~~Prologue

I received awareness. I knew that I lived yet I could not speak, walk, blink absolutely nothing but cry. My thoughts were wordless but I knew I missed my brother and he was gone. I didn't know it at the time but it had been eight and a half months. I felt something squish all over me yet I couldn't see. I cried and heard voices.

"Oh what a beauty."

"What shall you name her?"

"Dorilitz..no jasmin"

"Jasmin like the flowers but.. with those eyes?"

"Wow..her eyes shine like crystals…"

"So her name."

"Crystal… Crystal Jasmin"

2: Red tells her story

~~

Red tells her story

I opened my eyes, something bad had happened, Not bad very bad. I couldn't say anything to those who surrounded me. I was on earth where there was no magic, no happy endings, and the worst part of all the only family I had was gone. Her plan was horrid, Send me to earth, my brother wouldn't know if I was okay so he would cry for a while before begging for my safety. She would then steal his heart, revive all the evils and make them thirst for revenge. Then they would wreak havoc all along the land. Torture would replace happy endings. The meaning of morals in fairytales would be gone. That doesn't mean that in earth they would be stopped from telling little children at bedtime. The children would eventually grow with confusion, not knowing right from wrong. They would then rise against their parents, their parents would then have to go to shelters, Of course some children would side with the adults. Evil children with their little knowledge of kindness and mercy would rule Earth. They would have started another World War. Sending me here was only the beginning for then she would join the two planets together… Everything would become a disaster, all because of one person's path, a thirst for revenge and an obsession with power.

By four years old I had forgotten everything. I was simply a pawn in the Earth games, a normal human. No matter how much my parents loved me they couldn't change the fact that something, someone was missing. Don't get me wrong I loved them very much and still do but the joy had been sucked out of my life and with that my beautiful crystal eyes began to fade into a dirt brown.

I was always insulted, hurt, the last one picked. Everyone always had friends or brothers or sisters, but they always took them for granted wishing that they had never met them over petty issues. I wanted someone else to love (again besides my parents.) As I got older the bullying increased and so did my brother's desperation.

Grizelda waited for him each and every day. Meanwhile she had found a new way to torture her victims. She would cut them piece by piece while they were conscious, then she would literally throw them into the blazing oven.

The first couple days without me, my brother cried. His feelings proved that not knowing was the worst. Days later he decided that even though he was walking into a death trap, He was going to beg Grizelda for my safety. As he walked he heard a rustling in the leaves above him. It was Red who knowing the entire story had been observing us for a long time. She could only correctly assume where he was going. Hanging upside down on a branch she caught his attention.

"Hey Psst Froggy." He nearly jumped up when he heard her call him that. As he began to see her face he wondered how she knew about his new nickname. He remembered her as the girl who said I wouldn't make it but that had been years ago and she still looked exactly the same, how? Besides he was a human now how, did she know who he was he thought.

"You…"

"Hop on.."She said as she held out her red hood for him to jump in. At first he wanted to run away but he figured he had nothing to lose and that maybe she knew something he didn't. He turned into a frog and hopped on. Red then began to climb as quick as she could up the massive trees. She had gotten quite good at climbing since she had been running away from the villagers for so much time. Once she got up to the very top she told him to sit on one of the strong branches.

"What?" He asked as he stood up careful to climb down if any danger followed.

"I need to tell you my story."

"I don't even know your name my brother said, remembering that he never did ask her.

"Everyone calls me Red ..Riding hood but my real name's Violet. Listen I know where you're going and why but we both know she is only going to kill you love."

"How do you know that?"

"You would do anything to get Gretel back, but since I have only seen you crying I don't really think you have a plan…do you?"

He looked down at the ground and branches below him and found he was quite high up. "No."

"That's what I thought There is a chance you two can get reunited again you just have to think."

"How!?"

"Sssshhhh Be patient I would like to tell you my story first. Long ago when Queen Esther still ruled Rhionine there was a large outbreak of wolves. They would turn our people into wolves and against us! One day I was sent from my mother to send some goodies to my grandmother alone. On the way I had an encounter with a wolf but, that wolf was killed. I had drowned him in a well. However I couldn't avoid destiny forever and the next day I heard a wolf had torn apart my house for revenge and that he was about to kill my mother so I ran home. Oh how I loved my mother, I loved her like you love your sister. .. Her name was Victoria.

"What happened to her?" A tear strolled down Red's cheek.

"I killed her… I killed my mother." She began to cry showing him that even though she was such a big bad wolf she was still a human being with emotion and weaknesses. "I went home and looked the wolf in the eye. My mother told me to leave but I didn't listen I loved her too much."

A line popped into my brother's head, he remembered what Grizelda had always said "Love is weakness."

"I threw rocks at it and succeeded in blinding its right eye. Then it pounced on me but not before it bit and scratched me all over. I hugged my mother but soon the moon came and I couldn't control what came over me. I howled and I turned into an animal, a beast. As my claws grew I began to lose consciousness and that's when I tore my mother into pieces… I can control it now but now is too late my mother is gone.. and she always will be, But Gretel isn't.

"How do you know?"

"Faith don't assume the worst because you will lose yourself and you will lose her too."

"So are you telling me.. not to go?"

"No go, there is someone of value there. Go get her then meet me in the trees I'm sure all three of us can think of something!"

"You are right Thank you!" he said referring to the knowledge she had just given him. With that he hopped into her hood and she brought him back down. He began to walk to Grizelda's house with only a tiny but bright light of hope. Maybe I wasn't dead after all he thought. She might just take his heart but maybe that was just what was needed.

3: Chapter 3

~~So he walked to the house of the dreaded Grizelda who saw him coming but she didn't know the power of the girl in the ice. He could barely knock, He wanted to destroy this house and the woman who lived inside it but he knew what she was capable of. He picked all the lollipops from the garden and threw them well off into the distance before knocking again even came out her disguise looking as beautiful than ever, she fluttered her eyelashes.

"Yes?" He had to look foolish so that she wouldn't suspect anything. He fell on his knees and began to cry.

"Please…Please I've come to beg for my sister's survival take my heart out if you need to"

"Shhhh come with me" He could feel himself coming in. He could barely stay outside her beauty was that powerful but when she closed the door she changed. Her feet first and her true from worked its way up. "Come my precious pet." She took him right in front of the wardrobe where the large piece of ice was kept. Red Ruby felt his presence as soon as the wardrobe door was opened, Her eyes shot open so she could see my brother. She was furious at him why had he come back she thought. She was so angry but a new feeling soon flooded her. For a second she was unfocused by her feelings and it only took Grizelda that second to rip his heart out. She had it in her hands and he fell to the floor. Red Ruby was more angered than she ever had been in her lifespan. She stopped playing powerless and she unleashed her true self.

"Don't you mess with him!"

She said making the ice melt all around her. Grizelda was impressed Red Ruby's eyes began to flame up and she sprouted wings. She then grew claws and a mane she turned into a lion. She then roared and Nicholas knew that again the battle between good and evil had begun. He pounced on his mother to prove that he was still on good's side. Red Ruby took the heart and put it back in his chest. He bounced back into life watch the fight.

"Nicholas get off of me this instant!" Grizelda screamed throwing Nicholas off .She reached for my brother but Red Ruby's claws pierced her chest. It had seemed that Grizelda had finally met her match. Red Ruby was my brother's guardian and she would let no one and I mean no one hurt him. "You think you are so great huh?" Grizelda said as she put her handa on the ground making a ring of fire around them. Red Ruby was caught off guard by the fire as Grizelda punched her in the face. She fell to the ground. Grizelda decided to once again teach her son a lesson for pouncing on her earlier. Suddenly an idea formed into her mind. She took Nicholas by the ear and brought him outside. She transformed him back to the teen he looked like only days before, then she pushed him against a tree. A hole on the tree began to look more and more like a grin and eyes and with it's branches it took Nicholas.

Red Ruby transformed into a girl with wings and took my brother.

The tree's arms tightened around Nicholas.

Red Ruby tried to fly but the chains she had on wouldn't let her so she pulled on the chains harder

And the Tree squeezed Nicholas harder

pulled harder

squeezed harder they actually cut into his skin. Each piece of wood pushing its way through. Grizelda grinned as her son screamed, maybe now he would learn a valuable lesson.

A villager was walking by when he heard the scream and ran towards Nicholas. Grizelda let the tree release him and he fell to the floor. His body puffed around the gashes from where the branches had dug in. Red Ruby pulled and pulled and with a look at my brother's face she pulled even harder making them crack and break. She flew away with some chains still around her. The man asked Grizelda what was going on, for he couldn't resist looking away from her pretty face.

"Oh my son Oh no!" She said adding some fake tears for dramatic effect. She fell to the ground and picked Nicholas up , she began to sob.

"Who did this?" the villager asked.

"Them!" She said pointing to Red Ruby and my brother flying above them.

4: Chapter 4

~~"Why did you do that?! How foolish are you?! Red Ruby yelled at my brother as she flew away from the witch's dwelling.

"Well it worked because I got you outta there now I just got find my sister. Wherever she is.. Can you lead me to that tree?" He said pointing to the tree where Red (Violet) was waiting for him. Red Ruby dropped him off on a branch. He called Violet and they began talking about how to find me but Red Ruby couldn't help just flying there and staring at my brother.

I hope it's not wrong.. but I think I love you.. She thought

"We could open a portal to wherever she is and make sure she's safe." Violet suggested.

"Where? we need a big space."

"I know just the place!"Violet smiled remembering an abondoned tower. Suddenly they heard a shout from below.

"There they are!" A person from a mob yelled. They had flaming torches and some men even began shaking the trees.

"Kill them!"

"Make them pay just as they hurt that poor boy!"

"Burn them!" The people in the mob had red eyes as if They were under Grizelda's control.

"I think it's time to go!" Violet said. Violet began jumping and running from branch to branch. She had been used to doing it so swiftly, she was an animal after all. Red Ruby looked at my brother in the eye. He turned into a small frog and she grabbed him in her arms before flying off.

Violet was running so quick that she didn't notice that one of the branches were weak. She fell dangling from only another branch. She couldn't get back up and the mob was beginning to catch up.

"Hold on!" Red Ruby told her. My brother jumped up on her back and She grabbed Violet with both arms. The weight began to slow her down but she was still flying ahead of the crowd. Her wings were intricately made with fairy dust held in the veins of her wings and tiny heart shaped red ruby compartments, One of these hearts loosened itself from the wing.

"She is flying.. what witch craft!"

The heart fell to the ground and exploded. It created a cloud of smoke and soon the mob was so lost in it that they couldn't see them anymore. Then they all turned into their animals selves and walked towards the trench but it was heavily guarded just in case Froggy was to return. As they walked back to the village they noticed there were WANTED and MISSING signs everywhere. All the missing signs were of children but all the wanted signs were of either Violet, Red Ruby , or Froggy. Violet was used to it, people had been looking for her ever since she killed her mother but this! The signs near the forest where they were hiding said that there was a 2000 pound reward for anyone to capture anyone of these people alive. Angrily Red Ruby roared and clawed all the was a lion after all, that would frighten anybody, but instead of cowering down people decided to kill her. People began to throw arrows at her so she began killing them. She didn't want to kill them she just didn't want to be seen as a villain…She just wasn't thinking. More and more people came and Violet had to watch in horror as Red Ruby was pierced arrows all over. They started running deeper and deeper into the forest. Red Ruby had twenty-seven arrows on her and a frog hiding between her collar and neck. She was getting weak. Violet sprung into action, She climbed into the trees and killed the remainder of the people that were on to felt terrified of doing so but she knew that Red Ruby couldnt have made it, also it seemed that everyone that was against them had red eyes. If they were under Grizelda's control it seemed best that killing them was the only way. At the end of the day they were both wounded. That night they slept together. Violet awoke in the middle of the night to someone dragging her away from the trees. She was about to scream but the person put a cloth in her mouth. She tried to bite him but she immediately fell asleep.

I was eight and the teacher was teaching multiplication tables. I flipped to the back of my notebook and began drawing. A girl with a red sparkly and boots. I named her my imaginary friend Red Ruby. I didn't remember but my imagination was still the same. My imagination indeed was my strength I just didn't know it yet.

5: Chapter 5

~~Violet woke up and listened to the voices around her.

"What do you mean you won't give me the money?! I captured them and Red riding hood, an extra villain! Do you know who I am? I am the only reporter in the area and I can turn everyone against you with a small lie and a click of a button."

"You talk too much."

Violet heard the reporter who must have captured her fall to the floor. She felt sorry for him, he had no idea what was coming to him.

"I know you are awake." Violet opened her eyes. She was chained to a wall, She struggled but it only made the chains dig deeper into her skin.

"Ah….Violet so tell me are you still trying to be sugar and spice?" Violet tried to speak but Grizelda put a finger up to her mouth.

" shhhh...You have killed before.. too many times to count so stop pretending."

"I have control now, I've changed.." She stopped for a second to think. Somehow Grizelda knew her weaknesses but she wasn't going to give Grizelda any of the details she wanted. "Don't try to fool me with your mind games, they won't work."

Grizelda cocked her head innocently. "What won't work? I simply took you because you seemed to be working with the enemy.. but even I know a tortured soul when I see one… I can bring your mother back."

"Stop your lies! Don't you dare speak of my mother you wretched cold being!"

"Please Violet I know for a fact you would do anything to get your mother back." She reached in her pocket and pulled out the heart of the reporter. You could hear it beating faintly from across the room. Blood was seeping through her fingers. " This is the heart of a regular man. Alone it cannot bring back the dead, Although the heart of a magic being. Well… it's yet to be known to work… I know where her body is."

"You cannot bring back the dead." Violet said clearly denying that she was quite intrigued with the topic that Grizelda was bringing.

"Have you ever heard of Victor, Victor Frankenstein? Why they told him the exact same thing."

"That is a myth."

"Is it or is it not.?" She took the heart and squished it to dust. She then walked over to the end of the room and pulled a white sheet off a figure. It was my brother tied in chains and sleeping peacefully. She was going to get that heart, She just wanted to have a little fun first, to prove that she after all was more powerful than they could be. Red saw his magic heart shining through his chest. Was he worth betraying for her mother? No this must have been Grizelda's mind games, Violet decided to ignore the thought, anything that came from Grizelda's mouth could not lead to good.. but what if she was right? Grizelda had planted a seed of mystery in Violet's mind, She only had to wait to see if she could corrupt Violet's mind. Then she awoke my brother's guardian. She grabbed something from the satchel she had around her. A glove, she put it on and formed a fist. Spikes erupted from where Grizelda's knuckles should have been. Red Ruby saw the chains she was being held in and tried to rip them off and She tried to wriggle free,Red Ruby could almost get out of the chains . Just a little more, hope flickered in her mind as she was almost free. Grizelda punched her so hard blood spilled down her cheek. Red Ruby smiled which landed her another punch. She began laughing and when she was punched once more she spat blood on Grizelda's face. The glove was drowned in her blood.

"Ahhh." She said as she wiped it off. " I might as well get used to it. You should too, you are going to be seeing a lot more of it soon. Red Ruby didn't show any fear but slowly deep down inside by seeing what this woman was capable of she was letting fear in, and as you know Fear is a very powerful thing."Should I kill you? Or should I let the crowd waiting outside to burn you all alive do it?" Red Ruby gulped air and continued.

"I cannot be killed in flames."

"So how?"

"Why should I tell you?"She said lying for in fact she didn't truly know.

"I see but you do realize that if the crowd outside does get their hands on you, they will kill your precious froggy and Violet over there."

Red Ruby soon realized that this was a fate worse than death. She had only been alive a few days but not being able to protect my brother, her love was worse than anything, She would be alone and she would be simply another pawn in Grizelda's game or maybe she already was.

"and you would be all alone… that's what you fear most isn't it. Wasting your life by not fulfilling the purpose you've been given or is it that you would have no one or maybe.."

Meanwhile it seemed that my brother's capturer had forgotten one tiny detail. My brother popped back down into a frog and with that the chains slid right off. They clanged against the walls and Grizelda pretended not to notice, everything was going according to plan.

"being all alone .. you've already failed your master so you couldn't bear losing your true love"

Red Ruby's face turned crimson red before she burst into flames angrily.

"How did you know that." Grizelda laughed. "Tell me before I burn your face! Try me!"

"Anyone can see a fool in love." Red Ruby growled she looked at the chains she still had around her from being chained in the ice before.

She looked at two pieces they were thicker than the others, Similar to two nunchucks chained together. Focusing on the two pieces she cracked the sides and Proceeded to hit Grizelda with the sharp edges, she should have known better. Froggy took this to his advantage and took a sharp piece of chain that had fallen on the floor to pick Violet's lock. He played around with it until he picked all four locks off and Violet was free. When Red Ruby saw him she pulled at the chains as hard as last time and they broke off, just as last time. Of course Grizelda had done this purposely considering the hits from the nunchucks, the plan was painful but still running smoothly. Just when they had begun to think they were in control.

"I knew this would happen." Grizelda said as she blocked the exits with flames. Suddenly the planks of the floor fell into what seemed to be a bottomless void.

"You see I would grab your heart now but I love the pain of a tortured soul.

They all fell, all except Grizelda who was too happy to let them go. She decided that her plan for revenge was outdated. If she changed it it would become the lot worse. She could kill all of them one by one and even have Violet to do her bidding.

Froggy woke up, walls surrounded him. He heard a voice calling out to him, It was mine. He ran to an opening in one of the walls only to be greeted by a dead end. My voice called out from another opening and he ran to it. This time he was greeted with two doors. He opened the one on the left and out came Max. "I told you she would be ripped away from you." He ignored this and went deeper into the maze Grizelda had prepared for him. As he walked deeper and deeper Max's insults were getting harder to ignore. When Grizelda reached home she watched as my brother desperately searched for me in the maze. Little did he know that he wasn't supposed to meet me in the middle.. only death.

Each wrong door brought some form of pain, and shame considering it happened to him in front of his unloving father. When he finally reached the middle of the maze and heard my voice clearly. He laughed and ran.

"Sister im coming!"

Laughter soon turned to screaming as he found himself falling into the hole that was the middle of the maze.

6: Chapter 6

~~Red Ruby woke up, she was alone. The only people she had left in her life, gone. The person she was left to protect, gone. It felt so cold being alone, and different. She sat up on the cold grassy ground. She didn't know where she was and honestly she didn't care. She felt like a piece in some games. Ever since she was created all she had done was fight against the woman who froze her. She didn't know much about Froggy except that she was destined to protect him, well and then there was that she loved him. She didn't know much about Violet, except a small feeling at the back of her mind that told her that Violet was not to be trusted. Then there was the fact that she didn't know about herself. I'm a machine, that's all I am she thought I was created by one person only to serve a purpose then to be thrown away again. She looked around once more afraid to call out my brother's name. Not afraid of the response but afraid of not getting one. She stood up and began looking. If he was not to be found then she had failed her purpose to protect the only one whom she truly loved.

"Froggy…Froggy.."

Her voice echoed into the emptiness that was within her. Even the trees were born into groups but here she was a fragile being alone with absolutely no one to love her back or so she thought. She walked on with tears in her eyes. She was only days old and she had already experienced the pain that no one should, to lose someone you love, A pain that doesn't physically hurt but makes you ache with guilt and sorrow. She stopped at a tree and sat down only to cry some more.

Crying won't bring him back.

A voice echoed in her mind. She stood up wiping her tears, in the deep and infinite forest is when she realized that she wasn't as tough as she thought to be, she was simply a girl. She may have been capable of turning into a fierce lion but at the end she was just the same as a toddler, learning everything for the first times. She heard the calm rustling of water behind her. She took off her shoes and set them next to her. She decided to keep her pantyhose on as she dipped her feet in the cool water. She felt the wind sweep across her hair and she began to feel a sense of calmness soothe her aching mind. She looked down on the water and got out immediately. She was afraid of her own reflection. It was her reflection.. Except it wasn't. She slowly looked back at her reflection, but all she saw was an empty structure of bones, muscles, and organs but no heart, her eye sockets were empty and she could see her wings on the reflection. She really wasn't a human. A human has a heart that beats, memories, childhood, she had none. To Red Ruby she was literally a nobody. She put on her shoes which were simply pieces of ripped fabric around her feet with black thread in the middle. She walked on not giving a care as the surroundings changed, from a cheery forest into a dark, gloomy and narrow pathway. When she awoke from her little daze of harmful thoughts she found herself in a narrow pathway. All the sun was gone and she could barely see. She set her hand before her and watched as a small flame came from it shedding a bit of light around her. She saw around her stone walls that reached to the sky and seemed to be never ending. She turned behind her only to see that the wall continued for as long as she could see.

"Hello?" She yelled hoping someone would hear, no response. She looked back upon the wall to see that a word was scratched on it.

ALONE.

Was the first. Well I sure am alone she thought and weak I suppose. She saw as the word

WEAK
appeared on the wall in big scratched up letters. She began to read each word and with each doubt or insult came another and another. She walked along the path, failing to notice that it got narrower and narrower. As she walked along the path reading word for word the world around her began to lose her color and so did she. All she could see was black, white and red of course, but she failed to notice that too because of her dark surroundings. Her small flame was gray now and she was rapidly losing the personality that I intended for her. Words were being added to the walls quickly, none repeated and soon hundreds of words were scratched upon that wall. Even though she didn't know it she was literally trapped in her insecurities…like we all are sometimes.

Violet awoke with a quick breath. She must've dreamt it all she thought, for she was in her secret hideout. Rapunzel's tower, one which had been left empty after Rapunzel had her happy ending. Since there were no windows it was perfect for Violet since she only had to slide in from a branch into the opening where Rapunzel used to let down her hair. In the tower she had posted newspapers, there was a bed left behind, as well as clothes also left behind. She used to like to wear the clothes and pretended she was normal, as if she wasn't a wanted criminal, who was destined to stay the same age forever. She looked around and began to read the headlines of the newspapers she had read so many times.

"Daughter kills mother".

"Violet sentenced to burn."

"Violet continues to be searched for."

"20th year anniversary, Violet not found."

She was actually how old? She had lost count she knew she was older than fifty but her years of being an alone wolf had left her looking like and basically being fifteen. Each newspaper clipping expressed how each villager hated her so much. The only one that had ever loved her was your mother, and now no one for she was dead. She was all alone now she thought. No one loved her so why did she have to stay good she asked to herself. It would be easier to give in to the ferocious animal inside her, but no she had to care for herself and she would not let herself be turned into a beast. Mother would hate if I did she concluded. So I'll fight it, for my mother. She told herself .She looked behind her to see a large box. It was a coffin with a big bow on it; there was a tag on it as well.

From: Grizelda it read.

She walked around the box. She didn't want anything from Grizelda but her mind was getting curiouser and curiouser. Soon it got the best of her; she slowly touched the ribbon and pulled. The knot came out swiftly and the ribbon dropped to the ground. Then she slowly put her hand on the clasp of the box and pulled. She hesitated for a minute before continuing, when she saw what was inside she threw the top of the box on the floor. It was her mother.

Violet caressed her mother's cheeks.

"Oh mother." Tears flowed from her cheeks. She kissed her mother's cheek and hugged her lifeless body. She rose up and admired her mother. She was dressed in a white loose dress with lace on her neck and shoulders. She had bite marks all over and her stomach seemed to have a claw mark on it as it dug into the flesh, her arm and left leg was also torn apart and maggots were still eating away at it. Pieces of her cheek were reduced to pieces and she had small claw marks that made the skin tear apart, showing even more dead maggots. She put her hand on the claw mark and remembered it all over again.

"Violet get away!" Victoria screamed as she cried, she tried to move but her leg was stuck under some of the wreckage of her home.

"Mother no!" Violet took several stones and began to throw them at the silver haired wolf.

One landed on its nose, it growled and ran to her. She threw another and it landed on its ribs, another landed on its leg. The last stone missed as the wolf pounced on Violet. The wolf clawed her in the chest and on her. The pain pierced her immediately, she swallowed hard and took a stone from under her and shoved it right in the wolf's eye. It whimpered and backed off of Violet. As it left the wolf looked at Violet with an eerie smile and his eyes stared at her in the most peculiar way. "Mother!" Violet screamed as she hugged her mother and helped her lift the pieces of roof of her leg.

"Oh my little Red Riding hood I'm so proud of you."

Then in the faint moonlight Violet howled and felt a transformation go through her. Violet pulled back as her mother watched in horror as her beloved daughter turned into a beast.

"Violet..?"

"Mother what's happening?!" Then suddenly Violet saw the wolf's eye once more as it turned into her own.

She howled once more and Victoria screamed only once. Violet's claw pierced her stomach and bit her arm. She heard the crunch of her own bone as it was torn apart from her arm.

"Violet!" Her brother yelled and for a second she was conscious of what she had done while she had done it. She looked at him with saddened eyes and without control ran to him.

"You Brute she is no longer Violet she is and forever will be a beast!" A villager told her brother as he shot a bullet in Violet's leg.

"No!" Her brother yelled trying to run to Violet but villagers holding him back. The villager prepared the gun once again and this time he shot her arm. Violet whimpered and ran away.

Her brother ran to Victoria. "Mother? Mother?...she's gone."

A voice piped of from the crowd "Burn her!"

"Kill her."

Soon a mob had formed and against Tim's (her brother's) protest they chased Violet. Hours later Tim was walking down the forest only to find corpses laying on the ground and a wolf whimpering behind them.

"What have I done." Violet thought to herself.

"Violet?" He asked.

With tears in her eyes Violet looked up to him and ran as fast as she could so she would never hurt anyone again.

"Violet wait!" He ran but no one could outrun Violet the beast.

As Violet thought this she tried to pick away the maggots, no matter how gross it was her mother didn't deserve maggots chomping away at her skin. She then began thinking in what Grizelda had said about reviving her mother. Could it work?, A magical heart in exchange for her mother's life. Her eyes shifted to a mirror she had not seen, a mirror twice as big as herself. This was also from Grizelda and the tag said

"Go get that heart, for your mother."- Grizelda

She couldn't believe this was she listening to Grizelda? She had to make a decision; she looked back at her mother one last time before watching her own leg disappear into the mirror right as she walked into it.

7: Chapter 7

~~Violet opened her eyes, she had just entered the mysterious mirror given to her by Grizelda. She wasn't in a normal room, she was in her old childhood bedroom. However the walls were warped and seemed to be closing in on her, but that wasn't the only thing different. There were slaughtered dolls in the floating in the ceiling with their fluff seeping out. Some of Violet's old toys and stuffed animals were floating around with grins, sharp teeth, and devious eyes, their hands motioning for her to come closer. The room also seemed to have no doors or windows besides the mirror. The room felt cold and some parts of the walls had faces on them that whispered among themselves. Violet was feeling chilly and she saw a blanket in an empty corner of the room, however there was something underneath it. She walked to the blue fleece blanket and a bit afraid of what lay underneath she snatched it and put it around her. She saw an adorable looking puppy staring back at her.

"Aw…"Then right before her eyes the puppy grew and its adorable expression turned into a ferocious grin. It howled and it wasn't a puppy anymore, it was the wolf, the wolf that turned her. With those haunting eyes it stared her down and Violet felt as if she were shrinking in fear. She began to back away whimpering as it showed off its sharp teeth.

"Growl" Red Ruby stopped only to realize that she had hit herself against the wall. (The room was really tiny for the walls were getting closer and closer by the second and it was making Violet a bit dizzy and claustrophobic.)

"Psst!" She looked down to see her old favorite doll tugging at her leg. Maybe it could help her she thought. The doll's name was Honey bun and it had long straight hair, blue eyes and a white flowing dress. She was the only one that looked kind and decent. "Come closer." She bent down. "Closer…"She got so close that her hair reached the floor. "Honey bun.. it's too late." The dolls whispered in her ear then proceeded to turn into the ugliest doll she had ever seen. Violet that pulled her head back but it was too late the doll jumped and bit her in the nose. Then she heard the little stomping of feet and she could hear all the other dolls jump on her and bite her. She could see raggedy Ann and raggedy Andy jump on her, Barbie and ken, and before she could see anymore a slinky slung itself around her neck. She never thought toys would be so heavy and painful she thought as they continued jumping on her and she crumpled on the floor. The wolf howled and place it's claw on her head. She screamed as she sunk into the floor, she couldn't breathe and she fell. She sunk into the floor and landed on a boulder painfully. As she got up and rubbed her back she studied her surroundings. She was in the forest she had spent her life in but the image was warped just as it had been before. The floor was gone all that was left were a few boulders that served as stepping stones. She looked below the boulder she was on, the floor seemed bottomless. She was never scared of heights but this? She looked up in the sky, It was gray and there were several moons. Some moons were full and some were crescent. She heard whispers coming from besides her. She heard whispers coming from besides her.

"Look at what she has become."

"She must be so ashamed."

"I told you she would never change."

Startled Violet whipped her head side to side but saw no one.

"Over here pretty ."

"No over here!"

She then saw who was talking about her. The trees that seemed to reach the sky had faces. Eyes that were simply holes that were so deep it was painful to look at. Their branches all pointed to Violet. She stood up and fell once more to the ground. It was just like her first time changing. She couldn't control it. Fur grew all around her body, Her face stretched to accommodate her large teeth and tongue. Her eyes sharpened as well as her claws. Somewhat against her fear and will she jumped from boulder to boulder. It was almost impossible because they were so far apart. It had been so long since she had left the full wolf take over, running on all fours and feeling the wind against her hair, She felt free, she felt like... Violet. Although with this she had forgotten the price that being the wolf needed. The wolf was her wild side and there was no taming it. The voices in the trees proved that Grizelda had succeeded in making Violet her ally, Just as she had with someone else. Now each tree pointed to another direction. So she ran and jumped that way until the boulders were gone so she did it. She jumped off into the darkness. Further and Further down she went. The trees smiled at her now.

"Bye Bye."

"Goodbye."

"Adios!"

The trees yelled back. Below the boulders was simply an abyss of emptiness that she had become a part of. She could see vines rising above her as she fell. At first they seemed like regular flowers but then they grew heads like a crocodile's and their teeth began to snap all around Violet. The wolf was now making her reckless; she taunted the flowers as she found herself tantalizingly close to them but just out of reach. Thorns began to grow around the flowers like necklaces, making it all the more dangerous. Violet looked down she could see the bottom. She landed on her feet with a

-Thud!-

As she looked around for the heart that could revive her mother she taunted the flowers more and more making them even angrier. From a distance she could see a wall that made the path narrow and she heard crying from the other side. She saw a bright light in the distance and she ran to it. There was a film playing in black and white. It was loud and there seemed to be a boy in a chair. The chair was giving him electric shocks. Violet got closer and closer to see he had a special heart, for that boy was my brother. She approached him, he was alive only sleeping. He jumped and winced in his sleep because of the shocks. He was strapped to the chair so he couldn't escape and he looked as if he had been there for a while. Violet couldn't believe she was about to take my brother's heart. This was my brother! The boy she had been watching with special interest for years. The boy she had shared her story with and her advice, this was her only friend. She had watched how he lived and she knew all about him.. but her mother. She had to make a choice and she did.

8: Chapter 8

She was in a daze, a state of being where one knows not what is happening but finds themselves doing it anyway, a state of being physically conscious but having no thoughts or feelings just doing life like a drill.

Insult after Insult, she found herself drained of life, she could barely breathe. There's just no reason to live she thought as the first thought in hours came up in the back of her mind.

Talking about hours how long had it been? Days, months or only a matter of minutes? She had no clue, she ignored the thought.

She knew this was only killing her but yet it seemed like the hardcore truth. She had forgotten everything her personality, her colors, her love my brother, the reason to fight. She had forgotten her life. Something about the pain it was giving her and something about the tears she shed was so intriguing, that she just couldn't stop.

In the back deep, depths of her mind she was screaming for help, remembering for what she once fought for. These thoughts however were lost in the blur of insults and pain they were causing. She didn't know she even needed help. She couldn't even see what was happening around her.

A tingle shocked her from the back of her spine that rode its way up into an agonizing pain.

Her precious froggy was in danger. Who? She thought. She had no idea what was happening but that same part in her mind that was screaming for help hadn't forgotten. It kept bothering her and it kept trying to remind her of whom she loved, but Grizelda's magic wasn't giving up that easily.

She wasn't sure who he was or what he looked like but she knew she loved him and he loved her back. He would hate seeing her this way. If he cared for her didn't it mean that she was worth something?

No Grizelda's rocks then turned into mirrors with the words scratched up upon them. That's when she saw the truth each passing hour she had failed to realize that each word had a duplicate which then fell on her. There were so many shadows of words she saw around her that they were drowning her.

How did I get myself into this mess. This is my fault. Her eyes shot open in fear as she looked at the wall. She had done it again; she was now sure that she had lost all control. Her eyes stared at herself in the mirror she was determined to not say another word.

In the mirror in the corner of her eyes she could see herself weeping. She was a slave to her own thoughts. How could someone do this to her, No she thought she did this to herself. So many words rushed into her mind and she couldn't stop herself.

A constant rush of shadowed words fell on her blocking right up to her nose. A few words more and she would have been a goner.

She looked at the mirror once more to say the regrets of her life but she stopped short. It was all gray and black. Everything, there was no light, no colors, but one thing caught herself in their beauty. The color red that looked back at her in the mirror, So different. That's when she saw the red was her own pair of worried eyes and her sea of hair. The shadows couldn't hide the beauty, her beauty. Red was a fighting color, and that's what she was , a fighter and now wasn't the time to hide it. Grizelda's plan had backfired, it had reminded Red Ruby who she was.

Now what could she do. She couldn't speak but she could think.

" Mirror ,Mirror on the wall..

I may not be the fairest of them all."

Words were piling up on her covering the red from the mirror, she could barely see now.

But it doesn't matter. Suddenly she heard a crack and with what vision she had left she looked into the mirror to see that some parts were cracked.

