THE PRESENT: INSIDE THE INKLINGS, OXFORD
“W hat’s happening to her?” Fabiola yelled at the time couple. Alice, lying on the bed, was in great pain. Her hands were trembling, and her knees were twitching.
“Relax, White Queen.” Mrs. Tock was manicuring her fingernails. She seemed satisfied with the red color, now that she blew air onto it. “Pain comes with time travel.”
“Pain is very interesting,” Mr. Tick said, chin up, smoking a pipe. “But you should tell her what’s really going on, Mrs. Tock. We’re all in this together now.”
“What is she supposed to tell me?” Fabiola said.
Mrs. Tock sighed. She stopped breathing on her nails and said, “I can see what’s happening to her exactly.”
“What?” Fabiola said. “How?”
“It’s some form of telepathy,” Mrs. Tock explained. “I can’t contact her, though. I can only see, sometimes vaguely, where she’s at and what’s happening in her journey.”
“A most interesting talent, Mrs. Tock,” Mr. Tick commented. “Proud to be married to someone like you.”
“Thank you, Mr. Tick.”
“Shut up, creeps.” Fabiola reached for her Vorpal sword. “Tell me what you see. What’s happening to her?”
“She woke up in the wrong time,” Mrs. Tock explained. “A day after she killed her classmates.”
“Poor Alice.” Fabiola closed her eyes, her mouth clenched before she took a deep breath to calm herself down. “How can this be fixed?”
“She will have to find me with the address I’ve given her. That’s all,” Mrs. Tock said. “See? We’re not bad people.”
“Always misunderstood, Mrs. Tock,” Mr. Tick added.
“However, she has a little obstacle to solve,” Mrs. Tock said. “Someone has knocked out her knees.”
“Are you joking?”
“Not at all. Alice may be paralyzed from the knees down now,” Mrs. Tock said flatly. “But I’m sure she’ll find a way out.”
“You obnoxious little troll.” Fabiola raised her sword.
“She called me a troll.” Mrs. Tock snickered, then mustered a serious face immediately. “Don’t worry, White Queen. Alice’s broken knees are the least of her troubles, trust me.”
“Then what is?” Fabiola asked.
“She will wake up in another room now. She will meet a very important man. And she will have to deal with a big revelation, I believe.”