Keeping Fantasia: The Third Book of the Fantasia Series

Chapter 64: Family of One

Chapter 64: Family of One

Gwen blazed into Center-Point Sector. She ran straight through downtown, too panicked to wait for traffic and too harried to apologize to passers-by. 

She didn't stop until she reached Tony's Restaurant.

Exhausted, she ducked into a back alley and slumped beside a dumpster. The dumpster smelled as one would expect from an Italian pizzeria – rotted garlic, moldy basil, and whole lot of rancid mama mia!

But Gwen didn't mind: Tony's Restaurant sat in the heart of every Fantasian, including hers.

Tony's was the first place Gwen had met her Fantasian family after the crash landing six years ago.

She remembered it perfectly.

The Pan and Hawkins children had crashed into Fantasia. The flying long boat had splintered when it hit the ocean. Somehow they swam ashore. Somehow they survived. 

But they were alone.

It had been cold. It had been wet.

But Gwen only started to cry when her baby brother, Peter Michaleen, had stopped breathing. She remembered cradling him as Jon Hawkins cradled her.

She didn't know what to do.

Then they were found. They were whisked to the hospital.

Gwen was separated from her baby brother. The doctors put him in an incubator that was "cozy and warm."

"Don't worry," they had said, "He's comfy in there. It's just like a little bird's nest. Oh you can look honey, but don't reach inside! He's too fragile to touch."

Then Gwen was separated from Melody and Jon. Both children were passed to their grandfather. "He is your mommy's daddy," the nurses had said. 

Gwen never saw their grandfather. She only remembered Jon screaming for her as the medial staff ushered him away.

After that Gwen was alone.

But she was soon joined by two men: Chief Hiccup and King Arthur.

At the time, Gwen had no idea who they were, but if she had, she wouldn't have cared. She was so afraid. She was afraid that her baby brother was going to die. She was afraid that the shadows were still coming to get her.

She remembered crying. She remembered blubbering about the shadows.

King Arthur had wiped her tears. Chief Hiccup had taken her on his lap.

"I will protect you," he had promised, "The Darling bloodline is forever protected by mine. Trust me little one. My debt to your family is stronger than dragon steel."

Gwen had cried herself to sleep. She woke several times, then cried herself back to sleep, tears muffled in Chief Hiccup's lap.

Finally, she left the hospital.

King Arthur remained with Peter Michaleen.

But Chief Hiccup took her to Tony's Restaurant.

And just like that everything was better. Tony's Restaurant was a spaghetti-and-meatball wonderland. The restaurant was full of warm, comforting colors and savory, comforting smells. Gwen had been greeted by two dogs (their names were Lady and Tramp), and two Italians (their names were Tony and Joe). 

"Set-a-here, little Gwendalina ." Tony had snapped his fingers. Like magic, Joe scurried from the kitchen with pepperoni pizza, almond biscottis, and nuttela hot chocolate.