She continued thinking in deep thoughts, she closed her eyes and began to imagine the red before it slipped out of her sight, or even worse before it slipped out of her thoughts because then it would be gone, and so would she.

…I'm finding it's not easy to be perfect

So sorry you won't define me

Sorry mirror you don't own me

Now she heard noises all over and she was afraid that it would fall on top of her painfully, for it was glass. Then she remembered it would hurt but it wouldn't kill her. She could get through this, for froggy. She continued thinking.

Mirror Mirror Who are you to tell me

That I'm less than what I should be.

You don't define me

She felt her fingers twitch . She could move them! She looked down to see the shadows disappearing quickly. They were only down to her hips now. She heard the mirror crash and when she saw what was in the other side she screamed.

He woke up to a shock. Pain, oh so much pain. Was he having a flashback, like in the film? No this was very, very real. His vision blurred but he could make her out. Her red hood was her only distinguished figure in his weak eyes. He heard his beating louder than usual. He looked at her hand and on it was his beating heart. He kept staring at it, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Could it be true, so painfully true? Or was it another of Grizelda's tricks? He was shocked again, before saying anything.

He swallowed and gritted his teeth.

"Violet?" He gasped for the air he was quickly losing."Why?" He was weaker than he had ever been. In fact it hurts me to remember. She couldn't answer, she felt so horrible and she felt tears welling up in her eyes. How could she have done this, when her friend had needed her the most. She swallowed air, and tears began wetting her cheeks. He was so weak he could die at any second.

"I.." Suddenly they heard a scream and they both looked at the furious, fiery maiden before them. Deep down Violet knew she didn't have a chance and before she could think she howled and ran on all fours, Ran away from what she knew was right.

Red Ruby had known not to trust but she had never thought that she would do something like this! She quickly ran to my brother's aid, while she grew her claws. She ripped open the straps and with them she tied my groaning brother to her back.

"Hold on tight. Kay luv?" My brother groaned in response and he felt her back become furry and smooth. Red Ruby chased Violet as she ran up bouncing on the cannibalistic plants. Red Ruby did get bit a few times and my brother did have a few close calls to falling, but during all this Red Ruby wondered why?, Grizelda had to do something really powerful to win over Violet. She knew that and it scared her.

Red Ruby knew she would never catch Violet this way. She spread her wings and flew up. Violet howled once more, she couldn't see her pursuers. She ran as fast as she could, she loved that wild feeling. Violet was now jumping from stone by stone recklessly. She let her tongue fly out of its cage.

She howled loudly and ran as fast as she could, her claws leaving marks on the stones. Now the same grins, that had once seemed frightening, welcomed her. Those same trees now looked in fear at what Violet had become as she snapped their own branches. Violet climbed up on each tree until she reached the top. She jumped into the sky and disappeared. Then she ran down her old bedroom floor into the old mirror. She saw her mother waiting for her.

Violet wasn't sure if she was imagining it, but she thought that for only a second, she could see a frown shine upon her mother's still flawless face. Her mother had to approve of this, Right?

Violet shook her thoughts away, of course her mother would approve, it was the right thing to do, or so she thought.

She opened her hood, where the heart had safely been stashed away. She studied it for a second to make sure there were no injuries. She didn't want to hurt my brother. After all she just needed a tiny piece of him she thought, trying to convince herself that this was the right thing to do.

She squeezed it only a bit feeling the warmth between her fingers.

"Please work." She whispered knowing that she would never forgive herself if it didn't.

She placed the heart in carefully, holding her breathe. A tear strolled down her cheek as she waited.

"Mother..?"

Victoria's eyes shot open.

Red Ruby flew upwards as the flowers were still trying to bite her. She looked back at my brother. He looked as if he wouldn't make it, with his sunken eyes and weakened form. He closed his eyes and she stopped.

"No! No! you are going to make it!" He raised his head slowly and opened his eyes as slowly as he could. Red Ruby then with tears in her eyes flew as fast as she could ignoring the flowers. The flight was agonizing, it seemed endless to her, knowing that each second was vital to his life. If she lost him… She shook her head she wouldn't think about that. She finally reached the top, the cliff. She put a paw on the rock only to see that the floor was ripped away. She was afraid, not at all confident she could do this, but she had to. She was so focused on my brother, that she forgot to worry about herself. She heard a scream. She looked around her, they were screaming, all the nature was screaming. It was loud and horrible, she couldn't stand it. It made her want to stay and cower down until she faded away and slowly died, but she couldn't do that. She gave one last look at my brother. It was as if the his life was being sucked away from him. She jumped on a stone. It shook when she fell on it and she was terrified that she would fall into the ground below, that she had tried so hard to get away from. She spread her wings once again and flew dodging all the branches that deliberately seemed to be in her way. She began to see light and she flew into the sky, dodging each branch individually. This was taking her time, too much time.

She grabbed the floor with one paw and she pulled herself up with the other. She fell on her back, she was getting weaker, but she was denying it. She lifted her head and she noticed the room was so cheerful. She stood up knowing that something was wrong. There was no way a place could be this happy. How do I get out of here? She thought looking around. Then at that moment she spent thinking the pretty doll fell on top of her, yes it was Honey bun. She started the rampage as other doll's and toys started jumping upon Red Ruby. She roared and broke some of the toys but it only seemed to make them angrier. She watched helplessly as all the toys got together and turned into a giant doll, It was Honeybun to be exact.

"You don't hurt me , I play with you!" The giant doll screamed. She was miles high, and still growing as she burst out of the roof. It took her in one hand and began to squeeze her with the other. Even though she was quite the strong lion she couldn't get herself out of the doll's grasp.

"C'mon pretty it's time to play!" She said in distorted voice. She took Red Ruby and crashed her onto the floor. She waved her around and around so fast Red Ruby could barely think.

Gotta get outta here Red Ruby thought. She crashed again and Red Ruby felt as if she would be sick. She noticed something shining on the floor below. It was the mirror, but somehow there was something peculiar about it. She couldn't put her finger on what made it different, but she knew it was. It has to be the way out she thought. That's when she noticed she wasn't breathing; the doll was squeezing too hard. She flamed up, weakily, luckily it was enough and the doll loosened its grasp, wincing. Red Ruby still couldn't get out, she began flying around the doll quickly. With its hand still attached the doll began to spin around until it fell with Red Ruby still inside its fist. As it fell the doll's reflexes kicked in, it set its arms before it and crashed into the bedroom floor. At this Red Ruby flew out of the doll's grasp and darted to the mirror. The doll screamed loudly and began to throw a temper tantrum, It reached for Red Ruby but she had just made it to the other side.

9: Chapter 9

"Mama!"

"Oh my dear Violet." Victoria then hugged Violet, but she was sensing that something was horribly wrong.

"Mother I am so sorry I-" Just then a rat scurried off from Victoria's sleeve.

"EEEK!" She then clutched her stomach. "Violet oh dear I feel terrible, so terrible, as if I would simply slip away." Violet gulped air not sure what to expect. Did her mother know she was dead? Violet slowly walked dreading the moment when her mother's eyes would lay upon the vision of herself in the mirror. Victoria felt an agonizing pain, as all the most recent memories came rushing in.

"Violet?"

Victoria was afraid to look at herself. She was glad to be with Violet but she would have to do something. She couldn't handle this pain, It was too much. "Why?" She said wondering why Violet had brought her into this world once more.

Violet worried for her mother but at least she was alive…somewhat. "Mama I couldn't control it then, and I'm sorry you don't know how many decades, I've spent regretting what I've done and how many decades I've spent in the loneliness wishing and missing you. Oh mama please don't ever leave me again." She said as if it was Victoria's own fault that she was dead. A silence crept it's way into the room until Victoria asked.

"Decades?"

"Yes Decades but you're alive now and we can do all the things we couldn't do before. We could play in the meadows. Run in the forest together and-"

"Violet ..dear I fear we wont be able to do any of these things. I feel as if I am losing my mind and this pain I feel is too much to bare… Violet, my beloved, I belong dead and nothing will change that."

"Mama! How could you say that?! Don't you love me anymore?! I need you!" Violet said with tears in her eyes

"Violet?" Victoria sucked in breath and tried to hold tears from her eyes. "Do you love me?"

"Of course Mama I really do!"

"Then why have me be like this? How many have you killed.. like you killed me?

Violet stood there stunned this was one of the last things she expected her mother to say. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she whispered. "I didn't mean to...but it was too many to count." This haunted her every day and now that her mother brought it back up, the joy she had of her mother being alive was almost gone.

"What?"

"I don't know! I don't know how many I've killed its countless!" Violet yelled to her mother. Anger, guilt, fear and sadness flowed inside her. She fell on her knees, sobbing as the full guilt of what she had just done came. She couldn't believe she just screamed at her mother.

"Do you wish you could take away each innocent death, …the memories,… the faces?"

Violet growled her eyes turning sharply, she was angry. Of course she wanted to but why did she have this feeling? It was eating away at her. Why was she so angry? Justice, yes that was it. This was complete injustice that she had caused, so why had she done it? Her feelings grew stronger every second. Her feelings were so strong, that she was struggling to breathe.

"Yes" For a moment she saw the fear, regret, pain and everything in all those faces that were now gone. It didn't stop by seeing those faces, she felt their pain.

"Then how is this any different?"

Violet was silent.

"Violet my soul has been trapped in this body long enough waiting for you to accept my death. Its such a painful way to spend eternity."

"Mama no….no Mama. You cant leave me again. Not again.. no ..you cant you wont… MAMA! YOU WILL NOT LEAVE ME AGAIN!" Violet screamed.

Victoria was shocked. She crossed what arm she could. "Violet its simple and im sorry to be so harsh but do you love me?"

"Of course mama, more than anything."

"Then let me go.. to a better place where there is nothing but perfection and joy."

Violet lowered her head, she finally realized her mother was right. "But why mama don't you want to be with me?"

"Honey, I spent fifteen lovely and joy filled years with you but now you are ready to be on your own until you come with me. In the meantime you'll have to stay alone and live a legacy, be a legend. Stop injustice even when it follows you. In time people will begin to understand. I love you honey and I know you will make it. You are resourceful and special, the world will soon know it."

Violet got up, wiping the tears from her eyes and she hugged her mother. Violet walked with her mother to the coffin. Her mother laid down inside the box and some of her pain began to leave her.

"Now what mama?" Violet whispered.

"Now close the box and let me live a new life." Violet kissed her mother's cheek.

"I love you ."

"I love you too and I will always be there, when you need me just look at the sky and pray, I will hear you and my Creator will help you."

Violet couldn't handle it anymore, she closed the box quickly and she burst into tears. She opened box once more and many beautiful butterflies, flew up into the opening. When Violet walked there she saw that they were flying to the sky, to the heavens ,they showed her where her mother now was.

The butterflies made Violet smile even though she had tears flowing down her cheeks. Sunlight poured from the opening. The butterflies were light blue in the middle and dark blue above it. The blue shone brightly and in the butterflies' edges there were black lines with white dots.

Victoria had loved butterflies especially the blue and yellow ones. Victoria always had a hard time picking a favorite.

"I guess your favorite was blue after all mama." Violet said to no one in particular.

Red Ruby's collar burst off as she turned into the girl. (I say the girl because she didn't really have a gender, as she could be a male (lion) or female (girl) or an it at her own will. It depended on her form.) Her cheeks were no longer rosy red they were white, pale white just like the rest of her skin. Her hair was a pale gray and the only red on her was on her rubies. She didn't notice, all she could see was black, red and white so it was all the same to her. Besides something much more important was happening. She shook his head. His eyes were open and they would've stayed that way. She yelled his name so many times but she wouldn't stop.

"Froggy!" His skin began to turn a pale rose and he began to grow a snout. His eyes remained opened even though he was turning back to what he originally was, a pig. Tears rolled down Red Ruby's cheeks.

"No!..No!"

She shook him some more and screamed but no voice came out. Red Ruby as well was getting weaker and so was my imagination. I was the only one left, the only believer that kept her alive. The only one on earth that believed that the impossible was possible and that fantasy could run free among us, but now I had stopped believing, like everyone else in the world I believed the lies that fairytales were impossible and could never come true.

I was twelve and growing fast, the twinkle of my imagination in my life was dimming and disappearing just like Red Ruby. She lived on people in other worlds believing.. and no one did.

 

10: Chapter 10 (our brand new revolution)

Violet walked back to the coffin, where she found a heart that was barely beating. One more beat and it would fade to ashes. Her eyes shot open she grabbed the heart she turned around and saw my brother on the ground. She ran to him, his tail was crooked, and his eyes were only black. His ears were floppy. He was a pretty cute piggy. She carefully but swiftly put the heart in.

"Froggy?" "Red Ruby where are you?"

"I'm right here.." whispered a coarse voice from the floor. Violet looked at where it came from. It was a necklace with a single Red heart shaped ruby.

"MMmmmm."

Violet turned one again to my brother.

"Froggy..?"

"hhhmmm.."

"Are you okay?"

"…it hurts.."

"Don't worry you'll be okay.." I hope I'll be when he wakes up fully though Violet thought. She kissed him on the forehead, like he had sometimes done to me at night. He blinked at Violet.

"I'm not mad.." He got up and began to grow. He turned human once again to the handsome boy he once was. … " I heard everything." He said as his snout disappeared into his nose. His long eyelashes flickered up and down quickly as he blinked. As he grew Violet backed up and her hand laid upon Red's magical ruby. One wrong tip and she crushed it.

"Red Ruby!" She yelled. She yanked her hand away and saw parts of the ruby on her hand. Suddenly all the pieces joined together and were in the middle of the room.

"What's happening?" My brother asked rubbing his eyes. "Where's Red Ruby?"

A light glowed from the Ruby and it began to cover the whole room.

"She's in there." Violet said and pointed to the hole on the floor that the light was making.

It was making a circular hole on the floor and below it was a red void, nothing could be seen below it. The void was loud, and windy. My brother and Violet's hair flew wildly all over.

"You have to jump inside!" Violet yelled over the winds.

"Where does it go!?" he yelled worringly.

"I don't know but you have to go now!"

Froggy jumped in. As the red smoke went through his lungs he realized he could no longer breathe. He gasped for air and his eyes closed, he was gone from this world for real this time.

"Froggy you there!?" she yelled in the empty void. She didn't want to think of it but she was scared. She jumped in and just as her eyes closed she felt something pull her leg.

"Oh no you don't!" Grizelda screamed as she pulled Violet up and threw her against the wall. Grizelda jumped in the void but not before Violet pulled her out with her wolf teeth.

"Get off of me you dunce, do not you know what you are doing!"

Violet let go carefully as the portal closed up.

"What have you done!" Grizelda screamed as she placed her hand on Violet. Grizelda walked closer and closer to Violet and Violet ran away on her wolf legs. Grizelda smiled when she ran because now they all knew who was the most powerful of them all.

Red Ruby felt stronger, yet the atmosphere was not the same. What was this… air? She had never breathed air before. It felt so fresh and pure. She opened her eyes, there was a family staring at her, a man with a teal button up shirt, black pants, and a black tie, he still had his ID on and he was holding a knife. The girl in the middle had a white dress on with a fake flower on her dull brown hair. Finally the woman held pink plates that matched her pink "ABC Babysitting" shirt and her jeans. The knife that the father held scared her, would he kill her? That's when she noticed the cake on the table. It was this little girl's birthday, and she had ruined it, she growled at herself for doing so and the family backed away, all except the girl.

"No don't be scared." The girl moved her head like a confused puppy. She slowly raised her wings to make sure they were intact from the fall. The family's eyes widened when they saw them. Suddenly a frog fell at her shoulder.

"Froggy?"

My brother was so happy to see her, he turned to himself right on her shoulder forgetting to jump off.

"Ow!" She said pushing him off.

He stood up and blushed. "whoops .. sorry" he said giving her a hand and pulling her up. He hugged her tight before looking at his surroundings. The first thing he noticed was the girl in the white dress. It reminded him of the white dress I wore long ago. This girl had shoulder length, wavy brown hair, with brown eyes and tan skin.

"Gretel?"

The girl looked confused and she tilted her head,Most likely confused because of what just happened.

"Gretel!" He ran to the girl and hugged her tight.

Red Ruby walked closer and looked at her creator.

"Please Remember me." My brother whispered in the girl's ear, a tear flowing down his cheek. Red Ruby wasn't sure if it was because I didn't remember or because he found me. The girl was so confused, she closed her eyes and they stayed shut, not opening. Slowly she remembered every moment and slowly she became me. I was free, no longer limited by what everyone thought was impossible.

"Froggy?" I said feeling as if I were in a dream, come true that is. He smiled and we held each other so tightly we couldn't even breathe, but we didn't care, we had found each other. Red Ruby looked at the floor awkwardly feeling out of place. I was so happy until my father broke the peace.

"What is going on here!?" his voice boomed through the whole house, so loud I wondered if the houses across from us heard it. I shrank in my clothes, what would I do now? , what would I say?

My mother just stood there clearly in shock of what she had just seen. My father stared at Red Ruby as she slowly folded her wings through the slits of her dress. We knew not what to do or what to say. We had to erase this memory, we couldn't let people know that Earth's reality could be broken not now, and not like this. I looked at Red Ruby in an odd way. My brother was confused but she understood me. She spit out one of her Rubies and threw it on the floor and once again it shattered. My parents were terrified, as all humans they were afraid of the unknown. Yes my wise and somewhat old parents were afraid.

"What hav-" My father stopped mid-sentence and fell to the ground. My mom ran to him but ended up falling directly on him. It was time for us to take the reins. It was now time for fantasy to hit the world in a brand new way. This would be our own revolution.

11: chapter 11

"What is wrong with you!?" My brother told me as he had no idea what was going on, he ran to my father and started feeling his heartbeat.

"Froggy, relax they aren't dead, they just both lost memory of what happened." I responded.

"And they'll be napping for a while." Red Ruby continued my sentence as if she knew what I was about to say.

He stood up and looked at me with his mouth in a pouty look, he did not approve. "Well what do you expect us to do for that while? When they wake up they will find two strangers in their house." I sighed that wouldn't go too well.

"Well maybe I and your brother don't have to be here." Red Ruby said deep in thought. I ran to him, and he ran to me, we hugged.

"We are not getting separated again." We both said in unison.

"Well.." Red Ruby thought. "Why don't you stay here froggy, you are her sister after all. Pretend to be an orphan and get adopted into their family. "

"Would it work?" My brother asked lifting me up in the air as his most prized possession."

"It would.. I mean I've always wanted a brother and my parents always have known, But Red please come with us you are like my daughter but already grown."

"I would but please understand, it would be best if I lived alone, far far away, So that wicked Grizelda won't find me."

"Oh please stay." Red Ruby moved her arm and showed me her wrist, I jumped out of my brother's grasp and looked in it. She had a microchip so small and too drastically close to her vein to remove. Could it be, Yes Grizelda was tracking her all along. How could this happen once again. Grizelda was always once step ahead.

"What will you do?" My brother asked .

"Find someone to take me in, fly around stop evil." Her eyes sparkled at this next thought. "Get an education and become someone good in life."

"But us, and Grizelda, it isn't over. She'll find a way to inflict pain on our fellow fairytale characters and I won't allow it, As soon as we find a way back let's leave. My brother said clearly determined to not let any injustice be done.

" Time goes differently, It's much faster here. Oh and another thing there's no magic here.

"No magic hearts?" My brother asked in disbelief.

"Then how am I still alive." Red Ruby asked. I ignored her, I couldn't tell her the truth. That she wasn't of my blood, she was an.. well an um.. a uh… an It. Yes, an it. She was a manifestation of my deepest thoughts and desires, of my imagination and technically she wasn't alive, because she had no heart, but she was alive in the sense that I believed in her. So I changed the subject.

"crush their disbelief." I muttered

"What?" My brother said as clueless as always.

"Red Ruby should start a new revolution, crushing people's disbelief and making the impossible possible. Flying around fighting evil but no one would know who she actually was… only us. She would be the first super heroine ever."

"So you are saying you want me to be a super heroine ?" I nodded, why was I saying this, what if I never saw her again? … I just felt it, in my bones that it was the right thing to do. If she was going to start a brand new revolution of the impossible it would be like this. She sighed and hugged us both tight. "I'll find a way for us to be together.. and that I can be what you want of me as the same time."

"I know you will." I said not wanting to let go. I just met my creation and now we were going to be separated, For how many more years? My hug addiction, it had always been there but now it grasped me even stronger. When I finally let go to resist bursting into tears in front of her, she walked out the door. I watched painfully as she slowly walked out the door into the backyard, She turned her head to see me through the windows and then she flew off.

My brother and I stared for a while to where she had just left, until he whispered.

"Do you really think this will work?"

"Of course it has to." I said trying to fight against the tears that were on the verge of falling. I could imagine him shivering in the cold with dirty jeans, and a lime green t-shirt, with a blanket of course I wouldn't want him to freeze for the couple of minutes he would be out there and maybe-" I looked at him, something wasn't right. His face was in utter shock. "Froggy what are you?-" That's when I saw it. It was real, it was all real. The rough dark green blanket, real and the jeans up to his ripped socks It was all a reality!" Could it be? Did I cause this to happen? He seemed just as clueless as I was. "I think I caused that." I said but I could barely hear myself.

"Try again." My brother said a little bit excited but mostly shocked and in doubt. I closed my eyes and imagined the thing I was always thinking about, the thing I had always wanted, a root of one of my obsessions. A big vanilla cupcake with frosting and rainbow sprinkles. Yes even being somewhat anorexic and always self-conscious about what I ate I could never deny my love for vanilla cupcakes.

"What!?" I opened my eyes, my brother had his arms crossed and an annoyed look on his face."

"What?" I said chuckling as I said it. He pointed to the vanilla cupcake on the table. I had done it, now it was time for us to join the revolution as well. I smiled and walked over to it. I touched the fluffy white frosting and put my frosting covered filled finger on my tongue. It was the best cupcake I had ever tasted!

"Really? Really? Okay Alright Sis after all we've been through with Grizelda you have a whole sheet a cake and decide to think up a cupcake. Okay I understand I mean wow." I laughed of course I was traumatized over that but I still loved cupcakes! "You know what?" I giggled.

"What?" He came over and took some frosting from the cupcake and placed it quickly on my nose.

"Hey!" Before I could do the same to him he picked me up and twirled me in the air.

"Awww my sister is back!" he yelled happily. In the past I didn't really have time to enjoy my brother, but now? I wanted this moment to last forever I hugged him tight as he spun me around and around. Then he stopped and dropped me on the floor where I continued spinning like a little maniac. I was too scared to stop because I didn't want to fall and I was getting quite dizzy. He then held my shoulders firmly so I could stop spinning and he hugged me again. However when we hugged I still wasn't stable enough so I fell on the floor and dragged him down with me, We laughed but then it was over.

My father moved his hand and it seemed to be that he was waking up. My brother and I discussed which would be the best plan to make this work and he ran outside in the cold. He had never seen snow before, he looked in amazement at these little white dots falling from the sky. He was surprised to see they were all different shapes, but then he realized how cold he was and he wrapped the blanket around himself. I turned on the TV to a movie and then I finished up my cupcake and wiped the frosting off my nose, As I did I remembered the chipmunk cheeks that I accidently made a long time ago. It felt like a distant memory but I still laughed. Then I cut a few pieces of cake and put a slice in every one of the three plates, I took a few bites from each. Then I proceeded to pull both my parents on the sofa, which wasn't very easy considering that I wasn't really that strong but I managed. Now it was time to begin the plan.

I shook my mother up and then my father. "Ay me dormi" I chuckled, my mother always said that when she fell asleep unexpectedly. (Translation: Oh I fell asleep..")

"What happened?" My father muttered. I then proceeded to explain to both of them that we were watching Wonder woman for my birthday but they had fell asleep. Luckily that was exactly what was on. I picked that movie because I was sure that Red Ruby would be like a real world wonder woman someday. Suddenly we heard a frail and soft knock at the door. My father opened it slowly wondering who the heck would be knocking on the door when it was so cold. However when he saw what was inside his heart melted. My brother was at it again with his famous puppy eyes.

"Sir.." My brother said shivering from the cold. "I know you don't know me but I- I "

"Where are your parents?!" My mother asked.

"I don't have any." He lowered his head. "but-but I was wondering if I could come in an- It- It's just so cold and-"

"Come in." My father said locking the door behind my brother as he entered. The first thing he did was run to the warm heater that had just turned on. He didn't know what it was but it was warm and he was freezing. My parents offered him cake and he had some (well maybe a little more than some. I guess with all the drama that happened a few days before he forgot to eat something, and he was much hungrier than he would admit.) My family, my brother and I celebrated my thirteenth birthday together. Just as he was going to leave into the cold and dark night, my parents decided he should stay. Everything was going according to plan. He slept in my room on the floor, which he didn't really mind even though the room was definitely girly. I shared my blankets with him and as I fell asleep to the small lullaby of his snoring I heard my parents conversing in bed about what to do about the situation.

Days passed and he still slept in our home, we bought him clothes yet I was still worrying. It seemed they would never make their minds although I knew this would turn out alright in the end. Some more days passed and just as I expected papers were signed. This fourteen year old boy named "Max" had finally became my adopted brother and even though our dad wasn't the best , that's when we both finally forgave him. (we were thinking of calling him Hansel but he wanted a different
name of the family so we named him Max.)

We didn't speak much of Red Ruby or the revolution. It laid deep inside of us but we were both too scared to make a move until we saw her again and boy, was she in trouble.

 

12: Chapter 12

It was a September; yes I’m sure it was. The first day of school for Froggy, surprisingly for a kid with no education, he was placed in my grade, in my school. He had learned all he needed from simply living than sitting in a classroom all day. He was excited for the first day of ninth grade. Me? I was used to it. Used to what they said, Used to how they lied, used to always getting hurt. Except the classes, I always loved the classes, just couldn’t stand the people.

On the first day he was so excited ….but when my brother gets excited … sometimes he becomes a total klutz. So on the first day before school, he managed to

Get an adorable bed head, but as soon as I commented he covered it up with a hat.
Spill some milk on his shirt while the bus was outside waiting for him, so he grabbed a quick matching shirt to go on top.
Accidently draw a line on his new shirt with sharpie… so he drew the words “Frog Prince.” From it.
And even with all this he managed to grab all the girls’ attention, while sitting next to me on the bus.

Apart from the usual ruckus you could hear girl’s whisper “frog prince” all around. It was enough to make me want to vomit, in case you hadn’t noticed I am the complete opposite of my brother. Five minutes and not even a word uttered and he was the talk of the school. Me? I had been there for years, and I could barely get the teachers to remember my name, and when they did , It was probably because they were sending me to the nurse or the counselor’s office.

Anyways as the two of us walked in the class room, he grabbed my hand. Yes, I didn’t want to refuse it but I was a freshman! And he was my brother, my big brother! I knew he was overwhelmed and just wanted to feel that I was there for him but no, I wouldn’t let him get bullied for that on his first day.  As I left to put my books that I didn’t need in my locker, I watched as he just stood there with those eyes. Yes those darn eyes!, I would grow up to be old and he would still haunt me with those eyes of his! He wasn’t a pig anymore and it was sure time that he stopped acting like one. I felt horrible for doing what I did next as his eyes sunk into my heart but I did it. Yes I completely ignored him. Eventually he found his way to his locker which was pretty far from mine.

He spent the next few periods ignoring me, as he was quite upset. It was a bit hard for him to understand everything, but he managed. Although I’m sure he felt bad for me since I had no friends and the few that knew of my existence only lived to make it miserable.

When the sixth period finished I grabbed my books and walked towards the hall slowly. First of all I did not intend to be caught in a stampede, sure I’d be late for class but the next period was lunch so it didn’t really matter.  After I was walking for a while I stopped, I wasn’t sure why but I just had this strange feeling, that someone was watching me. It was silent, too silent, and I felt as if the whole school was watching me. I turned around slowly adjusting my thick glasses. (My crystal eyes were long gone now!) It was Lexi and her posse. The same girls who always made my life horrible, you think in high school they’d be a bit more mature, but I guess they always hurt me to show everyone else they meant business. I started running, and so did they.

Now I’ve never been much of an athlete, heck If I run five minutes in a treadmill I get fatigued, but when people are chasing me I run! Suddenly I felt my legs aching and my heart thumping, and someone jumped on me from behind.

“Please I just want to grab my lunch and leave.” I said a bit terrified, Flipping my body around so I could face my enemy. It was Melody, a dark haired girl with a pony tail, skinny jeans, A black t-shirt and the most distracting amount of jewelry I had ever seen.

“Oh really? Get it.” She said pulling me up and pushing me to my locker as the girls caught up.

“Where did you get your clothes dunce? Goodwill?” I heard Lexi shout.

“Yes.. ” I muttered too low so she couldn’t hear. Melody pushed me into my locker. “Oof!”

“Get it!” She said firmly. Lexi looked at me, she had a purple fur collar and purple fur at the end of her sleeves, an oversized belt around her shirt and skinny jeans. She smiled, this was probably going to end badly. I started entering the combination into the lock. ..36-..42-….64. It opened, I grabbed my lunch. Melody let me go but Lexi grabbed my arm and threw me down.

“Let’s see what the dunce, has for us today.” They opened my lunch box that had pink and teal, paint splatters on it. (I bought a cheap black lunch bag and paint splattered it with my favorite colors.)

“an apple… and a cupcake.?” She threw the cupcake in my locker.

“Aw come on! You didn’t have to do that!” I said upsettingly.

“Oh so you want your cupcake?

“Heck yeah I want it!” I said forgetting who I was talking to.

“Then join it!, let’s put the piggy in the oven.” My eyes grew large and tears flowed down my cheeks as memories flushed my head. They pushed me in the locker, and stuffed the apple in my mouth and I did absolutely nothing. I woke up from my small trance as I heard them lock the door with me inside.

I bit into my apple and let it fall in the floor, I banged the door but I knew it was no use, the bell had just rung and everyone was gone. It was dark and cold, it reminded me of the old days at home.  I stood there for half a period just crying and thinking of my old life. Soon I heard some steps.

“No really, it was just a joke.” I heard Lexi saying.

“Do I look like I’m laughing?” I heard someone say angrily.

“But-“

“No you know what? I admit it, I thought you were nice, I liked you, you liked me but now your just being a jerk.” The voice said angrily.

“But no I love you.”

“You just met me” Suddenly I heard a slap and I heard some people cheer for the person who just made a point to Lexi. “

“Fight! Fight! Fight! “ I heard some people chanted.

I heard some steps  and I heard nothing else. It became silent again as I heard the lock twist and turn. Seriously who ever just stood up to Lexi just to let me free was my hero. Lexi had tormented me since first grade when she came,  and this person just stood up to her like that? How could I have not noticed someone so determined and just, How could I have not  noticed someone that was fair, and didn’t fight, and was so bent on justice!

 As the door opened I found myself looking at my brother. I blushed, and chuckled nervously. We just stood there for a while until he spoke up.

“Miss me much?” He said smiling and I hugged him.

“I love you so much.” I whispered in his ear.

 

At the end of the day I earned myself a new name and everyone knew me, but instead of being known by Crystal… they recognized me as “his sister” like really?! Honestly? You have got to be kidding me? I’ve been here since pre-K and my nicknames were Dunce and The sister. Wow… I could immediately tell this year would also suck. As I boarded the bus I sat with my brother and he proceeded to tell me all about his day. (to be honest I wasn’t listening, all I was thinking of is how I wanted a new cupcake so bad!)

 “I want a cupcake.” I said completely out of the blue, just wanting to keep the conversation going. He looked at me, directly at me, With an eyebrow raised.

“What?” he chuckled, as if to say where the heck did that come from?

“Look I’m glad you found out you rock at running and basketball but I want a cupcake.” I said looking at him straight in the eye so he knew I wasn’t kidding.

“ Fine I’ll play along Cupcake or cupcakes?” he said referring to if I would allow him to go with me.

I nodded “cupcakes.” Okay, Okay I admit, I wasn’t a food person but I loved cupcakes. In fact love was an understatement.

Soon the bus stopped, and we went home. Our parents were still at work, so as I phoned my father telling him where we would be, my brother grabbed some money from his room. We took the keys, locked the door, and left, hand in hand just like the old days.

Luckily the bakery wasn’t far, and we had been there so often that we knew almost everyone there. It was a timeless place and I just loved being there. They had a jukebox, treated us like adults, plus everything was outdated, oh and did I mention they have the best cupcakes?

****My brother ran to the tall chair and ordered “We’ll have the usual.” He said to the Abigail, the lady who was in charge of the baking. Due to being so outdated not many people came there anymore, but we came at least twice a week, so she knew us.

“Where’s your sister.” She asked as my brother pulled out a five dollar bill. He pointed behind him, as a panting girl opened the door. Although I have a thin and average body type, I wasn’t nor am very athletic, in fact I would almost faint after being in a treadmill for five minutes.

“Oh dear.” The woman asked as she took out a glass with ice cold water from behind the counter. I smiled, this scene repeated itself nearly anytime we came alone and this time she was prepared.  I slowly made my way to the stool, my brother gave her the money and she shook her head. “On the house” she said. She went behind the counter to make our cupcakes.

“I never told you I wanted to race!” I said picking up the cool glass.

“You never said you didn’t.” He said smiling “Besides you have to be able to run, the adventures aren’t over yet.” He guessed smiling. I drank the nice cool water ignoring him.  Abby came soon with two cupcakes, one somewhat big vanilla cupcake, with vanilla frosting and rainbow sprinkles, Another smaller chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting and white chocolate frosting trimmings on the top. My brother wasn’t as keen on cupcakes as I was due to being in that accursed gingerbread house but that never stopped his sweet tooth. 

“Thanks Abby!” I said thankful that Grizelda wasn’t here to stick me in a cage and well, you know. My brother smiled, looking at his own dish. It was chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate, Hansel’s dream.

