Flunked

by Jen Calonita

  “So don’t do it,” I say, stalling for time ’til I can figure out my next move. “You don’t want to help someone like Gottie, do you?”

  Jocelyn laughs. “What choice do I have? Even if we get out of this place, my sister and I will always be outcasts.” For a brief moment, I can see the pain that realization gives her. “She’ll never be forgiven for the things she’s done, and I’ll never be able to escape her legacy. So I say, why not have fun while I’m stuck here? Now move!”

  She pushes Ollie and Maxine through a new hallway that has just popped up, and I see we’re descending to the dungeon level that I’ve heard about but never seen. Why would I? Flora built this place to deal with criminals like Gottie, but she’s never been caught. Torches illuminate our path down as the air grows colder and damp, and then we’re standing in the middle of a large opening among half a dozen cells. Harlow is waiting for us.

  She’s in a gown and cape that glitter brighter than any of the princesses’ outfits, and her pale face has flawless makeup that looks like it took hours to apply. Atop her head is the most elaborate black-jeweled crown I’ve ever seen. Jocelyn hands her sister the mirror, and the glass swirls gold and silver, crackling like lightning.

  “Ah, Miss Gillian, I see you stayed and brought guests to watch the show,” Harlow sneers. “Foolish girl. Now you’ll burn with the rest of this school.” With a flick of her wrist, Harlow pushes us into a corner and we fall into a heap. “It’s almost time for the main event. Upstairs, right above us actually, all of Enchantasia is dancing the night away, not knowing we’re about to turn their minds into goo. They’ll never remember themselves, let alone who runs this kingdom. Even if they could, the princesses will already be turned to ash.”

  “You’ll never get away with this,” Jax says.

  “Oh, but I already have,” Harlow says patronizingly. “Cleo is an ice cube in her aquarium, and Flora and the royal court are immobilized in the great hall. All that’s left is to deal with is you five—after I cast the spell.” She holds the mirror up to the ceiling and lightning flies out of it, sending rocks down on our heads. A crack begins to spread above us.

  “You’re not strong enough to cast a spell that large,” I challenge her.

  Harlow drops the mirror for a moment. “I know that. That’s why the Wicked One is here.”

  A bushy, gray-haired figure emerges from the shadows of one of the cells. She’s flanked by two gargoyles that hiss when they see us. Jax begins to move our small group back. Gottie’s face, up close, is hard to look at. Warts cover her skin like freckles. Her nose twists sideways in an awkward position, and her teeth have clearly never seen a toothbrush.

  “Hello, darlings.” Her full lips curl into a snarl. “Thank you, Kayla, for getting these nuisances out of the way.”

  “I didn’t do anything!” Kayla cries. “You told me you were coming to the ball.”

  “And so I have, but even I wouldn’t be foolish enough to announce my arrival. Not when there are other ways into the room upstairs.” Out of her pocket, she pulls a mirror that is identical to Harlow’s and aims it above us. It shoots out more lightning that makes the crack above us widen. I close my eyes to keep from seeing people fall from the sky, but so far, nothing happens. “Once they’re disposed of, I can rid myself of these horrid clothes.” Gottie shrugs. “Or I could do that now. It’s not like anyone up there will see me ’til after, and by then, they’ll only know me as their queen.”

  A purple cloud of smoke surrounds her, and within seconds, Gottie’s ragged clothes, wart-covered face, and white frizzy hair have disappeared. An older woman appears in her place wearing a gown as red as fire and a cape with a collar so high it could practically be a hood. Her jet-black hair is pulled back with a gold comb covered in what looks like dragons. She has the same symbol on the thick gold cuffs on her wrists and the long necklace draped around her thin neck.

  Kayla gasps. “Alva?”

  Alva laughs. “Yes, my gullible pet. Gottie and Alva are one and the same.” She pulls Kayla toward her and whispers in her ear. “You were useful gathering the information that I needed, but now you’ve served your purpose.” She opens a gate to a dungeon, and Kayla is flung through the air and dropped inside. The door shuts behind her. Kayla grabs the bars.

  “I did everything you asked,” Kayla stutters, her wings popping in and out. “You promised if I did, you’d help me, Gottie.”

