Chapter 11

Night falls upon Storybrooke, and the small town is swallowed by darkness. Deep in the forest, amidst the trees that stand like silent sentinels, a broken cellphone lies discarded on the ground, stained with blood. The faint glimmer of moonlight catches the crimson marks, and what could be seen as a body near the phone.

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EMMA POV

You dial Alex’s number again, gripping the phone tightly in your hand. The call rings once. Twice. Then, it goes to voicemail. Again.

A pit forms in your stomach, and a gnawing sense of dread claws at your chest. Where is she? You can’t shake the feeling that something has happened.

You make your way to Granny’s, each step heavier than the last. Inside, the warm glow of the fluorescent lights does little to ease the cold knot in your gut. You approach the counter and start asking around, but everyone shakes their heads, no one having seen Alex.

Then you spot her. Regina’s secretary. Her hands nervously twist a napkin, and she avoids your gaze, looking anywhere but at you. The way she shifts her weight uncomfortably tells you she knows something.

You step closer, your voice steady but carrying a sharp edge. “Have you seen my sister?”

She stammers, looking down at her hands. “I… I… No. I haven’t seen her.”

You don’t believe her. You never do when people lie to your face. “You know, I hate liars,” you say, your tone darkening. Your eyes narrow, and you take a step toward her. “I don’t even need my powers to know you’re lying. Now tell me—where was the last place you saw my sister?”

Her eyes flicker with guilt. She hesitates, then swallows hard. “I… I last saw her leaving the Mayor’s office. That’s all I know, I swear.”

Your heart skips a beat. Regina’s office. Why didn’t I think of that sooner?

Without another word, you turn on your heel, your mind racing. You storm out of the diner, your pulse quickening as you make your way to the car. You don’t waste time thinking. The only thing that matters now is getting answers.

You peel out of the parking lot, your hands gripping the wheel, the engine roaring under your foot. The town feels like a maze, streets blurring past you as you head toward Regina’s house.

You don’t slow down until you slam your car to a stop in front of her place. The tires screech, and you’re out the door before the engine even dies. You march up to the gate with a purpose determined to find answers. You’re about to enter the lion’s den when someone steps into you. You stumble back, barely catching yourself.

“Ah, damn it! I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there,” you mutter, looking down at the stranger you’ve collided with.

Your frustration eases for a split second when you see who it is. Mr. Gold.

His dark eyes glint with quiet amusement as he watches you, his posture calm but with an air of mystery. “Quite all right, dearie,” he says smoothly. “Now, what has you in such a rush? Perhaps you’re looking for someone?”

You narrow your eyes at him, suspicion tightening in your chest. “How did you know?”

He shrugs, a thin smile playing at the corners of his lips. “Hmm, doesn’t matter. Best be on my way now. An old man like me can’t stay up this late anymore.” He starts to turn, but then pauses, as if something has crossed his mind.

“This sister of yours… Are you truly related by blood?”

You blink at him, your patience snapping. “What does that matter?” Your voice comes out sharper than you intended.

Mr. Gold gives a slow, deliberate smile. “Hmm, suppose it doesn’t.” He starts to walk away but stops just short. “Good evening, Miss Swan.”

You watch him go, his cryptic words hanging in the air like smoke. What’s he really after?

Your eyes shift back to Regina’s house, and you march toward the door with renewed determination. You don’t bother knocking—just bang on the door with your fists, your frustration boiling over.You bang your fists harder this again, your frustration breaking through the walls of your patience.

“Regina! Open up! I know you’re in there!” you shout, your voice rising with every word.

The door opens on the fourth knock, and there she stands, looking as composed as ever. “Miss Swan, do you know what time it is?”

You don’t give her a chance to say anything else. Without warning, you grab her by the shirt and slam her against the wall, your heart racing. “What did you do to my sister?” you demand, fury twisting your insides.

Regina doesn’t flinch. “I have no idea where your sister is, Miss Swan,” she says coolly, her eyes meeting yours without hesitation.

You can feel your hands shaking, but your anger burns brighter than the fear in your chest. “Don’t lie to me,” you hiss, your voice low and dangerous. “Are you using her to get to me?”

Regina’s gaze softens, and for a moment, you see something in her eyes—sincerity. You hesitate, your grip loosening slightly. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, but I would never use Alex like that,” she says, her voice steady and surprising.

You step back, still cautious but with a flicker of doubt in your mind. You read her, and she doesn’t seem to be lying. At least, not about this.

“Did she say anything to you? Where she was going?” you ask quietly, your voice softer now.

“No, she didn’t,” Regina replies, her tone more neutral than before. She looks at you for a long moment, her brow furrowing slightly. “Why don’t you go to the sheriff with this?”

You let out a bitter laugh. “The sheriff?” you scoff, incredulous. “That man couldn’t find a ten year old, let alone my sister. Why would I think he could find her?”

Regina straightens, her posture growing more rigid. “Well, seeing as your sister is missing, the best choice would be to tell the sheriff. He’s been here longer than you have.”

You don’t have the energy to argue anymore. You storm down the stairs, your footsteps heavy with frustration. As you reach the car, you hear her close behind you, and you whirl around, ready to face Regina again.

But instead, you see her standing at the top of the stairs, looking down at you with an unreadable expression.

“Where are you going?” you ask, confusion flickering in your eyes.

“I’m going with you,” Regina says simply. “I’ve already called Miss Lucas to watch Henry.”

You stare at her, disbelief clouding your judgment. “Why are you helping me? I thought you hated me.”

Regina’s lips twitch into the faintest of smiles. “I may dislike you, Miss Swan,” she admits, “but your sister? I do not.”

For a moment, you can’t quite process the shift in her tone. It’s not as biting as it usually is, not as cold. Maybe she really isn’t all bad.

“Time is of the essence,” she adds, her voice firm as she walks past you toward the car. “Come along.”

You both drive to the sheriff’s station in silence. You, of course, aren’t about to sit in that suffocating building with Regina, so you stay outside while she heads in alone to speak with Graham. Your foot taps nervously against the pavement as the minutes tick by.

Regina returns after a while, her face a mixture of frustration and concern. “Graham is useless,” she mutters. “I told him to announce Alex as missing, but he’s dragging his feet.”

You clench your fists. “We can’t wait that long! What if something has happened to her?”

Regina sighs, her patience thinning. “Nothing bad has happened in this town for twenty years, Emma. Nothing. Alex’s phone could be dead, or maybe she crashed at a friend’s place.”

You know she’s trying to reassure you, but it doesn’t help. Not really. You want to believe her, but you can’t shake the feeling that time is slipping through your fingers.

“I know,” you say quietly, exhaling a heavy breath. “I just… we always stay in contact. I can’t shake this feeling that something’s wrong.”

Regina glances at you with surprising softness. “Graham says he’ll search in the morning and I told him you’d join him tomorrow. Try not to be late.”

You nod, though your thoughts are already racing ahead to what might come next. Maybe Regina isn’t so bad, after all. But then again, you remember how she got you kicked out of the inn. That trust doesn’t come easy.

As you walk away, you can’t help but wonder: What is Regina really playing at?

But for now, your only focus is finding Alex.

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I almost lost access to my account seeing as how I forgot my password only to realize a day later I was entering the password for a different website.I couldn’t help but laugh at myself and my stupidity sigh I think this calls for a break from responsibilities well for at least the next few hours.

Also does anyone have a suggestion for what I should call the book I have a few in ideas in mind but I can’t decide.