Once Upon A Twin?

21

I noticed a couple of boxes in the seat in front of us. "Is that all your stuff?" I asked Emma. "All I need," Emma told me. "Wait. You want to go now? We're leaving now?" Henry asked.

"Uh-huh. I'm getting you two out of here. Away from all of this. Away from her," Emma said. "No, no. Stop the car!" I yelled. "You can't leave Storybrooke. You have to break the curse," Henry told her.

"No, I don't. I have to help you two," Emma said. "But you're a hero - you can't run," I pointed out. "You have to help everybody," Henry added.

"Kids, I know it's hard for you two to see it, but I'm doing what's best for you. That's what you wanted when I brought you two to Storybrooke," Emma pointed out. "But the curse... You're the only chance to bring back the happy endings," Henry whispered.

I could hear how heartbroken he was. "Henry..." Emma whispered. I reached over and grabbed the steering wheel. "Ava!" Emma exclaimed. I turned the steering wheel and we veered off the road and into a ditch.

"Ava! What were you doing? You could've gotten us killed!" Emma exclaimed. "Please! Please, don't make us go! We can't go! Everything's here... Me, Henry, your parents, your family. Please, Emma. They need you. Your family needs you," I told her.

Emma sighed and turned on the car. She drove us home and said, "I'll decide soon about if I'm going to leave or not." We nodded and got out. She drove off and we snuck back up into our rooms.

We went to bed and when we got up in the morning I said, "We need to go talk to August." Henry agreed and we got ready. We left and soon arrived at August's apartment. I knocked on the door and heard a 'hold on.'

August opened the door and we pushed our way through and into his apartment. "August, please. We need your help. Emma wants to leave," I told him. "What? Slow down," August said. "Y-You were going to make her believe. You have to," Henry said.

"I know, kids. I'm sorry. I... I failed," August sighed. "Failed?" Henry asked. "I tried to show her. At first it was my legs, and now... Now take a look... At the unvarnished truth," August told us. He pulled back his pant leg to show us a now wooden leg.

"It's wood," I said. "Yes," August agreed. "All of this... We were right. The curse... It's real!" I exclaimed. "You two are smart kids," August said. "And you're Pinocchio," Henry said. "What gave it away?" August asked.

"But why are you turning back to wood? Your story... You should be real," I pointed out. "I'm changing back because... I haven't exactly been a good boy. And... Well... If the curse doesn't break... This doesn't stop," August explained.

"So we show Emma that you're turning back into the puppet you were, and then, she has to believe. And, when she does, she could break the curse," Henry said excitedly.

"I tried that. She doesn't want to see, so she doesn't. There's nothing more that I can do. I-I'm getting tired. It's hard to ride and it's hard to walk. Soon, it's going to be hard to breathe," August told us. "So we have to do something fast," I told him.

"There's nothing to do. And with what little time I have left, I want to spend it with my father," August explained. "Marco," I sighed. "Told you that you two are smart kids," August said. "So everyone's giving up?" I asked. "I'm afraid that I don't have a choice. I'm sorry, kids, but I'm out of Operation Cobra. Now, it's up to you," August told us.

The walkie talkie went off and Emma said something about needing to talk to us asap. Henry and I looked at each other and ran out of the apartment. We ran all the way to Emma's apartment. We knocked on the door and Emma opened it. She let us in and I said, "Hey, Emma. Everything okay? You sounded strange over the walkie talkie."

"Oh, um... No, I'm okay. Just, um... Yesterday, when I tried to take you two away, you were right. I can't take you out of Storybrooke. I can't stay either," she told us. "What?" We asked. "I have to go," Emma sighed. "Go? You mean leave Storybrooke?" Henry asked.

"Yeah. I spoke to Regina, and we made a deal. I'm still going to be able to see you two, just not... Every day," Emma said. "No! No, you can't trust her!" I exclaimed. "I have to. It's my only choice. It's what's best for you, Ava and Henry. Every time I fight her, someone else gets hurt," Emma told us.

"No, no, no! You're just scared. This happens to all heroes. It's just the low moment before you fight back," I explained. "Kids! This isn't a story. This is reality. And things have to change. You can't skip school, you can't run away, and... You can't believe in curses," Emma told us.

"Y-you really don't believe?" Henry asked. His eyes filled with water but he didn't cry. "I... This is how it has to be now. I made a deal, and I used my superpower. She's telling the truth. She's going to take really good care of you," Emma told us.

"Yes, but she wants you dead," I pointed out. "Come on, kids!" Emma exclaimed. "You're the only one that can stop her," Henry whispered. "Stop her from what? All she's ever done is fight for you two. It just... Got out of hand. I'm sorry," Emma whispered.

Henry and I ran up and hugged her. She embraced us and I noticed something that looks like an apple turnover on the counter. Oh no.

"Where did you get that?" I asked. "Regina gave it to me," Emma explained. "Apple!" Henry exclaimed. "So?" Emma asked. "You can't eat that. It's poison," I told her. "What?" Emma asked. "Don't you see? The deal... It was all a trick to get you to eat that, to get rid of the savior," I explained.

"Kids, come on. Why would she do that when I just told her I was going to go?" Emma asked. "Because as long as you're alive, you're a threat to the curse," Henry whispered. "Kids, you've got to stop thinking like this," Emma said. "But it's the truth! And you leaving isn't going to change that," I told Emma.

"I'll prove it to you," Emma said as she picked up the turnover. "No!" Henry exclaimed as he grabbed the turnover out of Emma's hands.

"Henry... What are you doing?" I asked scared. "I'm sorry it had to come to this," Henry said to me. He turned to Emma and said, "You may not believe in the curse... Or in us. But I believe in you."

Henry took a bite of the turnover and I screamed, "No!" Nothing happened. Emma looked at us as said, "See? You want to have some ice cream with that? And then we can go back to talking about..." She trailed off when Henry suddenly collapsed.

"Henry? Henry?" Emma asked. "Is the curse real?" She asked, mostly asking herself. "Yes, would you like some ice cream with that?" I asked her sarcastically.

I ran over to Henry and felt hot tears running down my face. "Henry, no, please Henry," I cried. I laid my head on his chest and cried.

"Come on Henry, don't leave me."

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This was episode twenty one. An Apple As Red As Blood. Next chapter is most likely going to be the last one for this book. I know.. Sad right? But great news! I'm going to have a second book! Anyways, hoped you liked this chapter! Remember to comment, vote, share, and follow!

❤️Luv you❤️
-K

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