Light in the Dark - Carlos De Vil

3.6

At sunset, we had left Evie castle and began the hike to fairy cottage. It was long and constant tripping over of roots by everyone. Once Fairy Cottage was in our line of sight, we started to skulk aroud the area. Hiding ourselves behind every aspect of nature we fit behind in order hide our position. We make our way closer to Fairy Cottage tree by tree. Ben and Mal went ahead, hand in hand, to open the gate to the cottage.

We walk run up behind them and follow them into the yard/garden of the property. As we reach the door Ben and I look to each other. " You or me?" He asks.

" Definitely me," I say. I take a step back and kick the door right below the lock and breaking the door open. We all ran in and were greeted with an empty cottage. Jay ran up the steep stairs to check out the upper level.

" Didn't know the Queen knew how to kick down a door," Harry said as he stepped into the house.

" There's a lot of things I know how to do that you wouldn't expect."

Carlos came up behind me with arm snaked around my torso. He had a smirk on his face and got close to my ear, " And some of those things are just for me to know." My eyes widened as a bluch rose on my cheeks. He chuckled and gave me a kiss on the cheek before walking off to check out the area. Mal looked over to me with an eyebrow raised and a sly grin on her face.

I gave her a smirk and rose my finger to my lips. She mirrored my action with a nod. Jay came running down the stairs, " She's not upstairs," He reports.

Loud banging then came from the pantry door. We all looked between each other confused and made our way closer to the door. Ben goes up to the door and his eyes widen and lifts the lock on the door to open it, " Chad?"

Chad sat on the floor shivering while hugging his knees to his chest. " I want my mommy," He said shakily. Ben went to help him off the ground but he quickly flincked away from Ben's hands.

" It's okay," Ben assured then grabbing his arms to help him up. " What happened, buddy?" Ben asked gently.

Chad looked around the room seeing our confused faces. A look of relief washed over his face. He stood up straighter and looked over to Ben. " Ben. Ben!" Chad exclaimed and gripping on Ben's collar. " Your face..." he says with his finger tips brushing Ben's beard. Still gripping Ben, he looked around the room, " She's gone? The door's open. I'm free."

Chad let go of Ben and quickly ran out of the cottage into the woods exclaiming his freedom. Harry couldn't hold back the laughs as Chad's voice faded into the distance. " Okay..." I mumble confused at whatever just happened.

We all walked out of the cottage since there was no Audrey or clue to where she is. Uma sigh exhausted, " All right. Let's get this Audrey chick taken care of already." Her and Mal laugh together. " What do you say, girls? Time to wrap things up?"

" You know, someday, you're gonna have to tell me how you guys all for teamed up," Ben says while wrapping his arm over Mal's shoulder.

" Actually," Evie speaks up, " Mal promised to let all the kids off the Isle once this is over."

I couldn't help smile at the statement but Mal stops in her tracks with a sad look in her eyes. " I have to tell you guys something," She announces turning to all of us. " Um... I lied to you." Carlos and I looked to each other concerned. " The kids won't be coming off the Isle."

" What do you mean?" I ask firmly.

" The program is shut down," She tells me. My lips part as I gasp, my vision starts to get blurry as tears start to well up. " And the barrier... will be closed for good."

" No, no, no," I repeat and starting to pace the area. Carlos ran up beside trying to calm me down.

Uma shook her head and stepped up to Mal, " Hold up. So we're saving your precious people and your behinds for a lie. I knew it was a mistake to trust you. You're always out for yourself."

" It's not true, it's not true," I repeat to myself, my hands slid into my hair and gripping the roots. The blurry vision of the ground started to glow with me as my emotion started to take over my magic.

" Bella, hey, come here. Let's talk and figure this out," Carlos said, but it was more like background noise as I thought about the accomplishment I'm most proud of, the program, my program, just got shut down without any input from me.

" Did you know?" I ask Carlos.

" No, I didn't. I promise, I did not know." Carlos assured. I nod and continued my pacing with Carlos following my every step.

The branches beneath Hook's feet crunched as he walked up to Ben. " And you, King Benny!... You're probaby just gonnna throw us all back inside." Harry said sadly. Tears slipped down my face as I saw Harry's let down face. Just what would every kid on the Isle will have once this has been announced.

Celia started to walk up to Mal, " You know what? I actually thought you were brave. You're nothing but a chicken," Celia said with tears down her cheeks. " Too scared to tell me I was never gonna see my dad again."

" Celia..." Mal said sadly. Celia ripped the ember out of Mal's hand and stomped towards a bird bath. " Celia! Celia, no!" Mal tried to get it from her but it was too late. Celia dropped it into the water and it let out sparks as it went out.

I stopped pacing and watched Mal pull the ember out of the water. " Regain your might and ignite! Regain your might and ignite!" She yell to it but it did not even flicker. I hugged myself as I stifled my sobs, Carlos came up hugged me from behind, his warmth giving me on ounce of comfort. My program gets shut down and now we can't even save Auradon.

She held the ember out to Uma for help. Uma checked her shell to see no glow, " Bummer," Uma said coldly. " Let's go find Gil and leave them all to rot," She says to Harry behind her and they both leave the disappointing scene. Mal tried calling out to Uma but she didn't even get a glance over her shoulder.

Mal turned around to see all of us, hurt by her secret. " Evie... I'm so sorry." She says Evie's sad look. " I'm sorry, I just... I thought that... I was afraid to tell you. I thought I was gonna lose my best friend. But I had to do something. I had to protect Auradon."

" Closing the barrier was your idea?" Evie say, her voice cracking.

" I did it for us," Mal argued. " I did it for our life that we have here now."

" For our life? What about the kids we left behind on that island? The kids that we promised? We were their only hope." Evie stated. " I thought you were gonna stand up for the VKs. But instead, you lied to them. You lied to Jay," She said pointed to him. " You lied to Carlos," She pointed to him. " You lied to me," She points to herself. " Most of all, you lied to Bella. She's been fighting for us since she and Ben picked our files. You went behind her back to shut down a program she's worked countless hours on, that gave more kids like us a chance to grow up better than we did." Mal looked at me with a regretful look. " We're your family."

" Evie..." Mal whimpered as she started to step away. Evie turned back to me and engulfed me in a tight hug. I couldn't hold back the sob, tears flowed down my cheeks " Evie, come on. I had no choice!" Mal yelled, tryingn to justify her choice.

There was a flash then darkness...

(Sorry for being so short)