Welcome to Crazytown

A Tower of Cards

He might actually kill me! It takes me a few seconds before I can unlock and open the door but I manage to do it just in time for the next BANG!  Small chips of wood splinter off from the door there's now a hole in the door. He tried to shoot me, he actually tried to shoot me! Well no bloody way, really, Jane? He tried to shoot you? The boy with the gun who shot a woman dead without hesitation and made eye contact with you, tried to shoot you? I didn't notice. Now's not the time to be sarcastic, you stupid brain. This is not the time or place. But how else am I supposed to deal with it? Go see the Crazytown Therapist? Shut up! I need to find the map room. That is my main priority.
The screaming continues as I run down the hallways, only here and there. It's not at all consistent. He killed that woman without a second thought, wait why did he even have a gun on him? This was a party, it wasn't supposed to be anything else. The only person that was supposed to die today was supposed to be either me or him. He must think he's the next Duchess, well he's not, and he's going to pay for the blood he's spilled today. Maybe that's something they'll have in common.
One thing is clear though, this dress is going to get in the way. I had been running through this hallway for a while, there were no doors, and strangely enough there hadn't been any decorations either, the walls were covered in this floral, royal blue wallpaper, but that was it. There was a turn here and there but that was the only thing that changed. When I had gotten far enough, I started taking off layers of my dress until I felt light enough. I also take off my heels. I pat myself for a ribbon or something, but I can't find any. This is going to get annoying. It feels like the walls are getting closer and closer together, yet it isn't until I have to run sideways until I notice that it is getting smaller until I can't go any further because it's so small. I step out of the space and look around. There was a reason that the man from earlier pointed over here. There's something here I'm missing. Or maybe he was telling me to hide here, because he knew what was going to happen. But that brings the same question with Duchess Elsabeth's eldest son. How did they know?
I wonder how long that hallway really goes on for until it closes. I look up, maybe I climb like I did with the labyrinth? Nope, there is just a ceiling there, maybe there is a hidden door, or something on the floor. I'm looking for anything, just anything. Yet there's nothing. There's nothing at all. I slump onto the floor. I don't know how long I'll be stuck here, how long until it'll be over. I wonder if I'll die here and if I do, how? Will I die of starvation or dehydration? Or will I be found by someone and killed. I look at the wallpaper. It looked more elegant when I was running but now that I'm really looking at it, it just looks horribly cheap. It looks like the wallpaper in that Old Jester Man's office.
Minutes pass, no new developments, I wonder how Macy is doing.
I think it's been about an hour now, I feel like I'm wasting so much time.
An hour and a half, there was another gunshot a while ago. I wonder who it was this time.
It's now been three hours since I came here, so I'm becoming drowsy. I'm in a state of both wanting and not wanting to know what's going on out there.
I fall asleep but quickly wake up, and when I do. I'm in a new place. I think I've been kidnapped but no one is here, I don't even hear anyone breathing or walking around. I look around and I see a plethora of things, a metal heart, stuffed brain, crotheted tail. There's some glowing dust is a tiny glass necklace, and next to it is a shiny clock ticking away. One thing that catches my eye though, are these silver slippers. They are on top of a table in a glass case. He's been collecting. Everything in here doesn't fit Crazytown at all. I look around some more. The room is fairly big, and dimly lit. Tables line the room with glass cases on top of them. In front are plaques, I don't take the time to look at them though because I saw what I was looking for. There was a map. Mr.Dodt really had a map! And when I look at it, my jaw drops. There's more, so much more. The map shows Crazytown and the labyrinth surrounding it. It's a perfect circle, it also takes up only a corner of the mainland, which has the name Oz on it. Then there's a separate island off to the side with the name Neverland. I'm suddenly overwhelmed, we're so small compared to everything else, and this is just the start of what might end to something we can't even comprehend.
I hear footsteps approaching the room, there is only one other person who knows of this room, and obviously it's Mr. Dodt, the problem is. I don't know how to leave. I need to hide. I take the map and quickly roll it up and dive under the table. The door creaks open, and then there's a pair of feet, followed by another pair. Smoke starts to fill the room and it's strong. Who else is with Mr. Dodt? Is it Duchess Elsabeth's eldest son? Please don't be him. Please don't be him.
"Now tell me, what was your name again son?" One voice says, he's Mr. Dodt, I can tell.
"Elkson, sir. My mother was Lorrie." The other voice said. Not Duchess Elsabeth's eldest son, thank god.
"Oh, Lorrie, I remember her. And how is she?"
"Gone, sir."
"Huh, well that's unfortunate. Now do you know why I brought you here?"
"No, sir."
"Now would be the time to explain wouldn't it?"
"I suppose so."
He laughs, he has a deep belly laugh, but it sounds like his belly is filled with maggots. "I like you boy! You're a no nonsense type of boy aren't ya'? Alright, alright, I tell you why you're here, you said that you are the last survivor, right?"
"Yes sir."
"Well that's great, that about...24... 25... 26... ah 197. Right?"
"Around there."
Mr. Dodt was silent for a moment, then he walked over to one of the tables, "That's perfect, now it's time for your prize. Now I did say I would let you go, but I'm going to leave you with something."
I wasn't even a second before the BAM! The boy fell to the floor, his face was so lifeless, and so terrified. I had to cover my mouth with my hand to keep from screaming. This man was innocent, he just wanted to leave, he just wanted to live. My whole body is shaking. It was so hard to control my breathing it sounded so loud to me. How did I even get here?
