WtSLB: Sapphire in Wonderland (Hiatus)

Chapter 40: Headless Horseman

Feet pounded against the dirt as Sapphire ran as fast as she could through the forest, her friends following behind her. Red Hood, from Jeanne's back, was crying. "M-Mo- Miss Sapphire! Is Da- Mr. Vao going to be okay!?"

She was tripping over her own words trying to ask a question Sapphire didn't want to answer.

All around them the air was heavy and dark. When someone had begun to turn in the past, it had been a stranger; someone they became friends with later. Shiza was the only exception, and she had a fairytale as a safeguard.

But this time, it was someone they knew since the beginning and didn't have a fairytale.

Sapphire couldn't answer Red Hood's question. There was only one thing she could scream.

"VAO!"

Jack's grin widened, his yellow eyes flickering in glee. "Oh la la... Do you want to guess he's turned by now-"

"Shut up," Shiza snarled. "Shut up, you grinning asshole! Vao's going to be fine! He's having symptoms, but there's still time before the process starts!"

Jack remained silent, and no one argued with Shiza. No one argued even though they knew she was wrong. Their fight with Punk Rock had taken too long - the affliction had festered and grown stronger before they could work to get Vao's hopes back up, help him get over the past after reliving every agonizing moment. The moment Vao recognized the danger he would soon pose after he murdered Vao EX in front of Sapphire EX, he had fled as fast as he could.

Sapphire clenched her teeth, forcing herself to keep running. Even if Vao had broken his promise and returned to drinking, she wasn't going to abandon him. He still cared; it was proven when he came back and saved her from becoming a demonbeast. And that's exactly what she was going to do for him.

The forest grew darker, black storm clouds brewing overhead and promising a storm. Even though the morning should have been dawning, it became darker, thunder rumbling in the distance as they burst through the trees, and stepped into the field.

The sight made them slow to a stop, their eyes gazing upon the sight. The sight that instilled dread.

The grass was a canvas of brown, grey, and black. The once-green blades had begun to wither and decay. The wildflowers drooped, wilted and rotten. The thunder grew louder as the black storm clouds grew thicker, the thunder closing in. Shiza bent down to trail her fingers over the grass as they stepped further within the field. "It's... It's all... Dead," she whispered.

A cold shiver ran down their spines as they walked, the flowers crumbling to dust as they brushed past them. No birds sang. No animals ran through the field. They had all evacuated. They had all fled to get away from the fell threat that had invaded the field. Sapphire blinked as her vision began to darken, until she could see nothing at all. The doll stumbled back, her friends catching her. But she couldn't see them. She couldn't hear them.

The only thing she saw in the dark void was a small table covered in a white cloth. And sitting at the opposite end of that table was something she didn't want to see.

The large green top hat with the ace of hearts tucked into the brim, the colorful suit, the black hair, and finally the white comedy mask. The appearance of the Mad Hatter. One hand held his cane, and the other was closed loosely, shaking something small in his caged fingers.

"Ueh heh heh~! The game continues~! The game continues~! Let's roll for luck, shall we~?"

Tack... Tack... Tack...

He rolled the small object on the table, Sapphire watching as it bounced on the table, her fear rising as she recognized it. It was a twenty sided die; a D20.