Kathrin Return to Wonderland Chapter 20

by Ninja Cat in the depths of Wonderland...trying to find a looking-glass portal out.

Chapter 20

Tormoren, Southern Grassland Territory, Wonderland

Have you ever run for your life? Run so fast that the wind stings your eyes, and if you fell there was no telling if you’d get up or not? That’s how we ran, on that fearful night in Tormoren. But we didn’t dare fall, because Cheshire was right on our tails.

Kate strode ahead of us easily, running was a second nature for her it seemed. But Madam Cordelia, Hatter and I huffed and puffed across the rooftops without even half of the grace Kate carried. Even without the strain of the running my heart pounded as I could hear the hissing and spitting of the giant cat behind us.

There were ripping sounds and soft crashes as Cheshire tore across the rooftops, his claws ripping the shingles right off.  Suddenly Hatter seized me around the waist, pumping the breath right out of me. He leaped from the rooftops, and I realized that Madam Cordelia and Kate were already on the ground.

I squinted my eyes shut as he leaped, and for a moment I felt weightless as we glided through the frozen air. But we soon landed with a jarring crash on the cobbled street. I fell to my knees, and having just recovered my breath, found it nearly impossible to stand up.

I made a small yelp of distress, and Hatter whirled around, grabbed me by waist again, and set me on my feet. I heard him mutter, “Finally that M-CARD training paid off.” I took off at a sprint again, hearing the ear-shattering boom of Cheshire crashing to the cobbled street.

He paused to yowl at the moon, perhaps to signal M-CARD troops to begin following us, and then continued the chase.

Kate was once again in the lead and we rushed into the main street, Cheshire rumbling along behind us. Lights sprung to life from inside the windows, and the few people that looked out shut the windows with surprised gasps or screams.

With a burst of energy Kate took a wild left turn as we all heard the sound of M-CARDS tearing down the streets behind Cheshire. I was amazed that he could fit through the alley, considering his size. But my thoughts became reality when at the next alley I heard a screech as Cheshire’s claws failed to bring him even and inch towards us.           

Every light in the nearby houses was lit and people anxiously watched from the windows of the higher buildings. All of us had stopped running and I turned and saw Cheshire in full for the first time.

He was huge. I mean, huge. He was one story high if he sat back on his hind legs and slouched a little. He was as wide as a bus and then some with large un-blinking green eyes and an impossibly large mouth which portrayed razor sharp teeth. Considering his size there wasn’t an ounce of fat on him, just lean, coiled muscle.

The entire world seemed to hold its breath as all four of us stood there, motionless. Everything lapsed into and unnatural silence broken only by the scraping and ragged breathing of Cheshire as he tried to draw himself closer to his prey.

But something deep inside my instincts made me move closer. I was terrified yet enthralled by something I couldn’t quite place, something that made me step slowly closer to the cat in front of me. And as I drew closer I could hear a raspy voice in my thoughts.

What are you doing, girl? It spat, obviously infuriated.

I didn’t reply, for now I stood nose to nose with the Cheshire Cat. And he couldn’t do a thing about it. Still being driven by instinct I raised my hand, but paused as Kate screamed.

“Are you insane, Kathrin?” she cried, “Come on! We need to get out of here!”

But I didn’t even acknowledge her. I raised my hand and settled it on Cheshire warm ,wet nose.

Hatter gasped and I heard Madam Cordelia stifle a scream.

Cheshire thrashed and snorted and snapped but he remained stuck and I remained as calm as ever. “What does the Red Queen want from us, Cheshire?” I asked, my voice icy cold.

His grin spread across his face, making me panic slightly, “The Red Queen wants nothing from you. And she is not to whom I am loyal.”

I glared, “Don’t play with me, Cheshire.”

He laughed, a cold unnatural sound, “You and your little friends have taken this little fiasco much farther than is necessary. But soon you will all fall into the claws of The Cloaked One, because you may find that you a merely a pawn in the chess game my dear Kathrin…and your actions can lead to consequences that are larger than you bargained for.”

He was beginning to fade away, laughing manically. “Just a pawn in the chess game, Kathrin…just a pawn…” he whispered as his green eyes faded into the thin air.

The silence lasted a long time after Cheshire had gone. But I wondered to myself as we began to trudge into the night, was there someone else behind the plot to end Wonderland…forever?