“You remind more of a modern day Hansel every day.” I whispered and he chuckled.

“Is that so?” He asked.

“Very much.” I said about to dig in.

“Cheers then, to modern day Hansel and Gretel.” He raised his cupcake in the air like a glass of Champaign. I raised mine and we hit them together, softly so that no crumbs fell. (Abigail was very disgusted by crumbs and messes.) As we ate quietly, we watched TV, they were showing reruns of my favorite show (and my brother’s) “Doctor Who.” (I don’t own it. Please don’t sue me. )

We sat there for a while enjoying the taste in our mouths, and enjoying us together. As our eyes watched the Tv and As I was stuffing my face with cupcake I heard the door of the shop open, I didn’t pay much attention as I heard the Daleks battle with their famous saying

 

“EXTERMINATE!!!”

 

 She was a tall girl though, she had her hair in a ponytail, she wore sunglasses a red t-shirt with a jean mini skirt and black and white leggings. Her somewhat casual heels clicked in a rhythm, and somewhat started to grab my attention.

“Good Afternoon my name is Abigail and welcome to-” Abigail started. She took off her glasses. “Oh I do apologize, I didn’t recognize you. Here for the interview I assume?”

“Of course “

An interview? The voice seemed young, early maybe mid teen years? Abigail was giving this huge responsibility , of managing customers or baking to a teenager? No one could replace Abby? No body!

I turned to see this … “interviewee” She took a look at me, and I could barely speak… it was ..she…

… “Froggy.” I said nudging my brother’s shoulder. He turned around and that’s when he saw her.

“Hi I’m Francesca..” She said giving me her hand, winking as she said it. I took a napkin and wiped my fingers so that I wouldn’t get frosting all over her, we shook hands…but I couldn’t stop looking at her.

“ My name’s Crystal… and this is my brother Max. what position will you be applying for?”

“Baker of course!” She said cheerfully

“Assistant Baker.” Abigail said which took some relief off my mind.

“Excuse me but how old are you?” My brother said confused and so was I. “No offense I mean.”

“None taken! I’m fifteen , just old enough to start working in old places like these.” Francesca said smiling.

“Well..Well… enough chit chat, time for business shall we?” Abby said with a smile as she grabbed Francesca’s hand. As they left I saw The arm Francesca had been hiding since she arrived. Her wrist was glowing and written in Red Marker the words “help me” showed in her arm.

It was her, the link we had it couldn’t be broken.

“Wasn’t she thirteen a few days ago?” My brother  asked.

I nodded “did you see her wrist this must have something to do with Grizelda.”

“But she’s in the other..” Suddenly my eyes grew huge with realization.

“It’s not her It’s-“ Suddenly I heard a scream, a young scream. That was our cue, I ran inside with my brother following close behind.  I saw her on the floor, yes Francesca was on the floor. My brother threw himself next to her.

“She’s breathing!”

“What did you do!?!”  I yelled to Abigail, which made me feel guilty about later.

“I don’t know I just gave her an application sheet!”

“What kind of questions were on that sheet?” I said my voice lowering.  She pointed to the sheet and My Brother (being closest) reached and retrieved the sheet.

“These are basic questions!” He said. “Gender? Date of Birth?, Any life threatening diseases?”

“Those are all basic questions… but they are all questions she cant answer.” I said looking at Francesca.

“Ow!!” My brother said shaking his hand. “Touch her!” I did and she was burning hot, not like flame of fire hot, not like oven hot, like blazing sun hot. I imagined some ice and blew some snowflakes unto her face but they melted as soon as they achieved their destination. I blew harder and the room was starting to get chillier. However my undeveloped power was no match for-

“What are you doing?!” I heard my brother yell to Abigail who was on the phone.

“I’m calling the ambulance!” He took the cell phone from her hands, she had been on the phone for five minutes, just enough for them to hear the conversation, just enough to see through the windows, just enough to see me blowing ice, just enough to see her melting the floor, just enough for them to come. They put their hands on my mouth and for me It was lights out. My brother turned into his frog with Abigail in astonishment, he jumped under the sink but they still knew he was there. A man stepped on his leg, crushing it. He couldn’t help it, He turned human again and cried. He saw was they took me away.

“No!! I wont let you!! He screamed trying to get up. He concentrated and healed himself, they were stunned. As he concentrated he jumped on one of the men, he just wanted to defend me. He punched another man and kicked another in the.. nuts, and he was out running. One of the men called for backup from the cops outside. They had a dart gun, It only took them a few seconds to ready it, and shoot my brother. He fell headfirst and the last thing he saw was them taking the rapidly changing it away.

Some people ran and grabbed my brother as some placed Red Ruby in the ambulance.

Yes my Red Ruby.

 

 

13: The Meeting of Francesca Jewell

I opened my eyes, I was in an empty room. It wasn't even painted just a concrete room. I was laying on a table with cords strapped all over me, I was plugged to so many machines. I looked around, where was I? How long was I asleep? Where was my brother? Where was my creation? I began to rip out the cords and needles connected to my body…Big mistake.

An Alarm sounded, and I heard footsteps, quick and loud footsteps. I had to do something quick! If only I were invisible! Men in white laboratory coats rushed in, There were so many of them! I sat down and began counting, there were six to be exact however since the room was so small they crowded the room. I heard a voice

"It is gone."

"No It has escaped you fool! Pay more attention to your specimen, the master will not be pleased!"

Were they talking about me? I was right there, and I wasn't an it! I was human..wait.. was I?

"1,3 and 4 go down the right corridor! 5 and 6 go to the left, I will report the escape to the master" The men left three up the hall and the other three went the opposite direction. I turned around to see a tray of instruments. I was afraid, the metal instruments looked painful, I grabbed a spoon like instrument. I didn't know what it was for but I held it in front of my face.

I saw nothing, just the wall behind me. How could this be? Then I remembered about my little power, I grinned and walked out. I looked at the tag next to the door. "9-7-14-3-45" What were these numbers? I walked to the next door it said "9-7-14-3-52". What? Seven numbers were missing, I looked at the door across from that one, 6-23-12-8-46 This made no sense! I looked at the door previous to mine, "9-7-14-3-45-2" My same number? I was so confused?! Unless… What month was September? The ninth? And it was the seventh of 2014! Now I was getting somewhere, the last Three numbers. Were they the time we were captured? I did make sense! They were organized by the time, Let's see If that was true, then it would mean that my brother was to my right! I could not see through the door it was concrete and locked, with a pad lock that was old fashion and very similar to the one Grizelda used.

I was afraid, Of course I had my imagination but I wasn't sure what the extent of it was. I imagined a skeleton key, yes that would open anything. I held my breath, hoping it would work.

The lock clicked and I opened the door as quietly as I could. I walked in and there he was, my brother sleeping in the table. I pushed him so he would awake, Unlike me he was a light sleeper.

"Max…" He opened his eyes slowly.

"Crystal..?" I held his hand so he knew it was me. "Where are you? Where am I? Where's Fran-"

"Sssshhh! Do it!"

"What?" He said confused and a bit drowsy

"Turn into a frog!" He did and I grabbed him, as soon as he did the cords and injections came off. The alarms sounded again, and I hid him in my roomy pocket. For once I was glad I didn't wear skinny jeans or other mall clothes. I ran out right before men began rushing in.

"Another Escaped!"

"Who opened the door?" Said the one called four.

Everyone was silent and looking at each other accusingly. "I am going to check the cameras and if I find out that one of you was responsible for this you know what will happen! One, Three stay here most likely 9-7-14-3-45-2 is next, watch that specimen with your life!" Number 4 ran out and 1 and 3 without a word stood next to Francesca's door. I had the key but I needed a diversion, I had an idea. I put my finger in my pocket and turned my back to the guard, I was so close I could feel his breath, I had to move but what if I made a noise that gave me away? I walked forward slowly, not making a sound. Both 1 and 3 were unarmed however they didn't look like they needed it with their muscular build. I would most likely regret doing this but I had to get them away from Red Ruby! I took my brother and I whispered one word in his ear.

"RUN."

That he did, turning into his human form as I got pushed into the wall by him. He ran …fast, making me a little jealous as even 1 and 3 were struggling to catch up with him. He smiled, he missed our little adventures, but anyways I was alone. I took the skeleton key and opened the door, there was no one there except the creature in the table. I almost wish there was, because Red Ruby was not okay.

She wasn't even a she anymore! She was an it. It had no clothes just a complete black and white striped body with cracks on it, with red string like things where her freckles used to be. Her ears were cat ears and her wings were fully visible but empty, no rubies on them. Her feet were paws and her hands were so strange and metallic… They reminded me of Edward Scissorhands. Her black tail dripped to the side. Was she dead? Her red hair was growing long, really long except I wasn't even sure if it was hair anymore. I got closer and touched her, she was cold and hard. Porcelain, she was Porcelain. Her eyes were closed, however her eyelashes were long, I'm talking about a foot long! They stood up straight up in the air. I heard 2 sets of running footsteps. It was one and three, and three was holding my brother tightly!

One took out a gun, it didn't look normal. He pointed it at my brother and the gun froze Max in ice. "Show yourself before 3 or I will smash the ice and kill him." What could I do?! If I did show myself he would probably freeze me too!, but I had to save him! And Red Ruby!

He started the count "1"

I knew what I needed , I needed a ruby, But I couldn't find any on Red's body! I began looking everywhere quickly, with sweat streaming down my forehead. It was hot in here! Where would she hide a ruby? In her hair?

"2" Suddenly a new question popped in my head. Where would an It hide a ruby. Suddenly I knew, I opened her mouth and reached under her slithering tongue. Like a clam hides its pearl, she hid her ruby.

He saw me open her mouth.

"3" It all happened so fast! I threw the ruby on the floor as he shot me with the freezer gun. (Do you like the name, I made it ^^) It shattered.

I saw the ray from the gun becoming slower as the room filled with red fog, One and three began to cough and My brother unfroze, he ran to me and reached for my hand, but it was too late. I had already fallen into the void and it had closed above me.

I screamed, I saw clouds and I seemed to be falling from the sky, Yes the endless blue sky. I was falling much faster than I thought gravity would bring me as it pushed through my toes and hair.

"AAAAAHHHHHH! " For a brief moment I looked below myself, to see a red barn which looked so small under my big feet. Acres of land followed, some inhabited by animals, some inhabited by crops. A little house near the barn and after that, just empty lands as far as the eye could see.

What am I doing here? I asked to myself. Suddenly I panicked, I was getting closer to the ground and the fall would make me crack a bone at the least!Then who would save Red Ruby?! Then who would save my brother? Think! Think! I had to imagine something up and QUICK!

Right then my imagination took its role, I thought of wings and so they became, White bird wings that sprouted from my back. I began to flap them as fast as I could to slower myself down.

"Flap Flap Flappity Flap" Feathers began to fall to the ground below me. I was still falling really quick, I closed my eyes and began to panic and scream.

"MMMMMPHHHHH" I landed on my face, harshly and with a mouthful of dirt. I spit it out, at least I was okay..or at least I thought I was. I folded my wings back under my shirt. Whoever worked these fields didn't have to see them. I began to hear a noise in the distance.

-Swish- then a pause then another -Swish- and a pause, Swish pause, Swish pause, Swish pause, Swish pause.

It was getting closer and louder. –SWISH- I tried to pick myself up before whimpering. Pain, yes lots of pain all coming from my left leg. I looked down, it was bloody and it was definitely hurt from the fall. I wanted to scream in agony but I refused to attract any attention, Who knew what was out there?

-SWISH-

I stood there not knowing what to do, The noise was getting closer and I didn't dare move. What if my leg was broken?

-SWISH- I waited for it to get closer as I looked in its direction. Then I noticed, It was hot…really hot, high nineties I guess, something we didn't usually feel where I live.

-SWISH!- Parts of the wheat got cut by a hoe, and a hole was made. I saw before me a girl working the fields. It looked like my creation…somewhat.

I wasn't sure, her red hair was braided and her skin was a light tan, she had dark freckles and sky blue eyes. She was dirty and wore a red plaid top, that covered only her breasts and was tied at the bottom with jean shorts. Her sense of style was not something I saw every day, but considering the temperature, I'm sure it was normal. She was barefoot and by the looks of it quite aggravated. She looked at me eye to eye and approached me, wait.. was she aggravated at me?

"Who are ya and whatcha doin in mah fields?" She asked.

I blinked, her accent was so heavy I could barely understand what she said.

"Nah don't tell me your one of dem mute n greedy southeners, who want to steal our wheat."

Our? This girl had a family? Honestly I was confused, she had no idea whom I was, and I felt that connection me and Red Ruby had always had, but this just wasn't her. Something was wrong, but I paid attention to what she said and shook my head. I was not trying to steal anything.

"Then Git!" she said waving me off as if I was a fly. I just stood there, I couldn't move, my leg didn't allow me to move, I could barely feel it! I looked at my leg hoping she would understand.

"You're hurt." She said in actual almost perfect English, Which shocked me more than anything. "Whats your name?"

I stuttered nervously. It bothered me that she looked so much like Red Ruby but she had no idea who I was. "Its uh.." Suddenly I was so nervous, confused, hurt and frightened that I could barely remember my name. It started with at C right? "uh.."

"Yes?"

"Its um…" I shook my head to clear my thoughts. "Crystal" I said once again in shock by her perfect English.

"That's a rare un around here." She said, her accent slowly creeping back in. "Here get in da barrow." She said motioning me to her half filled with wheat, dirty red wheel barrow.

I looked at my foot I really didn't want to move it. I moved my right leg first and my leg started burning, I yelled in agony and then I fell. She brought the wheel barrow over and pulled me up.

"Sit." She commanded. I half sat, half fell on top of the half-filled wheel barrow

"C'mon les take ya to mah place and clean ya up." She said, that's when I noticed for the first time that my clothes were filled with dirt and pieces of wheat from the fall. She looked really strong and she began to push the barrow to her home.

After a while of silence I decided to start a conversation.

"What's your name?"

"Francesca Jewell … but most people just call me Fran." She spoke not even looking up from the trail. Alternate Identity I wondered? Kind of like how I was Crystal and Gretel and the same time, perhaps she was Red Ruby and Fran at the same time. However it was just a theory, I had to retrieve more information.

"How long have you been living here?" I asked.

"Since as long as I remembah, Whats with all da questions anyway?" She said sounding annoyed.

"I just wanted to get to know you."

"I ain't worth knowin " I sat silently for the rest of the ride wondering what to say and I was also trying to piece the pieces together.

I replayed the information that I already knew. It all started with those questions the baker had given her. Which she couldn't answer, I mean yeah sure she could lie but I hadn't taught her that yet. Then an idea came to me, a strange idea, a berserk idea! An idea that made sense. What if she fainted because she realized she wasn't supposed to exist since she had no heart so she didn't technically exist. What if she realized she was an impossibility, made up of strictly imagination and withdrew herself from reality knowing that she didn't belong. She was immortal, so then where would she go? To her own imagination of course! However if she was going to live in her own imagination, she had to let go of the life she already had, her memories. However since she is using herself to live in, she wouldn't have enough imagination left to disguise herself so her body would turn to what it really was.

I'm sure what I saw at the hospital wasn't what she was supposed to look like, because a random species made out of imagination by a creation that was part of an imaginary land, that wasn't really real in the first place.. That would create an abomination.

Then I realized the problem, if she died in this world, she would cease to exist and the only thing that would be left was the monster without a soul.

I had to do something but I had no idea where to start.

14: Chapter 14

I laid my head on the wheat and closed my eyes. Man, I really wanted a cupcake right now. A sweet, sugary vanilla cupcake with- No! No, I couldn’t think about it. What If a cupcake fell out of the sky? I did not want to imagine up anything! Foreign imagination, in Fran’s little world was unpredictable.

I sighed and tried to keep calm as she pulled the barrow. My leg really hurt!

“Are we almost there?” I dared to ask.

She shook her head.

How long would this take? I had to show her who she was ASAP, but I had to do it right! If those scientists saw Red Ruby when she turned into a monster, there was no telling what they would do.

I kept my eyes closed and began to wonder...wonder..wonder

Ice cold water splashed on my face and I jolted forward.

“AHH What!?”

“Ya fell asleep, C’mon get up.” Francesca said, helping me up.  She left me next to the barrow, I winced trying to move my burning legs. It felt an eternity when I realized I had barely moved a step. I wanted to be independent but my leg!! She noticed what was going on and took me and put me over her shoulders. I said nothing as she with her other hands took a piece of wheat and put it between her lips. She was really strong, I felt she had been here for a while.

I looked around I smelt manure and hay, animals but even from far away I could smell the fragrance of some flowers. I heard some moos and some cluck clucking of hens, and there were hens and roosters walking about. I saw fruit trees, and some crops from behind the little house I had seen earlier. 

We made our way to the little house, and Francesca kicked the door open.  I heard a gasp and I lifted my head , it was a woman  most likely early thirties. She was sitting on a blue couch with a few buttons off and even a spring exposing itself in the corner. The woman wore a gray sports bra and knee length jean shorts. She had dark blue hair clearly dyed and she was shocked to see me, as if she had seen a ghost.

“Ma I found this girl mucking about on our wheat fields.” Wait what did she just say Ma? As in mother?  I mean I know she had no biological parents but .. But! Suddenly I felt jealous If anyone should be her mother it should be me! I was laid on the couch .

The Woman with the blue fading into black hair observed me for a while, and tried to say something but she only ended up stuttering.

“Ma?...What are we gonna do with her?” Francesca said pointing at me ,looking at the woman and speaking rather bluntly.

Still offended by the fact Francesca considered this woman her mother, I was stunned by the audacity of Francesca to ask her “ma” this is front of me! Clearly this woman had shown her no manners. Just then I was filled with fear at would be done with me. The woman opened her mouth to speak but no words came out, A few moments later she simply said

“Francesca.. why don’t you go back to doing your chores, I will deal with this child.”

“Yes mam.” Francesca said as she left, then I heard the door close and it was silent for a while. Me staring at the woman and her staring right back. She still looked shocked as if she couldn’t believe I was existent. She put her hand on my cheek.

“Oh goodness… you’re only a child.”

I nodded, because it wasn’t like I was this fearless hero, or in any position to be dealing with this. I was terrified! I was a child! I had no clue what to do just then I scolded myself mentally, I needed to take control and deal with this.

“What’s going on?” I asked “and what’s your name?” I asked determined to find out what was going on.

“My name is Sarah,..” She began to explain her arrival, in such detail in fact that I could see it play, right there! Like a film projected right in front of her face created by the rhythm of the words she spoke.

-Type- Type –Type the clicks of keys were the only sounds to be heard by the woman typing away. She was an author, most common genre? Fantasy.  Typing up the story of the reincarnated brother who lives as a 7 foot porcelain doll only to protect his sister. Of course the sister being the only one who could see him gets sent to a hospital with a label pf schizophrenia. Next to her on the desk was a cup of tea and next to that was the original copy of the comic she had water colored to go with the book. To her left was a picture of her family, as I could tell by the way the words fueled the image, the love of family was crucial to Sarah. Her young daughter, Annabelle was at school, and her husband was off looking for a job. I could see her in the midst of typing the brother’s catchprase. “Don’t look so glum.” When it happened.

She woke up to find herself laying on the carpet, She sat up and looked around, absorbing her surroundings. The broken couch, the wooden table the dull green carpet. ‘Where am I’ she thought, most importantly though was the fear within her. Fearing not only where she was but the fears of a mother. Who would pick Annabelle from school? Would Mike know where she was? Were they even safe?

“Hello?” She said, with an agonizing silence for an answer.

“Is anyone there?” She said only to be met again with silence. She stood up and walked throughout the house hoping to be met by somebody, anybody that could answer her many questions. Yet the more of the house she saw more questions her mind created, and fewer answers.       

She walked out scouting the area, It was humid and with that took off her gray sweater.  The moon stared upon her proving that It was night. She continued looking walking around the house, and each animal noise would only emphasize her sense of loneliness, confusion and fear. She knew not of the date because all the machinery she found was so outdated, some were as modern as being common inventions used for farming and harvesting by modern man but some might as well have been made decades ago! It was as If time had taken a stop to this place. Ridiculous theories were formed in her head, for she needed to fill the void of questions! She needed to hope, but how could one hope when one is alone with no sense of what in the world is going on? So ideas she formed that might have been ridiculed from humanity’s limited view point in concerning what could be real but to her she was desperate so reality or not any hope to fill this fear was useful.

She began running, to where? She had no clue but she needed to find someone, she had to get some answered and most important of all she had to make sure her family was safe. An hour passed and her legs were quite tired, she was panting quite loudly and her body was aching with pain from running so quickly without a break for so long. However she thought of her poor Annabelle, she had to see her! For hours she yelled and ran in the darkness. Hoping to find some reassurance that her family was alright, or some sort of sign, anything would do!

She fell, her body pounding with pain as the sun rose slowly. She could speak no longer, her voice was coarse from all the yelling. She panted ferociously not being able to breathe. She looked around, she may be on the floor but she had to find something! She crawled waning in and out of consciousness and as the sun rose the heat pounded on her. Suddenly she was sure of one thing she needed water that was her last thought before she fell asleep.

 Seeing this I felt such a pity for her, to be living such a normal life only to be sucked in the danger of someone else’s. I felt I and my brother could relate, our life was pretty normal until we met Grizelda. (Well as normal as two pig children could get.)

Cool refreshing water, pouring down her throat. Her eyes shot open and her body darted upwards.

“Who are you?” She said looking at the girl before her.

“Francesca… your daughter” Sarah was silent she thought finding someone would give her more answers but it only increased the confusion. She sat there consumed in her own confusion, and thoughts. She wanted nothing more to be with her family, her real family, not this imposter.

“You’re real hot ma.” Francesca said dabbing damp clothes on her “mother’s” face.

Sarah just stood there and as the days passed and Francesca disappeared working for hours on end, she just sat there and stared to the distance, her family being the only thing on her aching mind.

The film ended as her words stopped.

“Oh Dear I don’t even know your name! Where did you come from?!” Sarah said realizing we had not been given a proper introduction.

I held her hands tight, she was right I was only a child but right then I knew I had to fix this, and I was going to. All fairytales had their happy ending right? However this was when I realized my own experiences on Earth and that’s when I realized real life has no happy endings. Regardless I took her hands on my own and said

“My name is Crystal and I am going to fix this.”

She looked at me wildly and chuckled “but my dear you are simply a child.”

“I am aware.” If there’s anything I learned from Earth, its that people there have this completely incorrect thought of adolescents as being rude immature children who will not amount to anything at the moment. What makes an adult so much more different than a child? What makes people think that adults can always accomplish more than children? I was then a tad aggravated just by thinking of it.

“Get me something for my leg.” I said before catching my own rudeness. “Please.”

“Yes child. “ She said getting up and leaving into another room.

I looked around the room, to make sure I was alone, I couldn’t risk anyone seeing. After seeing what they had done to the three of us and where they had taken us and most likely would’ve locked us up just for being a little different, I felt extremely self-conscious and aware that the life I knew as a piglet perhaps wasn’t the most normal life after all. Perhaps I was a freak, however I did not let these emotions get in my way. Not right now, Ruby, my brother and now Sarah needed me, I could cry my eyes out at these thoughts later.

I looked at my leg and concentrated, I concentrated at the pain and how I wished it to be gone. I looked at the dry blood on my somewhat baggy jeans. (Need I mention how incredibly tiny I was at the moment?) Slowly it began to disappear, simply dissolve, and the pain seemed to fade away slowly. However I failed to notice the unusual bump in my leg and when I closed my eyes in relief it all came back. 

I opened them once again and it was clear to me that I knew not enough of my inner strengths to be able to fix this. I would have to do this manually. I took my leg which was now numb and I jerked it up, right then I heard a crack, and my nerves began coming back to me, I closed my eyes once again trying to heal the wound. As I closed my eyes once again the pain began to leave me the newly formed blood began to dissolved, and then I felt much better. Or I would’ve if I didn’t hear the crash.

I opened my eyes at the sudden noise, Before me was Sarah she had the bandages in one hand and in the other was a tray. On the floor were two teacups that were now shattered by the fall, and seeping through the rug was a liquid. Nice hot homemade herbal tea, I could tell by the smell. She saw.

“You…you…” She said once again looking as if she had seen a ghost.

“SSSShhhh.” I said putting a finger to my lips. I didn’t mean to scare her but it truly was a shame that her home made tea had gone to waste and I really did appreciate the gesture. I lifted both my hands and on them was an antique looking plate, it was porcelain, on the top were two teacups of the same pattern holding the exact same tea that the rug had now absorbed, smoke was coming from the tea. It was hot but it smelled so calming.

“Wha.. What are you?” She said stuttering kneeling down to pick up the shattered pieces of the tea cups.

What was I? I had never been asked that question before, I would’ve responded human but I wasn’t sure anymore. What was I? I repeated in my head.

“I’m not sure exactly, but I mean no harm.” I said uplifting the ends of my mouth to look friendly. 

“and here I thought you were simply a child.” I could hear her muttering.

“I am!”I said. she looked up at me, embarrassed that I heard.  I set the plate and cups on the sofa and walked to her, she backed away a little clearly frightened of me. I lowered my gaze at the pieces still on the floor. I didn’t want to overwhelm her but at that moment I feared I already had. I took the pieces piece by piece placing them on my long shirt. My shirt was teal with a few buttons on the top but due to me not eating much my shirt was rather long on my giving me rather scrawny look. The rug was still looking a little dusty but all the pieces were on my shirt I grab the end of my shirt.

“Sarah?” I asked.

“Hmm?” She said still looking at my leg.

I shifted so that my leg was under me and no longer in her field of vision, as I had kneeled to pick up the pieces. She looked at me in the eyes and her face softened. She seemed to have remembered I was only a child. I lifted up the end of my shirt and she pointed to the trash can in the corner. I got up and threw the cups. Then I went to Sarah and gently took the bandages out of her hands. I wrapped it through my now healed leg.

“Thank you for putting my leg bone back in place. “ I said confusing her.

“But.. I didn’t..”

“Francesca mustn’t know of what I did, so you popped my leg back in place and bandaged it up.”

She nodded, “Yes sister.”

“Excuse me?” I said confused.

“ You’re my little sister, explains why you’ve gotten here this far.” She winked exaggeratedly and hugged me. I don’t know why but I felt so comfortable in her arms and to this day I have yet to figure out what she saw in me, or why she trusted me but right then she confided in me and true to her words she did treat me like a sister. I hugged her back and we sat back in the sofa.

She spoke of her family mostly, her husband and her dear Annabelle of course, who I had come to learn was only five years old. I sat and listened drinking some of her delicious tea which did help soothe my mind. Despite the current situation I enjoyed talking to her.  One of the experiences she spoke of was of berry picking. The two of them went berry picking and with young three year old Annabelle in the stroller. As her husband and her were picking berries, Mischievous Annabelle was collecting them and hiding them under her bum, eating some as she picked, And so the surprise when Sarah took Annabelle out to show her a monarch butterfly! Little blue and red stained shorts! However as the story goes Annabelle refused to let that ruin her fun, she chased that butterfly wildly surprisingly quick for a three year old with Sarah chasing her.

Sarah I learned was surprisingly quite young for all this, only in her mid-twenties, yet she enjoyed it all the same. We learned a lot about each other and it was at that moment that I was inspired to write all that happened to me. She also liked to draw, but writing was her official niche.

She also mentioned briefly how she loved to bake, and I learned she had the affinity for cupcakes! Due to all our similarities she soon began calling me a mini her, and I was quite glad to accept all these nicknames, they were much better than the sister or dunce.

I said nothing about Ruby, or my brother or anyone, I talked of school briefly but I think she knew that I had some deal to do with all of this. She called me special on one occasion but tried to treat me as normal as possible. I think she could sense that I had felt uncomfortable when she started talking to me as if I was some mystical creature or goddess.

We were laughing, and enjoying ourselves so much that I almost forgot about Francesca! I would’ve in fact if she hadn’t come in sweat on her forehead, and a half eaten apple in her hand.  She came in and out for the next few minutes and I just stood in silence watching.

3 jugs of milk which she managed to carry all in one go, several large wooden barrels of fruit, baskets of berries, some eggs and of course some wheat and other things farmed.

I suddenly felt like I was lazing around while she did all the hard work! I mean here I was talking the day away, while on Earth God knows what was happening!! I stood up and rushed out forgetting completely about my leg.

“Woah Woah Woah Hold on dere chick pea. Wha chu tink you doin?” Francesca said looking at me all over.

“Oh! I don’t think you’ve been properly introduced!” Sarah stood up and walked up with a smile on her face, she out her hand on my shoulder.  “Francesca dear this is my little sister Crystal, she’s come for a visit and don’t worry about her leg she’s fine it just needed a little pop.”

“Oh! You’re a friend of mathas!” Francesca gave me a hug and I wrapped my arms around her. I was getting sweaty but I didn’t care, by now the sun was setting and the temperature was dropping and the humidity was rising.

“Here I’ll help you.” I said Francesca laughed in response.

“You don’t got any muscle! You’re a little string bean!”

“Am not!” I said childishly.

Both of them laughed at my defensive statement.

“My dear, you are rather petite.” Sarah said which annoyingly enough she was right, however I was determined to make all the conversation I could with Francesca even if it meant humiliating myself. Although honestly a small part of me did want to prove that I wasn’t as small and useless as I felt at that moment.

I crossed my arms and pointed to box of oranges.

“Watch!” I cracked my knuckles and put my hands in the holes to grab the box. I lifted it up but my arms still stayed in the holes and the box didn’t budge. I tried again this time with more strength but I couldn’t get the box to move! I tried again once more with all my strength and managed to lift the box up high about to my chest, I bent over so the box some of the weight was pushed into my stomach. Did I look ridiculous? Most likely but I was having fun, and the closer I got to Francesca I felt the more it would help me learn what I could do to help.

Sarah laughed and shot a fist in the air. “You can do it sis!”

I ran my body trembling with each step, my steps didn’t even go in a straight line! It tilted to the left then the right then I dropped the oranges where the fruits were before collapsing in the sofa.

“Lil Sis!!! Youre the champion!!” Sarah lifted me up on her shoulders and stood up making me seem far taller than I actually was.

“Ha! Impressive string bean!” Francesca said purposefully grabbing four boxes at the same time and bringing them in. My mouth hung open.

“Francie!!” Sarah said in awe.

“What?! I just wanna get dun as quick as possible for dinna.”

“Oh my goodness dinner!!”  Sarah threw me on the couch, my foot hitting the cold hard spring.

“Ouch!” I said instinctively.

“Sorry Sis!!” She shouted from the kitchen realizing that she must’ve threw me harshly.

I went outside and began bringing Fran’s harvests in the house, but I ended up just slowing her down. So I sat in front of the house watching the sun disappear. The skies were a wonderful mixture of oranges and pinks, it was beautiful. I laid down as I saw the first star on the evening sky.

“It’s gorgeous isn’t it?”

I lifted my gaze to see Francesca.

“Very.” She turned around and began walking inside. “Hey!! Francie!” I said as I sat up again.

She turned towards me and I patted the empty space next to me, inviting her to watch the lovely sky with me.

“Uh.. I-I can’t, I gotta help wit dinna.” Francesca said, surprised that I had invited her as if no one had invited her to do something nice in a while.

“I think Sarah can fix up dinner by herself, besides you have to rest sometime!” I said kindly. Reluctantly she sat by my side, holding her knees in her arms and staring at the sky.

“I.. I just don’t wanna feel useless…ya know?” she said, opening up.

“But you’ve worked the day away, you’re hardworking, nowhere near useless! Look all you’ve done! All the food we have now, The beauty of the beautifully cut meadows and even the smile you put on our faces!” I said feeling even more guilty for not helping.

She smiled and I noticed the wrinkles on her face, as if she had been frowning for quite a while.

“You just need to relax and take time to smile.” I said smiling.

“I suppose you could be right.” She said, her face now turned to me. Without warning, I took my hands and started to let her hair loose.

“Whachu doin?” She said becoming a little tense.

“Nothing, just a little..” I said continuing to let her hair loose.  She sat there and turned her head once again to the sky, which was beginning to darken.

“How does it feel?” I asked, she now looked far more liberal, and a little calmer. She put her hands and started combing her hair which was quite long.

“I haven’t let my hair loose in so long..” She said combing.

“Francesca..” I said, she looked at me with a new found smile. “Try to relax for the rest of the day you deserve it.”

“Relax?” She said as if the word didn’t exist in her dictionary even though she had just claimed I could be right just a while back,

“Or fun, perhaps.” I said standing up.

She jumped up. “How? When there’s so much work to be done?”

I crossed my arms. “Come on Fran you could at least smile!”

 She smiled brightly in response.

“There you go!” I set my foot in front of me and pointed to my own smile. “You’re never fully dressed without a smile!”

She laughed. “Then I’m usually nude!”

“Ha!” I said laughing. “Nobody wants that!”

Just then in amidst of all the laughter there was a silence. There was a wonderful smell coming from inside. 

“Crystal! Francesca! Dinner is ready!!” Sarah shouted confirming our thoughts. We ran inside, Francesca of course getting in before I could.

All three of us sat in the chairs around the wooden table in the kitchen, a large bowl of homemade stew sat in the middle and before us each was an empty wooden bowl, spoon and a glass of water.

Back at home, my mother couldn’t cook well and nor could Sunshine ages ago, so when I tasted that, a party occurred in my taste buds. I couldn’t help but feel that I was eating my own kind since I wasn’t exactly sure what meat that was, but whatever it was it was delicious.

We spoke of many things, farming, strange tremors lately, the hot weather, we exchanged a few stories and jokes, and Sarah even made a few of her own stories. Odd yet entertaining stories, like ones with unicorns with jet packs on their behinds and capes or even the adventures of a boy reincarnated as a porcelain doll with his sister in her blue hospital gown.

