Dear A. // Henry Mills

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE | Paper

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// CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE //
PAPER
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It wasn't until a day later that Henry, along with his family, arrived at the Author's house for any type of useful evidence about Hades. Naturally, Henry was left to be a "lookout," as his family would say. He knew that they neglected him, but he felt it wasn't necessary to argue, for there was no hope in trying to actually help.

It wasn't until moments later when Henry decided to search around the area before him. No sign was shown, nor was his hope elevated. He wasn't searching to bring back Hook; he was searching to bring back A.

A glowing sheet of paper on top of a bookshelf caught the boy's attention. He raised his hand to touch it, but the paper flew away. When he reached out let again to make contact, it flew once more. It was if the paper was trying to lead him to somewhere, and he felt it too. The paper, it had been there all along, he just never recognized it until now. It had a sort of vibe that Henry was drawn to. So naturally, Henry followed it.

Out the house it led, through the woods, and past some trees.

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"And what's in it for me?"

"You, my dear," said the God to the girl, "you know what it's in for you."

"I may know, but tell me what you know first."

"Word on the street is that a small little girl lost her parents while growing up, and she would do anything to bring them back together."

"Thanks, Hades, but that's not what I want. Try harder next time?" Her sarcastic remarks were not an original aspect in her life. She picked them up during her time in the Underworld. The girl walked away from the God and out of the library into the streets.

"I know beneath all of that strong flesh of yours," the God shouted, "that there are fragile bones, and I intend to break them. You are not as strong as you think. And when those small, fragile bones are as close to be snapped, I will be here, waiting," he said creepily. "You should've taken my offer."

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He huffed and puffed with loud breaths emitting from his body. The tiresome boy was about to give up, but he decided that it was for the best. "You came this far," he thought to himself, "and there's no way in hell that you're going to go back." And so, he traveled on. The paper became faster as he became closer, making the boy's jogging turn into running and his running into sprinting.

When it came to a halt, the scenery he was in was almost recognizable, if it weren't for the innumerable aspects of nature surrounding him. "You brought me here to this?" The boy was now yelling at the floating inanimate
piece of paper that brought him to the middle of the woods. "I knew I should be have trusted a piece of paper." He took a seat with his knees tucked close to his body and his head down. "You're so stupid," he told himself, "first you follow a piece of paper, then you get lost in the woods!" As if on cue, the piece of paper floated to be in front of his face, but he did not give his attention to it. "This is all my fault. She would've been here if-" the paper glowed brighter than it did before. He became aware of this, and brought his attention back to the floating sheet.

It led him though the woods once more, and in front of him was a girl, and the paper had lost its glow.