ALICE

CHAPTER 10- BOUND

"Where could she have gone?" Asked Alice, pacing around her room anxiously.

Mike and Charlie who were sitting on her bed, looked at her worriedly.

"Alice, I am sure she is fine!" Said Mike, gently.

Charlie nodded. "Exactly! I see no reason to worry. I guarantee you, no harm will come to her." He assured. "Oh! The advantages of being a ghost." He added, with a dreamy expression.

Alice shook her head. "But she doesn't normally just disappear like that!" She paused. "In fact, she has been acting different ever since my birthday week approached!" She finished, finally voicing her thoughts. Mike and Charlie exchanged a concerned look. "Do you think something is bothering her?" Asked Alice.

"I am perfectly alright, dear!" Said Maria, suddenly appearing before her.

Alice let out a sigh of relief. "Maria, where did you go?" She demanded.

Maria gave a small smile. "I just had something I needed to take care of." She replied. "There is no need to worry, Alice!" She assured, looking at Alice's worried face. Alice could not help it. Maria looked as if she were in some sort of pain.

Mike seemed to have noticed it too, since he stood up and drifted towards Maria, looking at her with concern. "Are you sure you're okay, Maria?" He asked gently.

Maria nodded, then turned to look around the room, as if searching for someone. "Where is Knave?" She asked. Alice and the twins shared a look.

'Had Maria seriously missed everything that had happened?' Alice thought.

"He is right here!" Called out a cold voice, from somewhere behind Alice. She turned towards the familiar voice. Knave was standing behind her, looking angry.

"What are you doing here?" Asked Mike, sounding surprised.

Alice nodded. "I thought you had left!" She said.

"Well I did want to, but thanks to you, I could not!" Replied Knave, in an acidic tone.

Puzzled, Alice asked. "Because of me?"

Knave looked at her. "Of course! It turns out that I cannot leave this damn house without you. Or to be more precise, I cannot go anywhere without you!" He shouted.

Alice shook her head. "I..., I don't understand what you..,"

Knave cut her off, "Okay Miss Alice, Let me explain this to you in simple words," He began, sounding impatient. "You and I are now bound together!"

"We are what?" Asked Alice. She felt as if her whole world had tilted. "What do you mean bound?" She demanded.

Knave was now trembling with anger. "Which is why Miss Alice, you should never mess with things that you do not have knowledge of!" He replied through gritted teeth.

"That is enough!" Shouted Mike. He drifted towards them, placing himself between Knave and Alice, shielding her from him.

Alice however, came to stand beside Mike. If she had made a mistake then she would have to face the problems which came along with it.

"Rather than being grateful to Alice for freeing you from those woods, you are here blaming her for something which was completely not her fault!" Said Mike.

"I am grateful to Alice, and she knows that," Knave began. "But what is the point of freeing me from that prison, when she unknowingly put me in another one?" He gave a dry laugh. "Actually, I think I preferred to stay in the woods, where I was familiar with each and everything, rather than live in a completely different surrounding, where it seems like there might be danger at every damn step I take!" He finished, sounding frustrated.

"My house is not dangerous, Knave!" Alice pointed out. Her voice was so low that she doubted he had heard her, but he had, since he turned to look at her. Those fierce blue eyes looking into hers.

"Are you sure about that?" He demanded.

"Absolutely!" She replied with a confidence she could not quite feel. Still, Alice kept her gaze level with his.

"Hate to break the staring contest, but what now?" Asked Charlie, sounding a little worried.

Knave turned his attention towards him. "Now we go to someone who can help us!" He replied.

Alice was surprised. "Do you know someone?" She asked.

Knave nodded. "There is a witch I know," He began. "A good one!" He added quickly, looking at everyone's anxious faces. "She happens to be really powerful, and I am sure she can help us with this problem too."

Alice blinked. "What do you mean this problem too?"

Knave sighed. "I had in mind that if my parents still could not see me, I would go to her to find a way to lift off this wretched curse!" He replied.

"And I suppose since we are now bound, I would have to accompany you." Said Alice.

Knave nodded. "Though I am afraid you would have to accompany me alone! The witch really does hate unnecessary and unwanted guests." He said, eyeing her ghost squad.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Shouted the twins at the same time.

"Whatever bizarre reason made you think we would let Alice come anywhere with you, let alone visit a powerful witch?" Demanded Charlie, sounding outrageous.

To everyone's surprise, It was Maria who answered. "I believe we should let her go!" She said, sounding really calm.

"WHAT?" Shouted the twins, and this time even Alice. Though she was just really surprised. She had not expected Maria to get convinced so easily. She had definitely not expected her to react this calmly.

Maria nodded. "I believe Alice has made a mistake, and now it is her responsibility to correct it." She said.

"But Maria, it is not safe!" Protested Mike.

Maria looked at him. "Knave can protect Alice better than we can! He is not exactly a ghost, remember? That means he has all the advantages of being a ghost, and none of the disadvantages!" She replied.

"If you put it that way, this curse does not sound that bad!" Mused Knave.

"What will we tell Sophie if she arrives before you?" Demanded Charlie, acting as if Knave had not spoken. "Or to be more accurate, what will Sophie think of Alice's disappearance?" He added, as if on second thought.

"I could say I was spending some time with Lisa." Suggested Alice.

Charlie eyed her. "You have never spent so much time with Lisa before!" He pointed out.

"Well, there is a first time for everything!" Replied Alice. She turned towards Knave. "When do we leave?" She asked.

Knave smirked. Alice felt glad. At least he no longer seemed angry. "Now!" He replied. 

Alice turned to leave, but Knave held her arm, stopping her. She raised an eyebrow in question.

Knave eyed her yellow dress. "A little dressing tip," He began. "We would have to climb a hill, and I believe a dress would not be too comfortable to manage that!"