After all these stories and laughter I just needed a cupcake, the craving was getting to me and I couldn’t ignore it! I excused myself and quickly locked myself in the bathroom. I let myself think of it, Abigail’s lovely cupcakes. Vanilla of course with delicate and delectable frosting. I bit into it, it tasted heavenly.

I let myself be comforted by the delicious taste in my mouth and I let it soothe the feeling that I didn’t belong here. As soon as I finished I wiped off all trace of cupcakes, I hadn’t seen any sweets here, not even an apple pie nor a mention of it! Perhaps I included I shouldn’t bring any new topics up. Francesca was like a ticking time bomb, in order to stop it you had to disarm it just right.

I opened the door and went back to the kitchen to see the plates cleaned up.  Sarah was washing the dishes and Francesca was just sitting there staring at the floor seemingly in deep thought.

“I s’pose your sis will be sleepin’ wit us?” Francesca said lifting up her head turning it to Sarah.

“Absolutely.” Sarah said without turning her head, yet I still felt slightly cautious about her since I had done nothing to deserve her trust. I still wondered if I could trust her, though I desperately wanted to, she seemed kind enough, being the only human to know of my little…quirk and not having had their memory of it erased. I wanted someone to know me, the real me and still treat me like a normal person and till now, I could see that’s what she was trying to do. My thoughts parted like clouds as I heard Francesca speak again.

“Well den, I guess you’ll be sleepin’ wit me.” At this the water stopped and Sarah tilted her head downwards staring out the window for a while before turning her head to Francesca.

“Francie…Don’t.” Sarah said with a look of concern in her face.

“What? There be no space here,you claim da couch only thing lefts the barn. She can sleep in mah bed.”

Sarah looked at her and I looked at Sarah unnoticed, I got a little closer to them so they could see the confused look in my face.

“She sleeps in a hammock in the barn and its dirty there and it smells horrible.” Sarah explained.

“Why not sleep in a bed?” I asked

“Too expensive.” Francesca explained. ”So we aint got any.”

“I sleep with a blanket on the couch.” Sarah commented pointing to it.

I looked at the couch and the first word that came into my head was ‘hazard’. Honestly I didn’t see how Sarah was afraid of a little dirt but wasn’t afraid of sleeping in a broken couch with a broken spring that could slice her in her sleep. I really wouldn’t mind the smell or dirt in the barn it would remind me of the old days when I had a snout and a tail but I was concerned for my ‘big sis’ I refused to let her sleep a day more in that death trap.

“Has that spring ever cut you?” I asked and Sarah looked downwards.

“Why don’t we all sleep in the barn tonight?” I suggested.

Sarah jumped up at the idea

“We’ve got da space.” Francie added.

Sarah shook her head violently. “Nuh uh uh, I could get so sick! We could all get sick with the amount of germs down there! Only reason I let Francesca sleep there is cause she refuses to sleep any where else.”

“Says the chick who sleeps on a broken down freak of nature couch.” Francesca snapped.

Sarah whipped her head towards her about to defend herself but I wasn’t about to let them get in a fight.

“Okay” I said nonchalantly getting in between them. “How about we all take a night to sleep under the stars?... like camping, not in the barn and not in the couch.” They both looked at me.

We laid a few blankets and we got a few pillows and soon we were cozied up with a green blanket below us and a big blue quilt on us. It was a little chilly out but not too cold so it felt quite nice. In silence we stared at the stars and smiled at each other. It was a moment of peace with us, the illuminating stars and the calming sounds of nature.

“Good night guys” I said and I don’t know if they responded, because my mind was now under the peace of a good night’s rest.

 

 

15: chapter 15

I heard a whisper.

"Help me.."

The voice was extremely familiar but I couldn't place my name on it. I knew It was the same feeling I felt when my brother arrived, I knew he was important to me but I couldn't tell who he was. Yes I was still asleep, I was conscious of it and this was too real to be a dream. Somebody was actually calling for help. I saw it again the red Help me that was on Francesca's arm just before all this.

"Who are you?" I said. I'm not sure if I said it out loud, or wherever I was. There was no air, but there was no air where I had lived as a piglet either so I was used to it. The atmosphere was so familiar… was I back? But I was asleep how could I be?

"Where am I?" I smelled it, and that's when I knew where I was. Somebody was trying to communicate with me from my old home. The stench of burnt flesh and sweets was too powerful. I looked around everything was complete darkness. This wasn't Grizelda but the person was at her house.

Just then something moved yet I couldn't see it, something kept me from seeing, I tried harder. I imagined up a torch to light the place a little.

I heard a growl behind me and I turned. Nothing was there, nothing that I could see.

"How many of you are there?" I said surprised at the only response.

"Only me." I saw it, only for a second before I awoke. The figure, I wasn't sure what it was but it wasn't good. Its face was hidden by a cloth, a transparent one made of silk that was usually only used by royalty, It could see me but I couldn't see it. It's hands were made of stone, yet cracked with the pain of living in such a fight. A fight between.. I couldn't remember The image blurred and blurred the more I thought of it. The more I tried to make sense and figure out how I could help the image just faded away from me. Pretty soon I forgot all about it.

I sat up, the sun beating of my face. I tore off the blankets, it was too hot. I smelled something cooking, someone must be making breakfast. I stood up and realized I was the last one that had awoken. I also realized how much I stank, I was drowned in sweat and I was still wearing the clothes I was wearing at the bakery! At that moment if I wanted anything more than a glass of water, I wanted a shower. I walked in the house.

"Good morning sis!" I heard Sarah yell out.

"Morning!" I replied back.

"About time you woke up misses we've got a lotta work to do today." Said Francesca walking by my side.

"Work? Could there any more work after all the work you did yesterday?" I said astonished that she was still thinking of working.

"There's always work to be done." She said looking back at me with aggravation.

I silenced and sat at the table with her as Sarah set the cups of water.

Francesca stood up to help Sarah before getting an intense stare from both of us and sitting back down. Her doing all the work was getting extremely annoying honestly it made me feel completely useless. Yet hardworking wasn't exactly a bad habit.

I took my cup of water right away and was surprised to have drunk the whole thing as quick as I had lifted it up to my mouth. Sarah gave me my plate of scrambled eggs, and an apple. I spent no time eating, for some reason I was really hungry.

Sarah sat up to her own plate after setting a glass of milk in front of Francesca and sitting down. Francesca drank the milk happily with her legs moving back and forth under the table like a child.

"So what shall we do today?" Sarah said smiling.

I looked up towards her swallowing what I had in my mouth.

"I need to take a shower today"

She looked at me wide eyed. "Yes, Yes that must be done."

"Y'all are just a bunch of sissies, a little dirt and sweat never hurt anyone, sides we ain't got a shower." Francesca said before taking another bite from her apple.

"You know the place more than anyone, is there a like a lake or something, cause the sweat's disgusting." I said causing Sarah to nod in agreement.

"yeah, there be a lake somewhere south" Francesca said waving off her hand as if to dismiss the fact that she would take us. "but I still gotta feed the animals"

"Why can't we do it together? You know so we have more time later to watch a movie or something."

I said, I wasn't sure how long it was going to take to make Francesca realize what she was but we might as well get to know each other in the meantime.

"Yeah!" Sarah said excitingly. "I haven't watched a movie in ages!"

"What are you guys talking about?" Francesca said utterly confused.

"A movie, you know you sit and watch an adventure." Sarah attempted to explain.

"They're fun! They can make you laugh and sometimes they can make you cry and sometimes you learn out of them!" I added just noticed that there were barely any electronics used for amusement in the house.

"Fun?..Fun… how can sitting on a chair staring at.. what are you watching it on?"

"A television set of course!... which we don't have…" Sarah said confusing Fran even more and eventually giving up the idea, but I wasn't giving up just yet.

"It's a magic box! With another world in it! Right sis!" I said turning my head to Sarah.

"Well... I guess yeah." Sarah said nodding.

Francesca smiled "I'd love to but like Sarah pointed out we don't have a television set and it would take quite a while to feed mah babes."

I smiled back. "Lucky then that little sis brought one hmmm? Its real little just enough to bring with me to visit my sis, but we can all see it. So, lets hurry it up, eat, refresh ourselves and feed Francesca's babies so we can watch ourselves a movie."

We sped up and had our breakfast in no time. I washed the dishes while Sarah and Francie went and grabbed towels and a change of clothing. I wasn't the least bit surprised that conveniently there was a closet in the house with clothing that fit the both of them. Not for me though, I wasn't originally supposed to be here so I had to get some from my "suitcase that Sarah already had for me." The same "suitcase" where the TV set was in.

After getting prepared we started walking out.

The journey to the water hole was quite lovely, and adventurous.

Beautiful trees with autumn colors, leaving colorful shadows on the floor as the sunlight streamed through them. A few butterflies made their ways and the songs of the birds were so rhythmic. We did spy a deer making its way into the woods. It stared at us and we stared at it right back, It was obviously a boy so I kept calling it Bambi. However Francesca did not seem to get the reference.

I began to hear the rushing of a river and the thunder of the falls. I had never seemed so grateful for a shower! Although I did regret not bringing a picnic, or a nice book to read under the shade of the trees.

I made my way past the trees to get my first look at the river, or what Fran had described as a "Watering hole". The water shone under the reflection of the sun, it was completely natural but It didn't seem dirty.

No pollution, why would anyone want pollution in their own universe? The scent of oaks and pines filled the air and I began to strip off my clothing in the beating heat. I had brought with me a long white t-shirt, size? Medium but when I wore it, the shirt went past my knees, with that I kept my underwear and my bra before dipping my feet in the water. The water was cool, refreshing I couldn't help rushing in. However at the bottom was nothing but rocks, very slippery and dangerous if you make a wrong move and that's exactly what I did.

Just as I was about to fall I felt someone hold my arm. I turned, It was Sarah.

"Sis, you better be careful, one wrong move and you could bash your head with one of these rocks." She said clearly worried.

Her blue hair was held back in a ponytail, and she wore a one piece bathing suit. It was very simple, simply black red and blue, gothic yet modest, not showing anything that shouldn't be shown. I would've imagined myself a one piece if I wasn't so self-conscious.

"Here, we'll go together." She said smiling at me and taking my hand.

"Are you scared?" I said looking up at her as we walked in.

"No, I'm just your big worried sister is all." She said. I looked around Francesca was nowhere to be seen. Where was she?

"You do realize Francesca's gone? You- You don't have to-"

I said, I wasn't trying to refuse her kindness, really I wasn't! I was just too used to being called the dunce or any other insulting name. Making friends? Being called sister? It was so foreign to me. I couldn't help wondering if she actually treated me like a sister because she trusted me or just because she wanted to mock me.

It could all be a big plan to let me down at the end. What then? I usually never let myself get attached to someone because I never saw how one could love me. Or I had a fear that after promises and long friendships the relationship would end harshly. The more I became attached to a person the more it would hurt at the end. That was my thesis, that's why I didn't have any friends because I pushed them all away. I wouldn't let anyone else love me, as Grizelda once said.

"Love is weakness"

"But Crystal, don't you understand? You truly are like a sister to me." Sarah said kneeling down and stroking my face.

"My beautiful little sister." She said smiling.

I was speechless, she stood back up and we walked together, going deeper into the river. The current felt like a massage as it hit against the direction I was going. By now the cool water was at my waist. I slowly let go at Sarah's hand.

"I'm just going to swim for a bit." I said trying not to concern her.

"Alright… but be careful!" She said

Just then as if to interrupt or conversation was a yell.

"Watch out below!" Francesca yelled as she jumped off a cliff splashing into the deep waters a few feet away. However distance didn't matter, The splash radius was so big that all of us got soaked.

"Francesca!" Sarah yelled frightened more than anything. However soon red hair rose up to the surface followed by a freckled face. Francesca brushed the hair out of the front of her face so that she could see.

Sarah and I swam up to her.

"Francesca Jewell!" Sarah said upsettingly. "You could have killed yourself!"

I treaded water silently… "I thought that looked kind of fun." I said setting my voice down to a whisper.

"That it may be, but it's completely hazardous!" Sarah said trying to defend her statement.

Francesca simply lowered her head and began to float with the current, relaxing, yeah but also completely dangerous. Her ears were under water so she couldn't hear.

"Francesca!" Sarah yelled, and for a final attempt to reach her attention she splashed causing water to splash over Francesca's face.

She rose up to the surface tiptoeing on the rocks gasping from air.

"Ma! Did you just splash me!?" Francesca said in disbelief.

"Yes dear because it-" Suddenly she stopped at midsentence, she had just been splashed by the very one she was lecturing. Upset she splashed Francesca with a bigger splash this time. They began splashing like two children until I intervened.

"Guys! Guys! You're acting like little kids!" They looked at each other and ant the same time gave me a quick splash.

I gasped in shock. "It is so on!" I yelled sending my hands in contact with the water.

We were there laughing and splashing for quite a while, Francesca even took us to the falls where we went under. The water pressure gave me a headache, and the water was freezing! I got out right after and began to dry up while Francesca and Sarah stayed there for a while.

I changed behind a tree into a magenta shirt with a heart and flower design, and jeans that reached to my knees and some sneakers. As Francesca and Sarah splashed in the water I began to venture out in the woods. I listened to the wonderful sounds of the birds and nature and sat underneath the protecting shade of a tree. I stared at the clouds, it was so peaceful here.

I let my mind slip into nature's lullaby, the water moving and hitting the rocks, the birds' songs, the joyous laughter from the now far "water hole". I closed my eyes for a while.

"Crystal!"

"Siiiiiis!"

I heard people call out and with that I awoke. I was seconds close to falling asleep.

"I'm over here!" I called out standing up and running back to them.

"Where'd ya go?" Francesca said looking behind me.

"Oh I just went for a nice little walk" I said smiling.

"Alright, so are we ready to go back?" Sarah said smiling back.

"Yup!" Francesca said happily as I nodded in response.

With that we began to walk back.

The journey back seemed shorter, however that didn't stop me from enjoying it. As we got back home we split the chores.

I agreed to feed the pigs of course.

Sarah and Francesca fed the chickens and horses as the rest of the animals ate grass, naturally.

As I approached the pigs I took my sneakers off. The ground was incredibly muddy. The pigs looked at me and tilted their heads.

"Cute." I said to myself. I placed the food on their troughs but they didn't eat, they just looked at me. I placed the bag of food back in the shelf in the corner and I turned back they were still staring.

I didn't remember much of how they communicate but I snorted sat down. My pants were getting all muddy but I didn't care, I saw a hose nearby on the way here so I was good.

They looked at me once again and I snorted again.

One of the pigs snorted in response

I oinked surprised that I could actually remember how to communicate with these pigs instead of just imitating their noises. With that the pig came rushing towards to me. I opened my arms as it made its way. It was quite a lovely moment. Before I knew it I was being surrounded by pigs and piglets.

We spoke for a while and my animal sense began to become less hidden. Pretty soon as you could assume we were all a mess. Muddy and my hair was tangled and messy.

"Crystal! You done yet?!" I heard Sarah yell from afar.

It took me a minute to realize I was the one she was calling.

"Squeeeeeaaaaalll!" I said causing the pigs to run wildly in different directions away from me.

I stood up and jumped out the fence running to the hose. I turned it on as I aimed it to my face rubbing roughly and quickly.

"Sis?" I turned around to face Sarah.

"Oh my goodness! What happened? Did you fall in?" Sarah said referring to why I looked like such a..well pig.

"Oink!" I coughed suddenly to clear my throat she looked at me confused.

"Yeah something like that." I said trying to cover up what I actually did.

Sarah sighed "Here I'll hose you down." She grabbed the hose and sprayed me. The mud coming off slightly but still leaving me quite dirty.

"That there hose aint gonna do it." I turned around to see Francesca.

"We're going to have to make our way back to the water hole again aren't we?" I said.

"Yup." Francesca said confirming my thoughts.

Nobody really minded anyways, how could anyone mind? The journey there was so peaceful.

When we got in the water, everybody struggled to get the mud off of me but I just relaxed feeling as if I was being pampered.

Of course after the mud did come off, We had some more fun. I even jumped off of a ledge, obviously smaller than the one Francesca jumped off of because I didn't want to worry Sarah and I was a little scared. However the thrill was worth it. Francesca and I kept trying to get Sarah to jump but she was too scared. It was too dangerous she said.

"So ma, what we gonna have for lunch?" Francesca asked as the house became visible.

"Um I haven't cooked yet dearie." Sarah responded.

"What happened to all of the delicious stew from yesterday?" I asked.

Sarah blushed. "We ate it all sis, I only made enough for one meal. Although we could have sandwiches." She suggested.

Francesca smiled. "Aight!"

I nodded however I wasn't really into sandwiches that much. I mean I've been incredibly picky since I was little as a result I had never had lettuce, or tomatoes or most of the things one would put in a sandwich.

"Is that okay sis?" Sarah said looking my way.

"Uh yeah… I just don't know what to put in my sandwich.." I said truthfully.

Sarah tilted her head. "sis, it's a sandwich you can put anything on it."

"Yeah." Francesca said bending down and picking up a worm from the ground and plopping it on my hands. "You can start with this."

My face changed in disgust, not because I was holding the animal but because I wasn't sure if people actually ate worms. Since I was pretty sheltered around foods.

"Francesca!" Sarah said whacking her upside the head with her hand, while Francesca laughed wildly.

"You said anything!" She said when she had begun to calm down.

I stared at the poor worm. "Do I have to?" I asked.

"No! No! No!" They both repeated with faces so frightened that I'd actually do it that I had to laugh. I placed the worm back where it had been picked up and continued to the house.

"How about ham and butter?" I asked referring to the only actual type of sandwich I had eaten before.

"That's it?!" Francesca asked in disbelief.

"Now Francie, I don't see why my little sister can't have ham and butter, If she wants ham and butter she shall have ham and butter." Sarah said smiling at me right after.

True to her word when we arrived to the house the first thing she did was spread some butter on some bread add a few slices of ham between the pieces of bread and gave the newly formed sandwich to me.

"Thank you Sarah." I said looking up to her.

"You're welcome little sis." She said ruffling my still wet hair.

"Should I go get the movies?" I asked already walking away.

"Oh yes dear!" Sarah responded.

I went into Sarah's closet and pulled out a pink, black and teal striped suitcase that hadn't been there earlier. Stuffing the sandwich in my mouth, I held it between my teeth as I opened the suitcase and pulled the device.

A small thing, the screen was no bigger than the one of a tablet, attached to its border was a space to insert the movie as long as it was in a CD format of course.

I placed it on the ground carefully as I took a big bite out of my sandwich. Then joining the "magic box" came my four favorite movies. I took the handle of the suitcase and put it back in the closet.

When I had closed and locked the closet I brought the device, choice of movies and my sandwich to the kitchen table.

"Is that the magic box!?" yelled Francesca as she arrived from putting the clothes to dry.

"Yup!" I said as I smiled proudly taking another bite of my sandwich. Sarah turned to see the "magic box".

"Rather small isn't it, but I guess that works just as well as a flat screen." She said moving her eyes to the movie choices I had brought with me.

Francesca picked up the magic box and turned it around in her hands.

"What makes it magic? All I see is a piece a junk" She said concluding her thoughts of the movie player.

"Well you have to pick a movie first!" I said pointing to the four choices. Sarah grabbed the four of them and laughed at the first choice.

"Crystal you really are a child." She said showing Francesca the first choice.

"Hey! There's nothing wrong with being a child!" I said defensively.

"I never said there was." She said.

"hansel and gretel…" she said reading the label on the movie box. "What's dat all about?" She asked.

My mouth hung open.

"I think what she means to ask is, what is the plot of the movie?"

"I know what she meant Sarah, but… but does she not know the tale of Hansel and Gretel?!"

"I barely even remember, that's the story about the two kids and the gingerbread house right?"

"YES!" I said shocked at way people underrated the story.

"What tale would you gals be speaking of?" Francesca asked.

That's when I freaked out.

"Hansel and Gretel! Do not tell me you guys do not know the tale of Hansel and Gretel!" I said overreacting.

"Hey, I said the two kids and the gingerbread house!" Sarah exclaimed.

"Nope! Nope! This is unacceptable." I took the movie and slammed it on the table mostly because I was a drama queen but I made sure not to break it. "That movie will not do, it has too many inaccuracies in it! I shall tell you the story!"

"But wait… what about the movie?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah! I wanna see da magic box!" Francesca added.

I pouted, "We have so much time to watch movies but I suppose if you want to watch the movie first I could tell you the story over dinner."

"That sounds great." Sarah said.

"So what's the next pick?" Francesca asked.

"Uhhh Annie." She said showing Francesca. "Hey, sis isn't that a musical?"

"Yup! All the music!" I responded.

"What's with that girl's hairdo?" Francesca asked looking at the young girl's afro. "It looks like she's wearing a nest."

"Nothing, it's just her hair. The movie is about this orphan that gets adopted by this super rich guy and it has a lot of fun music." I explained.

"Meh." Sarah said putting the movie on the table and showing the next one.

"The adventures of Tom Sawyer." Francesca read.

"Oooh! I've read the book. It's such a classic, it looks so old though." Sarah said.

"It is! The movie was made in 1903 but I have this version in color." I said smiling brightly. Francesca seemed clueless.

"It has romance, adventure and I think there are some funny parts." I said trying to get Francesca's attention.

"Romance? Sign me up!" Francesca exclaimed.

"Sarah?" I asked.

"Sure!" She responded and with that I clicked the button to open the compartment in the back and I placed the CD in closing it afterwards.

We snuggled to together sitting on the couch under a blanket, a blue bowl of popcorn on Sarah's lap and the movie player set on a chair we had brought from the kitchen.

These aren't very professional terms but when the movie started Francesca flipped out.

She screamed, "There are people stuck inside the magic box!" She got up and I held her hand.

"Francesca they aren't trapped.. we're just .. where they are." I said.

"That's what makes it magic." Sarah added as she paused the movie.

"AAAAHHH ! DEY, DEY STOPPED!" Francesca began to breathe heavily. "Magic! Magic! Witchcraft! You froze, You froze the people!"

I stood up and put my hands on Francesca's shoulders. "No really it's just …just snippets of the past that we now control with this other magic box. It's called a remote." I tried to explain.

"Have you heard of a video?" Sarah asked.

Francesca just shook her head in fear.

"Okay how about a camera? Animation?"

Francesca shook her head even faster.

"Your words taunt me! You froze them! You froze them in a box with ice! Invisible ice!" She began to hyperventilate and Sarah stood up in panic.

"Francesca!" She yelled.

"So cold..So alone.." Francesca whispered after heavy quick breaths.

I sat her down on the sofa, "Francesca…Francesca!" I pointed at the movie player. "Get rid of it!"

Sarah just stared for a minute as Francesca began to cry. "Where do I put it?!" She whisper yelled.

"I don't know! Just get rid of it!" I whisper shouted back. She grabbed it and ran out.

"So..So cold." Francesca repeated swinging her whole body back and forth .

I went and wrapped her in a blanket not understanding at the moment that she was going through a flashback. She was remembering a little snippet of her life, of her frozen in ice.

"Ruby?" I whispered. She stopped, she just sat there staring at the emptiness. I moved my hand in front of her but she didn't seem to see. We sat for a while.

Just then the ground started shaking, an earthquake.

She began to hyperventilate once more and I sat there with her, my hands wrapping her like a mother wraps her child to shield her from the snow.

Pans fell, plates shattered, strange noises heard and then a silence.

It was over.

"Francesca?" I asked hoping to get a response.

"Hmmm?"

"You alright?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

I looked around the pans were back on the rack. The plates were back in the cupboards.

"Francesca what just happened?" I asked.

"I'm afraid I have to ask the same, you see my mother knows this, sometimes I get these little moments. It's like I forget the past couple minutes." She explained however I was pretty sure there had just been an earthquake.

Suddenly Sarah rushed in breathing heavily.

"Are you guys.." She took a moment to breathe. "Are you guys alright?"

"We're fine just Francesca has a little.."

"I seem to have forgotten the past moment."

Sarah relaxed a little. "You just need a little of tea is all."

Sarah grabbed by arm and took me with her to the kitchen. Before I could ask for information she put her finger to my lips. She looked in my eyes with a serious look.

"Whenever there is a tremor, she forgets all about it and what happened before. Its best and it could be life saving if you just don't mention anything about the movie, or anything when theres a tremor don't say anything. Just hope you get through it because if you mention anything they'll just come back and worse." Sarah explained.

I now understood, she really did not want to remember. This was going to be a problem and about the tremor, what caused it? Questions flowed through my head like a flowing stream.

"Do you understand?" She said.

I nodded "so what do we say?" I asked

"Nothing just forget the past, literally just talk of the present. That story you were going to tell us." She said boiling some water in a kettle. "Tell it over tea, it should be a little relaxing."

I shook my head yes as she put mint leaves and herbs in the tea.

I went back and sat on the couch with Francesca. We sat there in silence, she sat up and started cleaning the living room, even though it was already quite clean. She just couldn't keep still, she had to be busy doing something to prove her worth. I simply stretched my body in the couch and laid there. I was so close to falling asleep when a strong smell hit me. The tea was strong yet it smelled deliciously homemade.

"Tea is ready!" Sarah announced as she set the plates and cups on the kitchen table. Francesca ran to the kitchen and sat in her chair eagerly however I had partially become a grump because I had been awaken by my slumber. I sat down and put the tea cup to my lips.

"So Crystal, you were going to tell us about the story of Hansel and Gretel?" Sarah reminded me.

Suddenly I perked up. "Yush!" I said much louder and excited than I meant to. "I mean… Yes the tale of Hansel and Gretel."

"Ooooh a story." Francesca exclaimed. "Is there romance?"

"Uh.. no." I said.

"Tch, what kind of story doesn't have love?"

"Uhhh…there's brother and sister love."

"Hmm, alright I'll settle for that."

So what that I told them the story of Hansel and Gretel just as I was told. I told them that how contrary to popular belief Hansel and Gretel weren't exactly brother and sister. I made exaggerated movements with my hands to illustrate it all, sometimes jumping on the top of the table in excitement before Sarah kindly reminded to get off. I told them about the ball. I told them of Violet the wolf and they were astounded.

"But.. But.. that's magic!" Francesca said starting to shake at the thought of the gingerbread house.

"No, No! Its just a tale." I lied, although Sarah seemed to see the twinkle in my eye of when I talked about them.

"So what do you think became of them?" Sarah asked. "If they were real of course."

"Hmmm Well… I suppose Hansel would have become a wood cutter as is his father." I said trying not to trigger Francesca even thought she had never met Hansel and Gretel.

"What about Gretel?" Sarah asked.

"Um..well perhaps my thoughts of what she would have become would be for another time as it is getting dark." I said pointing out the window.

"Oh yes." Sarah said as Francesca yawned in response.

I had really outdone myself telling the story, I had taken quite a while.

"I wanna go to sleep, but I'm a little hungry." Francesca moaned.

"Well, luckily Sarah and I made a little treat a yesterday, they should still be in the fridge yeah?" I asked.

"Whaa?" Sarah said completely lost.

"You know the treats!" I said hinting at a trick I had up my sleeve because of a certain massively strong cupcake urge I had.

"Oh those treats!"

"Yes!"

"Uh.. Francesca dear stay here me and my sis will go get the surprise."

Francesca smiled and laid her head on the table. I took my now empty cup of tea and Sarah grabbed Francesca's and her own.

We carefully dropped the porcelain tea cups in the sink. I looked back to make sure Francesca couldn't see as Sarah stared in awe.

I imagined three cupcakes, a vanilla cupcake with teal frosting on top of a dish of course with the other two, A red velvet masterpiece, with a chocolate covered strawberry on top, and a chocolate cupcake with purple frosting on top.

So they became, identical to those I had seen in Abigail's shop.

Sarah took a breath in awe. "Oh goodness."

"Aren't they beautiful?" I said smiling like a doofus at my own creation.

"Yes." She said dipping her finger in the purple frosting. "but…what if it makes a tremble?"

"I guess we'll find out." I said grabbing the dish of three cupcakes, I headed to the kitchen but Sarah's voice made me stop.

"Crystal…"

I turned so she could see me.

"Trust me, everything will be fine." I said even though I wasn't sure if it would be.

She nodded and walked with me. "Be careful." She whispered in my ear.

"What's that?" Francesca said pointing to the cupcakes as they came into her field of vision.

"You- you don't know what a cupcake is?" Sarah asked.

She shook her head. Even after all this I still couldn't believe it, I mean she had completely forgotten of the dreaded gingerbread house where she was born. This was either going to help or make things much worse.

She started shaking.

"Oh Francesca, its fine we just wanted to congratulate you for all your hard work around the farm. We really appreciate it." I said taking the lead.

Sarah smiled and Francesca smiled gently in response.

I sat down and took a bite of mine.

She whimpered, she was obviously uncomfortable.

Sarah looked at me worryingly, doubting my plan as she took her cupcake and bit into it. It was much better than she had guessed. You could see the look of joy as she chewed on her face.

"Have a bite Francesca, the red velvet one is yours." I said smiling.

"Heh." She said and took hers gently her hands still shaking. She looked at it for a while, the sweet scent remembering her of a home, The color reminding her of jewels. Yet frail and young were all these memories.

She bit into it and stopped shaking, her face went blank completely blank.

I had thought I had done it, I thought it was over, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Francesca bit stayed there in silence for a few minutes and me and Sarah exchanged glances of worry.

A tear flowed down Francesca's cheek and Sarah bit her lip.

"Francesca?" I said a little concerned.

"Ruby." She whispered.

"What?" I said hoping I heard right. Sarah looked at me with a confused look in her face as if she knew I knew exactly what was going on.

"My name is Ruby, Red Ruby I was imagined up in a gingerbread house and I am your brother's guardian." Francesca said in perfect English.

Tears formed at the edges of my eyes, she remembered. I threw myself on her and my arms held her tightly, it took a while but she slowly hugged me.

Sarah was just standing there, with a blank expression but that changed suddenly into a fearful expression as the ground began to shake once again.

I released Francesca ran deeper into the house. The house was trembling and things were starting to fall. We ran after her as she locked herself in the bathroom. We could hear her sobs from the other side of the door.

"Ruby!" I yelled as I pounded my fists against the door. I heard her at the other side seemingly freaking out.

"Sis!" Sarah yelled looking at the floor. It was cracking beneath our feet. I had to get this door out of the way! I remembered the trick I had pulled at the bakery. I began blowing ice on the door freezing it up. The temperature began to change and Sarah began to shiver watching me, still not used to all this.

I blew, and blew with all my might and pretty soon we were standing on a layer of ice, with snow falling all around the room. The door began to crack, the wood having turned to ice. I ran back and threw myself against it and it shattered.

Outside the door was a mess frames were falling, and it seemed that the house had become tilted and that was just from the bathroom. I was frightened , I had to grab them both and get out of here immediately but Francesca was curled up in a ball. Her hair was a mess and she was beginning to grow her cat ears back and her tail. Her wings were slowly poking out of her shirt and her arms and legs were beginning to look like porcelain, cracked porcelain. I imagined up her usual black and white gloves and panty hose and I gave it to her.

"We don't have time for this!" Sarah reminded me. The floor cracked across me and Ruby and began to shift up as if this whole world she had created wanted to keep me from her and I was not going to let that happen!

"Jump!"I shouted as I grabbed Sarah and jumped on top of Ruby, just on cue she turned into her lion self with wings. She jumped up with us on top and began to fly. Sarah began to scream and I held her tight with one hand the other holding onto Ruby's collar. I stared at her wings, I had always wondered what this form looked like and with that I realized she was part griffin. I awoke from my little trance of staring at her mesmerizing wings to see we were in the kitchen. As the house started shifting and cracking, The refrigerator (that had by now been shifted far above our heads) got pulled out and began to fall towards us. This is where I needed to take control.

With much fear I looked at the fridge and imagined it being turned to something small, something that would only make Ruby remember more. Thus as it fell on top of us, it began to shrink and turn red, I had turned it into that accursed red lolly. I shoved it in Ruby's field of vision and she began to fly faster, fueled by the memories of her true past. She roared and we flew.

Quickly we moved past falling objects, and wreckage. I was holding Sarah tight, she didn't know what to make of it but she was crying. As we exited the house I could see ground was a long way down. Ruby flew down so quickly her wings began to set on fire she didn't mind of course, Shocked I held Sarah tighter and buried my head in Ruby's fur. I was warmed up enough by the fire and I wanted no one to get hurt.

As I looked above us I could see exactly what had happened, Francesca was living on top of the beast, quite literally because what had emerged from the ground and had caused all these tremors wasn't the earth, it was the beast, it was the Real not disguised Ruby, And let me tell you, it was fierce and terrifying.

16: The Beast and the Teal

I looked before me, staring at the creature then at Ruby whose head was held in shame.

It was huge! and I'm not saying that because I was short but because the creature was far bigger than the house! I could barely see its face that reached the clouds.

From What I could see, Its hair was a sea of red, reaching to the beginning of its tentacles. Instead of being almond shaped, its eyes had natural up tilts at the ends of them, with a gradient of a light red eyes but no pupil. The creature seemed to be blind. Its ears were like those of a black cat's however inside instead of fur were a few feathers. It had no nose simply nostrils and it had no lips, simply an open downturned zig zag for a mouth. It had no teeth and I could see a long tongue with pointed ends underneath. Its freckles, each individual freckle became like whiskers with a heart shaped red ruby at the ends of each of them. Her entire face and body in fact was a glossy and black and white striped presumably porcelain by the many cracks in it. To my shock the beast wore nothing, literally nothing.

