Who thought paint could save them?

Chapter 8

Ruby, Granny and Leroy all feel it. But they are the only three in the diner that do. After looking around Granny decides not to bother all the patrons with her thinking the mines are going under again. Suddenly it takes her over; she knows it's not the mines anymore. She sees her entire fairytale life pass over her eyes. She has all her memories back, and all the ones she is supposed to have of this life.

Granny notices that Leroy is going off on some other customers, "How did you people not feel that?" He slams his mug down and looks around.

"Leroy, you've had enough. Sit down and don't make me call the Sherriff." Granny threatens.

Leroy hmphs into his seat once more and puts his head on the counter.

"Granny?" Ruby comes around from serving.

"Yes dear?"

"What was that?" Ruby asks.

"I don't know... But only three people in this diner of twenty felt anything..." The older woman looks at Ruby who is now keeled over, holding her head, "Are you alright, Ruby?" Granny asks, "Headache?"

"Not exactly..." Ruby finally says as she stands up again. She has a certain fear in her eyes as she looks out at the moon. She sighs as she sees it's a crescent and turns back to Granny.

"You remember?" Granny asks.

"Yeah... How long have you...?" Her grandmother says nothing, as she looks around in curiosity, "Granny?"

"Just a few minutes..." Granny looks around once more, "Red, you speak of this to no one, you understand?"

"Yes, Gran."

"I mean no one! Not even if you're almost positive they know." Granny is touching Ruby's arm, telling her how serious she is.

"Yes, Gran." Red looks at her, "I got it." She pulls her arm from Gran's grasp and goes straight into 'Ruby' as she prances around making sure everyone that was not affected is okay.

Grumpy picks his head up and looks at Granny, "Granny?" He asks in a way that Granny knows exactly what he is asking.

"Not a soul, Leroy. Tell no one." She says as she takes his mug and refills it, "Not until we know why and how."

"You got it, sister." Grumpy says as he takes a drink.

~0~0~0~0~0~

Ashley and Sean feel it. They look around their home and find nothing in disarray. Nothing is fallen. They see Alex sitting on the ground playing with her toys... then it happens.

"Ella?"

"Thomas?"

"How...?"

"I don't know..." Thomas walks over to the window of their apartment, "This isn't how the curse should break... everyone is supposed to know at once. There is nothing going on..." He says as Ella turns the TV onto the News... nothing.

"Okay... So... what do we do?" She asks her husband.

"We do nothing. We say nothing... until we know who all is affected and why. You are still Ashley, I'm still Sean."

~0~0~0~0~0~

August is working on that pesky clock that Mr. Gold gave his father to fix. They both feel the shake and look at each other for a short moment. August moves to turn on the radio for any news then continues on the clock. He sees his father drop a tool and lean over. Then the older man looks back over to him, "Marco?" August asks, "You okay?"

Marco stares long and hard at his son, "Lift up your pant leg." He doesn't ask it, he orders it, "Go on my boy, it's okay. Let me see."

August swallows a difficult lump before he begins to lift his jeans exposing his legs one at a time.