The Land of Stories ☆ The Not-So-Happily Ever After

Chapter 2

Aladdin was strolling through the market square in the Centre Kingdom, minding his own business- if that's what you call pick-pocketing oblivious people nearby. He had just finished a hard day's work at the community centre, which was his punishment for thievery. The only reason that he wasn't in Pinocchio Prison was because he was underrage- 17 was the age of adulthood, and he was only a puny, helpless little 15-year-old boy who didn't defy the law at all.

Sike.

He was a world renown criminal, who almost came close to being like Goldilocks, the inspirational woman for people like him.

Turning left into an alley, Aladdin walked down the narrow path.

The towering walls around him were damp, and smelled like fish paste mixed with... what was that smell? Oh, yeah- barf. The stain-ridden tiled floor was infested with ants, and peasants blocked the way every now and then, sitting down and thinking about what hopeless dreams they had. This was the bad part of the kingdom.

He instinctively became more alert- something was about to happen.
Near a cross path, an arm reached out to grab him. He shook it off, kicked the stranger down, and ran. He almost got round the corner which led to his street, until he got the sudden desire to turn back, which was completely unlike him.

"Who are you?" He said to the man. He wore a tattered robe with pockets all over it- empty pockets- and a hood over his head, hiding his face.

"Someone you knew a long time ago."

"Tell me your name!"

The man just chuckled.

"Tell me!" Aladdin shouted, quickly becoming fed up with this person. This was just a waste of time, and he had no clue why he was still here. Yet, the more he questioned himself, the more interested he became in the stranger.

"I am Mustapha, a tailor from the Corner Kingdom. I have come to find you; you only."

Mustapha. That was the name of Aladdin's late father, who had died when Aladdin was a toddler. His father also happened to be a tailor who lived in the Corner Kingdom before meeting his mother.

"I have a question for you," the teenager said sceptically, "Did you ever have a son?"

Mustapha took off his hood.
"I believe I'm looking at him right now. Hello Aladdin."

"F-father? But- how- how is that possible? You died when I was two! I saw you jump off the wall with my own eyes. You ended your life! Tell me how you survi-"

"I can imagine how many questions you have right now, son, but answers come with patience."

"What about Mom? She's been depressed ever since that day."

"I will tell you everything when when the time is right, but for now, I have an idea for some father-son bonding time!"

Mustapha smiled, and he and Aladdin walked back through the alleyway, the opposite way to Aladdin's home.