope that everything
Will someday change back to the way it was.
No more, please, no more; I can't take much else.
This never-ending wait will no longer do. And so I move on.
Trudging on, through the shadows, lost in the obscurity of night.
Alone, once again…
Puck's point of view...
Standing there at her door, watching her sleep, was like an early Christmas present. She looks so peaceful in slumber, her shiny hair like a thick halo around her head. Her rosy lips are slightly open, a soft snore escaping now and then. She looks like a princess. My princess. I smile to myself as I mull that over, enjoying the sound of it.
Sabrina. My princess.
I close the door behind me and cross the plum carpeting, stopping at her bed and lying besides her. Caressing her pale cheek with two fingers, I whisper softly in her ear—that I love her; that she's beautiful—wondering whether she could hear me in her sleep. Suddenly, she shifts and turns, pulling my hand along with hers and holding on to it tightly.
Ow! I grimace at the pain, then smile. Even when she's asleep she likes causing me pain. Why, I could... No. She's asleep. That would just be cruel. Besides, we're older now. Pranks are just childish immature outbursts to declare our adolescence. Or at least, that's what she says.
As she lies in her warm bed, I stare in wonder at her long hair. Why in the world she would keep it that long, I'm not exactly sure. But I sure do love playing with it. It feels so soft and silky in my fingers. As gold as real nuggets; like a crown. A crown of gold for my princess.
And her eyes. When she's happy, they sparkle their true blue. When she's angry at some prank I pulled, they darken and she yells.
And her beautiful voice that sings when she's in the shower. How it grows low and threatening at times, too.
But nevertheless, she'll remain my princess. Quite a feisty one, though.
A long time ago I would have suspected that aliens have tampered with my mind if I thought such things. Or I would just, plain and simple, deny my love for her. Or shake my head, trying to clear my mind and threaten it heartily, every time a thought about her eyes or lips broke through. Oh, her lips. So pink and full. I could just kiss her. And I do.
But as I lower my head down, breathing softly against her slightly freckled cheek, I notice that her eyelashes are glistening with wet stuff. After a few brainless moments of wondering what the heck that it, I move my hand and gently wipe the tears away, trying not to wake her from her peaceful slumber.
…Back when my father first told me that I was to marry Moth or be kicked out of his home, I was enraged. Or at least, that's how others saw me. Inside, I was helpless, wondering where in the world could I go. I had heard politicians in the Golden Egg talking about Ferryport Landing, a place brimming with Everafters of every kind. Rumor was, the ones who headed there were never heard from again.
The fairy godfathers and guards of my father thought the worst, assuming they were killed or eaten alive by Baga Yaga, who was said to reside in Ferryport Landing. Or maybe the other Everafters trapped them there for some odd reason. Maybe Prince Charming had gotten a hold of them and tricked and/or forced them to work for him so that he could rebuild his old kingdom.
They say that when Wilhelm Grimm journeyed to America with the Everafters on the New Beginning, they had to use a whole ship for Charming's wealth. And when it sank in the middle of the ocean, the prince was enraged and has been trying to gather up what he lost and rebuild his kingdom ever since. What a self-absorbed egomaniac!
But I had other theories. I actually thought they loved the place so much, they couldn't bare to leave it! How wrong I was.
Yes, I know. What a foolish idea. But at the time, even at 400 years old, I was still immature and not knowledgeable enough about the world outside the areas my mother and father always ruled. And so, I became trapped in Ferryport Landing, along with my minions, the loyal pixies. I found the forest and easily managed to live life to its fullest. Well, as best as I could in a place with no real civilization.
After journeying around the town at night, I found out where the coffee shop owned by Briar Rose and her fairy godmothers was; the location of the Butcher, the Baker, and the Candlestick Maker's shops; Old King Cole's Restauraunt; the Blue Plate Special diner; where the big supermarket run by Rapunzel and Little John's wife was located; and where the most important place to avoid beyond all cost stood, Manor Charming.
I would spend most of the day having fun in the forest like Robin Hood and his men, though they were just starting work as lawyers at the time and I admired them for standing up to Charming's laws. I would play in the ponds and swing from branch to branch, occasionally playing pranks on passersby—dropping glop grenades on them; having my pixies bite them if they got too close to my lair; even sneaking into their stuff and replacing everything with worms and critters, my forest friends.
Then, at night, I would break into the store room in the supermarket and eat anything I could get my hands on. But most of the bread was stale, the coke tasteless, cake way too frosty, eggs raw, and most of the food had already gone to waste. But seeing as how this was the only was I could eat food, I didn't complain.
This went on for a while, until The Three finally convinced Charming to hire Relda Grimm—an old lady with a weird German accent, numerous colorful sunflower hats, a friendly Great Dane, and the Big Bad Wolf as a companion. The traitor. She figured out that I was the one who was driving Rapunzel and Franny Little out of business, but instead of letting Charming stick me in the Ferryport Landing jail, she convinced him that as long as I was fed, I wouldn't bother him anymore. She even made me promise that. I refused to at first, telling her villains don't even keep promises. But it was worth it when I finally did. Her food was great.
