Welcome to a Nightmare

Chapter 49: Going the Distance

Neither Henry nor Crystal says anything to each other; it's not like they really could because they are pushing their bodies to the point of total exhaustion trying to put as much distance between them and their former base... and Fiona. It's not an easy run through the woods either, having to avoid tripping over roots and ducking under low-hanging branches. They stumble and nearly face-plant into the dirt several times, but they manage to hold onto one another to prevent this from happening.

Eventually, their legs hurt so badly that they have to stop. Crystal leans against a tree to prevent herself from falling over and Henry stumbles over to a rock before collapsing on top of it. They huff and wheeze from having to make such a frenzied and impromptu escape. Blood rushing through their head and their bodies, attempting to compensate for the sudden increase of "running for your life."

The only sounds around them are their laboured breathing, as well as the birds and a few other animals chattering. It felt so normal and calm, which is what Storybrooke was supposed to be like. The serenity of the area and lush surroundings were two of the reasons that Crystal had left New York in the first place and had planned to move here. The town and surrounding forest were in their own little world, untouched by the chaos of industry and big city life. However, the curse had completely destroyed the idyllic image and turned it into Sin City. At least, there were still some natural areas that had been spared and it provided them with much-needed cover.

"N-Not exactly how I imagined we'd spend Friday night," Crystal pants heavily while managing a small smile.

Henry shoots her a look of anger and annoyance. He grinds his teeth, unable to contain his emotion.

"Just trying to ease the tension," she mutters.

"Not the time," he barks. "Because if you haven't noticed, we've lost magic, Belle and our base of operations!"

"Whoa Henry, take it down a notch and breathe Man. I feel the same way but yelling at each other is not going to help."

The teen author inhales again before calming his body down.

"You're right, I'm sorry. It's not your fault... I guess I was just looking for someone to blame."

"It's not your fault either. We were blindsided by Fiona and her being able to catch on so quickly. I was sure the clone we made of you would have made her think that you'd given up on breaking the curse and we'd have time to do more... to find our family."

"At least... at least Belle got away," Henry adds. "Who knows what might have happened if Fiona had gotten to the house first?"

Both shudder at the thought.

"But the question is, how do we find her? If she's out in the woods with nothing, no doubt she'll die of exposure or thirst."

"Well, we're not exactly equipped for the woods either," the author moans, holding out his backpack. All they had was his storybook, his pen, Belle's copy of Her Handsome Hero, the list they'd made, and a bottle of water. Henry gazes up towards the trees, noticing that daylight was slowly fading. Despite living in this town his whole life, he knew never to venture too far into the woods lest he become lost and such places became even more difficult to navigate at night. He remembered doing a few hikes with his mom, Regina, when he was younger, but since she was always so busy as the mayor, it was a rare occasion. His adopted mother was not a woods person and even when they did go on these hikes, she always kept him within earshot to ensure he was safe and they had things like water, hiking shoes, and a compass to keep them on track. The one time he and Archie went out into the woods alone, they ended up falling into a sinkhole, which was really a cover for whatever the Evil Queen had been hiding down there at the time. He did know a few things about the woods, taught by his bandit grandmother and Robin Hood, that moss grew on the North sides of trees and to always mark your path to know where you've been.