[Half/Time 01] Half Upon a Time by James Riley Page B

about?!”
    Jack shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you. I mean, everyone knows it’s cursed, but—”
    “Cursed?!” May said, her voice going up several octaves.
    “Friend Jack is mistaken, Princess,” Phillip said.
    May seemed to calm down a bit at that. “Well, good,” she said. “I’m telling you, I’m not sure I can handle much more creepiness.”
    “The forest is not cursed so much as haunted,” the prince finished.
    May just looked at Phillip with disappointment, then sighed heavily and turned to Jack, throwing him a truly evil look. “You knew this?” she asked in a quiet voice.
    “Well, kinda,” Jack said, backing a bit away from her just to be safe. “No one
really
knows what’s in the Black Forest. I knew it wasn’t going to be fun, exactly, but that was it.”
    “And
why
doesn’t anyone know what’s in there?” the princess asked, her voice still dangerously low.
    Jack inched even farther away. “Because no one’s ever made it out alive …?” he squeaked.
    May stared at him for a good minute, then turned to Phillip. “So. You two were going to let me just walk in there?”
    Phillip put his hands up to calm her down. “I believe this is the first I have heard of the plan to actually go
into
the forest. And I did bring up my concerns immediately upon hearing of our destination.”
    “Okay, that’s true,” she said to the prince. “
You
are off the hook.”
    Slowly, both of them turned to look at Jack.
    “What?” he asked, but May just glared at him.
    “You really should have mentioned this to the princess,” Phillip told him, shaking his head.
    “Thanks,” Jack said sarcastically. “You’re a
big
help.” He turned back to May. “It’s not like we had anything else to go on, so we didn’t exactly have a choice. Besides, who knows what’s in the woods? All we know is that no one’s made it out. Maybe that means there’s some kind of paradise in there, something no one wants to leave!”
    “Or something doesn’t
let
them leave,” the prince said quietly.
    “Hear that?” May asked, nodding at the prince. “We’re all gonna die in there, and when we do, guess who I’m going to blame.”
    Jack’s mouth dropped open. “Listen, May, none of this was
my
idea! It was your grandmother who said—”
    “Don’t you
dare
blame this on her!” May exploded. “You’re supposed to be my
guide
here!”
    “Is
that
what I’m doing?” Jack shouted back. “I thought I was just here to get eaten every ten minutes!”
    “If I may,” Phillip said, but both Jack and May ignored him.
    “If I’m so little help, maybe you two should just go in alone!” Jack yelled.
    “Maybe we should!”
    “Fine!”
    “Fine!”
    Jack stood up and May turned her back to him. Neither said a word.
    Phillip finally broke the silence. “I, uh—”
    “So go already!” May shouted at Jack, interrupting the prince.
    Jack growled, then grabbed his bag from the ground and stomped over to the edge of the clearing. “Enjoy your little royal expedition here, Your Majestic Highnesses,” Jack said bitterly. “I’m so glad you found a
prince
to help you, Princess!”
    “Now, Jack,” Phillip started, but again, May shouted right over him.
    “You have no
idea
what you’re talking about!” she yelled, jumping to her feet and following Jack to the edge of the clearing. “And your kiss was
pathetic
!”
    “Kiss?” Phillip asked, as Jack abruptly froze in place.
    “Trust me,
Princess
,” Jack said without turning around, “the feeling’s
completely
mutual.”
    Behind him, May growled in frustration. “I can’t believe I ever wanted your help!” she screamed.
    Jack didn’t answer. He just started walking, so mad he couldn’t even think of a reply.
    “Oh, good one!” she shouted after a pause, and Jack’s anger doubled, as did his pace. As soon as he was out of sight, though, Jack stopped and threw his grandfather’s bag to the ground, mumbling and shaking his head about the