  “Gottie’s been dead for years, you fool!” Alva thunders. “I have allowed the world to think otherwise so I could plan my return without ever being spotted. I only needed a young fairy with thoughts as dark as yours to do my bidding, which you’ve done marvelously.” She looks our way and I cringe. “Not a soul is on to us, but these delinquents here.”

  So Rapunzel’s captor has bit the dust and Sleeping Beauty’s dream-maker, who no one has seen in an eternity, is pulling all the strings? Talk about being duped.

  “It was all so easy. When Rumpel told me of your wishes, I knew you were the one I was looking for. I suggested that Rumpel make your family forget you, and he did.” Her grin makes me feel cold. “I couldn’t risk them remembering you at some point. That’s why I eventually turned them all into hollow trees.”

  “No!” Kayla crumples to the floor of her cell. Anger builds up inside me as I watch Kayla sob.

  “Yes!” Alva sounds like a snake. “They had to be taken care of, just like you all will be. And then I will rule Enchantasia, and the royals will burn.” Within moments, Ollie, Maxine, Jax, and I are picked up and sent flying into the cell adjacent to Kayla. As soon as I drop, I make a run for the door and Alva zaps me with her mirror. I try to move, but it feels like I’m stuck in molasses. And that’s when Jocelyn is flung into the cell with us. She topples into Ollie and Maxine, knocking Maxine out cold.

  “Alva, what are you doing?” Harlow’s voice is shrill. “My sister has done nothing to harm your plan.”

  “She’s a liability, just like they are,” Alva says coolly.

  “But—” Harlow moves toward her, and purple bolts shoot from Alva’s hand.

  “No buts or I’ll dispose of you as well,” Alva says. “I can do this on my own, or have you forgotten how you let me down the last time?”

  Harlow hangs her head.

  “Harlow!” Jocelyn races to the bars and rattles them, but Harlow does not look up. I see Jocelyn’s lips start to move, and she begins to chant. I wonder if she’ll be able to break through the bars that hold us. Alva notices and flings bolts toward the bars. Jocelyn goes flying back, falling into me.

  “Stop bumping into me,” I grumble, flinging her off me.

  “It’s no use,” Jax says as Ollie cradles Maxine’s head. Kayla rocks back and forth, seemingly oblivious to what’s going on around her. “We can’t break these bars.”

  We all watch as Alva gives her gargoyles instructions. She glances in her mirror, and I can just make out the tiny figures in the frame. They must be the royal court, which is being held upstairs with Flora. “Go! Check on them and make sure the magic is holding. After that we can begin the spell,” she tells one of the gargoyles and he flies off only to return moments later. “Grrr…that’s true. You can’t be seen. I’ll do it myself. Harlow, watch them!” She points to Jocelyn. “All of them. If I return and she’s not here…”

  “Yes, Alva,” Harlow says, but her voice sounds hollow.

  Once Alva’s gone, Harlow walks toward our cell, her eyes on Jocelyn. “I’m so sorry, sister.” The remaining gargoyle paces in front of our cages.

  Seconds later, I see a radish roll past me. Harlow peers at it curiously as the gargoyle snatches it. He gobbles it down and drops in a heap.

  “That’s one problem solved,” Ollie says cheerily, opening his coat to reveal more radishes.

  “Harlow, you know she can’t complete the spell without both mirrors,” Jocelyn says, shaking. There are p
urple bruises on her hands from where she’s been hit by Alva’s rays. “Give us yours.”

  “Your only shot would be to aim my mirror at hers and take both out, but she’ll kill you before you can even raise your arm,” Harlow says. “Besides, the minute she notices my mirror is missing…” Her face crumbles.

  “Is there anything else we can use?” I ask.

  “No, you fool!” Harlow snaps, whirling toward me. Any sympathy she has for her sister, she doesn’t have for me. Her voice is full of rage, and the deafening sound sends rocks falling from the cracked ceiling. We shrink back. “If there was something I could use to get my sister out of here, don’t you think I would have?”

  Jax clings to the bars. “She’s betrayed you the way she’s betrayed everyone else. If you want to save your sister, you have to help us.”

  Ollie looks up from where Maxine lies. Her chest rises and falls so I know she’s still breathing, but the bruise on her head looks ugly. “Maybe we could trick her. Give her a phony mirror.”

  “How are we supposed to do that, genius?” Jocelyn snaps.