The old lady and I became...not friends exactly—villains don't have time for friends—but companions, helping each other out. And let me tell ya, she made a mean dish of squid ink spaghetti with curry sauce and emerald green meatballs. De-licious!
I still insisted on living in my forest, but when her granddaughters moved it a couple of years later, I began to have second thoughts. If I moved in, I would have more people to prank. Plus, it's easier to prank people in the same house. I looked forward to it.
When I first saw the old lady welcome the two girls to the house and the old wolf carrying their bags, I thought for sure now she wouldn't have more time for me, doting more on her real grandchildren. But then the pranking idea got in my head.
One night when I was at the edge of the woods, lying on a branch in a tree and looking at the stars, something caught my eye. In a window of the old lady's house was a blond girl about my age—my physical age, at least—and another younger brunette who must have been her sister. The blond was quite a beauty for her age, high cheekbones, a bright blue in her longing eyes, her complexion like the fairy princesses in mom's old photo albums, and hair like an angel.
At first, I thought this girl was toying with me, making me have weird thoughts about her. I just pushed them aside and tried to hide my true feelings by playing tricks on her and being as annoying as my puckish self could be. I denied my love for her countless times and even declared war on her for giving me her puberty virus.
Now back to the trees. I squinted to try and see what the girls were doing. It looked like the older was trying to convince her sister to escape out the window.
I had laughed at her stupidity; her naïveness. Didn't she know the wolf had ears like a...well, like a wolf? She obviously wouldn't have been able to get out of the house without Canis going off to warn their grandmother or stopping them himself. Making a split-second decision, I decided to have fun with the situation at hand.
Retrieving my flute from my green hoodie, I blew a played a song with many high notes, nodding my head towards the house so my minions would know where to go, and sat back farther in the tree lest they see me, intent on enjoying my first trick on the innocent girls.
As the pixies flashed their lights and played pretty, the girls were mesmerized, probably thinking they were harmless lightning bugs. Ha! But before they could open the window, the old man barged in through the door and locked the window. Sulking, I called the pixies back to me, intent on getting my revenge, or at least another chance to prank them.
You know the rest: when they tried to run away again, I sent my pixies after them and they sure bit hard. Though it was a pity they bit too hard on the younger one; the sight of her swatting at them like flies and nearly scolding them as if they were little children was hilarious! But when they had to go back in the house, I felt lonely again.
Then when they stumbled onto my lair, I almost succeeded in making them walk the plank. Too bad the blond—whose name I later learned was Sabrina—pushed me in instead. Luckily I had my wings to save me—no matter how pink and girly-looking they were.
After they told me they needed my help in rescuing the old lady and the wolf from a giant, I decided to help them, even though I was clearly a villain of the worst kind. I made to sure to remind them that before they got too used to relying on me to always save the day. True, I threatened to give up my hero days it a couple times, but somehow I always wound up saving Sabrina and Daphne quite a number of times.
Though, if you really wanna know why I did it, it was because of Sabrina—the one I decided to nickname Ugly to hide my true feelings for her—and how she made my thoughts get all jumbled up. Curse women and their beauty.
Sure, pranks were a good distraction and a brilliant way of hiding the strange emotion forcing their way to me. But later on, after I found out Ugly and I wind up married together in the future and decided that I couldn't declare war on her and her sister forever, I gave in to the fact that I loved her. I confessed the sad fact to her, too.
But instead of punching me in the gut again when I kissed her, back in the Book of Everafters, she actually kissed me back. And ever since then, I've been convinced that she and I belong together. In fact, in the end, I stopped being a villain for Sabrina. I always said it was because the Grimms always needed saving and would have died if I hadn't saved them from the giants, Rumplestitskin, the Jabberwocky, my deranged ex-fiancée, the evil and cowardly Oz, his six-story robot, the Scarlet Hand dragons, and who knows what else.
But truthfully, it was because I wanted to save her; I couldn't bare to let anything happen to Sabrina because of the traitor feelings that arose the first time I laid eyes on her. And now, la-dee-da, I'm a hero. Though it's so not easier than being a villain, let me tell ya! Having to constantly rescue my damsel in distress, or at least protect her as long as I can. She even made me watch out or other people as well, mainly close friends and family. Nevertheless, it's worth it; the long, sweet kisses she sometimes rewarded me with; her warm hugs that were so tight, I could smell her strawberry-scented shampoo…
I look at her now, sleeping peacefully, cheeks softly blushing and rosy, luscious lips so tempting. I lean even farther, determined to steal another kiss.
