Chapter 5: I fall to my doom
Opening Theme:
Florence and the Machine – Breath of Life
And I started to hear it again
But this time it wasn’t the end
And the room was so quiet, oh
And my heart is a hollow plain
For the devil to dance again
And the room was too quiet, oh
"It's nice to see you again, Snow," the woman said.
What I thought was going to be a nice small gathering for Seven's birthday turned for the worse. I didn't know what was happening. The whole dance floor was petrified. Gray was missing. This devil lady appeared in front of us. And she didn't just appear. She materialized from a black cloud of evil. It was all so... bizarre!
I looked beside me and saw Seven petrified. He wasn't "stone-petrified" but just petrified. I tried snapping him back to his senses but to no avail. "Seven! Seven! Not you too!" I said, still trying to wake him up.
"He's petrified," the lady in black said. Suddenly, she walked towards me and looked at me intently. Then, she walked closer to Seven and stroked his hair. "But don't worry. He's not dead. Not yet, at least."
"Who are you?! Why are you doing this?!" I exclaimed. I walked backwards to get away from her as she turned away from Seven and walked towards me.
"Oh, you know me very well, Snow White," she replied.
"No! I don't know you! Answer me! Why are you doing this?"
"Why am I doing this? Because of you. And - " she gestured air quotations " – true love."
"True love?! What the heck are you talking about?"
"Don't pretend like you know nothing! Celeste and Chester already told you everything,” she insisted. “About how nothing’s more powerful than true love’s kiss.”
"Celeste and Chester? Who are they? True love’s kiss?"
"Your mother and father!"
"My mom and dad?!"
"So, you know it was us," a familiar voice said. I turned to see who the voice was coming from.
"Mom?" I called out. Suddenly, a figure started materializing beside me. I expected to see my mom but was shocked to see a turquoise-haired lady. "M - mom?!" I asked her as she stood beside me. Aside from having turquoise hair, she was wearing pure white flowing gown that made her seem fairy like. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
She looked at me and said, "I'm not your mom, Snow. You're not Summer Cassidy, either. I'll have to explain everything later, in Grimoire."
"Oh, nobody's coming back to Grimoire except me!" The lady in black said.
"Who is she mo - turquoise-haired lady?" I asked. There were so many things happening that I just needed answers. "What's happening? I'm so confused! If I'm not Summer Cassidy, then who am I?"
"She's Queen Evita. She's your step mom. I'm Celeste, a blue fairy. And you're Snow White, a princess," she replied, which didn't really clarify anything. Actually, it made everything even more complicated.
"So, you're saying, I'm really a character in a fairy tale," I said, trying to make joke of everything that was happening.
"Exactly," she agreed.
"That's it, I'm just dreaming!" I figured out. "Moments later, I'm going to wake up and everything will be okay."
"Oh, no no no no no, Snow," Queen Evita said, shaking her head. "This is no dream. This is very real. And tonight, you, along with everyone in this place, will perish and greet death."
"No, they won't," a male voice echoed. It sounded familiar, too.
"Chester's here," Celeste said, looking at the sky.
"Chester?" I asked her.
"Yes. He's a cat," she replied.
My head was going to explode. Finding out that I had a different mom and dad named Celeste and Chester, one of them was a fairy and one was a cat, was not the easiest information to swallow. Everything just seemed so bizarre, so otherworldly. How could these things happen? It didn't make any sense.
"Hello, Snow. It's been a while," said the male voice, Chester. The voice came from beside me but there was no one. Suddenly, a man wearing a purple-striped suit materialized from thin air. He looked at me with this weird wide grin.
It was very hard for me to process what just happened. "You're not a cat," was all I could say.
"Of course, not! We're still here, in Earthen world. I can't possible turn into a cat here," he said, still sporting that weird wide grin.
“But, she’s a fairy and she’s still here!” I said, pointing to Celeste.
“She’s a different case,” Chester replied.
"Can somebody please explain to me what the heck is happening?!" I exclaimed. I've had enough. I needed answers. I needed an anchor to the real world.
