The Land of Stories: The Adventure Continues

Lunch with the Past

Charlie, Elizabeth, Matthew, and Carrie flew through the world of light. Surrounding them they could see flashbacks of their and their parents lives. They saw all of their children when they were babies, and their college and high school graduations. They soon entered their parents lives. They saw their mother and father with them as children, and they soon saw their mothers graduation from college.  The light got brighter at the end of the portal and they were shot out onto a grassy field.

The group got up and brushed off dirt and grass that were on their jeans and shirts. They looked around and saw dozens and dozens of students heading in and out of the university.

"It's New York University," Matthew said. "It's where Mom and Dad went to school."

"Where would Grandma and Grandpa be at this time? It's almost twelve." Charlie said to her mother.

"They would probably be heading out to lunch."  Carrie said.  She looked over to her right and saw a few coffee shops and a pizza place.  "How about this, Charlie, Elizabeth will check the coffee shops and pizza place, and Matt and I will check the university."

"Sounds like a plan, we'll meet back here when we've found them."  Elizabeth said. 

Carrie and Matthew nodded in a agreement and headed toward the university.  Elizabeth and Charlie walked over to the pizza place and went inside.

"Charlie, do you want anything to eat while we're here?"  Elizabeth asked.

"No, I'm fine.  I just want to save grandpa."  Charlie said.

"I know you do baby, and we will.  But hey you can't save a world with an empty stomach.  Come on I need you to eat."  Elizabeth said.  "How about you go get us a table.  I'll be right there."

Charlie walked around the pizza parlor looking for an empty table.  She saw couples, and study groups, but a man in the corner booth (who looked a lot like her uncle Matt) caught her eye.  He was on his laptop so he didn't notice that Charlie sat down across from him in the booth.

"Matt what are you doing here?  Your supposed to be at the university."  Charlie said.  The man looked up from his laptop and looked at Charlie.

"Can I help you?"  The man said.  Charlie gasped.  It wasn't her uncle even though they looked a lot a like.  It must have been her grandfather.  Charlie hadn't really seen a lot of pictures of her grandfather when he was younger, but she was told he looked a lot like Matthew when he was his age.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were my uncle.  Are you Conner Bailey?"

"Yes, can I help you?"  He asked.

"Grandpa?  Wow you do look a lot like Matt."  Charlie said.

"Who, and grandpa.  I'm sorry I'm not your grandpa."

"Charlie!"  Elizabeth said walking over to her.  "I'm sorry if she was bothering...you."  Elizabeth's voice started to trail off as she noticed the man her daughter was talking to was her father.  Elizabeth sat down next to Charlie, and stared at him.

"I'm sorry, but I'm very confused here.  Are you her mother?" 

"Yes...Dad?  Oh my God."  Elizabeth said.  "This is so weird."

"Can one of you please explain why your daughter called me grandpa, and you just called me dad?"

"This is hard to explain, but I'm your daughter, and this is my daughter and we're..."

"We're from the future."  Charlie said finishing her mother's sentence.  "Year 2080."

"Really, like your serious."  Conner said.  "Ok prove it.  Answer some of my questions."

"Fire away."  Elizabeth said.

"Does this book that I'm writing right here worth the trouble to write?"

"Yes!  It is.  That book starts the adventure of Alec and Connie Baxter.  You go on to be one of the best authors in the world.  All the books have their own movies, and you even have other books.  Starboardia, The Ziblings, Galaxy Queen, The Adventures of Blimp Boy.  They are all big hits."  Charlie said excitedly.  Conner laughed and smiled.

"Seriously.  I guess your telling the truth, becuase my two characters names are Alec and Connie Baxter.  I was also planning on writing Starboardia, The Ziblings, Galaxy Queen, and the Adventures of Blimp Boy after this.  But I'm having trouble finding a title Alec and Connie's story." 

"The hit title is Fairytaletopia."  Charlie said.

"Really?! That's a great name, thanks."  Conner said and typed in the title on his computer.  "So, how did you even get here?"

"Your grandmother came to us, and gave us a spell.  The future Fairytale World is in danger and she said we needed to get you and grandma and Aunt Alex, and I think some other people."  Charlie explained.

"What's going on?"  Conner asked and closed his laptop.

"We absolutely have no idea."  Elizabeth said.  "I had never been to the Fairytale world.  We didn't even know it existed before today.  We just thought you had made it up for your book series.  Why didn't you tell us it was real?"

"I can't imagine why I didn't.  Maybe my books were a way of telling you it was."

"Well, you always said that your books were autobiographical."  Elizabeth said.  "We just never believed you."

"So I did tell you.  Well I hinted, but I never showed you."  Conner said.  "That's makes sense."

"Why didn't you?"  Charlie asked.

"Well you've read the books.  My sister and I never had a chance at a normal life.  Once we found out about the Fairytale World, we knew nothing would ever be the same.  We knew we would never be normal kids again.  I guess I didn't want that for you.  Even though you have very powerful magic in your blood, I wanted you to have a normal life."  Conner explained.

"What about Mom?  Is she normal, or is she from the Fairytale world?"  Elizabeth asked. 

"Oh no, she's from here.  Born and raised, but she does have magic.  Only a part of her family knows about it though."

"She must be Brandy Arron from your books.  Is grandma related to the Brothers Grimm?"  Charlie asked.

"Yeah.  Do you know why she has magic though?"  Conner said smiling at his excited granddaughter.

"Becuase Mother Goose put her blood into Wilhelm Grimm to stop an army from coming to the Fairytale World."  Charlie said and smiled.

"Ding, ding, ding!  Give the girl a prize she is correct."  Conner said and gave Charlie a high five.  Charlie smiled and laughed.

"Ok, ok.  No more trivia."  Elizabeth said and smiled.  "If we have powerful magic, why haven't we ever like accidentally used it?"

"Probably because, you never learned how to use it.  You were never taught."  Conner said.  "I have magic, but I've never really used it, because I was never taught.  When you cast that spell I'm guessing your presence made it work.  Since you have magic.  If you didn't I'm guessing it wouldn't have worked."

"I guess that make sense."  Elizabeth said.  "So anyways let's get back on topic, we have no idea what's happening.  We don't know who's taking over, but something has definitely happened.  The world looks like a complete ghost town.  We were told we needed you, mom, aunt Alex and your friends.  So are you in?"

"Um, I am, and aunt Alex, and my friends will be.  But I'm not so sure about your mom."