gpwts
Synopsis
When Walt Disney died he was given a reward for all the magic he had instilled in children and adults everywhere. For as long as his stories inspired children, he could stay alive as a ghost. So every night he walks through his parks, and enjoys all that afterlife has to offer. But Death is angry about this. He feels it's unfair that Disney gets to enjoy unprecidented sucess for eternity. So he decided to do something about it. He can not mess directly with God, but he can mess with the stories that make Disney who he is. So Death is wreaking havoc, screwing up the beloved Disney stories. The only thing that Disney can do is use his magic to send two people into the stories and hope they can write the wrongs.
Sam and Erik are stalled in their relationship. Erik doesn't believe in eternal love or, it seems, marriage. And Sam does.Sam's watched all the movies time and time again. She believes, and she's starting to give up hope he ever will. And they are the two who Disney's magic has reached out and brought in. Now they are racing through the movies, trying to save what Sam believes in whole heartedly, and what Erik can barely tolerate. So there are two questions: 1. Can the pair manage to save both Walt Disney and his legacy? and 2. Will Erik prove to be a prince, or a villian?
Excerpt
Prologue
The multitude of people who usually flooded the park were gone now, and Walt Disney was walking alone. He liked to walk now, when all that was left in the park were streetlights and maintenance men. He liked looking at all the magic that inhabited his park. The magic that he’d been entrusted with had grown exponentially. One little spark of magic had changed the world forever. And that magic had been what preserved him in death. Sure he could walk the park during the day, passing through the people and going unseen. But now, now he could pretend he was human again. He could pretend he was alive.
He heard footsteps behind him, but that didn’t really catch his attention. There were always footsteps. Maybe if he had been alive, he would have noticed the difference in those footsteps. The fact they were too quick for anyone who was sweeping or carrying or that they sounded almost hollow. They didn’t really even register until he drifted through the sealed castle doors and into the grand foyer. He felt like the magic was strongest there, since that was little girls hopes and dreams were realized. And little boys too, but it was the little girls with their costumes and their dreams of Prince Charming, that kept him alive. Literally. He was only allowed to stay as a ghost, to watch what his magic had spread, as long as he was remembered. As long as he was valued.
As he started to climb the stairs he still heard those footsteps. And now he started to feel, curious to say the least. He looked over his shoulder, but he didn’t see anything. He shrugged, figuring he’d imagined it. But as he started to climb again, they resumed. And now a feeling he hadn’t felt in a number of years came back…fear. He started to climb faster, passing bedrooms and photo spots, and huge portraits of princesses he usually liked to linger at, but he couldn’t shake the fear or the steps. He started to move faster and faster, darting down hallways and through spaces only years of exploration had rewarded him with. Finally he climbed the tight spirals up to the top of the highest tower at a dead run. The footsteps were growing louder and faster, and he was panting with exertion. He didn’t even know what he was running from, but he was terrified.
Walt burst into the tiny tower room, which was mostly equipment they used to make Tinker Bell appear from the evening. He liked the spot for it’s few of the whole park, of Epicot beyond, and even The Tree of Life. But now it felt suffocating and confined. And then, to just make his dread even worse, the door behind him slammed shut. He scanned the room frantically, his heart thundering in his ears, but he couldn’t see anything.
Disney….your time is up
Cold sweat was trickling down his back. He didn’t know what was happening, but it terrified him to his bones
You have enjoyed freedom from death for too long. You have evaded my clutches. But Death has come for you now.
Walt Disney gripped the window ledge, holding his breath almost. He still couldn’t see who was speaking. But the darkness of the room seemed to be growing.
I cannot interfere directly with the divine powers that keep you alive, but I can do something else. I am going to rewrite history, rewrite Disney. And with no legacy to protect...there will be no reason to stay alive.
He could not believe this was happening. The shadows in the room suddenly shuddered, and started moving, wrapping themselves into the form of a man who was seven feet tall. He had no features, just the darkness that seemed more intimidating then his face ever could have been
You will die Walt Disney, and then you will be mine.
The shadows suddenly rushed at him, and for one heart stopping second he thought he was dead. But the shadow passed through him, doing nothing but leaving him with a feeling of horror and fear. Not for his own afterlife, that he would give up, but he was afraid for his stories. The magic that lived in them and the magic they inspired in children and adults everywhere. If they were destroyed, he feared that magical belief in true love would be destroyed as well.
Walt Disney sat on the floor, put his arms on the windowsill, surveyed the Magic Kingdom, and wept.