"Ugh, for a fairy and wisdom cat, you both are doing a bad job," Evita interjected, gesturing at Celeste and Chester. "I'll give you an introduction on what's happening. You don't have to know everything, really. You're going to die anyway."
"Here goes," Evita continued. "We were all from Grimoire. I banished you here in this Earthen world because I don't like you. I posed as Gray's mom because I needed to keep track of what you're doing. Little did I know, this blue fairy and laughing cat followed. They, on the other hand, posed as your mom and dad. They've been trying to find out how you can go back to Grimoire. And before that happens, I'm going to prevent it by killing you all. That's it."
I was speechless. I couldn't believe what I just heard. It just seemed too magical for this world but everything seemed very real as well. It was as if I’ve lived a fantasy life before living here on Earth but the idea was just too “different” for me to process.
"So, you're saying you created this Earthen world and banished me here just because you don't like me," I said. "And these two," gesturing at Celeste and Chester, "they're my protectors?"
"Exactly!" Evita said, snapping her finger. “Oh wait, I didn’t say I created this Earthen world. I just said I banished you here.”
"Wait wait, you're Mrs. Elvi? You're Gray's mom?"
"Ding ding ding! You're right again! Now, enough with the questions. It's time to die!"
"WAIT!" I shouted. "Where's Gray?"
She reached in to a pocket in her dress that I didn't know existed and pulled out a crystal ball. "He's here," she said, holding out the ball in her hand for everyone to see.
I could faintly hear a voice from the ball screaming for help, "Help! Snow? Are you there?"
I could feel heat rising from my insides. I was becoming furious and furious thinking about what happened to Seven and Gray. I didn't care if everything was a dream or not. Beyond my confusion, all I could think of was that I had to save my best friends.
Without thinking, I rushed and charged for Evita. I could tell she didn't expect my sudden lunge at her because she had a surprised expression but before I could even reach her, Chester interfered. He materialized in front me and stopped me.
"What are you doing?!" I exclaimed, still trying to charge for Evita despite Chester's block.
"You're powerless against her!" He said.
I could feel tears falling from my eyes. "FREE THEM!" I demanded. "Gray, Seven, everyone! They had nothing to do with everything! It's me that you want." I didn't really know much of what was happening. However, I was sure about the fact that Evita wanted me so I just carelessly offered myself.
I maneuvered myself so I could get past Chester's block. One thing led to another. The next thing I knew, Evita's eyes were blood red, her right hand pointed at me still sparking with electricity, and I was flying away from the rooftop. At that moment, I knew, it was the end for me.
I closed my eyes and thought of Seven and Gray. "I'm sorry," I muttered.
I thought for sure, I was a goner but when I opened my eyes, I wasn't falling to my death. Instead, I was floating. I was about 15 feet above the rooftop.
"Be careful, next time," Celeste whispered. Apparently, when I was about to fall to my doom, she swoop in and saved me. I was so convinced that I was going to die that I failed to notice her. AND more surprisingly, she had wings.
We landed in the same spot where we were before I charged at Evita. Seven was still there, petrified. It made me even more furious just seeing him there.
"That was so close," Evita said. She looked "normal" again. Her bloodshot eyes were back to black. "Maybe I should kill Celeste and Chester, first." She started scratching her chin, as if thinking.
I didn't have anything more to say. I guess, so was Celeste and Chester because we were just intently looking at Evita. She was just standing, still in the middle of the rooftop.
"You all look so intense," Evita said with a weird grin on her face. "I know!” she said, snapping her finger again. “Snow, are you hungry?"
"What? Why?" Her question brought a whole new type of confusion to me. A while ago, she wanted me dead. Now, she wanted to know if I was hungry.
She reached in to her dress pocket and pulled out the reddest brightest apple. "I have an apple," she said, holding out the apple for everyone to see.
"NO!" Celeste exclaimed.
"That apple is poisonous!" Chester added. "Just like the..." His voice trailed off.
I looked at him. "Just like the what?!"
"It's not important. Bottom line is that apple is poisonous and you shouldn't eat it."
"Oh, but you should," said Evita, juggling the apple on her right hand. "It's the only way to save everyone."
