Once Upon A Time ~ Book 1

Chapter 29 - Archie's Mistake

The fair had arrived near a small village in the countryside and they were setting up the tents and unloading their merchandise. It was a bright, warm day and sun shone above.
Jimmy's parents stepped out of their carraige.
"Come on, Jiminy." called his mother.
An young man jumped from the carraige and looked around at his surroundings.
"Oh, I remember this place. Looks like it's been a good year." said his mother as they walked through the crowd if travellers, unloading and preparing for a show.
"Yeah, you can tell by all the fat people." said his father.
She chuckled. "Maybe we can run the Elf tonic scam here." she whispered.
"Can't we just put on the show?" Jiminy asked. "We make enough money from the ticket sales. Do we have to steal, too?"
"We don't need to. But it's nice." said his father. "We steal from them and they steal from someone else." he held up a silver coin.
"It's called an economy."
"We're a vital part of it."
"I want to change. I want to quit." complained Jiminy.
"Oh, this again?" whined his mother.
"You can't leave now." said his father.
"We're getting too old."
"It's my hip." he stretched his hip.
"My liver."
"I got lumps in strange places."
"I've got burning sensations."
"You better stay with us."
"Just until we die."
"Now be a good boy and set up."
They walked off as thunder began to rumble above.

The rain was pouring from the heavens now and the thunder rumbled. The fair workers worked outside, getting ready for the show.
A little boy with an umbrella walked over to Jiminy who was seting up the puppet show.
"Puppets! Wow! What a great job you have." said the boy.
Jiminy looked at him for a minute then went back to his work.
"You don't like it?" asked the boy.
"No. No, I don't. Same show, some fairs every year."
"Well, then why don't you do something else?"
He sighed. "This is just who I am. What? Dis you just come out here to watch us set up?"
"No. I came here to listen to the crickets."
"Oh, crickets. I haven't listened to the crickets in a while."
They listened to the crickets chirping for a moment.
Jiminy sighed again. "Hey, you better get home or you're gonna catch a cold."
"So are you." he held out his umbrella. "Here, have my umbrella. I don't live far."
He took the umbrella.
"I can't wait to see the show." called the boy as he ran through the rain.
Jiminy watched him go and smiled, then sighed again.

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Archie sat in his office, alone, thinking deeply.
Then the door opened. He stood up quickly. Marco stood in the door.
"Hey, Archie........" he started.
"Marco, what are you doing here?" Archie asked.
Marco mimed eating.
"Oh, lunch. I'm sorry, I forgot." Archie apologied. "I've got another pacient. Another time?"
"Sure, of coarse."
Henry walked pasted Marco and into Archies office.
Marco rubbed Henrys head. "Hey, have a good session, Henry."
He waved bye to Archie and closed the door as he walked out.
Henry sat down.
"Hey." said Archie.
"Are you recruiting Geppetto for Operation Cobra?" asked Henry.
"You think Marco is Geppetto?"
"Sure, he's Jiminy Cricket's best friend and Marco is yours."
"Henry, Henry, look, we really need to talk about this, okay?" he walked to his window.
"I know you're not convinced but I know where I can get proof." he walked over to him and opened his backpack.
"What is this?" he asked as he looked into the bag. "Flashlight? Candy bars? Oh, wait, Henry, you do not want to go down there."
"Emma's here and stuffs happening. I have to look at it."
Achieve grabbed Henry's arms and sat him down. "Henry, stop. Stop. There is no proof. Look, all of this, all of this is a delusion. Do you know what a delusion is?"
"I think so."
"It's something that's not real and not healthy. And I thought that you'd outgrow this, but, Henry, you know, now it's turning into a psychosis. Do you know what a psychosis is? That's when you can no longer tell what's real. And if that continues then...... they have to lock you away. Henry, look, this has to stop. For your own good you gotta wake up. This nonsense must end."
Henry stared at Archie, long and hard, then grabbed his backpack and left, slamming the door behind him.
Archie watched him go and sighed deeply, his eyes filled with tears.

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Mary Margaret and David sat in the hospital. Mary Margaret was staring at a almost hung hangman in a note book.
"I don't know. 'M'" Mary Margaret guessed.
"Mmm-hmm." he took the note book. "Two of them." he scribbled down the letters.
Mary Margaret put her face in her hands and sighed while David chuckled.
"Get it yet?"
"Yes, and I'm completely mortified. I almost hanged on my own name."
"Don't worry, I would never have let you hang. I would've added toes. A hat. Maybe a horse." he chuckled.
"Was this a game you played a lot........before?"
He thought for a moment. "I don't know."
"It'll come back. They're sending you home in a week. They have to think you're progressing, don't they?"
"Physical."
"Well, you're making new memories just fine."
"Maybe I'll like these better."
She smiled. "Okay, play again?"
"Can I guess, too?" Kathryn had walked into the room.
"Mrs. Nolan." said Mary Margaret. She stuttered.
David stood up.
"It's noon already? I didn't realise." she stood up. "I should go."
"Good day, Miss. Blanchard." Kathryn said friendly as Mary Margaret packed her things and slowly walked to the door.
"Honey, I brought more pictures." said Kathryn to David. "Maybe they'll jog something."
David watched Mary Margaret leave the room as Kathryn opened a box with photos inside.
She lifted a picture of a dog. "It's our old dog. Ajax."
He took the picture.
"Remember?"
"Yeah, yeah, Ajax."

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Mary Margaret made cheese and crackers in the kitchen while Emma stood opposite.
"I'm the worst person in the world." said Mary Margaret.
"Really? In the whole world?" said Emma.
She took a bit from her cracker. "If Kathryn was horrible, I would be easier. But she's so nice."
"And what exactly would be easier?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing's a good idea. You're smart, you know not to get involved with a married guy. It's not worth the heartache. Trust me."
A knock came on the door.
"I'll get it." said Emma standing up and walking to the door.
She opened it to find Henry standing in the hall. His eyes were full of tears and he sniffled as he looked up at Emma.
"Kid, what happened?" Emma asked, concerned. "Come in." she put her arm around his shoulders and walked him inside.

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Emma pounded on the door of Archies office.
He sat on his couch, a drink in his hand.
"Archie." Emma called. "Archie!"
Emma opened the door and walked in. She slamed the door. "What did you do? You told me not to take the fantasy away. You told me it would devastate him."
"When a course of therapy stops working, you just adjust it."
"Is it her? Did she threaten you? What could be strong enough to drown out your own conscience?"
Archie stood up. "I do not need to defend my professional decisions to you, okay?"
Emma's phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket, rolled her eyes and answered it.
"Hello, Madam. Mayor. Nice work." Emma greeted Regina.
"You with him?" she asked on the other end of the line.
"Yes, I'm with Dr. Hopper, and guess what, you left your fingerprints all over him when you........." she started.
"Not him. Henry. Is he with you?" "I dropped Henry at your office an hour ago."
"Well, he's not here."
"I don't know where he is."
Archie sighed deeply. "Oh!"
Emma hung up.
"I do."

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Marco ~ The little boy at the fair (Geppetto)