Where its heart was supposed to be was a hole, I could see a bone structure underneath that was red and white and looked just as made of candy canes… in fact I could smell it faintly in the distance. The bone structure was cracked and I could see no heart beating, some blood (or what I later discovered to be strawberry jam) was dripping from the bone structure and to my disgust a few spiders had made their home where the heart was supposed to be I could tell by the long webs draping the hole like clothing. Next to the hole were two breasts fairly sized for the beast and instead of nipples at the end were two hearts that seemed to be made of flower petals.

I set my gaze lower, I hated when people stared at my chest and not my face and I felt that even in this form Ruby should deserve even some amount of respect. The creature had six arms all striped but no fingers simply nubs, and what seemed to be like an exoskeleton came out, candy cane claws to be five long jagged pointed candy cane daggers which seemed like the only weapon on the beast. The beast had a fair amount of chub on it, where its pudgy abdomen was supposed to be was a mouth, Identical as the first except it had sharp teeth that seemed to be made of candy corn, the long tongue drooped out in the side rather than staying in. Its body rose up and down as if breaths were being taken, which led me to believe that there was some sort of organ system inside, and although admittedly I was curious I did not plan on ever finding out. (which thinking back I never really did.) Under that was a tad more abdomen, and under those were red tentacles, I tried counting and there were more than eight or ten, so we weren't talking of an octopus or anything, we were talking about something strange and unseen, a monster. On one side they were red and on the other side with the sticky little suckers it was black and white but no porcelain this was genuine slimy flesh. Two of them seemed to work as hind legs as they were somewhat in a similar position. Luckily the tentacles hid the parts of the beast, I did not need to know what was under there but what I did wonder however was if the beast was truly female. I mean it looked female enough but deep down I felt more as if the beast had actually no gender at all and just prefer to be addressed as a she.

The tail, there was no hiding that thing, It was huge! Not that that was bad but just shocking. A black furry tail and at the end of it you'd expect it to end, but there were leaves! And a red black and white flower was sprouting at the end. It was closed tight and from the outside I could see the petals were pointed and large like those of a poinsettia. Its wings were a true sight, wings like an eagle bigger than the beast itself! Black beautiful wings with a single stripe of gold glitter feathers near the bottom.

However the uniqueness of the beast only fueled my fear, If there's anything everyone fears the same, It would be the unknown and that was exactly what I was afraid of.

I was clueless I had no clue what to do but it did. It crouched over me and with six huge thumps all of its arms reached the ground. It looked down at me and let a massive amount of warm air out of its nostrils like a bull and I wondered not meaning any disrespect to the beast but really… what the heck was it?

It lowered its head really close to me, only a little less than a foot away, it smelled me. I just stood there hoping that I wouldn't release a certain liquid right there at the spot. I wasn't sure what to make of it, if only I had known that was what the beast despised. Somehow and to this day I have no clue how but what matters is that I did. I sensed the telepathic field as the beast read my thoughts towards it. Fear overtook my emotions, fear to the unknown and that's what made it angry.

It moved its head across me to Sarah, who still was clueless however this didn't stop her fear; literally she reeked of it I mean I turned my head towards her. The first thing I did was imagine up her pants were clean, which they then dried up. I wasn't shocked that she did, I would've too if I was normal human, but then again I wasn't I? Then she did it, started a bomb, She started running.

The beast's mouth (both of them) turned into a frown, and I could see its red eyebrows point downward in frustration. It lifted its body back up and its head turned towards the sky it screamed. Its voice sounded like a wounded animal's, a deep shriek but regardless what it sounded like it meant the fight was on.

The atmosphere was chilly, and the wind started picking up. Similar to the one I had heard that had occurred with the sisters' visit to Caroline. I watched in horror as the beast lifted up its fist. I couldn't let this happen! The fist shot downwards as I thought directed at Sarah. As on cue my wings shot out of my back ripping holes in my shirt. I flew quick and with a quick glance I looked back at Ruby who was sobbing.

I felt the impact on my head, as I kicked Sarah out of the way. I was almost pinched against the fist and the dirt but I got out just in time. Sarah looked at me and then the beast, breathing heavily she sat down and just stared.

The beast moved its head towards me, Its anger diverting from Sarah to me. Another angry puff of breath came from its nostrils. I looked in its eyes and in them I saw Ruby being held hostage, Perhaps not truly but her confidence. How could one be confident if one is feared by everyone? She felt herself to be a monster and that's what she became. That's when I decided I wouldn't hurt it, I couldn't! That was her, my creation, my baby! Being a mother figure I would've scolded her or slap her straight across that jagged line of hers, But being this small compared to that giant beast? I was still terrified. Two nubs with canes came my way and off guard I was hit, its pointed canes against my wings pinning me to the ground. My delicate wings now crooked and smashed I was helpless. I tried to move but the more I tried to become free the more the beast dug in. I cried It couldn't end like this! I had to save her, I had to save Ruby! My brother! Sarah! Gosh those doctors back at the place where they had taken me wouldn't even be able to control this!

I felt a pressure behind my eyes at hot tears slid down my face. I understood it was fueled by fear but how could I not be terrified when the beast had me pinned to the ground and was staring at me! It sniffed me and another gust of wind came out from its nostrils.

'Please don't do this' I thought. I didn't know what it would do but I was in enough pain already! I turned my head to Sarah she was gone.

'Just Great' I thought thinking that my final thoughts would be to curse humanity and its fears of the unknown but that's when I felt her hold my hand. Even though she was frozen in fear, Humanity had something stronger that truly must've been given by God, Love.

She was breathing heavily and I stared at her.

"I love you sis." She whispered in my ear crying.

The beast looked at us, its hatred growing stronger. It hated itself, it hated its very existence then how did we expect it to have anything other than hatred for us? No one loved it, Its own mother was terrified of it. I imagined were the thoughts going through its head.

Then that's when I knew how to end this. I closed my eyes and in the background I heard Sarah yelling at me to open them, perhaps she had thought I was dying.

I thought back had I even uttered those words to Ruby at any time ever? I mean yeah I had told her she was like my daughter but I never did tell her did I?

I couldn't explain it, truly it was a phenomenon, that was when I understood she wasn't created by imagination she was created by the love for my brother. My powers weren't something to boast of they were just the product of love. The beast wasn't something to be afraid of it was just the product of not knowing you are loved.

With this understanding I forgot about the situation. I didn't care anymore, I just didn't want Ruby to hate herself any longer. I needed to tell her that I loved her, but not just as a pet to protect my mischievous brother from danger, I needed to let her know that she wasn't just a piece in the maze of life. I needed to let her know that I loved her, as a mother, as a sister as However! I didn't care I loved her, and I didn't fear the beast at that moment, all I feared was her not knowing.

I opened my mouth and a teal smoke came out and slowly looked turned to look like me but as a shining teal smoke of course.

When you think of love people usually associate it with the color red or pink but you know what I say, teal. Teal isn't green or blue, Teal isn't light or dark, Teal is just teal a unique and a powerful color that leaves you staring at it to wonder. Is that green or blue? That's what love is! Sometimes it makes you laugh, sometimes it makes you cry. It is strict when it has to be and rewarding when it must. Love makes you wonder so that's what I became at that moment teal.

The beast released my wings and my sister stood in awe. They both stared, the beast blowing a mighty wind blowing my hair around but my teal smoke didn't budge. I continued floating thinking of my religious values, If Jesus wasn't afraid to die in the cross for us to say I love you then why should I be afraid?

At first I flew to her but as I grew arms and legs and feet and toes I walked and then I started running. Here she was sobbing and I was too concerned with the beast to say a word!

The Beast slammed its hand in my direction but I remained smoke and thus I reappeared. I remained unharmed in fact I only felt pity for the creature. It didn't understand me in this form, it didn't understand the love! It squirmed and fell between me and the crying ruby, its stomach mouth right in from of me. I patted the small deposit of chub below it.

'It's okay' I thought knowing the creature couldn't speak. It was confused, as I hugged the small portion of the monster in front of me.

I heard a voice, a beautiful voice, a voice that could've attracted all the birds with its soft melodious tone. It was Ruby's. That's when I realized that from the point she was born she had used my voice and only my voice. She could've used any voice in the world but she had chosen mine. Francesca had a strong accent in her voice to make it seem different from mine but it was still mine and here was the beast using Ruby's voice.

'But mother you fear me.'

I smiled brightly and looked back at Sarah, she didn't know what was going on, but she knew something was going on with us.

'Not anymore, there's nothing wrong with being a little different.' I said smiling. 'Child I may have been afraid but does not take away the fact that I love you'.

The creature's mouth opened and Sarah stood up in fear.

"Watch out sis!" She yelled running towards me, but she stopped seeing how the creature wasn't hurting me. In fact its tongue dripped out and licked my face. It was warm, like a dogs. I smiled at the creature and the tummy mouth purred.

Being smoke I dissolved under the creature and came out floating to Ruby, Who was curled up into a ball.

I ran to her and hugged her. She was confused by the sudden gesture.

"I love you." I whispered in her ear. "You are my creation, you always will be. Don't feel like you were created just to be my brother's guardian. You go live a life worthy of living, you go reach for the stars. You are worthy of knowing."

She looked at me and that's when I realized she didn't have a name. Her name was based on what she looked like not of whom she was. She needed a name not for the creature inside of her which was the ruby, not for the doubt but for her.

"Rebecca.. that's who you are, Rebecca Marie-Grace and you are going to be someone's Becky Thatcher some day.."

She didn't understand but she now had the honor of having a real name. She smiled brightly and it was over.

17: Jefferson's story

I landed on the ground with a loud Thud, I grunted from the impact and looked around.

I was back to concrete walls and no one was around from what I could see, this place really needed some more color, the dullness of this place was beginning to really aggravate me.

I blew and watched as rays of color flooded the atmosphere.

"That's much better." I said crossing my arms and smiling in satisfaction.

The place was an office, presumably the office of the "master" who controlled the men who were called by their numbers.

Rebecca and Sarah were gone and I wondered where they had went, although I knew that Rebecca must've brought me here for something, and I presumed that Sarah most likely was brought home unharmed.

I saw a closet under a lock and key and I began to wonder. The atmosphere was cold and I wanted to get my freezing butt out of there. However I knew that I had to find my brother.

I raised my hand and slammed the entrance door rather loudly, locking it with the turn of my finger, I looked at the cameras and blinked and they were disabled. I smiled becoming a little cocky.

My mental abilities at the time were quite the power, yet It didn't occur to me at the time, that they were also quite a curse, building my confidence and making me just a little insane. Since I had grown accustomed to reality and then suddenly I was able to think up anything! With seemingly no limits!

I walked up to the closet door now with the quickly imagined up the skeleton key in hand. I placed the key in the slot and turned it. I was wrong to think this would be so easy.

I turned my head around as I heard the alarm sound. People began to bang on the doors then it silenced.

I heard the click of the lock and quickly my wings shot out and I flew to the top of the room as the door opened.

-sniff sniff-

"Something was here." The man whom I guessed the master was said.

I turned myself invisible as he spoke.

"or something still is…" It was so silent, you could hear a pin drop. I tried to keep the wooshing of my flapping wings to a minimum.

"Disarmed cameras, locked doors and a skeleton key…nice move"

I silenced.

"The colors are quite nice." He said in the silence. "show yourself!" He commanded in a booming voice.

Two started "master I don't think"

"Silence!" The master said.

"I can hear you, I can smell you and I can feel the vibrations in the air. Give it up I know you're here."

I flew closer, this man was not normal. The figures under his gloves were disfigured, His head was covered by a gas mask. I could see none of him, but he frightened me.

"I don't want to do this.. but I will use force if I have to."

He seemed like one not to be messed with but what could I do? My cockiness began to wear off as I grew fearful. I slowly lowered myself onto the desk. He turned to face me, I crossed my legs trying to act less scared than what I really was.

"Good, now show yourself." I began to appear, myself.

"HA! She's but a child" he said.

"I am, but I could also kill you this very second." I said bluffing, I could never kill anyone unless I really needed to.

"Heh, you can, can't you? Tell me this You have disappeared for a while, what happened that day?"

I silenced.

"What are you?"

"Teal." I answered.

"Excuse me?"

"I am teal." I feared punishment so I opened my mouth and my teal self flowed out.

"I see, do you mind telling me why you are here? You had escaped."

I silenced.

"Oh was it because of the boy?"

"Of course, I could never leave behind my kind."

"Your kind, is that what you call him?"

"My blood, family, what would you like me to say."

"And what of the little beastie, hmmm?"

"That kind sir, is none of your business."

"Oh it isn't?"

I stared at him intensely.

"Get to the chase what do you want?"

"Information, advances for science, perhaps a blood sample. Consider this area 51, anything that exceeds reality we categorize it. We seek to use these to upgrade humanity eventually but for now we will simply study and observe."

"So you think that humans would do what you are doing? You aren't receiving proper results, sitting in blank room with no company for days on end would be enough to make any species go insane. What you are doing however is cruelty. What do you do, slice them open and stare at their guts till your brain is satisfied with the results?"

"We do whatever it takes."

"Well you have two choices. You can either free all these creatures, or put them out of their suffering and give me my brother or I could free all these creatures and get my brother."

"What makes you so sure that will happen my dear."

"Because I always get what I want."

He looked at me and then at that moment motioned three and four.

"Blow her."

I looked at them confused. They all took some powder out from their pockets.

I watched thinking they couldn't hurt me as I was simply a teal gas in the air but I was wrong.

They each blew the powder at me, I laughed.

"You think you can" suddenly My voice started sounding distorted. "hurt me with a little dust and" I fell to the floor falling in a fit of seizures I couldn't control. In which during I whispered to their souls. "I'll kill you for this, all I wanted was my brother."

My eyes closed and I heard nothing but a few voices.

"Where shall we put her?" said the voice of four.

"She wants her brother, her brother she shall get." The master said in his barely recognizable voice.

At this point all my consciousness left me.

My eyes opened quickly, I looked up and saw the dull concrete ceiling. I then looked all around.

I was sitting in a black fancy leather chair, in front of me my frozen brother. To my right was the master. We were alone, the three of us.

"I am going to try this again, also you will find your extraordinary abilities are no longer available since I have injected you with a pint of my blood. So I expect you talk to me respectfully and answer my questions without a single lie and if you do so I will let you be with your brother, since you have seen what has been done and could not be left free as you are a threat to humanity. You will be treated as the others except you will be able to be in the same room as your frozen brother and we shall not hurt him."

This man aggravated me just the way he talked as if he were better than me. There was no possible way a pint of his blood had taken away my powers, I had had regular blood in my system since I was born. I tried to imagine his lips zipping up to relieve me from my annoyance but found I couldn't. I could barely think, imagination simply wasn't in my reach.

"Ahh.. I see and why would you think that seeing my brother frozen would please me."

"Very well, in exchange for information what do you desire?"

"Well, nothing much but I don't tell a story for free. If I answer your questions and tell you my story I expect you will tell me yours.

"Seems fair enough, now what planet and when were you born?"

I laughed "Excuse me planet? What do you think I am? A martian?"

"Hmm might as well be, I know nothing of your species so share."

"How do I know you'll tell your story after I tell you mine? Or answer my questions?"

"I cannot tell a lie however I have given you no reason to trust me so let us do one question for another. Now where and when you were born?"

I growled growing a little bitter. I really hated the way he asked these questions as if some pitiful human could understand.

"I was born in the atmosphere of the fantasies you have invented for children, that brought hopes and happiness to Earth, And time is different. Like different time zones but imagine a couple days there being 13 years here."

He looked at me with a blank expression but really I was only being honest, that was the simplest and most logical way to explain FTL.

"Explain."

"Ah, A little rushed are we? Question for a question. Now "master." " I said mocking his name acting as if I still had control of the situation. "What's your real name?"

He looked down at me. "You've got some nerve, however very well my name is Jefferson."

My face grew pale, I knew him, I knew who he was. Once in a while I had heard the homeless, or the poor mutter his name in whispers, yet the sentences being filled with things that made no sense. They called him the Ugly, yet that is all I had known. I once learned he was once a normal a child yet he had become a child gone wasted by abuse driving him towards being a child genius as he seemed to be obsessed by improving humanity and removing emotions. Well that's all I was able to remember from the whispers. Usually anyone to speak of him was arrested and taken for questioning only to be beheaded the next day.

There was once said to be a young girl who warmed up to him, only of course to be…well. I wasn't sure about that bit.

"Now, Explain."

"Fairytales."

"Ah-ha?"

I flipped my head in annoyance. Why did I have to be the one to explain this? I'm sure Rebecca could waltz in here and help me out at any moment.

"Little Children, their belief in these stories of hope and morals creates an atmosphere. An atmosphere where reality is no longer existing. An atmosphere where we live, the fairytale, the fables, the nursery rhymes, all of us. Of course the atmosphere remains unseen, and it runs on the belief of children."

He stared at me in disbelief.

"The time must be different, for if it wasn't we would die out, yet the stories don't die out. We live as our stories remain."

"Then how did you find yourself here? And which character are you? Your brother? The beast?"

He seemed shocked, yet he believed me without a doubt, I guess after all the poor species he had observed he didn't believe anything to be impossible.

"It's my turn, but I see you're getting impatient. Here, I will answer your questions immediately telling you my story afterwards, you my dear acquaintance will tell me your own in response and at the end of that final story you will take of that ridiculous mask of yours to allow me to see the young man underneath."

"Seems easier, except that part of my mask, You see there is no man underneath. I have never been so insulted."

"You're not a man.. what are you then?"

He looked at himself, looked at his hands covered by gloves and I could tell by his slow movements he had regret placed somewhere in his heart, yet he couldn't imagine a normal life. We sat there in silence for a while until I spoke up.

"So a story for a story… no mask removing do we have a deal?"

He nodded.

"First to answer your question I found myself here by the grace of God."

His head tilted in confusion.

"Just cause I am from a different atmosphere doesn't mean I do not believe in a greater power because I should be dead. Me, here! It should be impossible."

"You in your entirety should be impossible. Yet I have learned not to believe such things as the impossible."

"No, you're right. I was impossible. The whole atmosphere was, there was no air to breathe so technically none of us were alive, simply beliefs and thoughts and hope of children manifested in an atmosphere that made our home. So technically speaking none of us were real, however when I was brought here… It broke that barrier. So thus I shouldn't exist."

"You were made into a reality?"

"Yes."

"How so?"

"A magical enemy wanting to send me a way, magic caused this."

"but the atmosphere was fake so-"

"But the magic was real, it was always real. You could have the light magic, mine for example created by love and imagination, or the darkness created by hatred and a thirst for revenge."

"But who?! Explain further!"

I became a tad frightened as Jefferson raised his voice.

"I don't appreciate your tone." I said closing my eyes.

He lowered his voice and apologized.

"And she is not a beast."

"Excuse me?"

"Earlier." I reminded him. "You referred to Rebbecca as a beast."

"The Red haired monster?"

I closed my eyes and tightened them angrily. "Yes" I said boldy. "She is my creation not a beast and her name is Rebecca Marie-Grace."

He sat silently.

"Now my story, would you like to hear it?"

He nodded and I told him everything, becoming less cocky with each word I spoke. Telling and remembering each and every detail, and my eyes began to sparkle, they began to shine once again like newly polished crystals. Love and compassion grew within me as I told my story, the story of the Hex sisters, Hansel and Gretel, Sunshine, Nicholas, Red. I forgot no one, and as I told it I envisioned the story once again in my mind. I felt as if this man and I could relate, he had no story but I felt that it was okay to tell him."

Once I finished the questions didn't stop.

"But.. that's no official fairytale! It's a blur, a mix, a mash-up."

"These things happen, all it takes is one 'what if?' in a child's mind, one thought one dream! And it all changes. My atmosphere, fairytale land, isn't constant or an exact replica of what you read in a grimm's book of fairytales. Sometimes a child causes tales to unite, and they cause things that are bigger. Besides not all the story may be written, what of all the peasants living in the atmosphere, they have stories as well but never told."

"But why? Why write of the life of a peasant? Its so uninteresting."

"Why write the story of a regular pig like me? Why write Tom Sawyer? Why write of celebrities? Of presidents and kings? They are all human and we were all citizens of the atmosphere. Thus it was a mixup, yes of things humans thought worthy to write and things thought unworthy, yet as usual you humans were wrong. You guys didn't record that, you never wrote a happy ending for the poor burnt witch, and this is what it brought, it brought a 'what if', it brought a dream."

"Then why don't you write of these secret adventures? These dreams? Bring them out to the open."

"I cant. It isn't over. A tale isn't over until it has a happy ending, no matter how super awesome a tale may be, you cant finish it without an ending. Our tale hasn't ended and that is also why you cant keep us locked in here, destiny will be destiny and destiny waits for no one, no lock, no key can stop it from happening."

"Then I'll write it as it goes along. Think of it the collection of SDA"

"Excuse me?"

"Secret Dream Adventures."

"No I meant Excuse me as if That is not your call, none of your buisness. I will write my story in my own pace now speaking of stories you owe me one."

"Very Well, what would you like to know?"

"I told you my story in its entirety, did I not? Now tell me yours."

"I was a little boy, abused by my mother, neglected by my father, When I attended school, I was ignored. No friends, none at all. I was bullied, hardcore as in I had to watch my back because others wanted to kill me. Even in second grade the high schoolers wanted to do it, anything for the fame. By around that time.."

His voice echoed through my ears and I felt an undeniable compassion, he reminded me of myself. Not that I was abused or neglected by my parents, and even though no one at school was out to kill me know back at elementary, that factor was definitely there. Noting I wasn't giving my full attention he started the sentence over.

"I couldn't hide the bruises and scars forever, when my mother would come home. drunk cursing at the sun, I'd be her punching bag. Thus my face became …unusual. Obviously once people were aware I was sent to a foster home. However kept at the same school, which caused the verbal abuse to continue, I was called hideous. Pretty soon I had come to believe it. Stuck in that foster home for years, all the while not playing with cars or anything. My room dull, walls white, no friends, no inspiration, no love."

"I did the only thing I could do I hid myself. I first tried a mask, mind you this was still round the dreaded second grade year, however this didn't cut it. Teachers by the crappy laws had to remove it, I needed something permanent something they couldn't take away, and that's what I did."

"I spent days collecting from the garbage bins, anything I could fine. Empty soup cans, metal rings, glass. By the beginning of the summer I was ready and sick of my disfigured self.."

"But! But! Arent there laws against that kind of stuff?!" I blurted.

"Theres also a government who only cares about politics, not poor, broke, connectionless children. Now as I was saying…Well that night they found my body on the floor surrounded by blood. My face covered in metal fused to my skin, my hands, my back all around. I had done it, burnt it all to my flesh."

His voice broke and tears rolled down my face quietly.

"Surgeons couldn't remove it but I survived. Now Nobody could know what I had done. The children would be terrified, I was to forced to wear a mask, I had become a beast, no body dared to take it away and I was given the name-"

"The Ugly" I finished.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" He stood up and grabbed my neck and threw me against the wall.

Jefferson was strong, I hit it hard blood came from my mouth.

He looked at his gloves in realization.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry" He started breathing heavily. "Best stay way, I-I" He stuttered. "I-I hadn't heard that name in so long I"

"It's fine." I said my powers were back so I healed myself. Of course they were back, It wasn't his blood that had stopped them, It was my oversized ego, yet retelling my story re brought the love, my story being believed, well that helped. I could have killed him, but I was too merciful. I knew my brother was already numb, not dead but numb, frozen and he couldn't feel a thing. Just like sleeping, there was no rush and I wanted to hear his story, I wanted to hear his cause for the outburst.

"No truly I"

"Continue" I said.

"Well uh I.. um.." He cleared his throat to clear his thoughts, to try to forget what he'd just done.

"I was given a counselor, and from then on my life was filled with unreasonable and incorrect diagnoses, and my life, my actions based upon the side effects of drugs and psychiatric medications."

I looked at the floor being previously diagnosed in my fourth grade year with anorexia and depression, I could understand a tiny bit of what he had to go through.

"I spent years in that foster home, I caused fights, trouble and finally I got locked up. My door barely opened, education no longer available due to getting expelled in all the places nearby. I hardly ate and I gave up. Nobody would ever adopt me, or love me for the fact that I was hideous. As kind hearted without my meds, as smart as I was I was poor and hideous, and I had begun to think no one would care for my insides."

I sat up wanting to get closer to him, wanting to hug him. Until I realized he was still the enemy, but why this? I was torn a part of me wanted to have him arrested but another part just couldn't help feeling sorry for him.

His eyes lit up with a familiarity, with love.

"Until one day I heard a knock, a family was looking for a child and one of their girls had gone missing. The family still downstairs looking for the young girl, but she wasn't down, she had wandered up to the top of the stair case to the darkest hall and was now knocking on my doorstep."

"I was frightened, I hadn't seen another child due to being so reclusive because of fear of what I had become. I put on my mask and gloves and put on my glasses on top of that. I slowly undid the locks as she shouted."

"Is anyone here!?... Why is there only one door on this floor? Are you lonely?"

"I peeked out, she was beautiful, light skin, Raven black wavy hair, green eyes, jean overalls and a bright yellow shirt underneath. I was shocked why was she here? Why did she want to be here! With me! Of all places? Hurt and convinced she would leave me at the look at me I closed the door slowly, but the door wouldn't shut, the little girl had placed her foot in between the door and its frame preventing it from closing. I was fourteen at the time, and the girl eight."

"Why are you all up here alone?" She asked.

"I didn't answer, wasn't it obvious? Or was she teasing me.

"What's your name?" She asked politely.

I was surprised she was still speaking to me.

"Jefferson." I said uttering my first word in months. Yet of course my voice was distorted, and I sounded like a monster. Terrified of the sound of my own voice I walked back in silence to my bed."

"She followed me as I stared at the wall in shame. She couldn't see what I looked like but she didn't care."

"My name's Amy…Amy Lancaster. What's wrong?"

"I looked at her, this girl really wasn't joking, I couldn't believe it. Then I became frightened I didn't want to hurt her. I heard loud steps quicken as the thumps of feet ran up the stairs worryingly. My genius little mind could piece it together, two women, presumably the president of the foster home, the girl's mother. There was definitely a man there, which I assumed to be her father and her little sister. By the sound I could tell the shoe size, from that I could tell the age. I was really that good."

"However I had to get this girl away immediately, with my horrible reputation the president of the Foster care home. (My fifth one by now.) Would be terrified, I would get in so much trouble, but the thing that worried me most was so would Amy."

"Amy, Amy"

"Hmmmm?"said the young girl looking at me, at the only part of me she could see through my mask, my eyes, my swollen, bloodshot, eyes."

"You gotta go now."

"But I don't wanna.."

"The footsteps were only a flight below, as they checked the floor below mine."

"Amy trust me." I kissed her forehead and reached under my bed. There was a Hershey's chocolate bar. I had found it one day raiding the trash, and I had been saving it for a special occasion. I had only had chocolate once before at school when I was little and I had many times imagined myself dwelling in the taste of the chocolate. It was my only possession that could have brought a smile to my face, yet I gave it to her. "Just go out, you can visit anytime but your pops are probably waiting." I said with an unseen smile."

"She kissed my cheek and left. I locked the door overwhelmed by this new founded feeling of loneliness."

"I could hear voices outside my door and I simply ignored them, they were probably upset parents telling Amy not to wander. I zoned out and stared at the wall. I did have a few books right now, but I couldn't focus, not after that encounter with the little girl. I laid in my bed slowly careful of my position thinking I would never see the little girl again, I was wrong."

"The next day was normal, I smoked a cigarette, had some medication, punched the walls a few times, sulked and stared out at window. Until she knocked on the door once again, I couldn't believe my ears, I ran to the door and looked out the peep hole. It was her, and holding her hand was a little girl with blonde pigtails and an outfit, baby pink in its entirety. It wasn't hard to speculate her age, I guessed five. Then there were their parents, all dressed in formal attire, automatically letting me know where their finances stood and then of course the principal of the foster care establishment, along with a few cops. The cops through me off and fear rose in my mind."

"Open the door Jeff!" The principal of the foster care establishment yelled angrily. Excuse me, I seem to have forgotten her name, but yes she yelled and I opened the door in fear. The police officers rushed in, and grabbed both of my arms."

"Back off! I haven't done anything!" I said kicking the floor as a child throwing a temper tantrum."

"Then how do you explain those holes in the wall? One asked, it was true and I held my head low in shame, I took so many medications that I sometimes had sudden outbursts of anger. In which yes, I chose to participate in the juvenile delinquent behavior of destruction of property. At that moment Amy- Uhm are you understanding my sudden change in vocabulary?"

I shook my head yes quickly so he could continue with his story.

"Ah, yes my apologies for that. So what was occurring? Ah yes, at that moment Amy looked up to me and smiled. I still don't know what she saw in me. The older child, with no distinguishable features but his swollen, bloodshot eyes held in the arms of police officers and guessing by the woman who ran the establishment I knew, these people including innocent little Amy must have been informed of my destructive behavior."

"The principal as I simply continue calling her, went near me. This family seems to want to adopt you."

"My face went blank, I asked her to repeat her statement and she did. I was astonished, I wasn't sure if these people were simply insane or suicidal, both I and the principal, knew what I was capable of. I could kill in fact an anger outburst almost caused just that, which was what had caused me to be in here."

"Amy let go of her sister's hand and hugged me. I was beyond astonished, I had never been involved in such an act of affection before. The police officers let my hands go and I slowly put my arms around her. Then I kneeled down to reach her size so I was looking straight down then I whispered in her ears "Amy Lancaster do you have a death wish? You know what I'm capable yeah?" She nodded "you just need a second chance, Jeff you're no killer"

"At this my eyes leaked and I hugged her again, she was the first being I loved. She hugged me tight and turned around."

"See Daddy! He's Safe!" Amy yelled happily. The father nodded and smiled. The blond, tinier girl came my way. "My name's Angelica" I smiled underneath my mask. "Are your teeth actually sharp?"

I backed up a little insulted, she was scared this one. Amy elbowed her painfully and I opened my mouth. It was true I had filed them just so, it took me a few weeks but there wasn't much to do in my few visits to juvy.

"Wow…." She said as she stared. I felt pretty ashamed. I had messed myself up so bad I wasn't even recognizable as a human anymore."

"Don't get any ideas." I said I wanted no one to become as I had."

"This is usually a very long process" the principal said. "However as Jeff is quite the nuisance and trouble maker and I want him out of here as soon as possible you can take him home by a week or two which is usually the time the paper work will arrive, and with that the parents went out to talk with the principal. I was left with myself, the two police officers, Amy and Angelica."

"We spoke hours, I can imagine each word but I ah.. would like to keep this short. The two children visited me on almost every day before the adoption, and after that I spent as much time with them, we loved each other dearly. Even the parents grew to love me and moved here to find a school where the three of us could go peacefully. I loved the two children like .. like… your Hansel and Gretel. Amy always tried to see me without my mask but I refused to let her. A few years later I was seventeen and my dear Amy was eleven."

"It was the dead of the night, I was snoring loudly unaware that there was invader in the night. It was Amy, I should have known to lock the doors better! That dreaded night Jefferson forgot to lock the doors and Amy Lancaster knew! That stubborn little girl and her fierce determination! She went in! Went inside my drawer! Through my secrets!"

A silence followed and caught me off guard, I coughed as he turned his head from me. He was crying, I could hear him so I got a little closer ignoring the risk. I put my hand on his back.

"Jeff are you alright?"

"I'm Fine." He said firmly. "As I was saying, she found my secret reminder of the young innocent boy I once was, she screamed and well I ran away."

"what did she find?" I asked

At first I couldn't recognize what he was saying, I played what he said over and over in my mind. Then I understood what young little Amy had found. She had found his hand.

"It didn't end there though did it?"

"After that I simply became obsessed with making humanity better and finding other species I could relate to." Jefferson said

"What about Amy?" I knew by the length of the rest of the story there was definitely something he wasn't telling me.

"I nearly killed her out of anger, when she awoke me with her scream. I didn't mean to but I didn't have my gloves on and the scissors I had for a hand… well there went her eye and I ran out the window as she yelled my name.."

I hugged him. "take off your mask." He turned to me exhausted he shook his head. I let teal flow and let the love flow through my veins making me glow in teal.

"I may have healing properties." I said my pupils sparkling.

"But.. but…I.." Jefferson backed away stuttering. "Why have you not killed me yet?"

"You're no killer and neither am I, I may have had a few cannibalistic episodes but that was long ago."

That only seemed to make it worse.

"Do you want to be Jefferson once more."

He shook his head yes and I did it. I let my teal flow all around him, just a tiny bit went through his mask and his clothes, so little he didn't notice. I didn't think he was ugly, I just thought this was tragic, so I fixed him up the best I could causing him to fall into a deep sleep or at least a moment where his body was paralyzed. He was conscious so I bent down and whispered in his ear. "don't thank me just love the other species and try to heal them, just as I had done to you"

I left my number on a piece of paper, blew some fire on the ice, thawing my brother out and as he had seen how I handled the conversation, I grabbed him holding the little frog in my hands as I spread my wings, found an exit and flew out of there.

18: My true form

Well that was one way of shortening it up because let me tell you, escaping was not easy. So first, yes I thawed out my brother as quick as I could, imagining a flame that came out of my right hand. Yet I was terrified I would burn him. Unknown to my peers me and fire were not the best of friends. I'd much rather have the painful kisses of a knife upon my face than watch flames lick it. In fact at that same moment I was thawing out my brother's by now snow white hair I wondered how young Gretel could have gotten so close to the burning witch and dying flames, all those years ago… Then again it didn't seem like back then she had time to hesitate. If she hesitated the keys might have melted and become misshapen entrapping her brother in that dreaded cage forever.

Then for a swift moment that dream of the woman's poor soul asking for help came to mind, and once again I felt as if the voice was familiar, but no I shook my head to clear my thoughts. It couldn't be.

