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

Ch.73 Alternate story

Brooke started to feel herself waking up, when she opened her eyes, she found herself laying in the middle of the road. She got up and saw that no one was around.

"Guys!" she called, but there was no answer.

She walked around and saw that no one was in sight.

"Hello?!" she called, but still no answer.

She then came upon Mr. Gold's shop where she went in saw that Mr. Gold wasn't there.

"Mr. Gold" she called, no answer.

She then spotted something on the counter, she went to it and saw that it was a map, she looked closer and saw that New York city had been circled. Hoping that it'll give her answers to where everyone was, she got in her car and drove off to New York city. Once she made it, she stopped in front of a convenient store and went inside and to the cashier.

"Excuse me" she said to the cashier "I need help."

She pulled out some photos of her friends and placed them in front of the cashier.

"Have you seen any of these people?" she asked.

"Um" the cashier said as she looked at the photos "No sorry. Would you like me to call for help?"

"No that's fine I'll do it myself."

Brooke then gathered the photos together, but before she was about to leave, she spotted something on a rack, it was a series of books titled 'Heroes and Villains', and the author was Wendell Erwin. She couldn't believe her eyes when she took one of the books down and flipped it to see a picture of Wendell.

On another side of the city, people had gathered at a center where they were celebrating Wendell's book as they all cheered for him as he stood on the stage.

"Thank you very much" he smiled as the cheering died down as everyone sat to listen "Someone once told me I don't tell stories people want."

At that point everyone gave small laughs.

"But I say write what you're passionate about, that's what matters the most."

Everyone applauded as he held up his book.

"Heroes and Villains is close to my heart, it's been a passion project for as long as you can believe. I wrote it because I think folks are sick of heroes getting everything in these classic fairytales like Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and all the rest, something different. What happens, when villains win the day, and there's no happily ever after?"

And with that everyone applauded. After that, Wendell sat at a table as he signed his fan's books when one girl went up to him.

"I am loving daughter of Snow White" she smiled "But her life is so unfair, is she gonna get a happy ending in the squeal? Can you please tell me?"

"Alright" Wendell smiled as she leaned in and he whispered in her ear "She- sorry no spoilers, you'll have to wait for the next book."

The girl just smiled as she went away. But after a few more autographs, the next person placed down Pandora's Box as Wendell looked up shocked to see Brooke.

"What are you doing here?" he asked with shock.

"What did you do my friends?" she demanded "Where are they?"

"I- I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're lying" she frowned as she looked at the box "You probably know what this does. So either you give me some answers, or I'll open the box and you're gonna get a whole new ending."

So after the event, Brooke followed Wendell to the back where there were boxes of his books.

"Okay" he said as he made sure no one was around "You have my attention."

"Where are my friends?" she demanded.

"You really wanna know?" he smirked "Look around you, they're all right here, in my best selling book."

"What do you mean?" she asked as she held up the box and stepped towards him "Are they still alive?"

"Whoa whoa whoa" he held his hands up in defense "Easy with the box cowgirl, your friends are fine, but if you want to get technical-".

He reached into his backpack and pulled out the 'Heroes and Villains' book that looked like her storybook.

"They're in here" he placed the book on a crate "The original copy of my book, the one that I've always wanted to write. They live in here now, in kind of an alternate reality."

"You made them miserable" she frowned.

"I see you've read my book" he smirked "Good, then you know everyone got the ending they deserved, except Raven, you wont find her in the book, there's no room for a savior in my world. Plus I already got a wicked Evil Queen."

"Bring them back" she demanded as she held up the box "Or I'll use this."

"I can't, I don't have the power. The main rule of the Author is, don't write your own happy ending, and as you can see, I broke that rule."

He then pulled out the quill.

"So this-" he said "It's just a quill now. And me, well I'm nothing more but a best selling author with many fans and a penthouse ever Central Park."

"If you can't get them out, then I will."

But when Brooke grabbed the book, Wendell grabbed it and pulled it away from her.

"You?" he doubted as he gave a chuckle "Do you know why you're still out here Brooke? Because you're not a fairytale character. So take it from me, you will never be a hero, you're just a poor innocent girl who needs saving. So why don't you put the box away, and stick with the role you're good at?"

But as he started to walk away, Brooke gave a mad look as she ran up and knocked him over as the book slipped out of his hand. She then went to the book and started to flip through the pages.

"Now what?" he asked as he got up "You're gonna tear up the book? That's not gonna do anything."

But when she got to a page that showed an Illustration of a cottage, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the key she used to free Delilah as she inserted into the picture.

"Wait!" Wendell yelled with shock "Don't be stupid!"

But when Brooke turned the key, she felt herself being pulled into the book.