Monday, October 24th, 1983

Branches give way to the bridge beneath.

 The Queen will find the distance brief.

Past those who could not join her here,

Twin stags will let her know she’s near.

Push the edge until it shifts.

Seventeen steps lead to five gifts.

A home away from home,

Away from Home.

       This is going to be a lot harder than I thought. And I don’t mean the cooking.

     Somewhere in this land, I have a safe haven. It isn’t in my house. I know this because after dinner I searched the entire thing until well into the morning. The above poem is my guide to finding it and there is nothing figuratively or literally in my new home that resembles anything in it. I need to find my safe haven before anyone else accidentally stumbles into it. It contains all the valuables I was able to bring over, including five pieces of magic for emergencies.

     I read the story in Sidney’s paper one more time and read that I would be sworn in as mayor today. I walked to town hall as fast as I could and when I arrived there was Sidney as well as some others who I recognized. Some of them were holding these strange boxes up in front of their faces and bright flashes of light would shoot forth from them. I was too stunned the first time it happened, and the only reason I didn’t defend myself was that everyone seemed to think this was normal. Sidney made some remark about what a great picture this would make, but I remained cautious. At this point in the day I wasn’t carrying much in the way of a weapon. This land doesn’t possess magic like the old one, but it’s clear that it has its own that I must learn immediately in order to fit in.

     There was a swearing-in ceremony followed by some questions by the group. They all seemed to be carefully rehearsed as though to prevent anyone from asking anything controversial, which I liked. One person asked a question I wasn’t prepared for.

     “How does it feel to replace your father as mayor?”

     Why did my father have to even be mentioned in this world? Killing him was supposed to harden my heart so I could carry out the curse, but bringing him up only reminded me of what I did. I had to tell myself that he was allowing me to carry out my plan of ruining Snow White and those who hurt me, and this was the proof.

     “It is bittersweet.” I succeeded in closing my heart again. “I will do my best to serve Storybrooke as well as he did.”

     My day after that was long. The office where I will run this town is an ample space decorated to my liking. One thing I’ve noticed about the few places I’ve been is there are hints of the enchanted forest everywhere. It’s as though we took the old land with us. My assistants are guards and maids from my castle. They informed me of future appointments with local business owners, meetings with the school board and the many appearances I’ll have to make just for this month. Finally the end of the day came and I prepared for my walk home.

     The night comes quickly this time of year. Already it’s cold here, or maybe it always is? Everyone but me was dressed for rain and they all left well before me. I had stayed behind in order to search for my safe haven. I don’t know what I was thinking; why would it be somewhere anyone could find it? When I finally left, there were hardly any lights on around me and the rain was coming down heavily. I’d only walked a few feet from the building when I was slammed to the ground and a pair of hands placed around my neck. I tried to breathe, but he kept shouting at me.

     “WHERE IS SHE?! WHERE ARE WE?! HOW DID YOU BRING ME HERE?”

     I couldn’t answer him. Not with his hands closing off my windpipe. I didn’t even know who he was, at that moment. I tried pushing him away while cursing myself for not being smarter. To do all of that hard work, make all of that sacrifice and come so far all to be strangled to death on the second day because of a madman?

     BANG! The loudest sound I’ve ever heard tore through the air. It made my attacker let go of me and run as fast as he could. When I’d finally caught my breath, familiar hands were helping me sit up.

     “Just try to focus on your breathing.” My huntsman encouraged me. He wasn’t wearing much in the way of armor, just some simple uniform made of fabric that was getting wet and clingy in all the rain. I did as he said and soon I was well enough to stand.

     “Why are you letting him get away?” I demanded.

     “My deputy is going after him.” His pants were very tight, which I’d seen some of the other men wear. Was this normal? “My first priority is your safety.”

     “Then you’ve succeeded.”

     He drove me home in his carriage. I sat in the front with him and wanted to keep my eyes closed as much as I could. But I willed myself to watch what he did.

     “Why did you walk to work?”

     “I like walking.”

     “It’s a shame to let that nice new car of yours just sit in the garage. Is this because your driver retired?”

     I didn’t say anything, but I was relieved to know I wasn’t supposed to know how to drive a “car” in this land.

     “Why don’t you let me teach you?” He insisted more than offered. “I would feel better knowing you weren’t walking home in the middle of the night.”

     I agreed. Before he took me home, we went to the sheriff’s station so he could ask me questions about my attacker. I couldn’t tell him the whole truth, of course. “I suspect someone didn’t have their memory wiped” wouldn’t have made much sense to him. It could have been a number of men, but there were only three I was concerned about: Rumpelstiltskin, Jefferson and Charming.