Once Upon A Time. (Book One)

Chapter Nine: True North.

Henry Mills was in a store, reading a Marvel comic book, named: Wolverine vs. Hulk. "Thank you so much, Mr. Clark," a woman said. "I really appreciate it. Thank you." While the woman was talking to Mr. Clark, Henry was smirking to himself as he kept reading the comic book.

"What are you reading?" a girl asked Henry, Henry closed the comic and turned around, looking at the girl. The girl was pretty. With long wavy, blond hair and pretty ocean blue eyes.

"The Hulk vs. Wolverine," answered Henry.

"I'm Ava. I think I've seen you around school," Ava introduced herself to him. "You're in Miss Blanchard's class, right?" she asked and Henry nodded.

"Almost ready, Ava?" a boy asked.

"This is my brother, Nicholas," she nodded toward her brother.

"Hi," Nicholas said.

"Oh," Henry said with a bright smile.

"Come on. Let's go," Nicholas said to his sister.

"You wanna come hang out?" Ava asked Henry.

"Oh... Sure," Henry agreed, he grabbed his bag and put his comic book into his bag, turning around to smile at Ava. He walked with his two new friends toward the door of the store. Nicholas was opening the door and the doorbell jingled, just as they were about to leave the owner of the store put his hand on the door, slamming it shut on them.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" he asked right before he sneezed, he took out his large white handkerchief, pointing at Henry. "Open up your bag." He demanded Henry.

"What?" Henry asked, confused.

"Don't think I didn't see you rob me. Open your bag," Mr. Clark said in a matter-of-fact voice.

"I didn't take anything," Henry said, he was telling the truth.

The owner of the story took Henry's bag off of his shoulder, sighing in annoyance as he unzipped his bag, and searched through his bag. He looked up at Henry with a knowing look on his face. He pulled out three candy bars in his hand. "And a liar too."

Henry turned to look at Ava with a sad expression on his face. "That's why you were talking to me," he said in realization. "So your brother could put that stuff in there."

Ava and Nicholas had guilt all over their faces like they were ashamed that they did it in the first place but they didn't have any money on them. All they wanted was some sweets.

"Henry, I'm shocked," Mr. Clark said to Henry then he looked at the two siblings. "And you two... Just who do you think you are?" he asked the two siblings but they looked at each other, worried.

The Woodcutter was out in the Enchanted Forest, he had an ax in his hands and he started hacking away at an enormous tree. It started cracking and it slowly fell as the Woodcutter looked up and stood back, watching the tree fall onto the ground. He sighed and sniffled as he walked over to the tree. "A fine specimen," the Woodcutter called out, he threw his ax into the dirt while a little girl with blond hair and two French braids was wearing a dress. It was nothing fancy or anything but it suited her well. She walked around the broken stomps as she lifted her dress up a bit. "The wood it provides will keep our family's hearth warm this winter."

"Can't I have an ax?" asked Gretel.

"Huh?" the Woodcutter asked, he looked over at her.

"You did say you wanted me here so I could help." She stated.

The Woodcutter cracked a smile and then looked down at the broken tree. "That I did. So here is your task. Take the cart." He pointed to it. "Go fill it with kindling. The drier the better."