Her statement caught my attention. "Huh? What do you mean?"
"I've thought about everything, Snow. I realized you were right. All these people had nothing to with my 'cause'. So, why let them perish?"
"Get to your point!" I demanded.
"Calm down, my dear. You're too intense," she said, which didn't really calm me down. It actually made me even more furious. "My point is, it's either you perish or all of you face death. You have two choices, my dear. Die for them or die with them." She grinned, and then started humming a song I've never heard before.
"Snow, don't listen to her! She's lying!" Celeste said.
I looked at her, tears falling from my eyes. "It's the only way, Celeste. I don't know what I had gotten myself into. Frankly, I don't really know what's happening but if I have to perish just to save the people I love, then I will."
"But, Snow!" Chester exclaimed.
"Enough!" Evita retorted. "The girl made her choice. She wants to die for them."
I walked closer to Evita as she extended her arm. I took the apple from her arm and looked at it. It was so red and shiny that I could see a faint reflection of myself. I readied myself for what was coming. I closed my eyes. "This is for you, Seven, Gray," I whispered.
And then I bit the apple.
I kept my eyes closed because I didn't want to see what dying looked like. I never thought the day would come that I would wait for myself to die. That being associated to a mere fairy tale character would lead to my death. I waited and waited but nothing seemed to happen. "So, nothing really happens when a person dies?" I thought to myself.
Suddenly, a familiar laughter echoed. I opened my eyes and to my surprise, I was still alive. I looked at the apple and there was a bite for sure but nothing happened.
"It seemed like your apple is faulty," Chester snickered. "Or maybe, it's just the wrong apple." Then, he held out another apple, as red and bright as the one Evita gave to me.
"WHAT?! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?! YOU EXCHANGED THE APPLES?!” Evita exclaimed. “YOU! YOU WILL PAY! ALL OF YOU!" Evita's eyes turned blood red again. Both her hands were sparking with electricity. I was too close to her. Running wouldn't do me any good.
"Drop the apple!" I heard someone shout. "Drop it!" It was Celeste.
I snapped back to my senses and dropped the apple. The moment it hit the ground, it exploded but with no force. Instead, it exploded with light. A bright white light engulfed the whole area. I couldn't see anything. It was like I was blind. I could only hear voices.
"Snow? Snow?" I could hear Celeste and Chester calling me.
"I'm here!" I replied to them, hoping they would hear me. I was walking around the area, still blinded by the light.
Clearly, Queen Evita didn't know what was happening because she kept asking, "What's happening?! AAAAAHHHH! What is this blinding light?"
Finally, Celeste explained, "When Snow charged for you earlier, Chester and I thought it was the best distraction. Chester tried stopping Snow so he could get closer to you. When Snow finally lunged at you, you were so distracted that when Chester switched the apple in your pocket, you didn't even notice."
"This apple will serve as a portal," Chester continued. "This apple will 'cause a rift that will bring Snow back to Grimoire."
"H-how did you do this?! Both of you aren't capable with this kind of magic?! Only I can brew up something like this!"
"Your huntsman," Celeste replied. "We've been in contact with him. While you were gone, he stole different potions from your castle so we could make this happen. But, we lacked something."
"Yes, we did. In order for the apple to work, it needed magic. Just the slightest touch of magic will make the apple's purpose function," Chester explained.
"And when I touched it, it started working," Queen Evita figured out. "And when she bit it..."
"Snow's bite became the power button. If she hadn't bit it, it would've never worked," Celeste revealed.
I was quiet all throughout their conversation. I couldn't really process what was going on because of the light that was still blinding us.
"The only down side is, only Snow can go back to Grimoire," Chester revealed. "The magic is strong enough only for one soul."
"What did he mean by soul?" I thought to myself.
"I guess you never considered," Evita interjected.
"Considered what?" Celeste asked.
"I can go from here to Grimoire and vice versa," Evita replied. "I can just hunt her there!"
I could sense Celeste and Chester were taken aback by Evita's revelation. I think Celeste and Chester knew about Evita's powers but failed to consider how powerful it really was.
