Out of the Woods (Goldilocks Meets The Modern World)

Dear Dad

       

Damelsworth stood up, as if he knew it was time.  I looked over at the tall man with sandy blonde hair and then at Lincoln. "What do we do then?"

"Together we defeat him, not by killing him, but by taking away what he uses to control everyone.  He has held us under his spell using fear and he boasted of how much your people feared his power when he came back to Middleton.  We have to take that away from him and let him know we aren't afraid.

I blinked and considered the man who now ambled across the grass as if he had everything under control.

I sent a dagger from my eyes aimed straight at his heart. I meant to pierce it and end it right then.  I could see him wince and grab his chest, then shake his head.  He was getting closer.  I held my empty hand out in front of me and sent slicing knives to his stomach. He didn't' even bother to step out of the path as he stopped the energetic assault midair. He inched closer, smirking.  My heart raced as I remembered the lessons I'd gotten over the years. 

"You can't beat him like this!" Lincoln said standing by my side.  In the waistband I hadn't noticed before was some kind of sheathed knife.

"Right. Help me then.  I just attacked him with a dagger and knives and he isn't fazed."

"I told you, it's about fear and power.  He uses that against us.  Whatever you fear he will use against you."

"I've already lost everything and I'm not afraid to die."

"Good.  That limits his power."

"He's almost here. What do we do?" I asked Lincoln.

"We wait." Lincoln spread apart his feet and prepared for battle.

"I see you've come. Finally.  I've been waiting so long for you Amarilla. I'm sorry your mother kept us apart."

"Don't talk about my mother.  You murderer!" I yelled back at him, drawing the attention of the people in the park.

"Now you don't want any of these nice people to get hurt, do you?  Ranting and raving out here; drawing unnecessary attention to yourself, to us, will do that." he sneered.

"I don't know them. What do I care?"

"You mean if I take this young girl right here and end her life, you don't care?"  Damelsworth said grabbing a surprised girl with a backpack on.  Her eyes were wide as she tried to scream but her voice trapped in her throat. 

"She's not a part of this Damelsworth!  Let her go!"

"So you do care." He let the trembling girl go and she ran screaming across the park.

"I don't want to cause any trouble.  I just want you.  I've always just wanted you, my daughter.  Is anything wrong with that?"

"You killed all of the Enchanted Forest people, because you wanted me? You're a monster! I'd never go with you."

"Amarilla.  Am I really the monster? I tried to know you, but your mother kept me from you.  Kept you from me."

"Don't listen to him Amarilla," Lincoln said.  Damelsworth turned to Lincoln.

"Why don't you just keep your mouth shut!" he whispered as a small web crossed Lincoln's lips.

"Stop!"

"See.  You care about him too, don't you?"

"Why do you want me Damelsworth?"

"You are my daughter.  I want to share my power and wisdom with you.  Together, we could rule the world." He smiled and opened his arms.

"I don't want you.  I don't want anything you have to give me, except my family back. My real family.

"Oh that hurts Amarilla. I mean I'm your real family.  We share the same blood.  Just think of what we could do together."

I thought about what he said.  I was his daughter and the daughter of the most powerful enchantress in the forest.  I looked back at Lincoln and with a look swept the webs from his lips. I then looked at Damelsworth as I laced his hands with the web he'd cast.

"Oh, you think that's going to keep me?" he laughed at the webs surrounding his hands.  Without a single motion he was free.  I picked up Sparrow's leash and checked my ear for Rose.  I looked back at Lincoln and mouthed the word 'RUN'. 

I sprinted back towards the portal.  Lincoln knew where I was headed and Sparrow dashed beside me.  As Damelsworth pursued I spoke the words to keep his magic at bay.  I knew it wouldn't hold long, as powerful as he was.  He could only chase and for now and I needed to get him out of the city and away from so many people.

I jumped through the portal grabbing Lincoln's hand as I leapt. 

"To the forest!" I yelled to Lincoln without stopping.  We started running down the alley.  We ran until it became a gravel road, then the dirt road that led to the familiar cottage.

"What are we doing?" Rose yelled into my ear. 

"We're running," I huffed.

"Where? Why?" she yelled, exasperated by my answer.

"To the forest!"

Damelsworth was only twenty or so yards behind us and getting closer.  Behind him was Mr. Pickens." 

I crashed down to the dirt along with Lincoln and Sparrow.  A small rope had materialized in front of us, tripping us.  I sent the rope back to Mr. Pickens binding him up and watching him hit the dirt, before sprinting again.  Damelsworth watched his brother go down but kept running.  A branch fell in front us and another nearly hit Sparrow as she darted out of the way. 

I turned around and swirled the dirt in front of him, blinding him as we ran towards the cottage and the forest.  Just a little bit more and we'd be there.

His figure appeared on the other side of the dust, rubbing the dirt from his eyes.  A flock of crows flew overhead diving at us.  I took the rice from my bag and sent it to Damelsworth, sticking it to his clothes and hair.  The crows changed direction flying at Damelsworth hungrily.

"I wish we were there already" I said panting.  And then, we were on the other side of the cottage.  Suddenly our legs wouldn't move any more. I turned at my waist and looked back at Damelsworth. 

Holding up my right hand I sent him a blinding light as Lincoln loosed us from the leg binding. Lincoln then shot Damelsworth with a blast of fire, slowing him enough for us to reach the portal.  I took out my dagger and Lincoln unsheathed his short sword.