Endgame

Chapter 71

(Please play the music now!)

It took another two months for Hallie Blackwell to finally master shifting. After many different techniques, visualisation methods and frustrations, she had finally decided that the elevation method was working best for her. On a spring morning, after feeling rather light and airy from all of Fleur's wonderful singing, Hallie headed to her bedroom and opened up her script.

"Good luck!" Lara shouted from the kitchen.

"Thank you!" Hallie shouted, getting herself into a comfortable position. She closed the curtains, knowing the total darkness would help her relax, and laid down on her back. As she closed her eyes, she imagined herself walking into an elevator, and pressing the highest number. As each of the floors stopped, she imagined a busy little town, with lots of friendly people, a library stacked high with books, a grumpy old pawnbroker who never liked to be bothered, and a Volkswagen Beetle. As the lift went higher, she felt herself getting closer and closer. Her body went extremely fuzzy.

Warm

Warmer

Warmest.

Hallie opened her eyes to find herself standing in the middle of a forest. The height of the trees overwhelmed her, as not even the trees in the forbidden forest were as tall as the ones right here.

"Hello?" Hallie said, standing in the middle of a forest. She looked around to see nothing but the tall green trees around her. She wondered if she had shifted to the right place, before noticing someone was standing with a bow and arrow and aiming it towards her. She quickly lifted her wand out.

"If you fire that at me I'll have to choice but to throw a hex at you," Hallie said defensively.

"Who the hell are you?" The man said.

"I could ask you the exact same question!"

Before the man could say anything, Hallie heard a voice shout his name. She was thankful at least someone else was out in these woods.

"Ernie, no," Emma shook her head.

"Who is this girl?" He asked. "She could be a threat!"

"She's far from a threat," Emma reasoned, shifting her eyes over to Hallie.

"Hi Emma," Hallie smiled awkwardly.

"Ernie, it'll be fine, honestly. Just go," Emma suggested.

"Fine by me" he said, speaking very quickly to himself.

"Oh dear. I never wanted to annoy him," Hallie admitted.

"What are you doing here, Hallie?" Emma asked, being very upfront about it all. Even though this was definitely something Emma would say, it still took her slightly by surprise.

"Well I've shifted here in the hope that I can get some answers," Hallie said hopefully.

"Hey, mom, grandpa and I were going to head to Grannies. Oh, who is this?" Hallie heard a young boy say. He had brown hair, and was rather tall.

"Hallie Blackwell," she said, holding out her hand.

"Hello, Hallie. Well, we were just heading out to the cafe. They do really nice hot chocolate with cinnamon on top. I'm Henry by the way, Emma and Regina's son."

Hallie smiled at him with a kind look in her eyes.

"Henry, you go and find Regina and I'll meet you both there, okay? I've got to speak to Hallie."

"Okay, mom. See you soon," the teenage boy waved and walked away, leaving Hallie very perplexed.

"I don't understand," Hallie stated. "I scripted in my desired reality to take me to a place where the Heart of the Truest Believer lived? This is a completely different timeline. I thought I would be speaking to a younger version of you."