"And also, I'm more powerful in Grimoire so I guess, I still win," Evita said. "Let make take these two for souvenir." Then, I heard a powerful vortex forming somewhere in the white abyss... then silence.
“What did she mean by souvenirs?” I muttered.
"Seven and Gray," Celeste replied, her voice fading.
"What?! I have to get them back!" I exclaimed. Despite the blinding light, I somehow knew where Celeste and Chester were. I tried walking closer to them but unknowingly, I walked to the edge of the rooftop and it was already too late for me to turn around and save myself.
I found myself falling to my doom. I closed my eyes. "CELESTE! CHESTER! HELP!" I shouted but nobody replied. I kept falling and falling and falling. "Why didn't the portal work?" I thought to myself. I never thought I would say that sentence, ever. I expected to reach the ground but I never did. I just kept falling but there was no wind resistance. It was as if I was falling in vacuum.
Suddenly, I felt wind brushing up my body as if I was, now, really falling from a great height. I opened my eyes and was shocked to see that I wasn't falling from the rooftop. Instead, I was falling from the sky. I was rolling and turning in mid-air. I looked down to see where I would drop and die.
"The ocean!" I exclaimed. "I have a chance to live."
I tried my hardest to curl up in a ball. I just thought maybe if I did, I'd drop safely. Then I realized that the part of the ocean that I will drop on to was near the coast line. My heart was beating fast. I didn't know if I really still had a chance of living. I just closed my eyes.
SPLASH!
“AIR! AIR! I NEED AIR!” was all I could think of. I found myself crawling on the shore of the beach, gasping for air. I was soaking wet. I lied on my back, the sun staring at me. "Why is it sunny? Where am I? Shouldn't it be night?"
I stood up and walked away from the beach. After a few minutes of walking, I reached a dirt road. The road seemed familiar. "Have I been here before?" I asked myself. Then, like a flash back, my dream came to me. The dirt road, the forest, the mountains, the sea. "This was the place in my dream," I thought. "That's why Grimoire sounded so familiar."
I entered the forest thinking I'd be able to reach the clearing just like in the dream. I walked and walked and walked but the forest seemed endless. Suddenly, I felt dizzy and tired. I stopped waking and just stood still. The world was spinning and then it stopped.
I felt very different, like I was in a different person’s body. I didn’t notice this when I fell here but now, I definitely felt it. Somehow, I felt older, taller, and more regal and I didn’t know why. I looked at my hands, myself in general. That was when I noticed I was wearing a dress.
“Since when did I wear this dress?” I asked myself, examining the yellow-skirted-blue-topped dress.
All of a sudden, the word started spinning again. I felt dizzy and tired again. Then. I passed out.
I didn't know how long I was asleep because when I woke up, the sun was starting to set. The blue skies were starting to turn orange. My clothes were still a bit wet but not as wet as when I came out of the water. I stood up and tried to scan the area to see where I could go but all I could see were endless trees.
Suddenly, I heard steps. I wasn't sure if they were footsteps because they sounded big, more like stomps actually. The footsteps echoed in all directions so I didn't know where it was really coming from.
"Grrr!" A growl echoed from behind me. Then, out of nowhere a big bear jumped out of the bushes and roared.
I panicked. I backed up trying to get away from the bear but I tripped on a tree root and fell on my butt. "Ouch!" I exclaimed. Then, I closed my eyes and readied myself for what could happen. "How many times have I been this close to dying?" I thought to myself.
"Winney, it's a human," said the bear. The bear talked. The bear actually talked.
"Don't kill me please!" I begged, still sitting on the forest floor, my eyes still closed, and my hands covering my face serving as my shield.
"Teddy, you scared her," said another bear with a female voice.
"Mommy, Daddy, what's going on?" asked another bear with a small voice.
"Well, my son, you're father thought that there was a deer here for us to eat. It turns out, it was a human," the female bear explained.
I opened my eyes and saw the three bears. The middle bear, I assumed the father, was the biggest of them all. I couldn't tell if he was fat or muscly. The left bear, I assumed the mother, was a little smaller and thinner than the father. She was wearing a small hat with a flower poking out of it. The right bear, I assumed the son, was the smallest. He was about half the size of the father bear. They were all staring at me.