  “You could create one,” I say, thinking aloud. “If you can create a dance partner in detention, then you can make a lousy little gold mirror.”

  “You conjured up a dance partner?” Harlow asks, and her sister shrugs.

  Jocelyn takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. Her lips begin to move, and I feel a sudden gust of wind. Moments later, a mirror that looks much like Harlow’s is in Jocelyn’s hands. I grab it and slide it into the poufy sleeve of my dress.

  “Great. So you’ve got a mirror,” Jocelyn says mockingly. “How are you going to get out of here, Cobbler, when my sister can’t make that happen?”

  “With my help.” Wolfington walks into the light and Harlow steps back, preparing to do magic. “I think we have bigger problems at stake then you and me, don’t you agree, Professor Harlow?” he asks calmly. “Save the magic for our bigger concern.”

  “How can you help, Wolfington?” Harlow says with a sigh.

  Wolfington moves closer to our cage, ignoring her. “Students, we don’t have much time. Whatever procedures we had in place to deal with Gottie or Alva are now null and void, thanks to Harlow.”

  “Not helping,” the Evil Queen hisses.

  “If Professor Harlow can’t break you out, maybe I can break in, but it will be risky.” Wolfington strokes his beard.

  “You’re not suggesting…” Harlow is flabbergasted.

  “I am,” Wolfington interrupts. “There’s no full moon tonight, but if you help me turn into the Wolf Man, I can break through those bars. Once I do though, none of you will be safe.” I shudder.

  Jax smiles grimly. “It’s the only shot we have. We have to take it.”

  Harlow looks at me. “You’ll have seconds to take that phony mirror of yours and swap it with Alva’s. You’ll probably get yourself killed trying, but if it gives my sister a chance…”

  “Please try, Harlow,” Jocelyn says.

  “Glad to see the Evil Queen hasn’t gone soft under pressure,” Ollie mutters.

  Harlow looks at Wolfington. “Ready?” He nods. With a flick of her wrist, she produces a bottle of something blue and hands it to our professor.

  He holds it up to us in a toast. “For luck,” he says and then downs it in one gulp.

  The transformation happens quicker than I would imagine, and Harlow hurries out of the way as Wolfington’s clothes begin to tear, his hair begins to grow, and he falls to all fours before letting out a wolf howl that makes me shiver. When he looks up again, his eyes are yellow. We make eye contact for a moment and then I hear him growl. His teeth begin to gnash and we all move back. I can’t believe I’m looking at the same person.

  “Wolfington, think!” Harlow yells as he heads right toward her. With one furry hand, he swipes and the Evil Queen zaps him. It stuns him for a second before he lunges again, knocking her down. Jocelyn screams.

  “Hey! Wolfie! Over here!” Jax yells, using a copper cup on the floor to bang on the bars. Wolfington stops and turns toward Jax.

  All I can see is Harlow’s mirror lying on the floor. If I can get to that mirror, I’ll have more options when Alva returns.

  “Everyone move!” Ollie says, pulling Maxine into a corner. Jax moves in front of her, and Jocelyn closes her eyes and begins to chant. Within seconds, a shield rises in front of them. The shield does not include me. Typical. Wolfington lunges and I dodge, sliding to the side as he barrels through the cage, breaking right through it. The Wolf Man lunges for the shield and gets shocked by electricity in the process. Ah, now I see what Jocelyn’s doing. I cringe, thinking of Wolfington hurt, but I can’t worry right now.

  “Harlow? What is going on down here?” Alva falters when she sees the Wolf on all fours. He springs toward her and Alva holds out her mirror, zapping him to the floor.

  That’s when I make a break for Harlow’s mirror, diving on top of it. Alva screams, and I take that moment to perfect the sleight-of-hand move I’ve used countless times in the village. I take the fake mirror out of my sleeve and place the real one inside it. Then I prepare to crunch the phony one with my work boot. “Take one more step and I’ll break the mirror,” I tell her. “You won’t be able to cast the spell without it.”

  Alva begins to cackle. “You foolish child! That mirror is made from fairy’s blood. It can’t be broken by human hands.” She uncurls her fist and places her palm up. “Give it to me.” I hold the mirror tighter, feeling my heart beat inside my chest. “I have to do everything myself,” she grumbles, and I feel the mirror fly from my hands to Alva’s free hand.

