Chapter Two: The Backwaters

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by SnipsT_42

by SnipsT_42

3rd POV / Narrator:

The air was so tense, a knife could cut it, the slightest movement would add the one drop to overflow the bowl.

Ben finally was able to utter, "what do you mean?"

Belle looked around the room. She and Adam feeling nothing but regret and sympathy right now. "There is a place, further out, known as The Backwaters..."

"They're real?!"

All the VKs shared a look of horror. The Backwaters were a place their 'parents' threatened and told stories to ensure nightmares and obedience, conformity to them. The VKs shuddered to think of what those who actually were there went through.

Ben looked around confused, "What are the Backwaters?"

Belle and Adam winced, while the VKs looked horrified. Then Adam gulped before slowly responding, as to choose his words carefully, "It is where the animal villains were sent, and in one case, a hero..."

"A HERO?!" Ben was shocked...

"Yes, one who married the perceived villain in her story..."

Uma was intrigued, who would do that and go through with it...with all that happened "who?"

Belle looked down as a single tear slipped down her cheek. Adam pulled her closer with a comfort side hug. "Ruby..." Belle uttered. She stared at the floor. She couldn't bear to look at the faces around the room.

Adam shifted the focus away from the woman his wife couldn't bear to think to the place, "how...how do you all know of the Backwaters?" Though, not sure he wanted the answer.

Uma, immediately frowned, "What do you mean 'how do we know'?"

Harry spoke next, raising his hook, "They were the threat..."

Gil, "the nightmare..."

Jay, "the punishment..."

Mal then finished, "it was a place used to make us grateful for the isle, happy even, relieved. We never saw it, but that is how are parents kept us in line, should we fight them..."

Evie took it from there, "the boat that brought our supplies was rumored to go there next..."

Uma capped it off, as Carlos just hugged Dude, "Our parents said they would put us on the boat, ship us there. Considering who are parents are, we didn't need proof... besides, one time a kid was on the boat, trying to escape. I saw her. Skinny, dirty. Obviously not from Auradon but she looked even worse than any Isle kid I'd ever seen."

The others stared intently at Uma, she had never told anyone about this. Not even Gil, or Harry.

"Before anything else could happen, this creature, hits her with a whip. Shout things. Shoves her into a cage... She looked to be our age, maybe Carlos' at oldest...so at the time six maybe. I hear him yell that she'll be punished back at the Backwaters... and that made my blood run cold. She was from there... she looked close to death and they were taking her back... but mostly, it scared me that the place existed..."

Uma wasn't one to admit fear or back down from something. She was someone to cause blood running cold, not suffer from it herself. "I worked harder from then on. Determined to please mother, to get off the isle..."

Expressions varied across the room, but one was clear, they were all going to the Backwaters themselves to free those trapped there.

So, the party ended. Belle, Adam, Ben, and Mal invited the other members of the core four plus the sea three, to stay with them in the castle for the night. They told Lumiere to have a ship ready and a stable yet small crew.

For in the morning, they were setting sail.

And who knows what is in store.

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hope it isn't too short.

hope you like it.

don't be a silent reader, please comment

--SnipsT