Here To Stay [OUAT || Swan Princess Trio Book #4]

22 - Shattered Sight

Flashback: Richfield, Minnesota - 1999

In the street at night, young Emma, Elaine, Katy and Ingrid were standing at a bus stop, waiting, "It's nights like this I wish I just had the power to poof home like Harry Potter. If I was like him, I could be standing here in the cold one minute, and home soaking in the tub in the next," Emma said.

"Oh, now all I want is a hot bubble bath," Elaine said and Katy chuckled softly.

"That would be something, wouldn't it? Girls... Girls," The Swan trio looked at her, "Do you three remember how much fun we had in the arcade last week?" Ingrid asked.

"Of course. Best day we've had in a long time. How could we forget?" Elaine said with a smile.

"And do you remember how the lights in the game flickered right before you won?" Ingrid asked and Katy looked at her suspiciously.

"Yeah. Weird," Elaine said.

"What if it was more than just weird? What if it meant that you were on the cusp of a great self-revelation?" The trio looked at her confused, "I think it's time," Ingrid said and led them towards the middle of the road as a car approached.

"What are you doing?!" Katy yelled.

"Stop the car," Ingrid said as she held the girls.

"What?!" The Swan twins yelled.

"Trust your instincts. Do it! Stop the car!" Ingrid said.

Katy pulled out the Swan twins from Ingrid's grasp, "Let go of them!" Katy yelled and the trio ran back onto the pavement.

"Girls!" Ingrid ran over to them, "I'm sorry," Ingrid said.

"Are you crazy?! You almost killed us!" Emma yelled.

"I made a mistake. When I was younger, I... I had a traumatic experience that unleashed a power that I... I didn't even know that I had," Ingrid said.

"What are you talking about?" Elaine asked.

"I thought the arcade was a sign that you both were coming into your own," Ingrid said.

"You think we have powers? Like Harry Potter?" Emma asked as they looked at her like she's mad.

"No, girls. That's fiction. What you three have is more real and more powerful than you three could possibly imagine," Ingrid said.

"Great. We should've known the only person willing to help us stay together would turn out to be a nut job," Elaine said.

"No. Elaine..." Ingrid said as she reached for her.

"Don't touch them!" Katy pulled through Swan twins from her, "You're crazy," Katy said, before taking the Swan twins hands and the trio ran away from her.

"Girls, wait. Katy! Emma! Elaine!" Ingrid chased after them but they ran quickly till they were out of sight, "Katy! Emma! Elaine!" Ingrid yelled.