"Liar." Mr. Dodt spoke out loud to himself. "Now I might be a greedy pig but I'm not stupid." With the tip of his foot he taps Elkson to make sure that he was dead.
Don't move, don't move, don't move.
"Alrighty then." He started again. "Now, time for the second little rat. Whoever is in here better come out. If you do, I might even let you go."
Yeah right.
"Oh, so you're playing this game. That's a dangerous move to make... Hold on, are you scared because of this thing right here?" He says as his foot taps Elkson once again. I'm on the brink of bursting out into tears, nothing has scared me so much, and I don't know what it is that scares me. But for some reason, it hurts so bad. Having this fear bubbling inside of me stings, and I hate it so much. I don't move, I do my best not to make any noise. He starts to get annoyed. "Come out, right now!"
To my horror he walks over eight in front of me and stops, I know I've been caught way before I even knew. I'm not surprised seeing as I was literally just under a table. I can't hesitate, I can't. I forcefully bring my leg out, shifting all of my weight into my foot as I kick his lower leg causing him to fall. While he's down I bolt out of the room. I'm running down hallways, I got a pretty good head start but he's following me. Even for a man of his stature, he is able to follow me. I shove open a big door, and thank god, recognize where I am. I head for the ballroom. Maybe I can loose him in the corner room. I try to open the door, but it's locked. He's at the other end of the ballroom, he's made a good distance while I struggle to open it. I finally managed to pry it open, but now he's so close. I am hoping that with the narrowing of the hall, that will put more space between us. When I kicked him earlier he dropped the gun and he would've shot me by now if he had it. I was fully ready for my plan to work but something was wrong. The wall is not getting smaller like it's supposed to. It's changed. Now I don't know what's going to happen. All I can do is run, and run, and run. I don't know how I've run this far, perhaps it was the adrenaline, but now it's left me and my legs are giving out. My lungs burn so bad. I need to do something. I need to think, maybe I can hit him with the painting, but would that even work? It's a high risk plan, and I'm not sure it would even work. It's only that or I keep running, and I don't know if I can do that any longer. I pick up speed to create more space between us and I quickly reach over for a painting and feel realized about how heavy it is. I turn to see his wide-eyed face for a split second before another BAM! It  took me a second to realize that it wasn't a gun and another  to realize that it was the furthest thing from one. It was something horrible. The wall slammed together with Mr. Dodt at the center. I can see drops of blood trail down my clothes. These pictures weren't decorations, they were traps. I drop the painting, my whole body is shaking. That was the furthest thing I was expecting, I struggled to find my breath. I don't feel bad for that man, but the way he died wasn't peaceful at all. At least when Mr. Mellows and Duchess Elsabeth died, their bodies weren't harmed, their deaths were as peaceful as possible. My legs give out and I drop, this wasn't what I wanted. What have I done? What have I done? Don't cry, don't cry, don't you dare cry over something so stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. You're a stupid little girl if you cry.
I hear footsteps getting closer, I should run. I probably have to but I can't run anymore. The footsteps stop for a second before continuing at a quickened pace. I can see the shoes stop in front of me and a pair of hands pick up the painting and put it back in its place causing the wall to open up. I shut my eyes tightly, I don't want to see it. Suddenly my body is being lifted, what's happening, what's happening, what's happening?
"Don't worry Jane, I swore to your mother that I would protect you." A voice said, it was soft. I opened my eyes to see that it was the man from earlier, now I recognize him. He used to come visit me and my mother when I was much younger and check on her. He would give us food and tell my mother about what was happening. I never understood a thing they were saying so I never listened, now I wish I had.
"Billard." I say.
"Hello Miss, it's been a while hasn't it? You've grown so much."
"Yeah." I almost laugh but then I remember. "The map."
"Don't worry about that. I grabbed it for you." He says.
Soon, we've entered the ballroom, and as we go up the stairs I can hear him talk to a soldier.
"Mr. Dodt is dead, escort the others out."
"I'm sorry, but I don't know if we're-"
"And who exactly are you going to ask? Mr. Dodt? Escort the others out, they weren't supposed to be here. Mr. Dodt is in the Changing Hallway, trust me you won't miss him. Now if you'll excuse me." We continued on. I don't have the strength to do anything anymore. But this isn't even the end of it. Tomorrow, I will have to do it all over again.
It's not even dark outside. I might even get the privilege to wait until tomorrow, I might have to do this all over again in a few minutes. He asks one of the men standing outside for directions to Macy and I's carriage, after a bit of passive aggressive back and forth he finally gets directions. It takes a while, and I don't know what exactly happens next. It's all a blur until I eventually fall asleep. I don't know where I am, I don't care where I am. I don't know how my clothes become a nightgown. I don't know when Billard's face became Melodie's, became Micheal's. But I do know how hard it is not to slip away. And I do know that it is about to get worse. I know, because the thing that snaps me out of my daze is when Melodie dashes into the room, her eyes are filled with terror. It seems like she is actually crying, and she's holding a small envelope in her hand. She
hands it to me, and on top with fancy letters it spells,

Merchant

No, no, no, no. Merchant just challenged me to a game.
I'm going to die.