Ok guys, I apologize for the lack of literary works in the past year or so. I forgot my password, and a bunch of other stuff happened. But I'm back now, and I hope my writing has improved since my first story. This takes place ten months after they defeat the Scarlet Hand (which I'm assuming will happen in book 9). Sabrina and Puck are thirteen, Daphne is eight (almost nine), Red is nine, and Basil is two. Briar is alive, because I'm hoping she'll be brought back in book 9, and she and Jake have a newborn daughter, Relda, or Ellie. Oh, and the first chapter is kind of a prologue, so it's short. The rest will be at least twice as long.

~ Evil Scrapbooker

Chapter 1: Nightmares

Her midnight blue eyeshadow crept up her forehead to her hairline. Her lips were the color of a maraschino cherry. Her poorly dyed purplish-red hair was in ridiculous beehive hairstyle, swept up so high above her head it looked as though it was trying to take flight and escape the magenta cheek narrow eyes, and squished-up nose that passed themselves off as human features.

Well, not quite human, per se . . .

Sabrina found herself face to face with the Queen of Hearts. She shrieked and ran out from underneath her underbrush hideout, dodging trees and bushes through blurry tears.

Then she was plummeting to the ground, her heart pounding with fear. She seemed to hit in slow motion, her leg twisting the wrong way, her arms instantly bloody from landing in a pile of sharp sticks. Surprisingly, she felt no pain. Only indescribable terror. She begged her body to get up and run, to flee the unspeakable horrors that were closing in on her fast.

She raised her misty eyes, and attempted to run again, but her body refused to obey. She screamed at the sight of the fast-approaching monsters on her tail. Some of them were to be expected – Nottingham, Heart, the Beast – but her heart ached at the sight of the ones leading the pack. Her little brother was in front, gray smoke curling from his delicate fingertips, ready to grab her and steal her consciousness. He got closer and closer, his arms outstretched as if he wanted a hug, his whole body reduced to shadow, except for his red eyes and the glowing red handprint on his chest. Behind him was the entire Grimm family – Daphne, Puck, Henry, Veronica, Granny, Mr. Canis, Red, Elvis, Briar, Jake, and even their new baby, Relda, or Ellie, all of whom had become similar creatures of mere shadow.

She felt her heart physically tear in two pieces at the sight of her loved ones totally helpless, sentenced forever to do his bidding. She felt her blood stop flowing, her lungs stop drawing breath, her heart stop beating, and all of her organs slowly shutting down as they got closer and closer. In her last moment of consciousness, the smoke flowing from her little brother's hands reached out and touched her. It enveloped her body, seeping into her pores. Her hazy, half closed eyes locked on the red handprint on her brother's chest. It seemed to burn through her eyes and brand itself in her brain, eternal and unchanging, holding her captive in its gaze forever.

In the last second before the smoke completely engulfed her mind, she heard his voice, the voice that had haunted her dreams for a year now.

"Starfish."

Please review. Constructive criticism encouraged. Heck, you can even flame me if you want. Flames are hilarious. I don't care. Just tell me what you think.