Once Upon A Time ~ Book 1

Chapter 32 - Pongo

They all still stood around the mine.
"What was that?" said Regina to a group of miners. She then ran to the men who had set off the explosions. "What the hell was that? You said you could do this." she shouted at them, furiously.
"Madam Mayor." Emma ran to Regina.
"They could have killed my son!" she shouted at Emma.
"I know. But this isn't helping."
"If we knew exactly where they were, we could drill down to them." said Marco.
Archies dog continued barking in the fire truck.
"Maybe rig something to bring them back up." Marco went on.
Emma ran towards the fire truck and let the dog out.
"But drill where?" said Graham.
"Come on, buddy." said Emma.
"What are you thinking." said Regina.
Archie's dog ran to the grass sniffing and barking loudly.
"It's Archie's dog." Emma said to them.
They walked over to the grass.
"He's found something." Emma went on.
The dog wined as he snogged the crisp autumn leaves that lay next to the grass.
"Look, this is where they must be. What is it?"
Graham kneeled down and bushed the leaves away with his hands.
"Good boy." said Emma, rubbing the dogs head.
Marco and Emma began to help brush away the leaves too as when wood was to be seen underneath.
They lifted the giant board of wood and pushed it aside. Below it was a metal barrier.
"What is that?" asked Emma.
"It's an air shaft." Graham replyed.

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Below Henry stood next to Archie who sat on the elevator floor.
"I'm really, really, really sorry." said Henry throwing his backpack down and siting opposite Archie.
Archie looked down, he now bore a deep, bloody cut on his forehead. "It's alright." he smiled.
"I just wanted to find proof."
"It's really all right, Henry...... I'm sorry, too." he sighed. "Look, I don't think you're crazy..... I... I just think that you got a very strong mother..... who's got a clear idea of a path that she wants you to be on and when you step off that she....... gets scared. And that's natural. But it's also natural for you to be able to be free to think the things you want to think." he sighed again. "Anyway, I didnt mean those things I said and I never should have said them."
"Then why did you?" asked Henry.
He hesitated. "I guess I'm just not a very good person..... I'm not the man I want to be."
Suddenly there was a loud thud and the elevator began to shake. They looked up.

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Up above Marco fixed a lock that was connected to a machine on the air shaft.
"All right. Gun it!" said Emma.
The lock began to pull and lift the air shaft.
"All right, stop. We got it." Emma said. "All right."
They pulled the air shaft aside.
Emma kneeled and looked down the deep, dark whole.
"So, what's next?" asked Regina looking in.

******************************

"I think you can be him." said Henry to Archie. "I think you can be a good person..... I mean, you're Jiminy Cricket."
"Henry, Jiminy Cricket was a cricket, okay? And he was a conscience. And I hardly think that's me." said Archie.
"But before he was that, he was a guy who took a long time to figure out the right thing to do."
"That kind of sounds like me." he nodded.
"Now it's harder for you because of the curse. To hear the voice inside of you. To be who you want to be."
More thudding came from above, the elevator shook even more. They both looked up again.
Archie looked back down again, all hope drowned from his face. He stared at Henry who looked up above, listening. Archies eyes became teared up.

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"You need to lower someone straight down, or the line will collapse the sides of the shaft." said Marco as he fixed the lock again.
"I've got a harness." said Graham, handing him it.
"Lower me down." said Regina.
"Oh, no way. I'm going." said Emma stepping in front of her.
"He's my son."
"He's my son, too..... You've been sitting behind a desk for ten years. I can do this."
Regina stepped forward. "Just bring him to me." he voice cracked.
Emma smiled at her and turned away.

******************************

Stones hit the roof of the elevator making a clattering noise.
Henry brushed the dust from his jumper.
"Hey, can I ask you again?" asked Archie.
"Ask what?" said Henry.
"Why do you think it is so important that your fairytale theory is true?"
"I don't know."
"Give it a shot."
Henry took a candy bar from his backpack and gave it to Archie. "Because this can't be all there is."
He smiled. "I understand."
"I thought if I found proof......but I didn't find anything."
"That's not true."
"I was lost and you found me, right." he gave him a piece of the chocolate.
"You mean, you remember?"
"No, I don't remember. But I do remember the kind of person I want to be."
Henry smiled
"I just gotta listen harder."
More gravel and dust fell from above. A light flashed down.
"What's that." Henry stood up.
"I think it's a rescue." Archie said and he too stood up.
"Are you guys okay?" said Emma in a harness, being lowered down towards them.
"Yeah, we're okay." said Archie.
"Hang on, Henry."
Emma was on the roof of the elevator now. "Okay, that's good. Stop." she said into a walky-talky.
She picked up the roof of the elevator and laid it aside.
Archie coughed as dust fell.
"Here you go, up." said Archie, lifting Henry up to Emma. She reached for him and pulled him up.
"Come on. I got you. okay. I got him"
"You got him? Is he safe?"
The elevator began to rattle.
"Archie?" said Emma.
"It's gonna fall!" he shouted.
"I'm sorry!" Emma cryed helplessly.
The elevator continued to rattle and rubble crumbled down.
"It's okay!" he shouted over the noise.
"Archie!" Emma and Henry cryed together as the elevator began to fall quickly down the dark mine. The elevator clanked loudly as it hit the bottom of the mine.
In terror Emma and Henry hung in the mine, but then they noticed Archie hanging beneath them. He held his umbrella in both hands, the handle had caught the lock on Emma's harness.
They smiled happily in relief. Emma laughed at the sight of Archie beneath her happily and Henry held his thumb up to him.
Archies smile grew and once again his blue eyes teared up.

The miners heaved and pulled Emma, Henry and Archie up. The crowds cheered and clapped happily.
Regina smiled, delighted at the sight of her son.
Emma and Henry were helped out then finally Archie was too.
Regina hugged Henry, holding him close to her. She pulled him away to the emergency doctors and Emma watched him, still out of breath as they helped her up. Archie and Marco huge too, they laughed and smiled in relief.
"Thank you." said Archie.
Emma ran quickly to Henry, her harness still on.
"Are you okay." she asked smiling happily. She attempted to hug him but Regina pushed her away. "Deputy, you can clear the crowd away." she said and turned back to Henry and held his chin up, still smiling in relief.
Emma stared at Reginas turned back, her expression had changed now, the delightful smile had fadedawy.
Regina turned away from Henry and walked over to Archie. "Thank you, Dr. Hopper." she said, tears in her eyes now.
"I...... I have something to say." he stepped away from the crowd and stood next to a car, Regina followed. "I'm gonna continue to treat Henry. And I'm gonna do it my own way."
"My relief at his safety hasn't changed a thing, Dr. Hopper. You will do as I say or......" she stared.
"Or what? You'll ruin my life? You'll do your worst? Because I will always do my best."
"Don't test me."
"I don't need to. Because you're gonna leave me alone and let me do my work in peace."
Regina smiled. "Really? Why is that?"
"Because some day, Madam Mayor, you may find yourself in a custody battle."
Her smile faded away.
"And do you know how the court determines who is a fit parent? They consult an expert. Particularly one who has treated the child. So I suggest that you think about that and you will allow me to do my work. And let me do it the way my conscience tells me to." he nodded at her and walked back to the crowd.