Turning toward Claire, Mina held the axe and stepped forward threateningly. “Change her back!”
Claire's eyes squinted as she studied Mina. “I can't. And where in the world did you get that?”
“Change her back or I’ll use it. This is no ordinary axe.”
“The Grimoire,” Claire whispered, her eyes sparkling. She shrugged her shoulders. “The only way I can help your friend is if you give me the book. Perhaps then we can find a way to extend her life. After all, she doesn't have Fae blood like me.”
“No, I don't bel...” Mina couldn't finish as she was knocked forward to the ground, the Grimoire flying out of her hands and sliding across the floor. It slowly changed back from an axe to a passive notebook lying at Claire's feet.
“Why, thank you.” Claire reached down to pick it up. “I do so love it when things go my way. Don't you agree, Lonetree?”
Mina felt herself get pulled upward off the ground as Lonetree hauled her to the cold, cement floor in front of Claire, grunting his assent.
Claire opened the notebook and frowned when she saw the unfinished sketch. “Come now,” she shook it. “Show me my story. I've seen the Fae copy when I was a child; I know this one records a duplicate. I want to see mine to make sure it gets the story right,” Claire chuckled and flipped a few more pages, finally ripping out a page in anger. “Show me! Or I'll rip out more!” Unsatisfied, Claire finally tucked the Grimoire into her purse. “Never mind, there are other ways to make it talk. As long as you understand that this story doesn't have a happily ever after for Gretel.”
“You’re wrong!” Mina spoke up defiantly.
Claire glared at Mina. “What do you know?”
“I know your story. It's finished. You’re destined to die. Whether it be today or tomorrow, it’s already over. Nothing you do will change the final outcome.”
“You stupid girl! Everything can be changed. Look how many times this story has progressed over the years.”
“But we are no longer in your story. You're in mine. And in my tale, I win.” Mina held up her chin in defiance, a small trickle of blood dripped down it onto her dress, a wound from getting tackled by Lonetree.
“I don't understand.”
Banging doors and a few crashes later, Mina heard someone calling her name. It sounded like Brody. He must have seen Jared pull out of the parking lot and followed. She needed to finish this tale and finish it now.
“Do you want to know why your tale isn't in my copy of the book? It's because I finished your tale weeks ago. But the Story needed you for one more task. I don't have a living grandmother. So the Story kept you around long enough to create a Grandmother for my current quest. It used you to satisfy the needs of a different tale, to create someone that I loved enough to risk my life for. Nothing more. And I finished that tale moments ago.”
Mina stood up and walked over to Nan, who was lying on the cold floor. She held Nan close, hugging her. “I just killed the wolf and saved my dear grandmother. This tale is over. I won. Check and see, Mina pointed to the Grimoire as it began to glow. Slowly etched pencil sketches began to fill in a page that mirrored the surrounding scene. Mina knew that somewhere on the Fae plane a similar picture was appearing in the Fae Book. She could almost hear an audible sigh, coming from beyond. Claire dropped the notebook, and Mina saw the words 'The End' appearing underneath the picture. With it came a loud rushing wind that rattled the windows, and she felt herself being pulled forward toward the Grimoire.
Mina gripped tightly onto Nan as the earth shook and shelves clanged. The room seemed to spin and bright light burst from Nan's body. Mina screamed in fear, worried she was losing best friend. She too, was being pulled toward the Grimoire, and Mina wasn’t sure she could hold on.
Suddenly strong hands grabbed her, and Mina recognized Brody as he embraced her and pushed her to the floor, covering her with his body. He must have noticed her disappearance and seen Jared take off running. Like Jared he must have followed the van here.
“I’ve got you! I won't let you go. I promise!”
Mina's eyes stung as she watched the book float off the ground and begin to absorb a scared Lonetree and a screaming Claire. Mina's teeth chattered in fright as Claire reached toward Mina. Whether she wanted Mina's help or the last few years of her life, Mina didn't know. But Claire was sucked into the pages of the Grimoire.
The book fell open the floor with a loud “plop.” When the wind, the noise, and the ground quit moving, Mina tried to push herself off of Nan, but was held captive by Brody's body.
Brody moved off of Mina and looked her over for injuries. Other than a cut on her face and a few bruises, she looked okay. “You’re alright! Thank God!” He pulled her into an embrace and kissed her. The kiss tasted salty and sweet. “I'm never letting you out of my sight again,” he whispered, kissing her head. Mina pulled away to check on Nan.
Nan's skin was still glowing and she was slowly turning back to her normal self. Mina felt her skin start to prickle. The same build-up of power she felt whenever the Story interacted on their plane. She looked around in apprehension and couldn't find a source. Then she felt it coming from the Grimoire. Mina walked over to the book and could feel a buildup of power before it snapped closed with finality, knocking her and Brody off of their feet with its power.
Mina looked over at Brody who was now lying prostrate on the floor next to Nan; he looked to be out cold.
“Brody!” Mina screamed, running to him. Mina ran her fingers over his tan skin and around his head looking for large bumps or bruises. He seemed to be fine.
“Gosh! Stop pawing over him already and help me up,” Nan mumbled sleepily as she tried to pull herself up. She looked around the room. “What are we doing here?”
“Don't you remember?” Mina asked. “Claire from Babushka's showed up at the dance and brought us here.”
“Babushka's what? I have no idea what you’re talking about. And wait – are we missing out on the dance?! And what is he doing here?”
Mina was dumbfounded. Nan didn't remember anything. Was this a joke or a side effect of being healed too quickly? “Don't you remember? He was my date.”
“Um, yeah right. I distinctly remember we both had decided to go stag. He was Savannah's date, not yours.” Nan stood up and began to limp around the room.
“But I saved his life at this bakery, three weeks ago. There was a big rally and we started dating and he even gave me a cell phone, see.” Mina looked around on the floor for her phone, but couldn't remember where she had lost it.
“You? Owning a cell phone? Ha! That will be the day. Are you sure you’re feeling okay? I don't know how to tell you this, but no way we went on a field trip here. Look at this place; it hasn't been open in years.”
Nan was right. Mina looked around and what once was a working factory with white washed walls and stainless steel equipment was now a dank, dirty broken-down warehouse. Broken crates and spray paint littered the inside, and Mina could have sworn she saw a rat.
It was like the Bakery had never existed. The Story had created it all, set it all up. Once the tale was completed, it had erased everything, leaving no lasting impact on the human world. Mina started to feel her chest heave with pain. Her hand went to her heart as she turned to look at Brody. It wasn't real, none of it. Had the Story created his feelings for her? Maybe it hadn’t, but would he remember?