Let This Dream End Tonight

More than One

"I think it's going to storm later today," Goldilocks says looking up at the slowly darkening sky.

"Then we need to hurry up and put the rest of these posters out, don't we?," Ariel prods.

The two had created posters and printed off at least a hundred of them to place around town. So far no one had stopped to look at the posters they were putting up. Goldilocks sighs and frowns, no wonder this town was falling into a hole, no one cared to spend more time searching for a lost girl. Ariel had run off to the next building along the street they were walking and was already inside. Goldilocks  shifts the pile of white printer paper posters in her hands and walks into the store.

Looking around the two girls knew the store was a thrift store, everything looked old and uncared for. Board games with boxes eaten away by mice sat in the corner unwanted. Ariel walks through a couple of the aisles to see that some of the clothes have holes big enough to stick three fingers into. The whole place smells of rotting meat and stuffy, dusty air.

"Good afternoon girls. What can I do for you today," an old white haired man hobbles out of the back room leaning on a cane.

"We were wondering if we could hang a couple posters up on your store window," Ariel smiles at the old man.

"What are the posters for?," the man asks and hobbles close enough to take the  poster Ariel holds out for him.

"It's a Missing poster for Belle. She's the girl who went missing a couple weeks back," Goldilocks explains.

"Why of course you can hang these up, here, let me go get some tape," the man hands Ariel back the poster and hobbles back off to the back room.

Ariel and Goldilocks exchange looks and sigh. They could tell this whole place was going to definitely die with the poor old man searching for tape in the back. This whole village was going to die pretty soon unless the prince does something about it. But all he does is give pep talks at the town square and play with the children. He's not the king by a long run, but the true king seems to not care about the village since his loyal son is caring for it. Sure, he was a kind and gentle ruler, but he wasn't much of a king for financial business, and that's what the village needed. Financial support.

"Here you go," the old man hobbles back in and hands Ariel a roll of clear window tape.

Ariel smiles at him and together Goldilocks and Ariel tape a couple posters up on the inside of the store windows. The posters weren't much, just a black and white picture of Belle and information about her. They thank the man and give him back his tape. Walking out of the store they turned to each other.

"The poor man," Ariel whispers.

"I know, this whole place will soon look like his dirty store if something isn't done about it," Goldilocks frowns.

"Then, after we find Belle, that can be our next mission. To help the town become bigger and better," Ariel grins and bounces along down the cracked sidewalk.

"It's not that easy. Up here on land we have money, and, as sad as it is, it makes the world spin," Goldilocks shrugs and adverts her attention to her feet.

"Well, finding Belle isn't going to be easy either. We need to have a game plan, we don't know if the human who kidnapped her is dangerous or not," Ariel was lost deep in thought.

"Well, where do you think the kidnapper has her?," Goldilocks sighs and snaps her fingers in front of Ariel's face.

"I think the kidnapper has hidden her somewhere nearby. Probably in the village, right under our noses," Ariel smirks and crosses her arms.

"You have got to be joking. The kidnapper would most definitely take her somewhere secluded out in the middle of nowhere," Goldilocks rolls her eyes.

"But, can't you see, that's exactly what everyone thinks. No one would think of checking the village for her," Ariel says excitedly.

"Hello girls, how are you doing today?," Prince Adam smiles and walks up to the girls.

"We're putting up Missing posters in hopes of finding the missing girl, Belle," Goldilocks smiles at him, Ariel gives him a suspicious look.

"Well, I surely hope you find her, I hope nothing terrible is happening to her. I don't know if I've ever met you before, what's your name? My name is Prince Adam, I rule over the village," Prince Adam wrinkles up his forehead and looks at Ariel.

"My name's Ariel, I just moved here. I live with Goldilocks," Ariel says and raises an eyebrow.

"Well, I'm glad to have met you, dear Ariel, I hope we meet again soon. I have to go now, good-bye," Prince Adam walks off and waves back to them, they wave back.

"He sure is nice, isn't he," Goldilocks smiles.

"I don't trust him," Ariel mutters.

"What do you mean, you don't trust him?," Goldilocks ask shocked.

"You said he cared about Belle, right? But he doesn't act like he truly is worried for her going missing. Sure, he comforts Belle's father and such, but isn't it strange that he's stopped searching for her after only a few weeks?," Ariel asks as they walk back home.

"I'm sure he just doesn't want anyone to think he's breaking down and becoming lost in his own emotions. A good ruler doesn't let themselves get caught in their own emotions. They have citizens to take care of," Goldilocks whispers.

She, herself, doesn't think she trusts the prince now that Ariel has spoken her mind. Maybe the trick to this whole crime was woven into Prince Adam after all. They would have to check in the morning. Both of them were lost in thought when the truck pulled up beside them. The window was rolled down and Middle Bear and Big Bear climb out of the truck. They laugh and walk up to the two girls.

"Run, now," Goldilocks hisses at Ariel and they both start sprinting away from the two grown men.

"Who are those men!?," Ariel gasps between heavy breaths.

"They're two out of three men who are stalking me, they're all three brothers," Goldilocks quickly explains.

Behind them the two men have a camera out and are taking pictures. Ariel looks back to see them laughing and staring at the camera in their hands. They look up and grin at the girls. I almost forget about them, Goldilocks thinks, now I'm worried for Ariel's sake, too. The two men climb back into their truck and drive past the girls. They hoot and holler at the girls, blowing them kisses and grinning wide.

"We need to get home before they come home," Goldilocks breaths in heavy breaths from running.

"Let's go," Ariel says.

They run home together, constantly looking back to make sure the truck of stalkers isn't following them home. This is too dangerous for my liking, Ariel thinks, but I'm still glad I'm here and not down in the sea serving as a punching bag for my father.