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After introductions were made, they each told their tale. After each story of a magical sighting, I knew they were all connected. And caused by the same thing. After they were done telling their stories Conner paced back and forth, thinking.

"Ho long ago did each of you see the forest appear?" he asked them.

"Four months ago," Rusty said, then scrunched his brow. "As a matter of fact, it was four months ago to this very day."

"What a coincidence," Annette said. "I saw it exactly two months ago."

"Precisely one month ago for me," Judy said.

"Two weeks," Jerry said.

"And how long did the apparition last?" Conner asked.

"It only lasted a few seconds at the castle," Rusty said.

"It was quick, but I'd say a minute or two," Anette said.

"Fifteen minutes at least," Judy said.

"About forty-five minutes, I suspect," Jerry said.

Oh boy. I could start to see the pattern. But I needed evidence and locations to prove it.

"Interesting," Conner said. "So, the sightings are happening faster and faster, and each time the apparition appears, it stays twice as long. If it continues in this pattern, that would put the next sighting tonight and it would stick around for an hour or two. I just wish we could tell where it's gonna be."

I gasped, and idea coming to light in my mind. My gasp startled everyone.

"Actually, I think the locations may just be as predictable," I said, everything coming into place in my mind.

I looked around the camp and snatched a map of the city off a sleeping person. I spread it across the brick wall and had Jack and Goldilocks hold it in place.

"Mr. Oswald, what street was National bank on again?" I asked.

"Forty-Fourth and Fifth Avenue," Jerry said.

"And Ms. Harlow, where is Rockefeller Center located?"

"Between Forty-Eight and Fifty-First," Judy said.

"And the Plaza Hotel?"

"It's at Fifty-Ninth and Fifth," Annette said.

"And Rusty, I know there are n streets in Central Park, but if Belvedere Castle were on a street, what would it be?" I asked.

"That's easy," Rusty said. "It's just north of the Seventy-Ninth Street transverse."

I pulled a marker out of my pocket and made a mark on the map of all the locations. Once I was done, I stepped back to study it.

"Just what I thought," I said, giving my brain a mental high-five for such a good thought. "The bridge first appeared on Seventy-Ninth Street at Belvedere castle. Next, it appeared at the Plaza Hotel- exactly twenty blocks south of the castle. After that, the forest appeared at Rockefeller Center- exactly ten blocks south of the hotel. And finally, it appeared at National Bank on Forty-Fourth Street- exactly five blocks south of the center. The bridge is traveling in a semi-straight line through New York City, and each time it appears, it covers half the ground it did before."

"So, everything is a pattern!" Conner said and placed a hand on the map. "That means we can trace when and where the bridge will appear next! According to the formulas, that would place the next appearance tonight at two and a half blocks south of National Bank on Forty-Fourth Street."

Goldilocks gulped. "So, what's located between Forty-First and Forty-Second Street?"

Conner and I traced our fingers on the map and they arrived int eh same place at the same time. We exchanged a long, fearful glance before turning to the others.

"The New York Public Library," we said in unison.

"This practically confirms everything we've suspected," Whoever took Alex definitely knows about the bridge between worlds. But this time, I don't think it's going anywhere. Just like the Sisters Grimm predicted, this might be the bridge's final stop. Tonight, may be when worlds collide!"

Conner's eyes filled with panic. "Rusty, you've got to take us to the library," he said. "Now,"

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We charged down the Calvin Coolidge Express faster than I've ever run before. I looked over to Conner. Despite the fast pace he was sustaining, he looked like he could run faster. I had no idea how his adrenaline took over like that. Sure, my body was pumping pure adrenaline, but he looked like he had super adrenaline. Okay, that's weird.

Rusty took the lead, and since we were running so fast, he could barely hold his flashlight, let alone keep it level. But he seemed to know where he was going. He led us directly to where we needed to go, no hesitation. We stopped at the end of a corridor that was filled with supplies that had been left when the project had been dropped.

"See that hatch above the platform?" Rusty asked, and aimed his flashlight for us. There was a circular door at the top of the ceiling. "Climb through it and it'll take you into the lower level of the library."

"Thanks for bringing us here, Rusty," Conner said not out of breath in the slightest. "If we're able to save my sister, it'll be all because of you. I wish I had something to repay you with."

"It's been a long time since I felt useful," Rusty said with a smile making my heart go out to him. "That's all the thanks I need. Good luck finding your sister, kid."

Conner and the rest of us shook his hand and climbed onto the unfinished platform. Jack retrieved a ladder and propped it up against the side. He climbed up it and banged against the hatch. It didn't budge. Not an inch. Uh, oh.

"It's stuck," he called down.

"It's been nearly a century since it was opened," Rusty said. "It may need a good push."

Taking his advice, Jack pressed his back against the door and pushed. The door gave way with a loud crunch and pieces of wood fell from the ceiling. Jack climbed through the hole and helped the rest of us through.

We emerged into a long room with colorful walls. The children's room.

"Oh my," red said. "I didn't realize this library was for dwarfs."

"This is the children's center," I said. "There's a lot more than this."

"How bi gig this library?" Goldilocks asked.

"It's 646,680 square feet, to be exact," I said. "There are four levels with over forty rooms open to the public."

They stared at me in amazement.

"How do you know all that?" red asked.

"The plane had Wi-Fi," I said with a shrug.

"Should we split up ad looked for her?" Jack asked.

"No, let's stay together," Conner said. "I don't want to give Alex's kidnapper the chance to knock us off one by one- sorry, I've seen too many horror movies. We'll search each level, one room at a time until we find her."

I wouldn't have pegged Conner as the type to watch too many horror movies.

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At the far end of the Rose Main Reading Room we found Alex asleep on the floor. As soon as we saw her, Conner ran to her side and scooped her up in his arms.

"Alex, it's me- it's Conner!" he said. "We've found you and we've come to take you home!"

Conner brushed the hair our of her face, but Alex didn't open her eyes.

"Alex, can you hear me?" he asked.

He gave her a gentle nudge, but she didn't move a muscle. Tat wasn't a good sign. Conner listened to her chest.

"She's alive," he said. "But barely."

"Why isn't he responding?" I asked.

"She must be under some sort of spell," Conner said and tapped the side of her face. "Alex, you have to fight this off so we can help you! Who's doing this to you? Who's making you enchant things and attack people?'

"She won't wake up unless I tell her to wake up."

We looked up and saw someone we did not want to see on the other side of the room.

"Morina!" Goldilocks said. "It's you- you're the one who's behind all this!"

Red raised her fists in rage and barreled towards the witch

"You no-good, grass-eating, udder-sucking, hoof-stomping, wedding-crashing, friend-stealing piece of fertilizer!" she yelled. "How dare you take me fiancé AND my friend! I'm going to rip those hideous horns right off your-"

Morina waved her hand like she was swatting a fly, and Red went soaring across the room and landed on the second level of bookshelves. Red used the railing to get to her feet, but the metal bars magically wrapped around her body and held her in place. Uh, oh.

Morina waved her hands at the rest of us and we went soaring towards the bookshelf and were magically trapped there, as well. Well-

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THANKS FOR READING!!!
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TLOSGEEK2-OUT!!!