Ethan couldn't help but feel nervous as he left the castle gates. What if all she'd said was true? That so much time had passed while they all slept? It seemed so impossible.Chris slipped through the gates and ran back into town.
Had it always felt this unfamiliar? Or was his mind just playing tricks on him? No. Things were different. He ran onward, trying to shut out all the clues that were pointing him to one inevitable truth. Time cannot be stopped. It had run on without him, without Ethan, without the princess, without anyone in that horrible castle.
His breath was ragged as he stopped where the shop had been. Something just wasn't right. Instead of the familiar sign that read "Hodge's General Store," there was a new sign with fancy script that read, "Kathy's Bed & Breakfast."
Christopher shook his head and felt the life going out of him. It was too much to believe. It was like the universe had decided to play some awful, cruel joke. He waited for a few moments, in dumb shock at what was going on before he pushed open the door to what had been his family's shop.
Where many shelves had held goods for waiting customers, now there was a large desk with a stern looking woman behind it. The empty floor space now held several empty chairs and a table with fruit and some gaudy tablecloth. Chris looked around frantically as the woman at the desk looked up from where she'd been filing her nails.
"Can I help you sir? Would you like to make a reservation?"
"A... a reservation?" he echoed.
"For a room sir." she sounded a little annoyed.
Christopher would normally have backed down, but he'd been pushed too far. He wasn't about to take crap from anyone right now. "I just want some questions answered." he said sharply.
The woman at the desk seemed a little taken aback and just nodded. Partly out of shock, partly out of fear.
"Who was the previous owner of this establishment?" Chris snapped.
She shook her head, "I'm not sure... I think it was just an elderly couple. They were very wealthy, their son was a famous musician you know... The Frog Prince... have you heard of him?"
Christopher looked at her curiously, "I am the Frog Prince..."
She seemed to be more than a little freaked out by his response, but she continued, "...but anyway, they still stayed in this old place. Said they were waiting for someone. At least that's what I heard from Kathy. She's owned this place for... the past thirty or forty years..."
Chris' heart was pounding in his chest. "The couple... was their last name Hodge?"
The woman's face perked up in recognition, "yeah! That's right. I'm pretty sure that was the name."
"What happened to them?" he could barely manage to say the words.
"Well, they passed away a long time ago of course. I mean, they were pretty old."
Christopher's breath caught in his throat, "I... I'm going to take a look around if you don't mind."
"Well, we don't really allow..." she started, but Chris' glare cut her off. She went back to filing her nails, paying much more attention to them than was really necessary.
Christopher stalked up the stairs to what had been his old room. He pushed open the door and the room was thankfully empty of any guests. Everything had changed. His piano no longer sat in the corner with its beat up keys and old wooden frame. His mess of a bed was now a large new looking one with freshly starched sheets. Chris fell to his knees.
It was true. It was all true. Everyone he'd known. Everything he'd once called his own. It was all gone in what had seemed to him the blink of an eye.
His lip started to shake and he could feel his face getting hot. He knew real men weren't supposed to cry, but he couldn't stop the hot tears from falling down his cheeks. Everything was gone.

* * * * *

"Ugh, quite frankly, I'm a little disappointed. I think you should have been more specific Wilhelm." Jacob commented.
Wilhelm shrugged, "It's not my fault. At least the story is finally starting again. I'd almost forgotten about it."
Jacob stalked around the room, annoyed. "What about our guest? We didn't see that coming either..."
"you're right... this is getting a little troublesome..."
"But..." Jacob started, "It makes for a very interesting story..."

* * * * *

Ethan sat in the lonely graveyard. He pulled his knees tightly to his chest and bowed his head as tears fell down his face in a rush. He hadn't been able to stop it. He hadn't been able to do a thing... And now it was all gone. He'd never get to see his mother's angry face as she scolded him for being late, or his little sister tugging at his pant leg to come play tea parties with her... It was like there was a huge gaping wound, he felt so empty.
The last thing he'd remembered was falling just a few feet short of Briar Rose. She was there before him as he fell, as he began his hundred year slumber. And the first thing he saw as he awoke was that @#$% prince leaning over her, waking her with his magical kiss. He couldn't take it. He'd run from the tower, run from the castle and all it's inhabitants as they slowly awoke. They hadn't even noticed the one peasant boy leaving the gates in a hurry.
He already knew it was too late, he already knew, but his heart was cruel enough to leave him hope. There was a small graveyard near the edge of town. He'd run until he was out of breath and finally collapsed. He checked the stones nervously, afraid of what they might say. His heart sank as he found the names. Alex Fawks and his wife Katie. Thomas and Rachelle Fawks. Luke Fawks. Andrew Fawks. Nelson Lunceford and his lovely wife Lucinda... They were all here. He'd missed it all. He felt cold all over, but nothing would warm him. He didn't know how long he'd been sitting here, but he didn't care. What did he have left? His friends, his family, they were all gone... At least Chris had made it out in time, hadn't he? Ethan was sure he must've gone on to become a great musician or... Ethan stopped. It hurt too much to think of it. He was a stranger in this world. This awful world where no one wanted him and no one cared. He just sat in the empty cemetary and cried. He didn't know what else he could do.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and wanted to yell and scream at the person to leave him alone, but he just didn't have the strength.
"Ethan..." it was familiar, and he feared he might be dreaming. He opened his red, puffy eyes to see a face that he actually knew. It was enough to make him smile in relief.
"Chris... Topher... you're still here... you..." he turned away, "I'm so sorry... your family and..."
Chris held back his own tears and for a while the two boys just sat, staring into space and trying to find the courage to face the unknown future that lay before them.

The sun was beginning to set as they heard another set of footsteps approach. The footsteps paused a moment, then walked onward, coming closer.
"Ethan?" came a voice that was only a whisper. "Christopher?" the voice was filled with relief, "Thank whatever God may be watching over us. I've been looking everywhere..."
Ethan looked up at her with a stony gaze. His eyes were empty and cold. "Hello Briar Rose."
Briar Rose looked like she would start crying at any moment, "I'm so sorry Ethan... Chris... How did this happen? How could it..." she started before shaking her head. "Please... come back to the castle. Stay with me for a while... You've..." she paused, "You've no where else to go..."
Ethan shook his head, "I won't go back there..." his voice was firm now, resolved.
"But..."
He stood slowly, "This has to stop..."
Briar Rose looked confused, "What are you talking about Ethan?"
"This fairytale nonsense!" he shouted without trying to. "They're playing Gods, thinking they can control our lives, but I won't have it anymore! I won't!..."
Christopher shook his shoulders, "Ethan, you're not well. You're not making sense. I'm really upset about this too, but..."
Ethan pushed away and shook his head, "No. It makes perfect sense. I knew this was going to happen. Every last bit of it. But I thought I could stop it... I thought maybe I could make a difference, but those book writing, artless, fat kidneyed, miscreants saw to that, didn't they..."
"Slow down Ethan. What do you mean?"
"I MEAN that someone knew this was going to happen because they PLANNED it. Ardeneaux told me about a magical book that..."
Briar Rose gasped, "The book?! I've heard of it! You don't think that..."
"Yes. Yours was one of the many stories they've written. Their magical book will turn anything they write in it into facts, and those sick villians decided to use it to write stories and play the scriptwriters for other people's lives..."
Christopher shook his head, "That can't be real..."
Ethan looked grimly at the hallowed ground, "Look around you Christopher... This IS reality."
Christopher was speechless. He clenched his fists and shut his eyes.
Ethan put a hand to his tired head.
Briar Rose looked forward with determination, "so..." she began, "how do we stop them?"

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