Present: The Wonderland War, London
W hile my weapon of choice is my Vorpal sword, the Jabberwocky’s is fire he spits from between sharpened fangs.
I am not sure about what I am doing but I swing my sword anyway. With every swing, light emanates from inside out. The color of lightning.
The Jabberwocky barely makes an effort, treading sideways to evade my swing. In all honesty, I am a joke. My sword would barely scratch him, even if I hit a vulnerable spot. He is too big to get wounded by it.
I realize I need help. And I can’t think of a better savior than the Pillar now. He must have a trick but I’m not even sure if he is on my side anymore.
“You’re a joke, Alice.” Malice swings all around us, cheering for her boss. “A tiny ambitious girl with a little wand.”
“I’d run if I were you,” Constance says.
None of their comments phase me. My eyes are targeting the Jabberwocky who smirks and seems to enjoy my predicament.
“Had your fun yet?” He growls and then spews fire from his big mouth in my direction.
“Shit,” I duck and roll on the floor to evade the heat.
“Tell me, Alice,” he growls. “How would you like me to burn you? Medium rare or Crispy dead?”
I scramble on all fours, looking for a place to hide. No sense in swinging at this time. I need to find cover.
Malice snickers with joy as I crawl underneath a mushroom. Since Jabberwocky descended, the mushrooms stopped melting so I have plenty of them to hide behind and even ascend if needed.
Jabberwocky spews more fire now. I think I pissed him off hiding behind the mushrooms. However, they melt like marshmallows when they catch fire. I need to keep running and hiding.
“How far do you think you can run, Alice?” Malice follows me everywhere, snaking between the mushrooms and remnants of a few buildings. “Give it up. Be reasonable.”
“Since when did reason help me?” I mutter, crawling like a soldier on the asphalt.
I can barely think so I keep on moving forward. There must be a way out.
Jabberwocky spews more and more. A bit frantic, I think. Pissing him off is good. This is a war of minds more than anything. Sure everyone’s power is considered but it’s the emotion behind everything, the mindset, that makes it or breaks it.
I remind myself that the Jabberwocky only showed himself when he saw that I gave up being provoked. It’s a paradox that he needs me yet wants to kill me. Evil can’t survive without good, still, it has to demolish it.
My head is spinning as I crawl further. A melted blotch of mushroom splashes down my back. Heat pains me and I scream. I nudge it away with my sword and realize I have no time to rest or take my breath.
The Jabberwocky fires again.
I keep on crawling, realizing the heat has seeped through and my skin is slightly burning on my back. “Alice do this, Alice do that,” I mutter as I crawl under the fire. “Alice save the world. Alice your the chosen one,” I spit in frustration unable to stop. “Everyone thinks I can do it; no one ever says how.”
Then I hear a laugh under the darkened shade ahead where the Jabberwocky hadn’t bestowed his anger yet.
“Alice you’re so funny even when it’s raining fire,” the voice mocks me but in a good way.
Is that who I think it is?
I crawl farther toward the darker part under the mushrooms. Whoever spoke to me is crawling back toward me. I can see his shadow.
“Alice will kill you if you don’t say who you are,” I say gritting my teeth.
That someone crawls nearer and now I can see his face under the light of the fire.
My mouth hangs open and my moist eyes contradict the smile on my face. I listen to him as he says, “Don’t worry, I'm used to it. You like me but you always kill me.”