Once Upon a Time: Ever After High (Book 5)

Ch.72 Important jobs

(Flashback) In a book store in Boston, a couple took a peak at a book titled 'The Great Gatsby' as the husband flipped through the pages.

"What do you think?" he asked his wife.

"I don't know" his wife said "I think I should read the reviews first."

"Why take it on other people's opinions when you can read it yourself?" Wendell came up to them "Books can be surprising, and if you like surprises, read it yourself, you don't have to read what the reviews."

"So you've read this book before?" the wife asked.

"Of course, it's one of my favorites. But that's just my opinion, you may not like it, you may do, you just gotta read it and find out. Authors write the books the way they want to, it's not always the same, some stories end good, some end bad, and some are just surprising."

"Does it have a good ending?"

"You wont know until you find out" the boss went up to them "So why don't you check it out?"

He then turned to Wendell.

"Wendell" he said "A word please."

"Yes sir" Wendell said as he followed his boss away from the customers.

"What the hell are you doing?" the boss demanded as they went to the back.

"I'm selling books sir" Wendell said.

"No, you were sending them to that other book store down the street with your opinions and stuff. You wanted to work here because you wanted to be a writer."

"I am a writer."

"Well if you are, I thought you were able to tell good stories, that's how you sell. And now I get why you don't have a picture on the back of a book yet, you don't tell stories people want."

And with that he walked away leaving Wendell with a sad look. He gave a sad sigh as he started to flip through the mail, but then a certain one caught his eye. It was addressed to him from 'Star Publishing'.

"Maybe that's about to change" he said as he opened the letter and read the note.

We wish to meet with you immediately- Star Publishing

Wendell gave a smile as he already felt his life changing. So after work, he went to the Star Publishing building where he went inside and to the office where he was sent to, only to see that there was a sign that read 'Be back soon'. Realizing he had to wait, he sat on the bench in front of the office.

But as he waited, a girl about his age appeared with long blonde hair draping down her shoulders as she went up to the office door and read the sign. She then sat on the same bench across from Wendell as she took out a sketchbook and a pencil and began to work on an eye drawing. Wendell peeked over and was amazed by how good she was drawing.

"That's a really nice eye" he commented.

"Thank you" she smiled.

"You here for Star Publishing?"

"Yeah, I got a letter saying that they wanted to meet and me immediately so here I am."

"No way I got the same letter."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Wow" she said amused "How convenient."

He then looked at the bottom of the drawing and saw her name.

"Delilah's your name?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"That's a really pretty name" he smiled.

"Thanks" she smiled.

Just then, an old man with a long white beard and wearing a suit appeared.

"Good you two are here" Merlin smiled "Come on in."

He then unlocked the door as they stepped into the surprisingly large room as they went to the desk at the far back.

"I'm Wendell Erwin" Wendell said.

"Yes I know who you two are" Merlin said as he sat at the desk "Have a seat."

Wendell and Delilah sat in the chairs in front of the desk as Merlin placed some quill in front of him along with a wooden case.

"Now, you may find that our organization does things differently" Merlin cut in as he turned to Wendell "Now you Wendell, you want to become and author."

"Well yes" Wendell said "Isn't that why I was brought here?"

"Of course, now, choose a quill" Merlin pointed to the quills in front of him.

"What?" Wendell said confused.

"I need to know what kind of author you are, pick the one that speaks to you."

"Um, okay?"

Wendell looked at the different quills wondering which one to pick, he then chose the one in the center as it gave a glow as he immediately dropped the quill.

"What the hell was that?" he gasped as Delilah sat there with her eyes widen.

"It's a sign" Merlin said "That you are to be our next Author. You see, the last one recently passed."

"The Author of what?"

"There is much to explain" Merlin said as he turned to Delilah "Now Delilah, you're here to become an Illustrator."

"Well, yes" she said.

"Well then" he said as he slid the wooden case to her "Here."

"What's this?"

"Your very own art kit."

Delilah put her hands on the case it it glowed as she moved her hands away with shock.

"Now that's the sign that you're our next Illustrator" Merlin said.

"What?"

"How would you to like to take a trip, to a magical word full of stories?"

"Huh?" they said confused.

"The time has come, to take on the most important jobs, in all the realms."

Merlin then waved his hand as a large door appeared behind them as they gasped. The door then opened revealing a forest path.

"What the hell?" they gasped.

"You can see that?" Merlin asked.

"I don't believe it" Wendell gasped.

"Well since you see it that shows me that you do believe it."

"Believe in what?" Delilah asked.

"Magic. I think that it's time for the both of you to find your destinies. Come with me, all of your questions will be answered."

Wendell and Delilah gave smiles as they couldn't wait to find their destinies.

Still in Mr. Gold's shop, Wendell continued to write his story in his book while Brooke and her friends searched for him.

"We've looked everywhere" Olivia said as they went down the street "He's not around."

"There's still one more place we haven't looked yet" Brooke said as they headed to Mr. Gold's shop.

But inside the shop, Wendell had finally made it to the end.

"The End" he said as he wrote the last words and ended it with a period.

He waited, and all of a sudden everything began to shake as the lights started to flicker. He turned to the book and saw that it was glowing as he gave a smirk, it was working. And just as everyone was about the enter the shop, everything went black.