But suddenly, her eyes snap open and her eyes search around frantically, as fast as my wings flap when I fly. And before I can say a single word, more tears wallow in her eyes, spilling out on her cheeks, and she begins punching me on my chest. She nearly knocks the wind out of me before I can ask what happened, all the while repeating one word. "Dead". What the hell?! Plus, the crying... I could never handle crying so well. We could be fighting and when she brings the waterworks I would always give in so easily. Curse tears.
"…it's all your fault! Dead! They're all dead! Why didn't you come?! Why did you leave me?! Why, why, why?! Now they're dead! Dead, dead, DEAD!" She looks so heartbroken as she says that I feel so sorry for her yet can't help wondering in what universe would I ever leave her in a weak state.
"Sabrina, Sab-Sabrina, stop! Wh-What the hell—B-brina!" But it's no use. She just keeps right on pounding against my chest with her fists, sobbing out the single dreadful word with enough force that I almost believe for a second that someone really did die. Knowing I'm not gonna get any answers until she calms down, I hold her tight as she squirms against me. But after a while, she's no longer hitting me so hard and her cries have turned to just sniffles and silent tears.
"Hush, Brina. Everything's okay. Don't worry." I hold her close, for fear she'll run away. She must have had a bad dream. Or... I don't know! Something... "What happened, Brina?" I ask quietly after a few more weak pounds.
"Dead," she sniffles. I could swear her pout could break apart a huge battle between life-long enemies. And those tears. Those precious tears, like liquid crystals flowing down her porcelain face. "I trusted you... I trusted you and you didn't come. I loved you, Puck... Why didn't you come?" A little disturbed by the past tense she used, I turned her around in my arms.
"Brina—Sabrina, look at me!" I start, gentle but firm. "I love you. With all my heart, I love you. Obviously, if I ever had the nerve to leave you, it would either be in case of a dire emergency or because I was forced. I love you, Sabrina Grimm, I swear it," I repeat, looking her squarely in the eyes. Tears are still flowing down her cheeks, her mouth still obviously choking back sobs. But the wild look in her eye has settled to a calmer, more loving look as she stares back at me.
"Promise?" she asks, a playful smile on her heart-broken face.
"Promise," I assure her. But before I can say another thing, she collapses in my arms, and they automatically tighten around her, hugging her tight. We lay like that for a while longer, her still sniffling occasionally, me holding her tightly, determined to not let go until morning. After a while, her breathing slows down and soft snores escape her mouth. I can't help but notice how cute she looks, lost in peaceful dreams of other places—save the occasional nightmares.
She looks so lost in tranquility that I bend down once more and kiss her temple lightly, catching the faint smell of stawberries in her hair. She barely stirs in my arms; I hold her tighter, more securely, determined not to let her escape. After a few moments of staring in amazement at her physical and internal beauty, wondering how in the world I got so lucky to score such a warm soul and great-looking girl, she opens her small mouth once again and says,"Don't leave me..."
"Never," I assure her before settling my head down on the comfortably soft pillow and closing my eyes, welcoming sleep. But just before I fall into mysterious dreams of unconsciousness, my princess speaks once more.
"Don't leave me..." she whispers again.
"Don't worry, Grimm. I'm not going anywhere."
A/N: Sorry if the dreams were lame or badly written, but it's pretty hard to write sad scenes when you're high off chocolate. I was practically rolling on the floor laughing for no reason at all (unless you find grass funny) but I couldn't afford to wait till I was better cause I had to finish the chapter ASAP. So yeah...
As for Puck's OOC-ness...well, we're not all Michael Buckley, here! Plus, they've grown. Obviously, his vocabulary's gonna expand and he's gonna think more lovingly of Sabrina. ^^
Yes, puckish is a word. Look it up yourself if you think I'm lying.
So, I hope this chapter clarified some stuff as well as left others a mystery. Especially Moth's necklace. I know, I know, it wasn't mentioned in the books. Just pretend it was. Cause it's gonna be important. You'll see...
MWAHAHAHAHA! xD
Anyways, I'm not updating till reviews reach mid-60's. Yes, I like reviews. They would be BERY, BERY helpful. So pweaeaeaease tell me what you thought. And I know you're there! You read but don't review! WHY?! WHY, WHY, WHY?! =,(
So if you don't review, your names won't be mentioned in the regards. *blows raspberry* So ha!
Thanks to Lara D (thanks for the reminder to update and I seriously love your reviews but please try not to spam ;P) , Squiggles(aka ~~~~; sorry but referring to you as Squiggles is easier--unless you have any problems with it^^), Alice Alee, Francesca Halikias(thanks for liking the last chapter xD), Bluestocking inc., Beachgirlygirl, 12grimmfan21, The Grimm Smiler :)(I agree whole-heartedly; that's why there's a non-flashback Puckabrina chappie coming soon ^^ Preview: it takes place on Thanksgiving^^), brii, Kloe, and BookLoverXgoogle for reviewing. ^^
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~Ly