  I hold my breath and watch as the Wicked One caresses the mirror in her hands. Her eyes widen. “Why, you little thief!”

  “Gilly, now!” Jocelyn screams and I watch as she tries to put a shield up around me.

  Sliding Harlow’s mirror out of my sleeve, I aim it at the real mirror in Alva’s other hand. A silver ray flies out before Alva can react. The connection causes an explosion that sends us both flying backward to the ground. The ground shakes and large chunks of the ceiling begin to cave in. I feel slightly dizzy and my ears are ringing. Above us, I can hear screaming. Alva stands back up, clutching her side, which is bleeding, and I worry I’m done for. I don’t think I could get up right now if I tried. We lock eyes as we hear the sound of people and footsteps heading our way.

  “Down here!” I hear Pete shout. Better late than never.

  Alva’s face may be bruised, her once beautiful hair may be singed, but her gaze doesn’t falter as she stares at me, the thief who just beat her.

  “This is far from over,” she whispers and then with a poof, she’s gone.

  Happily Ever After Scrolls

  Brought to you by FairyWeb—magically appearing on scrolls throughout Enchantasia for the past ten years!

  BREAKING NEWS:

  Enchantasia on High Alert! Alva Seen at FTRS!

  by Beatrice Beez

  Saturday’s Fairy Tale Reform School ball ended in near disaster when the Wicked One herself, Alva, was said to be spotted in the school. “One minute everyone was dancing to our single, ‘Gnome the One You’re With,’ and the next people were running for their lives,” said Herbert Hughes, Gnome-More’s lead singer, who broke his arm fleeing.

  The school’s ballroom floor did crack in half, but rumors of a wolf man have not been confirmed. “As soon as someone said Alva was there, everyone ran!” said Margo Menny, a troll from Galvington who had used her vacation money to see the princesses and instead left with one shoe and a broken handbag. “That wicked fairy is even more dangerous than Gottie!”

  Sources tell Happily Ever After Scrolls that Gottie and Alva may be the same person, but we cannot confirm this news as of yet. All we know right now is that the dwarf squad is asking the community to be vigilant. “Lock your doors and if you see s
omething unusual, say something,” said Pete, chief of the Dwarf Police Squad.

  While Headmistress Flora has yet to comment on what really happened at the ball, the royal court is preparing for battle. “If this truly is the work of Alva, we will bring her to justice,” said Princess Snow.

  The same goes for Professor Harlow, who was found to be working with Alva and is currently being held in the FTRS dungeons. The professor’s younger sister, Jocelyn, was questioned and released.

  Stay tuned to Happily Ever After Scrolls for updates on the search for Alva!

  Pegasus Postal Service

  Flying Letters Since The Troll War!

  FROM: Anna Cobbler (2 Boot Way)

  TO: Gillian Cobbler (Fairy Tale Reform School*)

  *Letter checked for suspicious content

  Gilly,

  I don’t understand you! When Mother and Father got word you were being released, I couldn’t wait to go with them to pick you up. Han, Hamish, Trixie, and Felix were decorating for your welcome home party. How could you stay and let all of us down? Everyone was in tears when we came home without you.

  Do you have any idea how hard things have been without you? Money is tighter than ever. Father lost business when people found out his daughter had been hauled off to FTRS. Mother took on a second job as a seamstress, but there’s still not enough to get by. I thought we could hold on ’til your return, but I have no idea when that will be. And the only way I can talk to you is by scroll now that Enchantasia is on lockdown because of Alva. Thanks Gilly—for nothing.

  Anna

  Pegasus Postal Service

  Flying Letters Since The Troll War!

  FROM: Gillian Cobbler (Fairy Tale Reform School*)

  *Letter checked for suspicious content

  TO: Anna Cobbler (2 Boot Way)

  Anna Banana,

  Please don’t be mad at me. Being stuck at FTRS has made me see that doing the easy thing is not always the right thing. It kills me to hear how hard life has been for you guys, but be strong. There has to be another way to get food. Ask Gnome-olia if you can work one afternoon after school and take home stale bread. Or talk to Combing the Sea about helping sell their Rapunzel line. You’re a natural salesperson! You even had me wanting her shampoo. Help Father think up an even cooler shoe than a glass slipper. Then everyone will be begging for his foot apparel!