Then just as the old days, I sat down and imagined up some coal and wood. I rubbed the coal together until a small spark and a flame erupted by their contact. Ahhh, the warmth of a campfire was so lovely. I stood there staring at my brother who still stood there right where the ice used to be. He didn't even move and the air was quiet all except the crackling of flames.

It took him over an hour to feel warm enough to be able to move and sit down across from me. During that length of time, I simply wondered of our escape and how it would take place. I wondered how we would save all the creatures in this strange place. There was no way we could just leave them here, well not all of them at least, maybe some enjoyed their lives here, who knew? Then his chapped lips parted and my brother's frail voice spoke in a series of stutters.

"Wha-Wha-Wheres Where's roo- roo" I decided to step in seeing as it was painful for him to speak.

"Where's ruby?" I guessed.

"Mmm hmm" He managed to moan while I could hear his teeth still shattering.

I explained to him what occurred in the past few days in order to pass the time, grateful that my brother always enjoyed hearing a good tale. His hair was so white with ice and snow that it reminded me of Jack Frost, A magical being that most likely existed back in one of the hundreds of lands enveloped by the atmosphere that I originally lived in.

I sighed while telling the story, I missed my homeland. It may have had all its quirks and drama but nevertheless it was my home and I missed it.

I finished my tale with

"I'm not exactly sure where she is but I'm sure she's fine and taking Sarah to her proper place" staring at him, I placed my hand on his forehead.

"Brother dear, It's been quite a while and you are still freezing. Are you feeling alright?" I don't know what I was thinking now what I had expected to hear but this was certainly quite the foolish question to ask.

He looked at me and I could see a small spark of rage in his dull and cold eyes.

"He-Here I was, fra-fra-frozen for days" His lips began to bleed as he spoke, as they looked quite stiff and not ready for such movements yet. However painfully both of his lips continued moving, stuttering and cracking.

"An-and you were there, simply enj-enja-enjoying your reflection in the wa-water! Spa-spa-spla-splashing, not giving a care about your big-bru-brother."

"Oh Hansie , you know it wasn't like that."

"D-do you know howth-how wo-worried sick I was?! Only to see you come back joy-joyous and sassy. Tuh-taking your time to.-" The blood had dripped down unto his chin, I needed to silence him for I wasn't going to let him damage himself any further only because of his need to scold me.

"Oh shut up" I said hugging him. It worked, he enjoyed my embrace and silenced himself. He hugged me and we sat there a while enjoying the heat and each other's embrace. Although I must say that in doing so, I became cold, really really cold. Hopefully the moment of freezing didn't damage his frog enchantment because if he could form into a frog, he would be of less mass causing the warmth to reach upon him much faster.

I thought of mentioning the thought to him, however he had to have know the idea. He wasn't that dumb. I mentioned it to him anyways.

"Hansie, you know you could turn into a frog and get heated up faster yeah?"

"Cant."

I released him and looked him seriously in the eye.

"What do you mean you cant?"

He then proceeded to explain to me, in complete stutters how his muscles were still not heated up enough to do so.

This was taking far too long, the master could wake up at any second, I had to something quick that would with no doubt help heat him up. I proceeded to try one of the oldest tricks in the book. I kissed him, his cheek I mean.

I heard a -Ribbit- and knew it worked. I placed his clothes that had now fallen off of him to the side and with my hands grabbed the frog buried underneath them all. I then held him close to the fire, rubbing his cute little back softly when I liked, him croaking in pleasure, it was the same as if you scratched a dog in the right spot. For some reason I found frogs adorable, I always had, well in this world I mean.

Pretty soon he turned back into a young teen…without his clothes. His normal clothes were soaked and freezing and could probably give him pneumonia. He however at the moment took no awareness in his nudeness.

"Sis I don't know how Rebecca did it, getting frozen in a block of ice is so cold…. And lonely" He added to not seem so obvious. He sighed happy to be warm again, although by now he was quite sweaty, since he had greedily took up the heat as a…as a pig greedily eats up the candy off of a gingerbread house after sucking on a red cursed lollipop from a certain witch's garden.

I blinked at him. "I uh… wouldn't have guessed."

An awkward silence followed with us just staring at each other.

"You uh… you know you're just maybe a little tiny bit naked?" I blurted out.

His face turned red as a beet as he looked at himself.

"I guess I am sis…but cant you just wish up another outfit for me?" He said smiling.

"Don't start Hansel, Don't flatter me." I said calling him by his true name firmly to warm him.

"You can though!" He said defeating me with his smile and those pig-puppy dog eyes of his.

I looked at him and imagined up an outfit consisting of a black shirt, with jeans, a pair of undergarments, and a pair of socks, along with a pair of sneakers and a cap to put on his head, The cap solely because I thought it would look cool. I gave the clothes to him folded in a small pile.

"I know but I got to be modest about it." I said responding to his last statement.

My brother looked at me and smiled again. "Just sayin'" He said putting his underwear on, which was quite a relief for me, as seeing that bare with nothing to cover it was quite beyond my comfort zone.

I walked over to Jefferson and carefully removed his mask. There he was, a full man…well...sort of. There were some pieces of machinery too deep for me to remove but for the most part he looked like a young handsome man..or a cyborg if he'd prefer to be called that way. His right eye was mechanical being able to see movements in the air, which explained how he was able to see me back when I had turned invisible in his office.

His left ear also had different settings, a wired machine inside to improve his hearing. He also had a small piercing on his lip. I didn't exactly like it but it did him no harm so I left it there. He had brown hair and blue eyes.

Jefferson grunted clearly upset with my methods, his paralysis was wearing off. I looked for a pen and paper. The pen was easy, the paper however…. I found an envelope, wrote my phone number on it and placed it on his lap. Then for about a minute I remember staring at him fighting off the childish urge to graffiti his face while he stayed still.

"Froggy we gotta go." I said placing the pen back in the place I had found it.

"My thoughts exactly" He responded while putting on his cap.

I smiled an unseen smile. I was right, the cap did look cool.

As usual I tried the skeleton key, It worked however it sounded the alarm.

"Run!" My brother yelled and I did, not exactly thinking my actions out. Although my brother ran way faster than me, it was then I noticed that we were in way over our heads.

The alarm still sounded and as we ran, I by now far behind, we heard stomping footsteps follow us. Organized footsteps, as in all the stomps occurred in unity. That's when I realized that running maybe wasn't such a great idea.

I could already see them behind me, my legs couldn't go much faster and I was already unable to breathe. I had to do something to block them and talk my brother, and I don't know, think up areal plan! I looked back at them then I fell. I couldn't take any more of this physical activity and I fell, gasping for my breathe. My physical shape still exactly wasn't the best.

At that moment I did the only thing I could do, I used my head. I imagined my arm stretching and although it was painful it allowed me to grab my brother and drag him to where I was, even though he kicked in resistance, not realizing that the arm grabbing him was my own. I then imagined up a wall of thorns and roses all around to form a blockade.

"Crystal?" He said when I had released him right next to me. My arm shrunk back to its normal size just in time for me to put my finger up to my mouth and say.

"Shhh!"

"What are you doing?!" My brother said as he saw the roses covering us, forcing us to stay in one place and making the enemy invisible.

Then he turned and saw me breathing heavily sitting on the floor rocking back and forth, which was a result of fatigue and a panic attack on the way. He sat next to me putting his fingers in my hair combing it slowly.

"It's okay, It'll all be okay." He whispered in my ear while hugging me.

After a while my heart rate began to return to normal and I was able to breathe once more. However I heard a crack. They were cutting through the thorns I had made, the only think keep us away from them and who knew what other weapons they had in store?

"Hans we've got to think of a plan and quick!" I whisper yelled

Suddenly a blast of ice shot out. I turned my head toward it and without thinking, I shot out fire from my hands melting the ice before it hit my face and froze me.

I tried to think of all the superhero movies I watched as a kid but my mind was blank. I could think of nothing.

Soon arrows, darts and even foreign items were being shot at us. A gas was emitted in the air to make us fall into the numbers' control. However we were helpless as my own roses blocked us from being able to see the enemy.

My anxiety kicked in and in that one second that that items were being shot, that one second that kept us from being captured my brother took control.

"Force field quick!" He took my hands and shoved them in front of us and I did it. I imagined a pink force field around us that kept what I wanted in and let what I wanted out. It deflected the weapons and began to lift us in the air so we could look down upon our enemies.

"Sis."

"Hmmm?" I managed to grunt out as I began to make the thorns disappear.

"Pink? Pink isn't very manly!" My brother said sarcastically however still quite annoyed at my color choice.

"Oh shut up Hansel we don't have time for this"

"Well then, sis we have to fight back." My brother told me.

"We don't." I said firmly causing a look of confusion to appear on his face.

"I refuse to curse, to fight, to do anything that makes us similar to the adversary…ever. We're different. We have to be fair about this and we have to use our heads. I don't want anyone getting hurt." I continued.

"But-" My brother started.

"Hansel Don't." I said with much more authority than I meant to.

I looked down below us at the numbers.

"Follow my lead." I said as I took away the sound field allowing the numbers to hear what we would now say. I looked at them with the meanest look small face could make. I lifted my hands and I saw as they flew in the air, at my will with no control over their own bodies whatsoever.

I wasn't going to hurt them, or at least I didn't originally plan to. I was simply going to use one of the oldest weapons of all time, fear.

As they flew around slowly fearing the worst pride began to creep back into me.

Look at what I've done, I thought.

My pride blinded me and I was tempted to throw some of the men against the wall to show them who was boss.

"Pathetic humans." They looked at me in fear that once again fueled my pride.

"My own excrement is more powerful than you."

My brother was curious and he glared at me, quite upset with my "plan."

"Now beware my wrath!" I don't know who I thought I was but it certainly wasn't me because I was about to kill them. Me! Kill them! Luckily just when I was about to do it my powers waned and I was weakened. I was able to hold the men named by their numbers no longer.

Yet even though my force field was fractured it was still intact. A disappointment washed over me as I realized that pride had swallowed me up. However I knew I had to play it off.

"Sorry about that." I whispered to my brother. "and I'm fine."

He nodded still a bit confused.

I hurt a little to realize that I was no princess, no pauper, no human, Heck I wasn't even an animal worthy of a fairytale, my tale was never even good enough to be written.

"You have earned my mercy." I said to the numbers. "Only if you do as I say." I continued.

The men laughed, which wasn't very good. "You act as if you are some mighty and powerful god" said a man whose number I wasn't quite sure of.

"I may not be a god but there is nothing keeping me from killing you all, except my own patience, mercy and humility, but men if you continue to treat me like so even those qualities of mine will soon run out."

They hesitated and five said "We only answer to the master."

"And where is your precious master now?" My brother said not very loud but the numbers still heard and they silenced.

"I was the one to defeat your master." I lied because I didn't exactly defeat him. "If I could defeat your precious Jefferson what makes you still think he is more powerful than me."

They whispered amongst themselves. "What do you wish for, foul beast."

I chuckled a little that they called me a beast since I only looked human.

"Escape for me, my brother and all the creatures here."

Their mouths hung open in shock as they looked at something that was both below and behind me.

"What is it?" I whispered.

My brother put his hand on my shoulder and turned me so I could see what they were looking at.

"That…" my brother said, quite shocked himself. It was Jefferson, who had his mask on which kept me from seeing his expression. Was he angry? Upset? I had no clue. I let us and the force field become lowered to the ground so I could see him better. I had hoped to leave before he could awake but it was too late.

"Do as the girl says." He said firmly.

The numbers saw his perfectly formed hands through his gloves, they heard his no longer distorted voice and refused to believe it was him.

They each pointed a finger at him in unison. "That is not our master." One said clearly doubting along with the rest of the numbers.

"You don't believe me?! Are you being unfaithful to your master!?" Jefferson asked in a booming voice causing some of the numbers to back up.

However one still doubted along with some more. "Then take off your mask!" One said once again.

Jefferson walked in front of me, through and in front of the force field, stepping on dead branches and leaves from were the roses and thorns once stood.

"Don't.." I whispered, however he ignored my insignificant little comment. I was afraid not for me but for Jefferson because who knew what these numbers would do.

Then he too of his mask and the inevitable happened.

"No!" I screamed as my brother put an arm around me to keep me from exiting the field. A bullet had tore through Jefferson's arm from one on the numbers' guns breaking his bone.

"Our master would never take off his mask." One said looking down at the master who held his arm painfully.

"Let me go!" I yelled. "I have to help! Jefferson!" however no matter how much I kicked and flailed it was no use, my brother was still much stronger than I was and he wasn't planning on letting me go that easy.

For a moment Jefferson I looked at me with saddened eyes as if he knew what was going to happen. Then all I heard was that gun shot and that short cry in the air, The cry of one overpowered by his creations. Then I saw him fall.

I was furious screaming. "You killed him! You freaking killed him you dumb idiots!" I was seriously fighting the urge to break my own oath and curse at them.

"Not so high and mighty are you." Said one from the back of the crowd whose voice I couldn't exactly distinguish from the others.

Then they dropped to the floor, all of them. I wasn't exactly sure how they died but they did.

I didn't know Jefferson all that much but I cared for him, I cared for everyone really even the great and powerful Grizelda, after all she had just lost her ways because no one did care for her and her sister. My heart really was too big and that indeed was a weakness.

My brother's grip weakened with the sounds of bodies hitting the floor. I didn't know any of these people but my heart ached heavily for them. I ran out of my brother's grasp and ran to Jefferson.

The shot was aimed to his heart but missed by less than an inch. He wasn't dead, he was suffering intensely. He coughed up some blood.

"Do-don't you worry ab-about me." He said struggling to speak. My brother kneeled down next to me. "It was bound to-" That was all I was able to hear before he passed out.

"Crap!" I yelled. My brother looked at me and got up standing in disbelief at what just happened. I ripped off a piece of my shirt and tied it around Jefferson's arm to stop the bleeding. If there was any chance of him surviving we had to get him to the hospital immediately.

I then ran up to the wall and kicked it repeatedly in anger. My anger manifested itself in big fat dark cloud above me that thundered loudly making holes in the floor.. literally. My anger heated up my internal body temperatures, making my feet melt the floors slowly.

My brother hugged me hoping to soothe my anger, it worked. The cloud was still above my head but at least now it wasn't thundering. I stood there held in his embrace, crying for a while.

"You good?" My brother asked after I had calmed down a bit.

"I'm alive and that's going to have to be good enough." I replied. "Now, Grab Jefferson, we've got to get him to a hospital."

Max took Jefferson's body with extreme care and said. "What about the rest of them?" He said talking about the numbers.

I started walking quietly back to the Master's room. "They're dead and they didn't even have their own lives out of here anyways. They were all hooked up to Jefferson's head." I said sadly

"How do you know of all this?" My brother asked. "And where are we going?" he said following me while carrying Jefferson.

"Let's just say I saw all of his devices, and we're going to get his keys. We got to get all these creatures free, we have to take Jefferson to the hospital and we have to get home...well to my house I mean.

"How are you planning to do all this?" I turned to look at him.

"How should I know?" I then poked him on his chest causing him to take a step back. "You're the big strong brother with all the plans."

He chuckled and continued walking. "You know, sometimes I feel like my little sis is the one with all the plans."

"I wasn't the one who figured that if he turned himself into a frog I could be cured from the witch's pill poison"

"That actually wasn't me." I tilted my head. "It was Nicholas."

I almost stopped dead in my tracks as my head flooded again with memories. "What?"

"Nicholas did it." My brother continued "You know, Grizelda's son, dark hair, sharp teeth, one red, one purple eye-"

"I know Froggy." Then I saw Jefferson's blood drenched shirt and remembered the urgency of the situation. I started walking much faster now, careful not to lose my breathe. "Just Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Not to me it isn't." I said beginning to get annoyed with my brother. He stopped for a second to look at me, then he continued to walk while staring at me.

"He loves you."

My face turned red and suddenly I was furious. I said nothing I just let the thunder bolts strike him for me, just once.

"Oi! What the hell was that for?!"

"If he loved me he wouldn't have let me go! If he loved me he wouldn't have taken my bloody beating heart out! If he loved me he wouldn't have let Grizelda almost kill you! Hansel, He would have done something!"

"Sis…" My brother said clearly concerned.

"What?" I snapped

"Your feet are melting the floor again."

"UGH!" I stomped forward trying to control my powers but I couldn't. I had unleashed them so sudden that it was too much for me. My body was internally on fire because I couldn't understand him, that boy, and I hated him for it… but yet. There was a feeling in the back of my mind that loved him.

If there was a boy who could be expected to grow evil, it was him. So I loved how he tried to be righteous in his own messed up ways. I loved the way one of his eyes had the tint of a normal blue instead of a blood red causing it to be purple. I loved the way his hair shone in the night and how he was willing to get in so much trouble just to help me back in the witch's house.

We walked for a bit until we reached the room where Jefferson and I had exchanged our life stories. I wasn't sure where we were going but the hall was only one way so I continued walking.

"Hey sis…" By now my feet had calmed down and we were both beginning to wonder If we'd ever reach Jefferson's office. Not to mention by then I'm sure my brother's arms must have been tired by now.

"hmm?"

"Do you think we'll ever find our way home?"

"I hope so, my parents must be worried sick."

"No, Crystal I meant back where Max, Hansel, Gretel and Nicholas are."

I sighed. "Max you gotta remember the time difference, It took you fourteen years to get to me."

"But it was only a few days!"

"Exactly by the time someone figures out how to get us back…"

He sighed heavily "By then we might not even want to go back."

We continued walking and talking about our past, our childhood mostly, the brownies Gretel used to make us, the stories Hansel used to tell. My brother even told me a few stories of Sunshine that by that time I could barely remember. It took a while but by a few turns and forks in the road we made it.

When I opened the door with the usual skeleton key, I expected not to hear such silence. It was dark as night and to be honest it kind of creeped me out.

"C'mon Max let's do this quick so we can get the heck out of here." I said.

"Since when did you start calling me by my earth name?"

"Since I better get used to it because we're leaving pretty soon." I imagined up a flashlight, a regular dark green flashlight in my hands and I switched it on.

The inside of the office was cold and it sent chills up my spine. I grabbed my brother's hand and walked in. Our steps echoed in the silent room. I walked up to Jefferson's desk rummaging for a key or clue to free these poor creatures, or a clue to anything!

"Hansel help me out!" I don't know why I felt the need to whisper but for some reason I felt like if I was breaking and entering or committing some sort of terrible crime. I felt like a criminal.

My brother placed Jefferson's body carefully on the floor and began helping me look.

I looked at Jefferson and panicked, I had to find something quick. I started grabbing things and throwing them all around the room, the darkness only added to my fear. One of my weaknesses? You could always expect me to do horrible in situations like this, my emotions were always a mess. I would panic left and anger right. So I freaked and threw everything I could see that was of no use to me around the room.

"UGH!" I screamed as I couldn't find anything to help us. I kicked the desk and fell to the floor in tears. I still needed to save Jefferson, I had to save him!

"Crystal!" My brother called my name, well my earthly name I mean. I looked up to see that in his hand he held a remote control. I shined the flashlight in his face and I for a small moment I could hear him curse under his breath as his eyes failed to adjust to the sudden light.

I walked up to him. "What's that for?" I asked.

"Let's find out!" He clicked the power button and we watched as we saw the ceiling and walls open up, so we could see hundreds of screens showing us each specimen in each room.

We were shocked, there were so many…alone, broken, confused, sad, and hurt beyond belief.

"No one deserves to live this way." I whispered.

Some had countless marks on their bodies from abuse, some were chained to walls, some were whispering to themselves for company, some were banging on the doors, demanding to be freed. It was tragic. They were all alone, some were lying lifeless on the floor already dead.

Tears flowed from my eyes. I had no clue what most of these species were, a bunch were simply experiments.

"How are we going to save all of them!?" I cried.

My brother looked at me sadly. "Sis I don't think we can."

"Stop it! We've got to!"

My brother stood in front of me, "My dear sister Gretel." He only called me that when he was going to break out the truth.

"No Don't say it!"

"But sis it must be said, we don't know where they live, most of them are insane, they're suffering, they're alone. Look there's not even one! Jefferson ruined them all."

"But! But I've got magic Hansel!"

"Gretel, you've got magic, yes but you're not God. These are all different species, they aren't right in the head, you don't know their organ systems and you'd probably do more damage than help, and even, even if you could Gretel you can't fix a broken heart, loneliness."

That's when I realized again how insignificant I was. "Can't we let them go?" I asked looking for any way to save them.

"Where, Earth?" My brother asked. "So they can kill humans and each other, Gretel I know you don't want me to say this but there is no way we can save them."

I looked to the floor. "Jefferson would know how…" I whispered not meaning for him to hear.

"Why not use your magic on him then?" My brother suggested.

I stood there quietly. "I don't want to hurt him"

"Gretel he's the only one who'd know their homes or how to fix them and I don't see how you could make him any worse."

I sighed and knelt next to Jefferson.

"Besides he's the only one who knows the way out." My brother continued.

I closed my eyes praying to my God as I did so. I placed my hand on his chest and with the other I held his broken arm.

I didn't want to treat him like an experiment but how could we take him to the hospital if we couldn't even find the way out of here. I tightened my eyes as they closed and let the magic flow.

My eyes were closed at the time but my brother said that at that moment Jefferson was lifted up in the air by a teal smoke, the bullets being levitated out of his body. All this without me moving, his skin began to reattach itself and he began to heal.

This was it, I thought to myself, his life was in my hands. I took a deep breath with my eyes still closed.

I thought of that moment years back when Nicholas had done what he had done to my heart, not only had he broken it but he tore it out of my chest. Usually I attempted not to think of the pain that what brought when he did so, however it was needed. Then of course I remembered my brother's love for me as he cried magical tears, healing my veins, reattaching my broken muscles. I thought of the great love Sunshine had to have in order to be left behind to act as a decoy so we could escape. I thought of Hansel's love for Gretel to take her in. I thought of Nicholas's and Katherine's love for their two daughters that they would be willing to starve for them. Gosh my mind went all over.

Healing now was upon my reach. I thought f the love I had for my creation, for my brother. My eyes opened and all I saw was love and peace and thus rays of teal shot out.

Jefferson was healed however my mind wasn't finished. I thought of how Grizelda had loved her parents so much she would leave her virginity behind for them, she would leave her innocence for her sister, and would bear birth pains for her son.

My brother said I had turned into something beautiful but during this I couldn't control my powers so as quickly as it came, I shed my glamour fell on the floor with no memory of what I had become pr what had occurred after I had cured Jefferson.

When he opened his eyes the first thing he knew was that he was conscious, he then realized he was fine, healthy, his arm was all better. In fact he felt stronger than he had ever felt before, something that I did not notice at the time. The second thing that came into Jefferson's mind was how? How did this happen?

Then he saw the creature erupting from the teal smoke, floating in midair. The creature with teal whites and crystal eyes, pig ears and a pig tail. The creature with big white angel wings, the creature with a glass body, with a heart glowing through the dress it was wearing. The dress was white with one long draping sleeve and in the other side no sleeve at all, it was long and hooked up to the back was a scarf. The creature had a garden in its hair, each brown strand of hair had become a metallic brown colored root, and what would roots be without different varieties of flowers to add beauty to it. The creature glowed in teal, all except its heart that glowed in pink. Its teal rays emitted love, strength, youth and care.

The creature had no control, that creature was me.

That's when he knew he had to have me, not now but if he could simply have a strand of my DNA… he could improve all of humanity. He only wanted people to feel as strong and as loved as he did when he was exposed to the rays I gave out. He wanted to share the love and kill the hatred. It made sense right? It undoubtedly made sense in his eyes. He'd just have to experiment and run some studies on me. It was worth it though he justified to himself. The torture of one for the advantage of millions. He thought of what my organ systems looked like and he couldn't wait for the dissection.

He shut his eyes, No he couldn't do this. Not to me, not after I just saved his life. Jefferson needed someone from my bloodline, someone with my same advantages, one that could do the exact same thing.

He looked at my brother and smiled.

 

19: chapter 19

I opened my eyes feeling weak, yet powerful. The thoughts of love had refueled me yet so much power had come from it so quickly and not only did I have no idea what had just happened but I wasn't prepared for it at all.

Once the human body receives something foreign it tries to recognize the item and to get rid of it. Well that was exactly what happened to me. I forgot what had just occurred, everything before I cured Jefferson.

"Are you okay?!" My brother asked running up to me. I nodded, getting up slowly. "How did you do that?"

"Do what?" I asked stuttering my words a bit. I walked, my walk leaning more towards the right for some reason causing me to lose my balance and fall. I felt a little bit dizzy and my legs felt like flimsy noodles.

There were more examples of love that I could have replayed in my head but all that I knew was that I currently felt terrible and it was all because of the thoughts. I groaned causing my brother to get down to his knees and hug me.

"Sis are you sure you're okay?" My brother asked.

"I just feel a little sick." I responded weakly.

Jefferson crawled over to me and my brother, he looked at me and placed a gentle hand on my cheek. I looked at him and smiled, seeing as that he was okay.

"Thank you." I nodded in response, my head still on my brother's shoulders from being hugged.

"You're welcome." My brother then released me and for once his hug actually made me feel all better! I stood up followed by both my brother and Jefferson who stood up with me. Then Jefferson started.

"I'm so sorry, I know after all I've done I didn't deserve to-"

"Jefferson, it's fine. However on another subject we need a favor." I said staring at him straight in the eye.

"Whatever you need." He said, he could tell I was very serious.

"Well actually…two favors." My brother said, joining in the conversation. I nodded I had been so focused on the creatures I had forgotten that we weren't going to stay here. We had to get out! I pointed to one of the television screens but since they were so many and they were so small it looked like I was pointing at multiple screens, which was good as it would help me make my point.

"First we need to help them."

"Help?" Jefferson asked fidgeting. He was nervous for sure and there was a definite frailty to his voice.

"Yes." I said firmly. I didn't need to explain myself I knew for a fact that he knew exactly what I meant.

"But." He looked heartbroken. "But." he repeated "They are my life's work."

My eyes still locked with his, I asked him. "And how far has that gotten you? How much progress have you made towards advancing humanity Jefferson? I have given you a brand new start and not so you can waste it doing the same cruel things you used to."

He looked to the ground and I walked closer to him against my brother's warning eyes. I got on the tip of my toes as I was quite short and still quite young. I tried my best to get closer to his ear as I whispered something that made him back off suddenly.

"What would Angelica say?" When I said this his eyes also shot up in my direction.

Jefferson thought of this although he still seemed touchy about the subject. "Don't you ever." He said in a booming angry voice, with that I kind of feared him, My legs froze and I could barely move. It was my brother who came up to me and as usual gave me a tight hug. "Ever! Mention Angelica Stewartt again!"

It was then my brother noticed that Jefferson had frightened me. He released me and walked to him and slapped him, hard. "Don't you ever speak to my sister like that again! Or I'll knock your teeth out, all of them out at the same time!"

Jefferson was shocked for a second and a grin spread on his face. He raised his fist in the air and my brother didn't mind at all it looked like he was going to take it. However I had noticed as Jefferson lifted his fist in the air that I was the only mediator between the two. I ran between them.

"Stop!" I said in a voice much louder than I thought would come from my lips. "Don't be such kids, Hansel, I can take care of myself and Jefferson watch your tone of voice with me! You two need to learn some respect. Now let me try this again, Jefferson will you please help us?"

Jefferson nodded and went to observe his specimen on the screens while rudely pushing my brother out of the way. My brother was more than annoyed with the lack of respect he was receiving. I held his hand and tried to calm him down while Jefferson just stood for what seemed like an eternity staring at screens.

"Most of them we can only help by death." He announced. Now it was my gaze that turned to the floor. My hands turned cold and the room's temperature began to decrease rapidly. My brother tightened his hand around mine, and then released it with his signature hug.

"Do it." My brother commanded

However Jefferson simply ignored him and blinked waiting for the command to come out of my lips. He really did have no respect for my brother.

"Do it." I said my head on my brother's shoulder facing the other direction. So Jefferson couldn't see me crying, However that didn't stop him from hearing my voice break.

"The remote?" He asked causing my brother to throw at him. Luckily Jefferson was a good catcher otherwise the remote would have hit him in the face. Jefferson growled at my brother and went back to his business while my brother simply comforted me.

My heart weighed much that day. I had seen the worker bees controlled by Jefferson die, all of them, all of them at once. They may have been just drones not even deserving to have names but they were people once! Before they were created into drones they were normal people! At least as drones they could have still escaped and gone off with their families, at least they still had a chance at redemption but not now, now their hearts had stopped beating. I didn't even want to think of what their families thought had become of them. Of course now added to those I had the creatures to deal with, More deaths to add to my already guilty conscience. I couldn't help feeling that I could have done something to help the numbers and now the creatures.

I heard squealing and snorting as Jefferson centered all the volume and attention towards one screen. I turned to see another one of his sick experiments, a pig with wings sewed on to its back, its eyes gouged out. "How could you do this to such an innocent creature?" I nearly yelled. The pig could actually fly but it was hitting its head against the walls. I was disgusted, how in the world was this going to help humanity? It seemed to me that Jefferson was simply a sadistic, mad scientist that loved to torture other beings. "You're sick!" My brother looked like he was going to vomit, however I was the one currently enraged and he knew he better hold me back. I tried kicking, I was looking to seriously hurt Jefferson. I knew it wouldn't help anything but still that was my kind! That could have been Sunshine up there! All sewed up and- the thought made me scream. I was sobbing and flailing and my brother was crying but far more subtly.

Jefferson seeing this tried to divert our attention to other screens that were less disturbing.

Another screen focused and it we could see a raccoon, it seemed normal and far less disturbing but then the raccoon started speaking English. English! And it started foaming at the mouth, it was clearly insane and a weird coloring and rash in its skin proved that the raccoon was in no doubt sick physically as well. This only fueled my hysteria.

Another live image came to focus a large potted plant stood in the middle of the room, It had six flowers. These six flower heads had six pairs of eyes giving the camera a death stare, It's stem had a maw and their petals seemed rough and sharp they definitely looked poisonous. Its eyes looked like mosquito's eye, or two small disco balls shining and giving reflections on the walls.

Soon more and more images were becoming in focus, there were so many! Jefferson pressed a button on the remote and spoke into it.

"Door 4-26-67-7-15-57." He looked over at me with a worried expression on his face. "I'm sorry." He whispered so low that I could barely hear. Then he whispered into the remote "Electrocute."

"NO!" I yelled going into hysteria again, sobbing loudly and uncontrollably.

Jefferson too looked like he was going to cry but it was all for the wrong reasons and that's when I wondered if he even had a conscience. I saw the creature that barely resembled anything earthly get shocked into the ground and die.

"Couldn't you do anything less painful!?" I yelled "You monster!"

My brother held me back easily since I was so light but still he could see that my words had an effect on Jefferson. Anyone at that point could see by his facial expression that he was genuinely hurt.

"Don't listen to her, she's just worked up." My brother said as clear as he could, hoping that his message could make it through my yelling. Jefferson nodded but still looked at me with a worried expression. The temperature in the room was still decreasing rapidly and my brother had to hold me tight to keep me warm. He was bothered by the cold but after being frozen in ice this wasn't too bad.

"I'm sorry." Jefferson started "but some of the creatures have only a few weaknesses, the quickest death for this one for example was electrocution. "

I continued sobbing. "You're lying! He's lying, Hansel we have to help them!" I said in tears, kicking and flailing some more. My brother just looked at me sadly.

"I wish we could help them sis." He said staring at the screens. "I wish we could." He repeated.

"Door 4-28-67-12-54-17" Jefferson started again. I stared at him and he stared back at me. "To be poisoned." That of course sent me in hysterics again as I saw a flask appear from a hole in the wall and watched as the strange cyclops with two tails drink thirstily, as if hadn't had a drink in ages. Soon it dropped down dead.

This process repeated itself over and over as I watched them die, one by one all the creatures slowly die. I yelled in hysterics the whole time, screaming and crying, flailing and kicking, until after a while I couldn't even speak I just went to a corner to cry to myself.

Jefferson tried to tone it down, not to make the deaths seem so cruel and torturous. My brother tried to hide me from seeing such things and feeling such guilt but there were so many of them and they couldn't hide me from watching as one by one bodies fell to the ground and screens went black.

Although not all of the bodies laid in such a manner, One had its insides sucked out by vents in the ceiling, One had evaporating with a scream into thin air, A few melted, some exploded, It was terrifying. Only those that were in a better physical and emotional state that looked close enough to humans or animals could be saved.

After a while of sitting in silence, my brother came to the corner I was in and kissed my forehead. I was ice cold.

"Sis…it's okay, it's over." I was still sobbing curled up into a cowardly ball, not being able to control my emotions. It had been nearly eight hours since, I had been sobbing for hours, watching creatures die nonstop for eight hours. I didn't even speak, all I said was "We should have done something." Or "We could have helped them." All I said was phrases like these over and over, repeatedly for eight hours. My brother put his arms around me again trying to warm me up. His cheeks were damp, and his face was red from crying.

"Is she okay?" Jefferson asked, leaving the remote on his desk and turning to me. My brother didn't even look at him.

"She needs time." Jefferson just stood there until my brother continued "Alone with her family."

Jefferson held his head low and attempted to approach me but I only sobbed harder. My hair by now had stuck to my soaked face and was covering it completely. I was covering myself; I didn't want anyone to see me right now. My brother saw this and knew that the deaths did more than upset me.

"I'm sorry Jefferson but could we please have a moment together alone." My brother said hoping to shoo him off. Jefferson nodded and left the room, and for once he wasn't watching from a camera. My brother waited until the door closed completely.

"Sis" My brother as whispered but just like I did in the past couple hours I gave him absolutely no acknowledgement. I ignored him completely as if he didn't exist. He took some hair that had covered my face and placed it behind my ear. That's when he saw what was wrong, he rapidly uncovered my face completely.

