THE PRESENT: SOMEWHERE IN THE STREETS OF LONDON
T he Cheshire sat alone on a bank. His head was still spinning from all the emotions and love in Jack’s head. He’d heard about Alice’s death and her sacrifice to make Jack hate her. But he hadn’t witnessed any changes yet.
Mr. Tick and Mrs. Tock had told him changes in the future took some time. They didn’t happen right away like in movies. Now the Cheshire cherished every last moment of Jack still loving Alice, knowing that soon this love would turn to hate.
He closed his eyes, still searching the corridors of Jack’s mind. Searching for whatever made him come back from the dead.
And here it was. The Cheshire listened to Jack’s mind.
I forgive you for killing me, Jack’s voice said. But was that all? I came to tell you where I kept the keys.
The Cheshire’s mind brightened with knowledge. He listened to the whereabouts of the keys and what they were for. The Cheshire was in awe. He couldn’t believe it.
His eyes flew open. Would he tell Black Chess or the Inklings about it? Or would he take the power for himself?
Slowly, the Cheshire’s body was hurting. He knew what was going on. The changes Alice had made in the past were starting to manifest in this world. And since Jack never died in this new version of life, he never came back for Alice, and the Cheshire never possessed him.
Mind-bending stuff, even for the sneaky cat.
The Cheshire fell to his knees, knowing he had to possess another soul as soon as possible. Or he would simply die.
Clasping his face, the Cheshire realized he’d been tricked by the greatest murderer of all. He’d been tricked by time. Never a tick too soon. Never a tock too late.