Enchanted Adventure

XXII. A Land Without Magic

Third Person POV:

HOSPITAL

Henry and Aubree were wheeled in on gurneys as Emma followed. Dr. Whale and several nurses attended to the twins.

"Henry, Aubree, can you hear me? Come on, Henry, Aubree. Wake up, please. Come on, Henry, Aubree. Come on. You two can do it," Emma begged.

"Ma'am, let me take you to-" a nurse began.

"No, I am not going anywhere!"

Dr. Whale studied the twins. "There's no pupil response. What happened? Did they fall? Hit their heads?"

"They ate this. I think it's poisoned." She held up a baggie containing the turnover.

"Their airways are clear. Did they vomit? Any convulsion or disorientation?"

"They took a bite of this, and then they just collapsed. So, run the tests for arsenic or bleach or Drano, or whatever could've done this to them!"

"The boy and girl are showing no symptoms that would suggest neurotoxins. So, whatever's going on, this is not the culprit."

"Well, what else could it be?"

"I don't know. That's what I'm trying to find out."

"They're going to be okay, though, right?"

"Right now, we just need to stabilize them, 'cause they're slipping away. Is there anything else that you can remember? Any little detail?"

"I already told you everything. Do something!"

"Look, I understand you're frustrated, Miss Swan, I do. But I need something to treat. And, right now, there is no explanation. It's like..."

Emma dumped the contents of Henry's backpack onto a table and saw the twins' book. "Like magic."

She picked up the book and her mind was filled with memories from the Fairy Tale World, especially the time she was sent to the Real World as a baby. When she came to, Regina frantically rushed into the room.

"Where's my son and daughter?" Regina demanded.

"You did this," Emma said as she grabbed Regina and dragged her to a storage room.

Emma threw her against a storage rack and continued her attack while Regina tried to defend herself. Emma managed to pin Regina to the wall.

"You did this!" Emma yelled.

Regina glared. "What the hell are you doing? Stop this! My son and daughter-"

"Are sick because of you! That apple turnover you gave me? They ate it!"

"What? It was meant for you!"

"It's true, isn't it?"

"What are you talking about?"

"It's true, isn't it? All of it."

"Yes."

"I was leaving town. Why couldn't you just leave things alone?"

"Because as long as you're alive, Henry and Aubree will never be mine!"

"They'll never be anyone's unless you fix this. You wake them up!"

"I can't!"

"Don't you have magic?"

"That was the last of it. It was supposed to put you to sleep!"

Emma released her grip on Regina. "What's it going to do to them?"

"I don't know. Magic here is unpredictable."