My face was pale, red and a little puffy from all the crying , my crystal eyes back to a dull dirt brown and there was a whole skeletal look about me. I blinked realizing that now he knew. If love had gave me strength and special abilities, seeing things that needed love and knowing that I couldn't give them love…well it weakened me. Love indeed was my strength but as Grizelda had once said it was also my weakness. Fresh tears continued staining my cheeks, I felt internally cold and I was just shutting everyone out even my brother.

I just couldn't believe I had given the command to kill so many creatures and I couldn't believe that my brother had just let me give the command.

"Gretel" he whispered a tear flowing down his red cheek caused by seeing me like this. "You know I love you yeah?"

I shut him out. I could only thinking of the screaming creatures.

"I know it was a tough decision but think about it. They'd be tortured and examined the rests of their lives and what kind of life is the one that they had. You saw how they were, you put them out of their misery. You gave them peace."

That comment made me feel slightly better but still these creatures didn't deserve this. He continued speaking gently "Not many, but a few of the creatures made it and we can take them with us, would you like to meet them?"

I didn't say anything, my frail state didn't allow me to say anything. Then he placed his hands on my cheeks and let the magic flow. It didn't dawn on me until then that my brother was changing too. He was changing slowly but still changing. His love for me had caused two lumps in his curly dark hair. They were pig ears I'd recognize them anywhere. I searched him for regular ears and he had a pair, though I had suspicions that they were just for show, to not freak people out. However what I really wondered was how did he learn to do that! To control his powers without becoming an absolute wreck like me. His eyes soon shone like crystals with a tint of emerald green, he let out a small squeal and kissed my cheek.

"Don't you ever forget who you are. You've been through more than an average person should yet you're still holding on. You're a survivor, no matter what happens, that's what you are."

Soon my exterior looked decent enough but inside I was still a mess and I was so weak I could barely move. My brother took notice though and said "Want to go give some of the creatures some love?" If I had felt strong enough I would have probably jumped up and screamed "Yeah" enthusiastically but for now I couldn't speak. My eyes gave a small glimmer though in response and with that he knew the answer.

He took me in his strong arms, while I could move absolutely nothing like a rag doll. He carried me out moving me to make sure I was comfortable but no matter how he moved me I just laid there in his arms, my eyes closed.

After that I couldn't get their screams and the images out of my head. I hoped that after all this we could give them at least a proper burial but there were so many! Guilt welled up more and more until I officially passed out.

My brother saw me limp. "Gretel?" he kissed my forehead and sighed. By now we were out of the room and Jefferson was now able to see us completely. He tapped my brother's shoulder.

"She looks a little-"

"Weak?" My brother asked finishing Jefferson's sentence. My brother turned to Jefferson and for once he saw my brother's green tinted crystal eyes.

"You" Jefferson said stuttering while backing away a little.

"I?" My brother wasn't aware of what had happened and like me even if he had figured it out he had no clue how to turn it off."

Jefferson reached for my brother's left eye. This, this was impossible! He thought. He had to have those eyes. He just couldn't believe it.

My brother still had no clue what was going on and he just ignored the idiot stuttering and trying to poke his eye out while backing away awkwardly. This only made Jefferson more curious of my brother's abilities.

"Where are the experiments we are taking back home with us?" My brother asked trying to get Jefferson to stop being such an idiot in his opinion. He'd give him a good beating but he wouldn't, not while I was still in danger.

"But, what about your sister?" Jefferson asked.

"I asked where are the experiments and how do we get out?"

Jefferson chuckled "I don't take orders from you, you're just a pig."

"So was my sister, and she saved your life and I know if she had to do it again she'd do it again in a heartbeat. Now it's your turn to help her and all you have to do is show me where the experiments are.

Jefferson looked at my brother with disgust but he started leading my brother, for my sake. They continued walking and every once in a while my brother would shake me a little to see if I was getting any better, I wasn't. My brother tried to get Jefferson to talk about the experiments but he refused to talk.

Once we got to the door, Jefferson unlocked it and my brother poked his head in to see what was inside. It was a regular boy, or at least that was what he seemed like. He had dark brown messy hair and freckles, he had green eyes just like my brother usually did and he had light skin. He seemed like a normal kid.

"He's just a normal kid."

Jefferson smiled again. "You look like just a kid." Then Jefferson grabbed a heavy chest from a corner with a sharp latch.

"What's in there" My brother asked.

Jefferson simply grunted carrying it. "Apples."

The child was simply curled up into a ball wearing a dull and dusty light blue hospital gown. From the looks of it the boy had been there for a while.

"What are you going to do with that?" My brother asked referring to Jefferson who was pushing the chest towards the boy.-

"I'm just giving him a little push."

My brother was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Just watch." Jefferson continued to move the chest closer to the boy. As he did the boy said absolutely nothing but he did scooch away from the chest, all the way to the other side of the room.

"That's about the biggest response you'll get from him, if we're talking about the safer methods I mean. We've tried X-rays, tests, lab results, he's perfectly normal. "

"Then why is he here, if he's just a kid?" My brother asked, suspecting that he'd soon find out.

"The machines say he's normal, but they're wrong! He can't be! I've seen him turn into a-a-a" He repeated not being able to make words. "He's turned into a creature before."

"What do you mean?"

"That's what I need you two to help me figure out. We must completely understand him before we take him up."

"Up?" My brother asked.

"Yes up." Jefferson repeated slowly as if he were speaking to a young child. My brother snorted in annoyance. "In case you haven't noticed the laboratory it is all underground." My brother silenced, ignored Jefferson's attitude and kissed my forehead.

"We're here." He whispered to me. "There's a little boy here that needs some love." My eyelids opened slowly. "You can help him." My brother continued.

"I can?" I moaned. Jefferson walked over to us and even the boy moved his head a little at hearing such voices.

My brother smiled at hearing this. He knew I would always take the chance to help someone and when I did it made me joyous, this time he knew, it would give me strength. "Yeah you can." My brother said answering my question.

"Hansie?" I said my body starting to gain a little more strength.

"Hmm?"

"Will you come with me?" I asked since I still felt weak, and I didn't want to be left alone in such a state.

"Yeah, sure I will." My brother said snuggling me a little after he released me on the ground and helped me stand up. We approached the boy leaving Jefferson behind to watch and learn.

With my brother holding my hand came memories of the old days, which of course made my eyes sparkle, just a little.

I stopped and went on my knees before the boy to reach his height, since he too was kneeling. My brother then also followed my lead.

The boy had his eyes closed but turned his head after a few seconds of us waiting there. I slowly took my hand and touched his cheek, he was quite cold. No this room was cold! Didn't Jefferson have a heater here or something, this little boy could get sick!

I focused on warmer temperatures and soon the temperature started steadily warming up a little.

The boy barely responded to me placing my hand against his cheek but since it was warm he pressed his cheek harder against my small hand.

I smiled; the boy had accepted my touch, so I went and hugged him.

He smiled; He hadn't had a hug in quite a while. He slowly put his arms around me, wondering who I was. Then he spoke, according to Jefferson for the first time in months,

"You aren't a number are you?"

I smiled "I'd never dream of it."

"But are you one of the master's men?"

"I'm acquainted to him, yes but he's no master. Also I'm just a girl, my brother's here too."

His smile turned into a small pout, I could tell he missed his family and home.

"You two are brother and sister?"

"Yes we are." My brother said placing his arm around me.

Then the boy opened his eyes to face us. There was something in those eyes though; they were normal, yes and emerald green just as my brother's eyes were but they shone more than normal. Not like our crystals, but not like dull earth eyes. At the time though I only considered this as a coincidence.

His eyes widened when he saw ours, I think he knew. In our land eyes are and were the key to the soul, however on earth people had just regarded them as just that, eyes.

"You aren't from here are you?" That's when I realized that my eyes had crystalized again. UGH! Why couldn't my eyes just give me a warning? I shook my head to answer his question.

"What's your name?" I asked. He sat there for a minute not knowing what to say.

"7-30-89-6-24-58"

"Oh no, dear I meant you're real name. Before here." I said.

He started to stare at the wall behind us in discomfort. "I-I don't remember."

"How old are you?" I asked getting more curious.

"I don't know." My brother started to grow concerned and he stared at me giving me my last question.

"Last question" The boy looked at me again glad to hear the word last in there. "and you don't have to answer if you don't want." That made him relax a little more but he was still pouting.

"I'm not here to interrogate you, I only want to help but." I had then lost my nerve to ask, seeing that I had already made him feel uncomfortable; I looked at my brother begging with my eyes to not make me ask.

"Where are you from?" he asked for me "your home?"

He then smiled, which caused us smile too. "Veckethryzion."

My mind went blank; I had never heard of such a name, I couldn't even pronounce it! I mean… thinking deeply it did seem a little familiar, but I still had no idea.

My brother smiled brightly, so brightly in fact that I thought his smile would pop right off!

The boy continued "quadrant four, street seventy-six." When the boy caught my brother's smile and shining eyes I saw hope glimmer in his eyes. "You've heard of it?"

My brother was always better at geography, since he was always out and about when he was smaller. He liked to explore different places to chop wood to learn more of his surroundings. That's why it was so much more embarrassing for him when we got lost. "That's far but north west of Rhionine!"

The boy looked like he was going to cry from joy, he quickly wrapped his arms around my brother. In fact tears did fall from his eyes. The smile my brother had earlier was now on the boy's face as well. "You're from the land of stories!"

"He's from the land of fairytales?" I forgot for a moment that different portions of Fairy tale Land called it different things. If you were Veckethorian you called the whole atmosphere "The Land of Stories" but if you were a country pig with only a few years of education you might call it Fairy Tale Land.

I knew I shouldn't have called it that, FTL was more of a street name. Yet in reality the land held so much more than just fairytale inhabitants, it held fables, nursery rhymes, fictional characters from TV shows and book series, any imaginary friends, every fictional character landed there. So Yeah, it was way more than fairytales.

He didn't even care for my lack of proper education on the subject. He and my brother just nodded so quickly I thought their heads would fly right off!

I smiled brightly and hugged him tightly, and then my brother went and hugged us both at the same time, so we were just a huge pile of grabbing arms and kicking legs.

"I never thought I'd see anyone from the homelands again!" The boy yelled happily.

My brother and I stopped hugging and looked at each other with perfect synchronization. "Neither did we!"

Soon I felt a shadow looming over me, It was Jefferson. He had approached us in hopes of getting a better look at the boy's eyes. I tried not to make the boy notice.

"Where are you two from, what are your names?" The boy asked releasing us.

I looked at my brother. "We're from…?"

My brother rolled his eyes at my lack of geographical knowledge. "We're from the forest, west from the Calm mills."

"Wasn't that burnt down by the villagers at Calm Mills themselves?"

"Aahh That." My brother said scratching the back of his neck.

"Not all of it was burn down." I interrupted.

"No, only a vast majority, now please tell me you aren't acquainted with such people."

"What's wrong with such people?" My brother asked starting to give an attitude.

"They-"

"You still don't know our names!" I said to the boy, glad to find a reason to interrupt. "I'm Gretel but here people call me Crystal."

"Because of your eyes?" He asked.

I smiled. "Yeah" I responded then I pointed to my brother "and this is Hansel but here we call him Max."

"How long have you been here?" My brother asked catching the boy off guard.

"I um… I don't know, I age story time so I can't tell." You see people die easily, stories don't. They are passed down from generations to generations and that is why we live so long.

My brother bit his lip, I looked over to Jefferson.

"He's been here for twenty six years, and he hasn't aged a day."

The boy's rosy cheeks turned pale when he heard this and I started to wonder how Jefferson knew this. Jefferson was quite young and there was no way he had been here for that long.

"Do you two age story time too?"

I shook my head and looked at my brother.

"You?" I asked my brother starting to worry.

"I, I'm not sure." He replied. My heart nearly skipped a beat, this was bad, really, really bad. If we were to bring the boy up with us (and I really did want to) this delay in the aging process would become quite the problem. If fourteen years was just a few days for Froggy I imagined thirty years from now and this boy still being the same, and Oh brother! My brother! How could I hide his slow age from my parents that had now adopted him as their own!

I tried to focus on the boy and only on the boy for now. We couldn't keep his age a secret, that was true but we also couldn't leave him in that rotting cell forever and especially not with Jefferson!

"How did you get to Earth?" I asked. "How'd you become real?"

"Veckethree" he started "is a very industrialized and technologically advanced city. We are known for our new age science and experiments." He started saying without a single um or stutter as if he was forced to say this many times before. "However sometimes our experiments can lead us to trouble, which was the case when my father attempted to use me to make stories a reality."

"Why though, why send you?" My brother interrupted. He was quite intrigued with the idea.

"Well everyone else thought he was crazy, and after all he'd done for me I had to show support for my old man you know but that's beside the point. The point is if people see a fantasy character right I front of them, then they'll have to believe! It would give us strength!"

"But you're breaking the barriers between realities!" I interrupted but my brother just continued with it.

"Gretel, it's not a bad idea!"

"Max, We are Crystal and Max now! We are stuck here and no one is coming to get us! This plan could, could cause chaos!" I continued.

"Not if no one knows who you are, you see people could see me and treat me like a regular boy but when they see me! Like I'd be two people, this little boy and" He stood up but then he looked at Jefferson and swallowed hard. The boy was scared.

"Yes, show them what you can do." Jefferson said with an eerie smile only to scare the poor boy even more. I looked at him angrily and stared soon he fell to the floor. His hands bounded in handcuffs and his legs as well. He tried to kick and flail but unfortunately to no avail.

"He can't hurt you now." I said smiling at the boy before turning to Jefferson "and those won't hurt, I promise, I'll take it off after I promise." Jefferson still pouted but the boy smiled brightly. "You were saying?" I asked as I turned back to the boy.

The boy looked at me again and smiled "I was saying, don't judge a book by its cover."

Then his eyes shone like mine had, his right eye turned green with a red iris, while his left turned red with a green iris. He spread his arms and grew tall, his body morphing, he grew a beak as red as blood and he had feathers as white as snow. His wing feathers turned green at the ends and so did his tail, a lime green that sort of looked like my brother's type of green. He was huge, so big in fact that he took up most of the room and with that still he wasn't up to his full height.

He opened his beak and let out a mighty roar, which sounded slightly like a 'SQWACK' but he couldn't sqwack because with that roar fire came out of its beak. The bird looked at us fiercely and now it was us that were scared. The bird looked angry but he wasn't… that was just his face. With that said the bird was gorgeous, it seemed so strong and independent. The bird like me emitted rays to human kind, but his were power, strength and boldness. I backed away a little in awe. My brother just stood there bug eyed and his mouth open in shock.

"That's awesome." He said.

The bird looked smug and proud. "Kwitt, Kwitt I cry! Oh what a beautiful bird am I!" my face turned pale, I knew who he was. Being on Earth I had always been fascinated by fairytales. I read them all the time! I nearly had most of them memorized and I could quote them piece by piece. This tale was no different. His name wasn't even mentioned in the books but as a child I would spend hours guessing names. This time I guess I was correct.

"Juniper!" I yelled. My brother just stared at me in confusion but the bird simply flapped its wings in excitement. "The Juniper Tree" I explained "That's his tale! He was collected and made true by Grimm! His name is Juniper, he has a sister! He so strong, he even carried a millstone on his neck! He was made a bird by his bones being buried underneath the Juniper Tree!"

My brother stared at me wide eyed. "You just identified him!" I smiled brightly feeling a little proud of myself. However the arrogance barely lasted, I looked at the smug bird again and realized something.

What did I have to be proud of? A little story knowledge, nope I was just a pig, a pig not even worthy of having their own tale written.

"Really though" I started "You're father had a great idea, it's a brilliant plan it really is but…" The bird tilted its head. The vast amount of confidence it had was scaring me, it was making me feel inferior. "Not to be negative but." After seeing what this boy could turn into I was so shy, my brother, sensing this placed an arm around my shoulder.

"Yes Sister?" he asked beckoning me to continue.

"How will you be able to disguise yourself" I asked Juniper "if you age far slower than humanity here? If you can't disguise and people notice." I paused for a minute to let it sink in. "You'll end up in places like these to be imprisoned, dissected or even worse." The bird let out a little noise that I can't really it explained, but it sounded a little bit like a dying chainsaw. I seemed to have caused a dent in its confidence.

"Actually I was planning to-" Jefferson started but was stopped in mid-sentence as Juniper let out another roar with fire aimed at him. I had to act fast! I imagined a shield and dove in front of Jefferson shielding him. I winked at him from under the shield, advising him that I had his back, but also asking him to please, not anger the bird.

"Gretel, it's an idea worth doing." My brother clearly had his heads in the clouds.

"Well yeah but" I said standing up and throwing my shield across the hall. Then I saw the shine on my brother's eyes.

"So basically you're father wanted for you to be a hero, right for the humans to believe in?"

Juniper nodded. My brother turned his head to me, a definite smile on his face, he was excited. He wasn't seriously thinking of taking the role, was he? It could be dangerous! I knew what he was thinking and there was no way I was going for it, there was absolutely no way.

"Crystal ages normally and I might! Maybe we could-"He was cut off by those menacing eyes, the bird grew fierce, and this time he was angry. His eyes flashed again and he flapped his wings quickly turning into a boy wildly waving his arms around.

"You, swine are not worthy of accomplishing my father's grand dream." Juniper was very upset and he had used the S word! This wasn't going to end well as my brother became extremely offended.

"What's wrong with pigs?" My brother said angrily, I could see his tusks coming from underneath his upper lip, I was in shock. I prayed that Juniper wouldn't go any further. I motioned from behind my brother to not say anything but Juniper ignored the warning.

"They're disgusting animals, they're ugly and lazy and they care for nobody but themselves! They eat enough to feed an army and still want more! They wallow in the mud, and the only thing they're good for is pork."

Oh snap! He did not just say that! I cupped my mouth in shock. I really wanted to smack him, I was not selfish! My brother just stood there, too angry to speak. His tusks fully grown and his pig ears poking out, I could see a moving dent on his pants. His long tail was back, he had a longer one since he was physically more of a boar than a pig but still. I imagined a hole in his pants so his tail could flow free but no other part of his backside could be seen. I could see his fists merging into his hoof but with an opposable thumb. Like me he was changing but I didn't care for that now, I just knew he was going to kill this boy if I didn't intervene.

I gave him a hug and he opened his eyes to look at me, he smiled. "Lil sis"

Juniper looked at my brother. "You…"

"I what?" my brother snapped.

"You're hideous." Juniper said trying to get a better look at my brother. My brother snorted angrily in response. I was getting scared, was my brother turning back? I saw fear rise in the boy's face as my brother dove at him.

I ran up to him right before he hit the poor boy, who was now shaking on the floor. I tried to hold him back, he was furious. He had only helped this boy yet he was bombarded with such insults.

"Hansel." My brother squealed angrily at me trying to reach the boy which was only a few centimeters away from him. "Hansel! Don't, it isn't worth it!"

"I am not just pork!" He started squealing, his skin becoming cooler and transparent. "Hansel, you're becoming incoherent."

He turned to me, rage filling up his emerald eyes. I could see his passionate heart shining through his now glass body. He loved his old life so much, I really felt bad for him. I saw his hair turn green into leaves. "Hansel..."

"Now I'm Max!" he said throwing me to the other side of the room.

"Jefferson!" I yelled making sure his restraints were off.

Soon he leaped swiftly and punched my brother in the face. He had a bruise on his nose but it slowly disappeared, however he was out cold. "That's for messing with my specimen!" Then he gave Juniper his hand to pull him up, however Juniper didn't trust him so he just sat there on the floor.

"What the heck did you do?!" I asked frightened

Jefferson lifted up his hand. "There's some steel in my skeletal structure remember?" Jefferson saw my face panic. "He'll be fine, you know him. He'll be here to annoy us again in an hour, two tops."

"How do you know?" I asked uncertain.

"That heart of his, I have a feeling it isn't giving up anytime soon." I looked at my brother's heart, for once Jefferson could be right. I gave Juniper my hand and he received it, I lifted him up with ease.

"Jefferson still, please if you want to earn my respect never do that again." I said firmly.

"Hey, I just wanted to help Juni." He said shrugging.

"Don't call me Juni."

"Eh" Jefferson said, he wasn't used to talking to his specimen.

Juniper then looked at me for an answer. "What was his problem?" he asked me, referring to my brother. I snorted at him angrily, surprised that I could make such noises. He didn't even blink. "What are you?"

I was taken aback by such a question because even though I didn't want to admit it, I had no clue what I was. I was a pig with a wishing heart, yes that but I was human, I was real, I was Crystal! I held my head low; this gap in my identity was getting a little depressing.

"Well you're a phoenix, mixed with the fire of a dragon, the eyes of an eagle and the beauty of a dove right? And you're a fairytale character." He looked at me a little creeped out.

"Some body's been doing a lot of reading."

"Well I" I continued "and my brother are uh hybrids." The boy looked a little more understanding. "I am a pig and a girl."

He bit his lip at this, realizing why my brother had gotten so upset. "sorry."

I shook my head, "It's okay, you didn't know, and my brother's a hybrid between a pig, a boy and a frog."

"A frog?" he could barely believe me so I nodded. "But how?" he asked intrigued, you aren't fairy tales how'd you survive up here?"

Ugh I wanted to sarcastically thank him for shoving my inferiority back in my face. "Our wishing hearts." His eyes nearly came out of their sockets and he dropped down on his knees. "What are you doing?" I asked confused by his actions.

"I'm paying you my respects." He said.

So wait this boy was bowing down to me? I'm not even a character worth writing about, I'm nothing! I'm just a pig that coincidentally was born with a wishing heart. Sure the hearts were rare but it could have happened to anybody!

I bent down as well. "Juni, I'm no god, yeah sure the wishing heart was really rare, and sure I shouldn't have been able to survive but I'm really just the same as you. So get up, because really you were a pretty rad bird."

He tilted his head "Rad?"

"Um… You were pretty magnificent." I smiled, embarrassed that I had used such wording. He smiled, his look of confidence returning back to him. I grabbed his hand and we both stood up, then I started walking towards the door. Though he wouldn't budge, I turned my head to look at him.

"I'm getting out of here?" he asked in disbelief.

I nodded and grabbed one of my brother's hoove-hands. I tried to fling him over my back, but to no avail. Gosh he was heavy, due to all his muscle or it could just be due to the fact that I wasn't very strong to begin with. I tried something new; I slowly bent down and carried him like a mother does her newborn child. Jefferson and Juniper just stared at me as if I was trying to carry something that was well beyond what I could. I mean sure my brother was taller than me, and way heavier but I could totally carry him. He carried me dozens of times, it couldn't be that hard!

I was wrong, I felt a light snort escape my lips as I carried my brother. He was heavier than I thought, really. I tried walking a few steps.

"You need help don't you?" Jefferson asked.

I sighed, was it really that obvious that I couldn't carry my own brother? Either way I nodded and let Jefferson take my brother in his arms. He then placed him on his back with ease. The three of us started walking out, and I was slightly jealous at how easily he was able to carry my brother.

His skin was starting to look glassier and glassier and it was beginning to frighten me. I also watched him carefully; I had to make sure he took care of my brother. I still didn't trust him, not after all the deaths today.

I also wasn't sure where we were going, to the next creature maybe? "You are taking us to free the next species right?" Jefferson simply nodded, his mind looked busy. That was okay I guess, although I was curious about what he was thinking about.

"I'm seriously, actually getting out of here?"

I looked at Juniper "Of course. Why would I lie?"

"If you were one of the master's henchmen, you would." I grabbed Jefferson's arms and motioned him to stop. "How do I know you aren't one of Jefferson's freak experiments gone wrong?" he asked. "What if you're under his control only leading me to a world of pain for his sick entertainment?"

I looked at the poor boy. "If that were true what would the chances be that my brother would have known of our home atmosphere?"

"I don't know maybe the master dissected my brain while I slept, and viewed all my memories and bilt you so I-"

I laughed, I couldn't help it! Juniper had such an imagination. "Good luck with that, Jeffie may be an evil genius but I don't think he's that smart."

"Hey! I could've!" Jefferson exclaimed. Juniper and I smiled.

"I guess you'll just have to trust me." I began walking again but I soon felt Juniper gently tap my shoulder.

"If I am leaving... could I have my clothes back? I feel like I've been wearing this trash for ages." I looked at Jefferson who was starting to get annoyed with this boy. He started walking back to the room and I could hear him mutter insults under his breath.

"Ungrateful, overcritical, annoying, little son of a-" I won't say that last part. The boy however didn't mind this at all and it upset me that at such an early age it looked like he was used to such words being directed at him. I mean sure he had some sass, and sure I had heard worse words directed at me at school but still!

Jefferson was walking rather swiftly and it was getting difficult for me to catch up. He wasn't running though, he was taking too much care for my brother to do so. He held him very carefully, I was grateful for it at the time, not suspicious as I should've.

Once we had reached our destination (which was soon since we hadn't walked very far to begin with) Jefferson walked in and with a key he unlocked a locker from the back wall. It was so cleverly hidden that I couldn't even see it before! From the locker he pulled out an odd type of clothing. My brother had mentioned that Juniper's homeland was very industrialized and advanced but I expected nothing like this! I had only seen those types of clothes in old comics I used to read. The clothes were definitely a subgenre of steampunk clothing.

Juniper coughed as if asking for privacy, while he grabbed his clothing. Who could blame him for wanting privacy? Jefferson did apparently as he stomped out of the room. I followed Jefferson but I walked out gently and quietly while slowly closing the door.

After closing the door I took a look at Jefferson, something was definitely on his mind and by the look of the grin on his face it wasn't anything good. Just the way he was holding my brother, the way he was observing him, it was giving me the chills. He now had him in his arms rocking him like a baby; this image wasn't right and it made me extremely uncomfortable.

I wanted to believe Jefferson could be good, that it I could trust him, so that's what I did. I let my love for him get the better of me and I ignored the thought aching at the back of my mind, though as much as I tried I couldn't remove my doubts and worries. Being powered by love had its perks but it also made me more like a child, more innocent but unfortunately more gullible.

Soon enough the door opened and Juniper came out, now fully dressed. I was shocked; my eyes started absorbing his look, he looked older, I'd even dare to say in his early teen years.

Juniper wore a hat similar to the one Gavroche wore in the movie 'Les Miserables.' I could tell that he used to be poor. A pair of goggles stood on top of the hat and around Juni's neck was a pair of head phones that were duct taped together as if they had broken long ago but there wasn't money to buy another set. He wore a plain white shirt with long puffy sleeves. On top of he wore a brown vest topped with a few belts that were sewed on for decoration. They were really dirty so I doubt that vest had come with them. He had a satchel with him and his pants were big for him. Really big, they ballooned from the top, where his belt had held it tightly to his little waist. Height wise though the pants did make him look rather short as the pants dragged across the floor when he walked. I didn't doubt the pants were a hand-me-down. His shoes didn't look good either, they were worn out to the point where the holes were bigger than the scraps of shoe. In fact it was just the bottom of a shoe tied to his feet with some material that looked similar to gray duct tape.

I was about to ask him if he wanted to borrow my shoes before realizing that the duct tape would be hard to take off.

"Juni… you look poor." No, really that's what came out of my mouth. I wanted to smack myself and needless to say I felt horrible for saying that. Sometimes my mouth went faster than my head.

Juniper as I assumed seemed a little annoyed. "So what if I was?"

"Nothing!" I said quickly but soon a question popped to my head. "I just wondered why you didn't sing your beautiful song for money?"

Juniper looked to the ground. "My dad spent enough time with his crazy ideas and experiments. He didn't do them for money; he did them for the fame. If I did get some more money I was afraid he'd force me to help with the experiments ore often. I was also afraid he'd spend less time with Malory and me and I- I didn't want that. Not that I was selfish, just I wanted my family to be together and strong you know?"

Suddenly I loved Juniper. "So hold on, you chose being together with your family longer over riches?"

He nodded.

"Come here." I told Juniper causing him to come closer to me, then I hugged him tightly. He must've loved his family so much. I couldn't believe Juniper had so much love in him even if he was a little rude.

As I thought of this my skin began to turn glassy with a tint of silver in it. The hug reminded me of my brother and how much I loved him. Slowly my crystal eyes began to shine and my wings erupted. However I took no notice, my hands fused together making my hands have only two pudgy blackish gray fingers that were as hard as a hoof… but at least at that moment I did grow another finger giving me my index finger, my pinkie and a thumb. The index finger and pinkie though were bent so the tips of each finger faced the other. If it weren't for my opposable thumbs my hoof hands would be pretty much useless. My hair turned into different shades of perfectly hydrated green leaves. My tail sprouted from my bottom. The tear stains on my cheeks began to glow an electric blue. There was now a permanent blue line from my eyes to my jaw line.

No one at the moment noticed since Juniper and I were too busy hugging and Jefferson was too busy absorbed in his thoughts to even look at me.

"Crystal?" Juniper started.

"Hmm?"

"I miss my family."

I hugged him a little tighter, I knew those feelings. "Don't worry Juni, my brother and I will do our best to get you to see your family again. I know you must miss Malory."

"Yeah… I miss her the most of all." He said quietly. `1`

I wasn't sure how I was going to find Juniper's family, but I knew I had to do it, and I was determined to do so. I kneeled in front of Juniper.

"Juni I promise." Juniper started staring at my face, at the time I wasn't very sure as to why. "You will find your family."

I noticed that he looked straight into my eyes, and he didn't even blink. He was afraid, which in turn scared me a bit.

"Crystal?" He started with the slightest tremor in his voice.

"Yes?" I responded, afraid of what he might say next.

"You look different." He said. Now I hoped that it was just one of those days that I had a huge zit, and that's what he meant. However when I looked into Juniper's eyes and caught my reflection, I knew he wasn't kidding.

"Jefferson?" I asked hoping to get a second opinion on my looks. Hearing his name helped him awake from his daze of thoughts. He looked at me and I watched as a grin spread across his face. With that grin I had to be terrified, He wasn't going to take me as one of his experiments was he? Then I saw him shift his gaze downward to my brother. I noticed my brother's skin was now clear, like my own glassy skin, except my skin had a small tint of silver. I noticed he had leaves for hair and his tusks and pig ears were present. His eyes looked like crystals with a hint of green, or perhaps they were emeralds. His hands had become like mine and his feet had become green and webbed, like a frog's. His heart shone brightly through his shirt that had only one long sleeve. His clothes now consisted of that shirt that had a green vertical stipe with a light pink in the middle. He wore a green scarf that transformed into a belt near his waist and it had a green hexagon shaped buckle with a yellow swirl on it. He wore green and brown armor and he wore loose pants that had had green and yellow horizontal stripes on them. I wondered where his old clothes went since I had made them and that cap was pretty cool but I figured that old clothes were the least I had to worry about now.

I saw his long boar tail swaying slowly and realized that at least he would be up soon. I stared at his skin until I saw my own in the reflection. I saw my hair was no longer brown as it was completely covered on different types of leaves that were different shades of green. My eyes, shone once again brightly. I was scared and it took me a while to realize I was staring at myself.

I was scared so I took a few steps back and I touched my face hoping not to touch my cool glassy skin but my regular light tan skin. I took a few deep breaths, This was me right now and I had to accept it. For now at least while my brother was unconscious, once he gained consciousness I would let myself I promised to myself freak out as much as I wished.

"I'm fine Juni." I told Juniper so I wouldn't scare him. "C'mon let's go free the others." I slowly grabbed his hand and let him stare at me. I never felt like more of a freak, though I felt okay, so at least I figured that I wasn't in any immediate danger. I then started walking towards the door, patting Jefferson on the way and motioning him to take as further. Jefferson simply nodded and took us further in our journey. It had been a while of thinking, walking and being stared at when I felt a hands pull out one of my leaves. I stopped walking as Juniper put one of my leaves in his mouth I quickly looked at him worringly.

"Juni No, No! Spit that out! It could be poisonous!"

He swallowed quickly and stared at me. "Well I feel fine, and you taste sweet like salad leaves."

I taste sweet, probably not the best wording he could use as it brought some bad memories. I must have had a scared expression on my face when the bad memories came in because Juni soon asked

"Are you okay?" I simply nodded in response and decided to let it slide, since Juni meant no harm. I forced a smile.

"Salad Leaves huh?" I grabbed one of my leaves since I had plenty, and placed it on the top of my tongue. I bit into it slowly. It really did taste sweet! "Hey Jefferson!" He looked at me and I tore off a leaf and offered it to him. He shook his head at me and continued leading the way, I shrugged in response and tore the leaf in half, eating a half myself and giving the other to Juniper.

It took us a while to get to the next door. I found that my leaves grew back as soon as one was used, so I found I had an endless supply of salad. Juniper and I also spoke while we walked, he told me more of his life on Veckethryzion and his experiences here. I felt really bad that Jefferson didn't feed or take care of Juni properly. I could see that Juniper was pretty scrawny for his age; he also had several bruises on his hands, and parts of his skin that weren't covered by his clothes. I really wanted to hug him again; he didn't deserve any of this. I also told him a bit of my life, I didn't tell him too much though, since soon we were at the door. I did tell him enough though for him to know not to cross Grizelda if he ever met her.

Jefferson soon sat my brother next to the door on the floor. His tail swayed and I could see his knees rise, he was close to waking up. Jefferson opened the door and I saw a girl with weak blond hair, she was wearing the hospital gown and she was near the corner of the room scrunched up in a ball. She was also thin like Juniper, her hair very messy and she was shivering from the cold.

"This one was found the same place Juniper was taken say around years later."

"How many?"

Jefferson chuckled. "a lot."

I stared. "Jefferson, how old are you?"

Jefferson just smiled. "If I can find out how to do all this, don't you think I can figure out to rewrite my cells to look younger?"

I shrugged, yet when I turned back I saw that the girl was staring at us. I imagined up a cozy blanket and walked over to her. She backed away a little clearly afraid of me, I decided not to scare her as I was aware that I did look weird. I handed her the blanket though and she took it and gave me a weak smile. I went on my knees next to her, though I made sure I wasn't close enough to disturb her.

