Once Upon A Nightmare

- NINE -

- Cindy -

"...Search for the book far from reality."

What? What in the giant pumpkin patch could that freaking me?! Ugh, crazy stupid old woman! What did she mean!

For days now, I have been searching through countless libraries. The school's library, the city library, even the library in Adam's house. Nothing. Nothing about a "book far from reality."

Stupid old woman. Stupid hidden meaning. Stupid riddle. This is all so stupid! There was no point in this! What the freaking heck did she mean? Was she just messing with me for fun? Why am I believing some crazy old woman that I don't know? Was I crazy?

I kicked my backpack, somewhat hoping the answer was inside, waiting for it's moment to slip out. Something inside me told me that the dreams from the slumber party were real. That whatever the old lady said was somehow connected to the dreams. So I began my search, but what was the point now?

I searched during all of my free time for whatever the lady wanted me to find. I internet searched the phrase and nothing came up. I kept checking. I searched all the libraries in town, called libraries outside of town and still, nothing came up.

Sitting down in a bookstore & coffee shop chair, I closed my eyes. Okay, so the lady is a literature teacher, right? Right. So what would that phrase mean in literature terms? "Far from reality" could mean fake, like a dream. Right. And what does that happen to do with literature? Books, fake, dreams... Fiction. Getting warmer. Keep going. Fiction, dreams, dreams can be like a fantasy. Warmer. Fantasy, fantasy can be broken down into subcategories.

I hopped onto a computer near me and searched for the subcategories of fantasy. As I read, I came upon a certain word. Fairy-tale. Weren't those the book with princesses and stuff? Wait, princesses! That had to be a clue!

I began searching for anything that resembled what I was looking for. Okay, if I were a fairy-tale book, where would I be? The only place where I haven't been to in years: the children's section. I scurried to the section and scanned the area it could be in.

Nothing. No, it has to be here! Keep looking, Cindy. Keep looking! I searched again and again. I checked almost all of the shelves. There was nothing. Finally, I reached the last shelf in the section. My eyes couldn't see anything that resembled a fairy-tale book. You tried and gave it your all, Cindy. I slid down to the carpeted floors.

Plup!

I look to my left and notice a book on the ground. That wasn't there a second ago. I pick the book up and examined the blue cover. "Enchanted Tales Collections". Thinking nothing of it, I placed it back on the shelf and walk away.

Plup!

I turn around and see the same book back on the floor. What is with this book? Again, I pick it up and put it on the shelf. This time, before I can even walk away, it falls. I pick it up and try to put it back but something shoved it back out and into my hands. Woah, okay book. I guess you really hate this shelf. But you aren't the thing I'm looking for so, stay.

I shove it back. "Oh, for the love of― Take the stupid book, you fool."

I jump back from the shelf. "Oh my squeeks, the book talked!"

"She happens to be dumber than we thought!" a British voice said aloud.

I looked down at the book. "Hey, book, I'm right here, so why don't you say it to my face, inky!"

It sighed. "We aren't books, girl. We are behind the self."

I look up and meet two sets of eyes peering behind the shelf. "Oh... hi!"

"Keep quiet, we don't want to be heard," the other man spoke in his thick French accent.

Another collection book fell. "Take these. They will help you with your mission. Do not let them be seen by the eyes of any other adults. Go!"

I gathered the books and ran out the store without paying for them. Oh my glob, Cindy, you are a rebel! I didn't know where to take them so I took them to the one place I could trust.

I arrived outside the small, wooden home and knocked on the door. An old, chubby man dressed in overalls opened the door. His eyes sparkled with imagination and wonder.

"Cindy, what a lovely surprise! We weren't expecting you."

"Hi, I'm sorry to bother you and just stop by like this, Mauri. Is Bella around?" I looked around his body before he stepped aside to let me travel through the small house and into the room I intended to be in.

Barging into the room with no shame, I began speaking. "You have to look at these."

Bella looked up at me from her book and marked her page, placing the book on the bed. I jumped on the bed next to her and opened the ones in my hand.

"Look at this girl, Bella. Who does she remind you of?" I pointed to a beautiful young girl with blonde hair dressed in a blue gown.

Bella's eyes squinted a bit. "She looks like some princess we read about when we were little."

"Look closer," I said shoving the book closer to her face.

She pushed it away as her eyes opened wide with realization. "Is she supposed to be you?"

I nod and flip the other book open. "And her?"

A beautiful brown haired girl dressed in yellow was seen to be in the arms of a man wearing a blue jacket with yellow trimming and a blue bow that tied his hair back.

Bella took the book from my hands and examined the page with disbelief. "Is that Adam and me? Wait, that is Adam and me. And that's my dad, and that's Mrs. Potts. That the ballroom we were in." She looked up at me. "Cindy, how do I know all this? I have never met most of these people but I can recall every moment I spent with them. What is this?"

I pulled out some smaller books. "That is us, Belle. We are those fairy-tales. We are princesses."

With every word I said, I was starting to believe I was going crazy. None of this made sense. Nothing added up. As we went over all the possible reasons and details of our past, Belle ―I mean, Bella― took all the books and hid them away in her room. I gathered myself and left her to do her research. I had already spent way too much time here as it was and needed to get back home. We agreed on what we needed to do.

"Don't let any adults see those books. We're going to have to get the other girls and show them the books and tell them what we find. Whatever you do, don't bring the book to school, okay?"

She nodded in agreement. "I still can't believe Ston, or Gaston, tried to kill Adam because he wanted to marry me. Ehg!" She shivered at the thought.

I smiled. "I have to go, keep the books safe. Bye, Belle."

"Bye, Cinderella. Wait!" I stopped. "Why did you go up stairs dressed in yellow to kiss some snake?"

Rolling my eyes I answered the childish question. "Because I wanted to find out how many doctors it would take to save me and in my opinion, it took one too many."

"You kissed the wrong fellow, if you ask me."

"I know! Bye, Miss. Perfect, have fun kissing beasts."

🔽🔼🔽

► Cinderella dressed in yellow, went upstairs to kiss a fellow. Made a mistake and kissed a snake, how many doctors did it take? Well it looks like the girls are patching things up very nicely. Will any adults find the books or is everything still in the favor of the perfect little princesses? We shall see. ◄