"Please don't kill me!" I begged again.
"We won't kill you dear. We don’t kill humans," said the mama bear. "Stand up. You'll get dirt all over your dress."
I hesitated but I was too afraid to disobey so I stood up.
"First, introduce yourself," she said.
"I - I'm S - Snow W - White," I was stammering. Even if I was scared out of my life, I didn’t feel any danger from them. Yes, I was stammering but that was just because that even if they weren’t dangerous to me, they were still bears.
"Snow White? Why does that sound familiar?" The mama bear said, then held out her hand. "I'm Winney, by the way."
I just stared at her hand. I didn't know if she was asking for a shake or that was just how they greet people.
"You don't shake?" she asked. "I'm pretty sure people shake hands when introducing themselves to each other. At least, that's what Aria said."
"Oh, sorry," I apologized then shook her hand, no, paw. It felt weird shaking the paw of a bear. It was fluffy, big and weird. "It's not really very common for bears to shake hands with people, where I come from."
"Where are you from? I've never seen you around here and I know everybody!"
"She does. She really knows everybody," said the daddy bear, which made me turn my attention to him. "Oh, I'm Teddy, by the way. I'm sorry for scaring you, earlier. I thought you were food."
"Oh, it's okay," I said. "I'm from a town called Bookside."
"Bookside? Where is that?" The little bear asked.
"Oh, this is Cubby," Winney said, introducing her son.
"Hi, Cubby," I greeted with a cutesy smile and wave to which he waved and smiled back. "This question might sound absurd to you but where am I?"
"Oh that's not an absurd question. Many human and whiteland creatures get lost here in Moonrock forest," Teddy answered.
"Whiteland creatures?" I asked but they didn’t answer.
"Why don't you come with us back to our house? You can dry yourself there," Winney suggested. I guess, she noticed my wet dress. "We can eat the usual porridge dinner then we can exchange questions and answers."
I agreed to her offer because it was my best chance of surviving this place. I walked behind them as they led me to their house. It was a big two story house made of wood and many other forest-natural materials.
Teddy knocked on the door. "Aria! Aria! We're here! Open up!" he called.
I wondered who Aria was. Was she another bear? "Aria? Your daughter?" I asked.
"Oh, no no, dear. She's a human, also, just like you," Winney answered. "She wound up here about 2 or 3 years ago."
"Wound up?"
"Yes," Teddy replied. "One night, when we got home, the door was open; our food was tampered with. When we went up to our bed, we found her, sleeping."
"We tried to shoo her away," Winney continued. "But - "
The door, suddenly, opened. Aria, I assumed, welcomed us in.
Aria looked familiar, although, I was sure I have never met her before. She had wavy blonde hair, clear gray eyes and an everlasting smile. She was wearing a light yellow dress, a Sunday dress. She almost looked like Quinn Ivy but Aria seemed much friendlier and less annoying.
When we entered the house, Aria didn't seem to notice me because she almost closed the door on me. And when she did notice me, her everlasting smile disappeared. Her expression shifted from happy to shock. She just stared at me as if I was an alien who came from another planet.
"S - Snow?!" she said, stammering from surprise. I, myself, was surprised she knew my name because as familiar as she may have seemed, I didn't know who she was.
"H - How did you know my name?" I asked her. I was sure I looked confused and surprised but not as confused and shocked as her.
Then, from out of the blue, she hugged me and I found myself locked inside a stranger's arms. Surprise took over my whole body. I froze as she kept her embrace.
"Don't you remember me?" she asked.
"I'm sorry but I believe we've never met," I answered.
"What? I know it's been years since we last saw each other but don't you remember your best friend?" she said then she held me at arm’s length. Her once surprised expression returned to the everlasting smile. "It's me, Goldilocks!"
Ending Theme:
Coldplay - Paradise
In the night, the stormy night, she’ll close her eyes
In the night, the stormy night, away she’d fly
And dreams of paradise.
Paradise
She’d dream of paradise
Paradise
Next chapter: Who is she?
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