I looked at her eyes, another one of us? I smiled, remembering that she was found in the exact same place Juniper was found.

"What kind of species is it?" Juniper yelled still not having seen the girl.

The girl immediately widened her eyes and lifted her head up; I smiled brightly while a jasmine grew between a few of my leaves. "I think she's one of us!" I yelled.

His head immediately appeared in the door way and once he saw the girl he grinned from ear to ear. "Malory?" He yelled happily. The girl smiled brightly, got up and ran to him, and when I say run I mean she sprinted! They hugged together crying joyfully, the girl not saying a word, while Juniper chattered on. "I thought I'd never see you again!" He exclaimed.

I smiled feeling lonesome. I walked back to the door frame to see my brother. Jefferson was at a corner just staring at him, which made me feel extremely uncomfortable. I knelt down next to him.

"Hansie?" My brother moaned in response, he was still in pain. I snuggled with him glad to know that he was conscious. "You know that I love you?"

"Mmmm hmmm." I kissed his cheek and looked at Jefferson who was now looking at the wall. "I wuv chu too." He said opening his eyes. He stared into my crystal eyes and he looked me up and down. I smiled.

"I look different, I know." He then looked at his own hooves.

"My hooves are back! Sort of" He squealed in delight and jumped up. He saw his tail sway between his legs and he saw his glass body, he couldn't hide his smile. I guessed being like this wasn't that bad after all, If I could get it under control this might actually be pretty cool.

"Hansel!" I yelled happily causing my brother to look up at me. "Try a leaf!" I said plucking one out of his hair and giving it to him. He smiled, I guess it tasted like mine.

"Mmmm! It's sweet!" He said smiling brightly.

"Yeah I know!"

"Hey Gretel now we could be like Superman! Fightin' Crime as Hansel and Gretel but we'll still be Crystal and Max! No one will ever know! I mean." He looked at Juni.

Juniper was still elated to see his sister so he was still smiling. "You may take over our plan, just give me and Malory a place to stay."

Shoot I almost forgot! We still had one more door to open and we had to find a way to actually get out.

20: chapter 20

Reuniting Juniper and Malory had made me very excited, so hoping that I could make someone else happy I asked how many creatures were left to free and he responded  with

“Just one.”

I immediately felt terrible once again. Out of all those screens ( there could have been easily hundreds of screens!) only three could have been brought with us? Was the damage that Jefferson had done to them that bad? Then I started wondering about what I had overheard while I was out, I had overheard Jefferson say that he built this place underground. If what he said was true I hoped he had a way back up. I wondered ‘how long has he been down here?’  Years in solitude underground would be enough to drive anyone insane, I began to wonder and worry of Jefferson’s sanity and easy to say my mind was kept easy. My brother must have seen the worry in my face because he was quick to hug me, as usual.

“Sis, shall we go to the next one?” My brother asked while offering his hand for me to take. I nodded and took his hand in response. I may have been a teenager, but his hand felt wonderful, just like the good old days.

“Jefferson lead the way!” I said far more cheerful than I expected to be.           He started to walk and soon my mind went to Jefferson’s sanity again and I began to wonder if he was moved by Juniper and Malory being reunited again. The thing was Jefferson hardly showed any emotion or acknowledgement to the whole situation. It was obvious that he was focused on something else. How I longed to know what he was planning. The thought that he might be planning something mischievous disrupted my peace so I calmed my nerves by reminding myself that it must have not been easy for him as I had just destroyed decades of what he considered progress towards improving humanity. Still seeing his mind clearly occupied disturbed me, could he have been planning revenge on my brother and I? I forced myself not to think of it, worrying would make no difference. Besides I had to give Jefferson the benefit of the doubt and I couldn’t let my paranoia get the best of me.

I looked behind my shoulder to see Juniper chatting with his sister or should I say he was talking to himself as Malory hardly said a word. So Juniper held up the whole conversation but there was no doubt that Malory was listening to her brother’s soliloquy.

“Juni” I called out a little louder than I expected.

He looked at me, clearly annoyed that I had interrupted him.

“C’mon” I said as I tilted my head at Jefferson twice like an arrow or sign to follow him. They then began to follow and Juniper’s chatter once again filled the room. My brother then looked at me and smiled.

“So what do you think we’ll do when we get home?”

“Well we certainly can’t go home looking like this! Mom and Dad would freak just like that time they saw Rebecca MarieGrace!”

His eyebrows pinched together in confusion. “Who?”

“Red Ruby” I started “I renamed her “Rebecca MarieGrace.”

“What happened to Francesca?”

“Francesca is Ruby but Ruby isn’t Francesca and Rebecca is Ruby but Ruby isn’t Rebecca.”

“Is Francesca Rebecca?” My brother asked not understanding.

“No. See think of Ruby as a whole, now think of Francie and Rebecca as different emotional parts of her, as a different persona.”

“So you’re saying she has multiple personalities?” My brother asked making me wonder.

“No, I doubt it.” I said. “I don’t know, and please don’t jump to any conclusions, she’s still like a daughter to me and I don’t want anyone having a false impression of her.”

My brother stopped walking in realization. He shook his head in disgust, He didn’t want to accept it but he was too late, he had already fallen for her and he suddenly hated himself for it.

“You okay?” I asked placing my hand on his shoulder. His face was red, I wasn’t sure if it was it was because of hatred or embarrassment, maybe he had a fever. I placed my other hand on his forehead. “You’re a little warm.”

“Gah!” He backed up a little, almost falling over. “I’m fine!” He yelled loudly. I retracted my hand, I couldn’t believe it, he screamed at me. ‘What did I do wrong?’ I thought. Juniper then ran to us dragging his sister along with him.

“Your face look like a cherry. What happened?” Juniper asked seeing that my eyes were watering.

“Do you ever shut up? Nothing happened.” My brother said with his voice raised as he continued to walk. I just stood there in disbelief, I just couldn’t believe he just yelled at me.  As dumb as it sounds I started crying a little. Juniper looked at me.

“Are you okay?” he asked. I quickly wiped my tears in realization.

 “Yeah, I’m fine.” I mentally scolded myself for being such a child and crying in public over something so stupid. I realized now that since Jefferson didn’t stop when we did he was far ahead. “Let’s go.” I then grabbed Juniper’s hand and we made a run to catch up with Jefferson and my brother who had sprinted earlier to catch up. Once I was close enough to my brother I let go of Juniper’s hand and let myself breathe.

“Do you need a break?” Juniper asked, shocked that I was breathing heavily over such a short run. Yet there was still definite sass in his voice.

“Nah I’m good, don’t you have something to talk to your sister about?” I asked dismissing him.

“Oh Yeah! So Malory…” his voice then drifted off to endless chatter.

I tried to take a look at my brother’s red face. He was obviously very disturbed and in thought because he just turned his head away from me in shame. I tried to take his hand but he gently tapped my and away.

“Sis?”

 

“Yeah?”

“Do you really consider Rebecca your daughter?” My brother asked.

“Yeah I do.” He then started stuttering, with his face red.

“So-So If um, If I- I were to-to like um  like Rebecca?”

My face must’ve shown complete disgust because he turned his face away again.

“Um, Ew!” I said loudly. I read through his expression. “You don’t like her, do you? You can’t! She’s my daughter! You’re like her uncle!” I looked behind my shoulder too see Juniper and his sister staring at us. I had really caused my brother some embarrassment.  I placed my hand around his shoulder and started whispering. “Look, it’s okay, you didn’t know but tell me you just have a crush on her, nothing more.” He looked at me and I saw that his emerald eyes had faded back into an olive green, and I saw that his pupils had returned again.

“Just a crush” He lied.

“Good.”

We stayed quiet for the rest of the walk, only Juniper’s chatter filled the dark hallway, as well as the sound of our footsteps. The hallway was rather ominous, only a few dim lights led the way to the next room. I was glad Jefferson was with us because each hallway, each room no matter what turn we took looked identical to the last. One could easily get lost in there.

I soon bumped into my brother, Jefferson had stopped in front a door and I hadn’t even noticed. I backed away and watched as he rummaged through his pocket for a key. It was then that I realized that he looked like a number himself. He was so focused on his thoughts that it looked like a robot, or as if he didn’t value life.

 Once he had opened the door my brother and I poked our heads in to see a woman with long ginger hair. She wore her hair in two ponytails that reached all the way to her backside. On the top of her left ponytail she wore a withered red rose, while on her other ponytail she wore a withered white one. She also wore the same kind of hospital gown that Malory was wearing, and like the one Juniper had once worn. I couldn’t see much of the actual woman because she wasn’t facing me, She was facing the wall. I then took my brother’s hand and slowly approached her.  As soon as she heard our footsteps she turned her head.

Her skin was the color of warm milk and her eyes were a pale blue. Her cheeks were a slight pink and she looked like a porcelain doll. A slight shine in her eyes proved my suspicions. She was one of us. She looked like in her late teens but if she was anything like Malory and Juniper we might as well consider her ageless.

I decided it was best to stay put, mainly because she was older than me and she was far more beautiful which reminded me of the bullies at school, except this person was naturally beautiful, she needed no makeup to make her look that way. I suddenly became shy remembering those bullies, from what I had learned from this life on Earth was that beauty brings pride and pride? Well pride does horrible things to people, so yes I was afraid to talk to this woman.

My brother coughed to signal me to say something, so I overcame my fears and I did.

“I like your roses.” With that I thought of how beautiful they would be if the roses were healthy and with that the roses grew to their full beauty. Yet the woman didn’t seem to take notice, however she smiled weakly, while looking like she would cry.

“Thank you, these are all I have left.”

“Left, as opposed to what?” I nearly face palmed myself, I can’t believe I said that. ‘As opposed to what’ this woman had been stuck here for probably years, probably abused by Jefferson, maybe even sexual abuse. She had lost her family, her friends, her home, very possibly her dignity! She had lost it all.

“These roses were from my mother’s garden, there were roses whiter than snow and roses redder than blood.” She started.

I knew who she was, She was Rose Red, a tale forgotten by many but not me.  Snow White, her sister had gained much popularity with so many remakes of the tale with the seven dwarves. Yet Rose Red who too had met a dwarf and met a prince had no modern remakes and to the children she was forgotten.

“My sister and I were named after those roses. I left my prince behind, my sister, my mother, I left them all and now these are all I have left, wilted roses.” I got closer, I was no longer afraid of her.

“Rose Red what are you doing all the way over here?” She looked up at me teary eyed and hugged me tight.

“You recognized me.” I wrapped my arms around her.

“Of course I did. All tales should be known, popular or not. Also you’re beautiful.”

 “Thank you so much.” My brother just stood there wondering if he should join us “Who are you? Have you come to free me from this dreadful place?”

I released her and grabbed my brother’s hand. “I’m Crystal, but back in the Land of Stories-“

“You’re from the Land of Stories!” She cupped her hands around her mouth and I smiled. I knew she was one of us.

“Back in the Land of Stories they call me Gretel. This is my brother-“

He didn’t say anything but I think he recognized her. “I’m Hansel but here they call me Max.” She opened her arms and they hugged.

“And Yes, We are trying to set you free.” I finished. My brother released her.

 “What brings you here?” He asked.

Rose Red frowned. “Well I, I rather not talk about that. Where am I anyways?”

“You’re on Earth; You’ve been on Earth I mean.” I said. My brother glanced at me.

“She means what’s this place that she’s been held captive in, right?” She nodded.

“I meant both.” She said causing my brother to start again.

“Well think of this as a mad scientist lab, underground, where no one else knows.” I closed my eyes, that sounded really depressing but it was the truth. My brother must’ve seen my face because he quickly added

“But we’re getting you out of here.” I turned my head over to Jefferson as my brother helped pull Rose Red on her feet. He seemed angry and he was staring at my brother. This wasn’t good. I soon turned my head to hear a yelp.  Rose Red was limping, she could barely stand.

“Stop!” I told my brother. “Don’t move her.” My brother did as I told him. “Rose, are you okay?” She whimpered.

“I took plenty of rest, I thought it had healed!” She said tears flowing down her face.

“Hansel, lay her down slowly. Rose, What are you talking about?”

My brother laid Rose down slowly even though she was bigger than him.

“I mean I wasn’t strong enough to come here, to Earth” Rose said.

I looked over to Jefferson again. “Jefferson, has Rose Red always been like this?”

He nodded and said “Since the day she arrived”.

I looked back to Rose Red, her eyes were now closed tightly in pain. “Which leg is it?” I said taking notice of how long her gown was, compare to the others which were only knee length. Rose Red’s reached up to her ankles. I knelt down next to her and pulled my brother’s leg so he would join us.

“Both.” She said.

“Do you mind if I raise your gown a little to take a look?”

She shook her head. “No, but one of you talk to me while the other does. It’ll seem less embarrassing that way” I looked at my brother.

“Where are you from?” My brother asked while I slowly and carefully raised her gown. I saw no blood so far which was good.

“I’m from the Calm Mills, A house near the forest.”

When I raised her gown to her mid-thigh I realized that what I saw was worse than blood.

“Really, I’m from there too.” Since Rose Red still had her eyes closed tight I tapped my brother on the shoulder to take a look. When he saw what I was pointing at his eyes widened. “Except I live underground, not in a house” my brother said continuing.

Rose Red’s legs were like sand, literally. Her skin wasn’t skin, the particles were all separated. You could see no open space between them but if I wanted to I could have grabbed some of her leg only to watch it seep back to the floor through the cracks in my fingers. They still had the form of legs but any unnecessary strength or poke could make sand seep.

“Strange, I would have met you, I didn’t leave too long ago. Also why underground? You can’t be that shy.”

My brother chuckled at her comment hoping to make her feel less depressed.  I began to remember an old moment from a long time ago, back when I still had a snout and tail, Only around a couple months before Sunshine was gone. I was in the dark barn crying in the corner. Only to have the barn door opened a few minutes later by Gretel. Her hair was done in two braids and her dress was a light lime green with a plaid blue bow in the back near her behind. She sat next to me in my pen and sat me on her lap. She wiped my tears and hugged me letting me know that whatever was wrong she was there for me.

“Gretel?” I asked to get her attention.

“Yeah?” She answered, releasing me from her arms and looking in my eyes to let me know that all of her attention was on me.

“Why do I gotta not be a fairytale? I’m like nothin’ Not even human, I’m something people eat!”

She frowned. “Gretel, your language, you know better grammar than that. Also I think you’re pretty amazing, even if you aren’t human.”

“But Gretel, no one will know me when I die! I won’t be known as that pig who did something, I’ll just be a pig with a wishing heart in a background of your tale. Then people will forget all about me, I’ll age faster, I’ll die faster. Why can’t I be a fairytale?”

Gretel sighed. “Gretel, fairytales are not as good as they seem. You have no freedom; your life is controlled and based on something someone wrote on paper someday. Your life is based on how many people read and like your tale and if too many people forget about you or you do something wrong you disappear. Fairytales are not like imaginary friends where only one person matters, or like some legends, Fairytales are worldwide.”

“What-What do you mean disappear?” I suddenly frightened.

“Well, they…” She paused. “I’m not sure if I should tell you this. You’ll know it when you see it but luckily you don’t have to worry about it.

“Oh my God!” cried Juniper. His yell brought me back to reality. I looked back to see him running to my aid while Malory just stood in the doorway.

“Jefferson! Go get a wheel chair!” I yelled but that only made Rose Red more distressed. My brother looked at me wide eyed as if to say ‘You didn’t! ’I nudged Juniper to tell him to talk to Rose Red while I grabbed my brother.

“Do you think we can fix her?” I whispered.

My brother looked back at her. “I doubt it, coming here took a ton of energy out of her, and she wasn’t popular enough to survive.”

“But we-“

“Gretel, we are magical creatures we are not fairytales, Juniper is a phoenix that came here with advanced technology! I doubt Rose Red had access to any of that.”

“Well, we have to at least try! We can’t just let her waste away to nothing!”

We heard a scream, I looked at Rose Red and noticed one of her toes had spilled onto the floor and was just a pile of dust that would soon be blown away.

“Maybe we can stabilize her. Quick, how did you heal Jefferson?”

“Well um I closed my eyes and thought of examples of love.”

“Alright, I’ll try.” With that we split I went on Rose’s left side and my brother went to her right.

I began to think of all the love everywhere, not just in my past life as Gretel but I also thought of my life as Crystal.

I remembered once when I was at a fair, it was really hot and I had ridden way too many spinning rides, I  was already feeling a little dizzy but I was determined to ride them all. Soon on my last ride my stomach flopped. As soon as the ride stopped I puked, it was so embarrassing! I started to cry but soon people from all over began to come around. Complete strangers to me, and instead of being upset that the ride wouldn’t work again for a few hours, they bought me bottles of water, some brought me towels and many helped. I learned that day that even strangers had great love in them.

Soon my powers strengthened and my eyes began to not only shine but emit rays of teal. I could see absolutely nothing but the thoughts that surrounded me.

My brother too had the same power for his eyes began to emit rays of lime green but only after mine had turned teal. I turned my head so my rays would touch Rose Red’s foot. The room went silent. My teal and my brother’s lime started to tangle around each other as the colors wrapped themselves around Rose Red’s leg.

After a few seconds her leg stopped spilling, it just froze. However with my eyes closed I didn’t see that her leg had stopped spilling. I only heard her crying.

“Do not be afraid.” My teal self whispered. Suddenly an agonizing pain ripped through me. My teal flew back into me and my glass skin turned back into lightly tanned flesh. I started to cough and breath heavily, I had exhausted my powers. I knew love could do miracles but I was still at the time focused on Rose Red’s leg. I put all my strength in helping her. I closed my eyes tight, I felt like I was being drained, it was very painful. I could think of no other examples, nor could I imagine. So with that I involuntarily fell asleep.

The headache my brother felt was terrible, his head was pounding and he felt a bit dizzy. He could barely open his swollen eyes because of the exhaustion that had overcome him but when he did he saw a leg that was part flesh and part sand.  My brother smiled, we couldn’t save her leg but we had stabilized her. With that he let his exhaustion over take him.               

It took us a while to wake up but the others were astonished. We had broken destiny, but honestly no one knew for how long. Rose Red was no longer in pain; she looked at her leg from every angle. Slowly, afraid for her leg she crawled to us and kissed our foreheads.

“God Bless you both.”

“Will they be okay?” Juniper asked.

“I hope so, but we’ll just have to wait and see.”

So that’s what they did. Jefferson simply watched all of them and stayed thinking things to his self. Rose Red stayed exercising her leg, she jumped in Juniper’s conversation once in a while, luckily he didn’t mind.  Juniper spent most of his time talking to Malory and Rose Red sometimes, though many times he would stop mid-sentence to look at me and my brother to make sure we weren’t getting any worse.

A few hours later people were starting to grow more concerned. To lessen the concern Rose Red tried to get up to prove that our sacrifice was not in vain. Yet when she stood up she fell back on the floor, her leg felt like a noodle and it had no strength.  Jefferson seeing this and trying to prove to everyone that he was trying hard not to be the man he used to be rolled the wheel chair he had gotten earlier over to her.

It took both Juniper and Jefferson to get Rose Red on that wheel chair. Rose Red was used to being so independent and adventurous but now it had all changed and she was having a very difficult time accepting it. The only reason she had accepted sitting in her wheel chair was that it was far better than the cold and dirty concrete floor.

Once I opened my eyes my nose bleed had stopped but I still had a slight headache. Rose Red was the first to notice that my eyes were open so she wheeled over to me. The noise of her wheel chair made the others turn their head back to look. She arched her back a little so that her face was only a few inches above mine.

“Thank you.” She said.

I smiled. “You’re welcome.” My voice was only a tiny bit coarse. Not wanting to talk much I then hugged her. She hugged me back tightly, it wasn’t as amazing as my brother’s hugs but it was still very nice. Juniper and Malory soon rushed in and joined in the hug while Jefferson just stood there. After they released me I looked over at Jefferson and opened my arms. Rose Red, Juniper and Malory backed away quickly when Jefferson approached and hugged me. I guess they still didn’t trust him but then I began to wonder, why did I?

He released me soon after and I was free to do anything I wished. The first thing I did was kiss my brother’s cheek which caused him to turn into a frog.

…Whoops.

All except Jefferson and I stared at him. I picked him up and held him up in my hand.

“Is- Is that him?” Rose Red asked as she came closer.

“What did you do to him?” Juniper asked.

I chuckled. “Yeah, it’s him, he does that sometimes.”

“May I pet him? I love animals and he’s adorable.” Rose asked. I smiled at least I wasn’t the only one who thought that he was pretty cute.

“Yeah, he loves it when you rub his back although I think he’s still asleep.”’ With that Rose softly rubbed my brother’s back. Though he was asleep you could hear him make soft noises. I joined in soon and even Malory stepped up to pet him, Juniper however thought he was disgusting.

“We did it. “ I whispered in my brother’s ear. I soon felt the weight shift and I put my hands on the ground.

“Nnnnngh.. I know.” My brother said even though he hadn’t opened his eyes yet. I suddenly felt ashamed at the fact that my brother was naked, for the second time today and this time in front of other people! They were all staring at him except for Malory who turned around and placed her hands over her eyes. I stood right in front of him to block the view and politely told them to turn around, which thankfully they did.

My brother’s face grew beet red as soon as he realized. He then fumbled with his underwear, too embarrassed to notice that he had put them on backwards. I coughed and pulled on his tag causing him to blush even more.

“Do-Don’t Look at me! Turn around! My underwear is none of your business!” I turned around and smiled because even though he wanted me to turn I knew that secretly he was grateful. It took him a while but when he was done he gave us a whistle and we knew. I looked at him again… Really that cap I gave him looked so cool. It was a lime green cap that my brother wore backwards. It had little warts on the top and frog-like eyes on the sides. I had made it for him because not only was it cool but I felt that it was fitting.

An awkward silence followed. It was like we all knew that we had to leave but nobody knew where to go all except one person, Jefferson. There were three people in this room who wouldn’t even come near him so that left my brother and I. My brother however was still entranced into thinking only of his embarrassment. So that left only me.

I poked Jefferson to get his attention yet he didn’t move, so I poked him again this time harder. He turned his head and looked down at me.

“Is that it?”

He nodded. I felt very shy, Since he had freed his creations Jefferson seemed very quiet. Maybe he couldn’t believe it was all gone, maybe he was hurt, maybe he just didn’t know what to say to all of the creations that he tortured. However he felt I felt guilty and responsible for his feelings. He had trusted and told me his story and now I was determined to get him back to Angelica. I guess I was quiet for a while because my brother gave me a side hug and took over.

“So we can go home, yeah?”

Jefferson looked at my brother, annoyed by his cheerfulness and he nodded again. Soon we were back in the maze. Honestly I was surprised at how quickly I felt better! By now I didn’t even have a headache, although I was feeling a little tired and I was pretty hungry. Cupcake? I thought to myself. I looked behind myself to see the others. I wondered if they were hungry. I could give them cupcakes but for once I didn’t want a cupcake, I wanted a nice big slice of pizza. A pizza with cheese filled crust, a pizza with sausage, bacon, pork, pepperoni and lots of cheese. Oh and breadsticks! No one could forget the breadsticks with sauce and spices.

Soon my mind started thinking rationally and I thought that though I didn’t feel bad anymore I wasn’t sure if I was strong enough, also I didn’t want to make a habit of taking my powers and using them for everything. Although… My mind debated it for a full twenty minutes.

My brother snapped his hands in front of my face. He sensed that I was a little conflicted.

“You okay?” he asked

“It took you a while to ask.” He snorted in response, which caused Juniper, Malory and Rose Red to look our way.”

“Sorry.” He said, blushing a little.

“Hey Hans?” I whispered as we continued walking.

“hmmm?”

“Are you hungry?”

He stopped dead in his tracks. He then turned his head at me quicker than a bullet. “Why? Do you have food?”

“Uhhh I might-“ Then suddenly Juniper was at my side.

“You might have food?” He asked. Malory’s stomach growled at the mention of food. My brother gave me those puppy pig eyes of his and even Jefferson looked at me with a somewhat pleading look. I couldn’t resist.

“So um, I’m guessing you all want a dinner break?” It felt like dinner time but I actually had no idea what time it was.

“Please!” Rose Red said politely while Malory just nodded and the boys said “Yes!” enthusiastically.

“Okay so where should we sit?” I asked but my brother and Juniper just dropped to the floor and sat right there. Malory then followed her brother and the rest of us were just left standing there awkwardly. My brother grabbed my shirt and tugged me down. So I sat and Jefferson and Rose Red got closer and sat so we were now sitting in a oval like shape in the hall.

“So any special requests for dinner?” I asked

“Who cares what food we get? Just give us something quick and good!” Juniper said.

“Quick and good it is!” I tried to imagine glasses of water and pop. I imagined two large pizzas, with breadsticks and cupcakes for dessert! Just as I thought when I opened my eyes, there they were. Although my headache did make a reappearance it was worth it.

Juniper, Malory and Rose Red looked at the pizzas, then at me. I just shrugged and grabbed a slice. I was going to imagine paper plates but my head was starting to pound just like this. My brother was the first to take a bite, then seeing the smile on his face Juniper took a bite, which caused Malory to take one and soon we were all cheerfully eating. I hoped, no I prayed that my brother wouldn’t notice I had imagined pork on the pizza, luckily he didn’t ask. I think he was slowly accepting it. It was delicious, which made me a little proud, cause C’mon! I just made food out of thin air! This pride of course only made my headache worse. I hoped eating a little more would calm my nerves but three breadsticks, two slices of pizza and one cupcake later I still felt the same so I decided to just lay down on the concrete floor, which wasn’t very comfortable.

“Are you okay?” Rose Red asked.

I nodded. “But I think I used up a little too much magic, I think I’ll just rest here for a bit.” Rose Red wheeled over to my brother who was on his third slice of pizza “I think you should go with your sister.”

My brother immediately stood up from the floor and looked up at her since Rose Red was taller. He swallowed a mouthful of cheesy crust quickly and asked

“What’s wrong?”

“She’s weak, making us this meal seemed to take a lot out of her.” My brother sighed, grabbed another slice and walked over to me. I had my eyes closed at the time but I smiled when I heard him approach.

 “Sis, what’s wrong?”

I sighed. “My head hurts. I just need a break.” My brother looked behind us to make sure no one else was watching.

“Sis I know you love helping people but you need to think of yourself.”

“Says the first person that freaked over the fact that I had food.” I replied.

“I haven’t eaten in days, sides I’m kind of a pig.” He said munching on his fourth slice.

“Exactly, people here needed food and I was the only one who could give it, to give is better than to receive and if I can sacrifice a little of my health to help others so be it.”

My brother smiled and kissed my forehead, he imagined up a pillow for me and placed it below my head. “Sis you’re more powerful than any of us yet you choose to use your talents only to helps others. I couldn’t be more proud.”

I smiled. “I love you”

“I love you too.” These were the last words I heard before I dozed off. Once he heard the sounds of my light snoring my brother grabbed a chocolate cupcake and bit into it hoping that it would help the slight headache he had.

“Do we have to wait for Crystal?” Juniper asked. My brother looked at me.

“Nah, I can carry her.”

“Good because I can’t wait to get out of here.” Juniper said as my brother cleaned his hands off on his jeans and picked me up slowly even though he too wanted to sleep.

“Jefferson.” Jefferson turned and looked at him with eyes that disturbed him, My brother knew something was up because those eyes made him felt like prey. “Could you please lead us out?” He said trying to sound like me. Jefferson smiled a little and nodded. He was actually gaining a little of respect.

So once again we began to journey. My brother worried, even Juniper could tell that my brother was a little uncomfortable so he hardly said a word. My brother noticed that all the corridors and halls looked exactly the same, just like walls void of any color. It was possible that Jefferson could be leading us to a trap. He didn’t trust him at all but if I would have given Jefferson a second chance, shouldn’t he? Or was he being foolish by doing so.

After around fifteen minutes later we stopped.  Jefferson pushed on a certain area in the wall and it moved revealing a red button which he then pressed. The roof split in half an opened revealing a long ladder and at the end was a hatch. It was a long way up and this was quite a problem as Rose Red could not walk.

Rose Red looked up at the hatch from her wheel chair. My brother could only turn and sense her worry, he put an arm on her back.

“We won’t leave you down here; We are all getting out today.” He said firmly which made Rose Red smile.

“I’ll go first.” Jefferson said. “The hatch was designed so that no one could leave, with that said only my fingerprints can open it

“Alright just don’t leave us stranded.” My brother said as he left me on the ground. Everyone just froze including Jefferson.

“So you’re just going to trust him? After all that he’s done to us!” Juniper yelled. “That makes you traitor!”

My brother stood up slowly and walked up to him. He looked in Juniper’s eyes and saw fear in his eyes and he thought of the story of Grizelda, Addy and the villagers. “Yes, he has inflicted much hurt among all of us but what good what it do to let his sins from the past fester in our hearts?”

Juniper seemed a little taken back. “It would keep us safe.”

“Now from what I’ve seen Jefferson’s mind may have been corrupted-“

“May!” Juniper yelled. “Jefferson enslaved me, he’s ran tests on me! God knows what he’s done to my sister to make her so quiet! He’s rotten to the core!”

My brother yelled over Juniper to everybody’s astonishment. “Yes, I agree! But the point is though that though he has done all these things you can’t expect him not to fall back in old ways if that’s all you expect of him! Besides He has done all of these things but from what I have seen Jefferson is a man of his word. He has almost died for my sister.”

“So, You trust him?” Rose Red asked.

“Honestly, No but I haven’t seen him tell a lie.” Everyone was quiet for a while. Then my brother turned to face Jefferson. “Now tell us, will we all see the sunlight today?”

You could see beads of sweat running down Jefferson’s face.  He had planned that everyone would see the sunlight today but how could he ever get results from my brother if he was so kind. Jefferson felt so guilty but he was determined to get them. He needed that DNA.

“Yes. We will.” With that Jefferson went back to climbing.

My brother squished my cheeks slowly and gave me a kiss on the cheek hoping I would wake up.

Meanwhile I was speaking to another in my dreams. I was dreaming, yet someone had infiltrated my dreams. I was once again in Grizelda’s home, the air gone.

“Help me please.” The voice was so familiar! Why couldn’t I remember? The woman didn’t want to be seen because whenever I turned to see her she was wearing that veil. I tried to reach to pull it off but her one hand pushed me away. I looked at her other arm, It was like a giant version of an insect’s leg, it was made of black stone and ended in a sharp point.

“How can I help you? Who are you? How did you get in my dreams?” I asked confused, desperately wanting to pull that veil off because I was sure I knew that voice!

“Gretel! We don’t have much time! We are stuck in her dungeon!  I am conflicted! So very conflicted! You must free me!”

I was so confused. “How do you know my name?” I asked trying to peer inside her veil, only to see dull blonde hair.

“We don’t have time, you must understand!” She said, her one hand grabbing me.

“Then explain to me!” I said, I didn’t mean to yell but I was so confused. She then took off her veil but the image soon blurred like last time. She said her name but it faded as my eyes opened to see my brother’s face.

“Sis, you feeling better?”  My brother asked, his curly hair only inches away from my face.

I nodded still in shock from the split second of seeing that woman’s face. I didn’t remember what she looked like but it was terrifying. To be honest my head still hurt but not as much.

“Good because we’ll need something special.” I groaned a little. “We have to get Rose Red up there.” My brother said pointing to the ladder. I immediately stood up to take a better look at it. It was concrete and the hatch was painted white although it was grayer as the paint was cracked and most of it was off. Though it was a very long way up, I doubted I could carry Rose Red up there, since I was clearly not strong enough. My brother however…

“I thought of Sarah and her love for me when Ruby had me pinned and soon my eyes crystalized. I was beginning to get the hang of my powers, I just had to be careful not to overuse them, or to imagine anything at random moments, I also had to keep in touch with all my emotions and I had to stay humble. Oh dear the list was longer than I thought.

My wings soon shot out of my back.

“I can’t climb up there but I might be able to fly up there and I won’t be able to carry Rose Red up there but I might be able to carry her wheel chair.”

“But who’ll carry me then?”  Rose Red asked causing my brother to grin.

“I used to lift a lot of weights back home.” He flexed which made me giggle because he was acting so prideful when on the inside he was just as insecure as I was. “I think I could do it.” He acted like the reason he was grinning was because of his muscles but the truth was that deep inside he was still thinking of how Red Ruby had saved him so many times by carrying him.

Rose Red looked up. “Oh not to make you feel bad but I don’t feel comfortable with that.

My brother laughed. “Who would? I could drop you.” I laughed because I knew my brother would never drop anyone if he could help it.

“Don’t worry.” I said as I approached Rose Red. “He won’t drop you.”

My brother’s eyes soon shone and his wings shot out.  He helped me get Rose Red out of the wheel chair and we decided that we’d wait until the shuttle was actually open to fly up. We watched as Malory went up followed by her brother. It was nice to hear Juniper cheer on Malory as they climbed up, it didn’t seem like she was used to climbing that high, although I wouldn’t be able to either.

Finally after what seemed like forever Jefferson opened the hatch with a few turns to the left, a few turns to the right, it reminded me of a combination lock. As it opened sun light poured through, I smiled brightly. I folded the wheelchair and waited for Jefferson to get inside before I shot in the air quicker than a bullet and reached the top. I was met with a meadow, lots of grass and daisies. I looked at the blue shy and put the wheel chair down.

“YES!” I yelled happily. I flew higher. “Woo Hoo!!”  I looked down to see my brother putting Rose Red on the ground. I saw Malory and Juniper arrive right after. Malory was crying because she never thought she would escape and I couldn’t be happier. We were free! My happiness didn’t last too long though as soon as I realized that we weren’t finished.